Politics: Ryu hopes to avoid another special legislative session

State Rep. Cindy Ryu

By Evan Smith

Democratic State Rep. Cindy Ryu says she hopes legislators can get through their scheduled 60-day 2018 session that begins Monday, with no special sessions to complete their work, including passing a capital budget, a supplemental budget and other bills, in a timely manner.

The legislature passes a biennial operating budget during a 105-day session in odd-numbered years and tweaks that with a supplemental budget based on updated information during a 60-day session in even-numbered years.

In 2017, legislators were unable to pass an operating budget during their scheduled 105-day session, and went into a third 30-day special session before reaching a compromise between the Democratic-controlled State House of Representatives and the then-Republican-controlled State Senate.

Legislators never did reach an accord on a capital budget, which would pay for state buildings and other projects built using the state’s bonding authority.

In the 2018 legislature, Democrats will control both the House and the Senate. The Democrats took control of the Senate when a Democratic victory in a November special election gave them a 25-24 majority.

Ryu chairs the House committee on community development, housing and tribal affairs. She said in early December that she has asked House members who are thinking of introducing bills that might be referred to her committee, to introduce their bills early so she can schedule their hearings the first two weeks of the session.

Ryu represents the 32nd Legislative District, including the city of Shoreline, part of northwest Seattle, Woodway and nearby unincorporated areas of southwest Snohomish County, south Edmonds, the city of Lynnwood and part of Mountlake Terrace.

In addition to being chair of the committee on community development, housing and tribal affairs, Ryu is a member of the Capital Budget Committee and the committee on commerce and gaining.

Evan Smith can be reached at schsmith@frontier.com