Tag Archives: Sen. Mark Schoesler

Legislature passes Schoesler bill to improve firefighter, law-enforcement officer retirement benefits

The Legislature has unanimously passed a measure introduced by 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler that would increase retirement benefits for firefighters and law-enforcement officers.

Senate Bill 5791 would provide Law Enforcement Officers’ and Fire Fighters’ Retirement System Plan 1 members with a one-time lump sum equal to $100 per month of service for retirees and a minimum of $20,000 for catastrophic and duty-disability retirees, and duty-death beneficiaries. The lump sum payments would come from a nearly $2 billion surplus in the LEOFF 1 system, which closed in 1977.

The House of Representatives passed the proposal 98-0 Thursday night. The Senate approved it 49-0 on Feb. 15. The bill now goes to Gov. Jay Inslee for final consideration.

“This bill would help our courageous law-enforcement officers and firefighters who put their lives on the line year after year,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “Using the budget surplus to give LEOFF 1 pension members a one-time payout means some more money for their retirement years, while making only a very small dent in the state budget surplus.”

Schoesler added that increased benefits would create incentives for law enforcement officers and firefighters to stay longer in their jobs.

The Law Enforcement Officers’ and Fire Fighters’ Retirement System (LEOFF) provides retirement benefits to full-time, fully compensated law-enforcement officers and firefighters employed by the state, cities, counties and special districts. Law-enforcement officers and firefighters who entered service between 1969 and October 1, 1977, were enrolled in LEOFF Plan 1. Those entering service after that date are part of the LEOFF Plan 2.

Schoesler says two full years of emergency orders is too much

Today marks the start of the third year of Gov. Jay Inslee’s COVID-19 state of emergency. To 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler, it’s a frustrating reminder that Washington was not meant to be controlled by one person for so long.

“No governor in our nation has exercised emergency powers as long as Jay Inslee since the COVID pandemic began more than two years ago, and people throughout Washington have had enough,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “His various mandates, especially requiring state employees under his control to be vaccinated against COVID or lose their job, have harmed people’s trust in our state government. People are tired of one-man rule in Washington.”

Schoesler said the two-year anniversary of Inslee’s emergency declaration is a strong reminder that the Legislature needs to pass meaningful reform of the state’s emergency-powers law. The only changes supported by majority Democrats this session would have little practical effect.

“My Republican colleagues and I think that all emergency proclamations made by a Washington governor should have a time limit, and be extended only if the Legislature agrees. It’s time to restore the balance of power in Washington so that the legislative branch can have a say in all emergency orders – including the proclamations that really control people’s lives. We’ve seen other states already do this because their governors and legislatures trust their citizens. We need to do the same thing here in Washington.”

Inslee recently announced that he is relaxing the indoor mask mandate in Washington starting March 12.

Schoesler says record surplus means it’s time for tax relief for Washingtonians

The February state revenue forecast adopted today by the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council reveals that state government now has a $15 billion revenue surplus – proof that some of that extra money should be returned to Washingtonians in the form of tax relief, said 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler.

“For over a year now, our state’s revenue projections have improved with each revenue forecast, and today’s forecast reveals that we have a record-setting revenue surplus of $15 billion,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville and a member of the budget-writing Senate Ways and Means Committee. “With so many hard-working people in our state struggling to cope with higher gas prices and rampant inflation, the Legislature should do the right thing and give back some of this extra revenue to our state’s taxpayers. They deserve it and we can afford to do it.”

The February forecast – the first quarterly forecast for 2022 – shows revenue projections increased by over $2.8 billion for the four-year outlook budget period ($1.45 billion for the current biennium and $1.32 billion for the 2023-25 biennium). The main reasons for the latest revenue increases are due to revenue collections coming in $450 million higher than forecast since the previous forecast in November and the number of unemployed in Washington, as measured by unemployment insurance claims, being at historic lows.

