Olympia report this week.

State Senate to hold virtual meetings during the 2021 legislative session (KING 5)

The Capitol building will remain closed to the public and lobbyists during the 2021 legislative session set to begin January 11th. 

Members of the state Senate will do their work during the 105-day session through both virtual meetings and on-site votes. The public will have an option to join committee hearings via Zoom. 

Democrats plan to limit the public’s ability to provide remote testimony for hearings. Committee chairs – with Democrats in complete control – have the power to decide who is allowed to speak during hearings and for how long. 

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Does Jay Inslee have dreams of a position with a Biden administration?  (Seattle Times)

While running for a rare third term as governor, Jay Inslee repeatedly insisted that he is not interested in a top position in a Joe Biden administration. 

Despite his denials, speculations are still high that Inslee is – in fact – angling for a new job as an environmental Cabinet post or White House advisor. 

Maggie Thomas – an advisor for Inslee’s failed presidential bid – is part of the Biden transition team in charge of an agency-review team for the Department of Interior. If Inslee is appointed to the position, it will be a win for the Left’s influence on an incoming Biden administration. 

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Inslee fails to reduce CO2 emissions on par with national standards (Washington Policy Center)

New numbers released as part of the state’s draft 2021 Energy Strategy relieve that Washington state’s 2018 greenhouse gas emissions saw an increase of 1.4% from 2017. 

The 2018 emissions increased to 98.9 million metric tons (MMT) CO2. The numbers are part of a steady increase.  To be exact, Washington’s CO2 emissions increased nearly 8 percent since 2012. 

Washington’s per-capita emissions decreased by a mere one percent between 2012 and 2018. Placed in perspective, per-capita CO2 emissions fell 5 percent across the entire USA from 2012 and 2017.

Despite running for president as the climate change candidate and making green policies his top priority, Jay Inslee has failed to cut CO2 emissions. The question remains whether or not he will “fail up” and receive an environmental appointment as part of Biden’s administration. 

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Internal documents reveal WA Attorney General “improperly” influences initiative titles (WA Asians for Equality)

WA Asians For Equality – an advocacy group fighting for equality for Asian Americans in Washington State – released internal documents charging that the Washington State Assistant Attorney General “knowingly and improperly re-wrote a ballot title to mollify a ‘friendly’ initiative sponsor with political connections, in violation of a ruling by a judge, while also ignoring a request for fair treatment from Asian Americans.” 

The documents make clear that the WA Attorney General’s Office exerted improper influence on determining initiative titles.

The revelations have led to an investigation by WA Senate Republicans into legislative fixes.