Council Member Candace Mumm, 509.625.6718
Monday, February 1, 2016 at 5:53 p.m.
Spokane City Council Member Candace Mumm traveled to Olympia today to testify before the Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor. She was to give testimony on SB 6578, a bill introduced by Senator Michael Baumgartner, to preempt cities from enacting legislation such as Spokane’s Earned Safe and Sick Leave ordinance, which was adopted last month.
David Williams, Director of Government Relations for the Association of Washington Cities (AWC), was also denied the opportunity to testify. Elected officials, as a legislative courtesy, are generally called to testify first. The committee chair determines who is allowed to testify – and the chair in this case was Senator Baumgartner.
“Apparently the Senator did not wish to have his bill publicly opposed by a hometown elected official or other cities across the state,” said Council member Mumm. Mumm voted for legislation Senator Baumgartner’s bill would aim to nullify.
“Cities and citizens should have an opportunity to speak at our State Capitol on issues that will affect them” she added. “At a hearing he called, Senator Baumgartner gave priority to Olympia-based lobbyists over his own constituents.”
Baumgartner’s bill, if adopted, would preempt legislation passed by local jurisdictions. Williams and Mumm were scheduled to speak as a panel at this afternoon’s Senate hearing.