The state operating budget is now expected to collect over $10 billion in additional revenue during the four-year outlook than expected when the Legislature finished its 2021 session in April.

The Economic and Revenue Forecast Council projects that the state has $61.691 billion in revenue for the current biennium, a 16.1% increase over the 2019-21 biennium. The state is projected to have $65.368 billion in revenue in the 2023-25 biennium.

To view the February forecast, click here.

Senate passes Schoesler’s bill to improve firefighter, law enforcement officer retirement benefits

The Senate today unanimously passed a measure introduced by 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler that would increase firefighter and law enforcement officer retirement benefits.

Senate Bill 5791 would provide Law Enforcement Officers’ and Fire Fighters’ Retirement System Plan 1 members with a one-time lump sum equal to $100 per month of service for retirees and a minimum of $20,000 for catastrophic and duty disability retirees, and duty death beneficiaries.

“This bill would help our courageous law enforcement officers and firefighters who put their lives on the line year after year,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “Using the budget surplus to give LEOFF 1 pension members a one-time payout would give our law enforcement officers and firefighters some more money for their retirement years. Providing them with this extra money would make only a very small dent in the state budget surplus.”

Schoesler added that increased benefits would create incentives for law enforcement officers and firefighters to stay longer in their jobs.

The Law Enforcement Officers’ and Fire Fighters’ Retirement System (LEOFF) provides retirement benefits to full-time, fully compensated law enforcement officers and firefighters employed by the state, cities, counties and special districts. Law enforcement officers and firefighters who entered service between 1969 and October 1, 1977, were enrolled in LEOFF Plan 1. Those entering service after that date are part of the LEOFF Plan 2.

The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.

9th District legislators to host virtual town hall on Tuesday, Feb. 22

Sen. Mark Schoesler, Rep. Joe Schmick and Rep. Mary Dye are inviting citizens to join them Tuesday, Feb. 22, for a 9th District virtual town hall meeting.

The eastern Washington lawmakers will provide an update of the 2022 legislative session and then take questions from participants. Citizens may also submit written questions during the registration process.

During the town hall meeting, the 9th District legislative team will discuss several issues, including:

  • The Democrats’ mandatory long-term care insurance tax.
  • The state’s $8.8 billion surplus, including $2.2 billion in reserves and $1.2 billion in unspent federal stimulus.
  • Whether the majority party will allow for any meaningful tax relief.
  • Updates to last year’s failed law enforcement reform bills.
  • Emergency powers reform.

The event will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The remote event will be conducted using the Zoom platform.

Preregistration is required by going to tinyurl.com/9thDistrictTownHall. After registering, a confirmation email will be sent about joining the webinar. Space is limited, so people are advised to register early.

Senate again passes Schoesler bill improving irrigation-district elections

A proposal prime-sponsored by 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler that would improve irrigation district elections has been unanimously approved by the Senate for the second time in nearly a year.

The Senate today unanimously passed Senate Bill 5342, which would allow mail-in ballot elections for irrigation districts and identify qualified district electors for irrigation districts. It also would create a gross misdemeanor violation when election-security requirements for irrigation-district elections are violated.

“Irrigation-district elections have become outdated, which has become a concern,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville.  “This bill provides an overdue update to irrigation-district elections and it increases election security for them. A work group created a couple of years ago reviewed election policies and procedures used by irrigation districts and concluded that many of the state laws that deal with these elections needed to be updated. This bill reflects the final recommendations of that work group.”

Last March, the Senate passed the bill 48-0, but the House did not take action on it, sending the proposal back to the Senate at the end of the 2021 session. On Jan. 13, the Senate Housing and Local Government Committee amended and then passed the bill.

Senate Bill 5342 now returns to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

Senate again passes Schoesler bill to help school districts address maintenance needs

For the second time in nearly a year, the Senate has approved a bill introduced by Sen. Mark Schoesler that would help school districts in Washington address their building maintenance needs.

