Rep. Steele Expects 2023 Leg. Sessions to End “With a Whimper”
The 2023 Washington State Legislative Session is scheduled to adjourn this weekend.
Lawmakers will welcome to arrival of sine die on Sunday, April 23.
Twelfth District Rep. Mike Steele (R) of Chelan says he doesn't expect too much activity during the last few days of the sessions.
"I feel like the session's going to end with a whimper. We've been running very hard all the way to this week. It's really unlike anything I've ever seen in terms of late nights on the (House) floor and long debates, but I don't foresee these long hours of brutal debating continuing in the final days here in Olympia. In fact, we could end slightly early on Sunday and we have to be constitutionally done by midnight."
Steele says despite his prediction for few, if any fireworks during the session's final three days, there are still several bills involving new taxation which could eventually make things a bit more lively.
"As it relates to some of the bills we've been hearing on new taxes and new revenue, they're all necessary to implement the state's budgets, so they could float around until Sunday at sine die and pop up at any moment. But we'll be ready to debate them and hopefully turn them down should they in fact come up."
This year's 105-day legislative sessions began on January 9.