Commentary: Legislatures Democratic majority ended gridlock
When the Legislature adjourned on time without a special session for the first time in four years, I know I joined many others in breathing a satisfying sigh of relief.
In 60 days, the Legislature passed more than 300 bills. Major legislation funds improvements in mental and behavioral health care, reduces gun violence, protects net neutrality, closes the gender gap in equal pay, prevents oil spills, increases access to the ballot box. And that’s just for starters.
What’s more, those bills all passed with bipartisan support.
When Democrats took control of the House and Senate this year, we sought out collaborative and productive working relationships with the Republican minorities — and bipartisanship flourished. In fact, just seven bills that passed the Senate — approximately 2 percent — were along party lines.
Just look at the journey of the $4.3 billion capital construction budget. A frustrating remnant from 2017, the budget fell hostage to then-majority Republicans who kept it from coming to a vote in an attempt to resolve a contentious water rights ruling.
By the time we arrived in Olympia in January, the refusal to pass a capital budget had led to layoffs and project delays across the state. But in just the first two weeks of the new session, Senate Democrats forged a bipartisan agreement and, in return, Republicans provided votes to help us create thousands of jobs and projects.
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