Senate Bill 5202 would allow school districts to create a “depreciation subfund” that can receive a transfer of up to 2 percent of a school district’s general fund each fiscal year.

After originally passing the bill 44-4 last February, the Senate today again approved it, this time on a 46-2 vote.

“This bill would provide another path for school districts to handle building- or facility-maintenance needs,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “Sometimes it can be better for a school district to pay cash for a building repair or to set aside money for emergencies when they arise. Establishing this subfund is a way to help students learn in a healthy environment since school buildings would be in better condition.

“School administrators have recognized the value of this proposal, and I’m pleased that nearly all of my Senate colleagues again approved this bill today.”

Senate Bill 5202 now returns to the House of Representatives for further consideration. During the 2021 legislative session, the bill was passed by the House Education Committee but did not reach the House floor for a vote. After that session ended, Schoesler’s bill reverted to the Senate, prompting today’s revote.

Schoesler introduces bill to reduce pollution in Puget Sound

For many years, environmentalists and others have decried increasing pollution in Puget Sound, pointing out how it is harming water quality and the wildlife that relies on the sound.

Even though he lives hundreds of miles from the waterway, 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler has introduced a proposal that aims to help make Puget Sound cleaner.

“It’s no secret that Puget Sound has become more polluted over the years, and one key reason is the recent raw sewage spills from publicly owned domestic wastewater treatment plants,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville, who pointed to last January’s accident in which 11 million gallons of storm water and untreated sewage escaped from Seattle’s West Point Treatment Plant into Puget Sound. “Governor Inslee and others make a big deal about having stream buffers to protect water and fish and keeping untreated stormwater and runoff out of the sound, but I think they haven’t given raw sewage spills from treatment plants the same level of concern. This is a serious problem that should be addressed now. This bill would help us get there, and it is a better policy approach to protecting salmon than stream buffers and breaching the Snake River dams.”

Schoesler’s measure, Senate Bill 5786, would aim to protect Puget Sound from wastewater pollution by requiring the state Department of Ecology to strengthen the sound’s nutrient general permit. The measure has been referred to the Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee for consideration.

“The sewage entering Puget Sound is not only unhealthy and dangerous for humans, it also is unhealthy and dangerous for the fish, shellfish, marine animals and birds that live in or near the sound,” said Schoesler. “If we really care about Puget Sound and the wildlife that relies on it, we need to start focusing on keeping raw sewage from polluting the sound.”

Schoesler said Ecology has identified publicly owned domestic wastewater treatment plants as a significant source of excess nutrients, such as nitrogen, which contribute to low oxygen levels in Puget Sound. However, the department’s Puget Sound nutrient general permit, which took effect on Jan. 1 this year, will not sufficiently protect Puget Sound from pollution caused by raw sewage.

Schoesler calls for Inslee, Democrats to provide tax relief in light of historic inflation

Following today’s national inflation news that shows prices are 6.8% higher than a year ago, the highest inflation increase since June 1982, 9th District state Sen. Mark Schoesler is calling for Gov. Jay Inslee and legislative Democrats to offer tax relief to Washingtonians to help offset the financial struggles caused by inflation.

“Consumers throughout the U.S. have had to pay higher prices on many items over the past year,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “Food prices have risen 6.1 percent, energy prices have skyrocketed 33 percent, new vehicles are 11.1 percent higher, medical care is 2.1 percent higher and shelter is up nearly 4 percent. While salaries have risen for many, they haven’t come close to keeping up with rising inflation, and it’s making it harder for families and individuals to make ends meet. At a time when the state has a huge surplus, now is the time for the governor and the Legislature to provide tax relief to hard-working people who are struggling because of inflation.”

Inslee is expected to unveil his state supplemental operating budget proposal next week.

Schoesler serves on the Senate Ways and Means Committee, which addresses budget and tax issues.

The 2022 legislative session begins Jan. 10 and is scheduled to last 60 days.