June 12, 2023

Celebrating 90 years of advocating for cities
AWC staff are looking forward to our Annual Conference in Spokane next week where we will be celebrating AWC’s 90th anniversary. It has been fun and educational to look back at 90 years of city advocacy. AWC was founded in 1933 to fill the need for a unified city voice before the state Legislature, and we have met that need ever since. I hope you’ll join us for our conference session on June 23, when we’ll remember our history together and discuss how all city officials can continue the tradition of strong city advocacy.

With the 2023 session fully behind us, we have begun to look ahead to 2024. AWC’s Legislative Priorities Committee started work this month considering issues for AWC’s 2024 legislative agenda. The Committee will make its final recommendations to the Board in September. We appreciate the members who have already shared suggestions with us. For those who haven’t yet, if you have ideas for legislative proposals that you would like the Committee to consider, please send them to me.

Having officially started the legislative interim, we restructured our Legislative Bulletin to focus more on timely information while keeping the necessary topical updates. As is our tradition, during the interim we produce the Bulletin on a monthly basis.

Happy interim,

Candice Bock
Government Relations Director

Missed it? Watch the recording of the joint AWC and WAPA webinar on the new drug possession legislation
Last week, AWC and the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys (WAPA) held a joint webinar covering SB 5536, the new "Blake fix" drug possession legislation that passed during the May 16 special session. Watch the video. Please note that this webinar was offered for educational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. Cities should consult their legal counsel with questions or concerns.

Cities to see impacts from debt-limit legislation; ARPA funds protected from clawbacks
With the fervor of the debt-ceiling negotiations now passed, and a default on the national debt averted, we bring you an analysis of the legislation’s impacts on cities. The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 creates a suspension of the debt ceiling until January 1, 2025. Local government SLFRF monies (city ARPA funds), whether spent or unspent, will not be rescinded. More

Join our June 16 extreme heat workshop and roundtable discussion
Beginning July 23, water and electric utilities will be prohibited from making service shutoffs when the National Weather Service has issued a heat-related alert such as an excessive heat warning, heat advisory, or similar alerts. Please join AWC, in partnership with the Washington Association of Sewer & Water Districts and the Washington Public Utility Districts Association, on June 16 from 9–10:30 am for a virtual roundtable discussion with utility managers from cities, water and sewer districts, and PUDs from across the state. We will discuss provisions of the new law and best practices for implementation. More

L&I looks to adopt permanent wildfire smoke exposure rules for outdoor workers
L&I has started the process to adopt permanent wildfire smoke exposure rules for outdoor workers by late summer. The agency aims to adopt final rules by August 18. The rulemaking follows two years of temporary emergency rules that bypassed the full rulemaking process. Read on to learn what has been included in the draft rules and how your city can participate in the process. More

Watch AWC’s legislative recap webinar
If you missed our recap webinar live last month, we have you covered. You can now watch the recording. On May 18, our lobbying team provided a comprehensive overview of what did and did not happen during the legislative session including key bills and budget highlights for cities.

AWC launches Inflation Reduction Act webpage
AWC recently launched a new Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) webpage to help cities makes sense of the sweeping federal legislation and prepare to take advantage of the many benefits it offers to local governments. The new site is a central location for cities to find news, events, and other important resources related to energy, resilience, and climate mitigation efforts supported by the IRA. AWC will continue to update the page as new information comes out, so check back regularly.

Commerce kicks off 2025 GMA Periodic Update workshop series. For cities who must update their comprehensive plans under the Growth Management Act in 2025, the first workshop is June 14, from 9:30 am to 12 pm. More

Federal Communications Commission releases national broadband map 2.0, prepares to announce BEAD funding allocations by June 30. Washington found to have thousands more unserved locations than captured in previous mapping data. More

The JLARC public records reporting system is now open for 2022 reporting. Agencies that spend over $100,000 in staff and legal costs associated with maintaining public records and responding to records requests are required to report. The deadline to submit 2022 data is July 1. More

WA Cares Fund payroll tax to start July 1. The employee payroll tax that funds the state’s new long-term care benefit is set to begin July 1. More

Public Works Board now accepting broadband loan applications. Prepare to apply by July 18 deadline. More

Register for the Department of Revenue Local Government Partnership meeting. This annual meeting with DOR staff regarding tax topics of interest to local governments is July 25. More

AG Ferguson files lawsuit against manufacturers of PFAS chemicals. PFAS from firefighting foam has contaminated groundwater used for drinking in multiple Washington communities, rendering some sources undrinkable and requiring significant treatment measures at others. More

Opioid settlement process underway, more to come. Second payments from the distributor settlement are due to begin this summer and the pharmacy and manufacturer settlements payments are expected to begin late this summer or fall. More

Advocacy doesn’t stop in the legislative interim
Our work as strong city advocates doesn’t end on sine die; it just shifts focus. Now is a great time to follow up with your legislators after the legislative session. If you haven’t already, make sure to arrange for them to visit your city and share their session review with your council. Summer is also a good time to schedule tours of key projects in your community, to bring legislators up to speed and set the stage for any future requests for support. For more advocacy ideas, read our strong cities advocacy guide.

wacities.org/Advocacy | Legislative issues
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