WRPA is excited to announce the 2020 Legislative priorities. Some of the initiatives include:
TO: WRPA Membership
FROM: Justin Brown, Longview/Travis Stombaugh, Si View Parks District – 2020 LEG Day Planning Leads
A law passed in 2018 raised the prevailing wage for this group from a low of around $13 an hour up to $50 an hour or more in some instances. This job category included higher-rate landscape construction work (like spreading top soil, seeding, planting and installing sprinkler systems), along with simpler landscape maintenance like lawn mowing and trimming.
Local government agencies and landscape contractors expressed concern about the unexpected increase in cost for landscape maintenance under the new prevailing wage law. And in February, the Association of Washington Cities requested L&I undertake rule making to separate out landscape maintenance work from the traditionally higher-paid landscape construction work. L&I heard those concerns and has moved ahead with an emergency rule.
We wanted to flag that Congress passed the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreations Act (S. 47), a legislative package that has now been sent to the President for his signature. It includes more than 100 individual bills that address natural resources, parks, and water. Most of the individual bills were introduced in previous sessions of Congress, with the relevant authorizing Committees engaging in a significant stakeholder engagement process to inform the final, comprehensive package. The text of S. 47 was introduced this past December and voted on in each chamber over the past two weeks. You can read more about the process, including a list of individual key bills included, here. The President has ten days from Congressional passage to sign the bill into law.
What is “YAF”? – The Youth Athletic Facilities grant program, administered by the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO), provides funds to build, renovate, replace, or acquire land for outdoor athletic facilities such as ball fields, courts, swimming pools, tennis courts, BMX tracks, field lighting, and skate parks. The program focuses on serve youth through age
WRPA’s Request – We are requesting at least a $12 million investment in the 2019-21 Capital Budget to help fund a ranked and evaluated grant list comprised of more than 60 project applicants who sought over $16 million.
RIGHT NOW: Legislators are making important decisions about our great outdoors. Tell them that you support $130M for #WWRP, so that Washingtonians can continue to enjoy trails, parks, forests, and so much more.
Visit our Take Action Page right now for a sample message you can send to legislators!
The Board Of Directors recently approved the key legislative priorities for 2019. Check out the condensed version below and visit our Legislative Priority page to learn more about our position on these legislative issues in the Recreation & Parks Community.
Dear WRPA Supporters,
I am writing on behalf of the LWCF Coalition to ask for your help to save the Land and Water Conservation Fund, our nation’s oldest and most important parks and conservation program, which will die at the end of September unless Congress acts.
WEEK 8 REPORT ON 2018 SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE -- & WEEK 9 HEARINGS/”EXECS”
FOR WRPA EXECUTIVE BOARD, LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, & MEMBERSHIP
WEEK 7 REPORT ON 2018 SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE -- & WEEK 8 HEARINGS/”EXECS”
FOR WRPA EXECUTIVE BOARD, LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, & MEMBERSHIP
WEEK 6 REPORT ON 2018 SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE -- & WEEK 7 HEARINGS/”EXECS”
FOR WRPA EXECUTIVE BOARD, LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, & MEMBERSHIP
WEEK 5 REPORT ON 2018 SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE -- & WEEK 6 HEARINGS/”EXECS”
FOR WRPA EXECUTIVE BOARD, LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, & MEMBERSHIP
WEEK 4 REPORT ON 2018 SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE -- & WEEK 5 HEARINGS/”EXECS”
FOR WRPA EXECUTIVE BOARD, LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, & MEMBERSHIP
WEEK 3 REPORT ON 2018 SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE -- & WEEK 4 HEARINGS/”EXECS”
FOR WRPA EXECUTIVE BOARD, LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, & MEMBERSHIP
Report on Week 2 of 2018 Session
For WRPA Executive Board, Members, Legislative Chair & Legislative Committee Members
By Doug Levy, WRPA Lobbyist – 1/15/18
“Remember. This will be a short, 60-day, modest Session. Don’t expect much.”
2018 Park & Great Outdoors Legislative Day
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When: January 25, 2018 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
(Capital Budget) The two-year Capital Budget that is pending in the Washington State Legislature is much more than a document or a “bill.” It is a mission-critical, job-creating investment in the State of Washington, in outdoor recreation, in schools, and in local communities. WRPA urges the State Legislature to move forward with adoption of a 2017-19 Capital Budget, including agreed-upon allocations of $80 million for the Washington Wildlife & Recreation Program (WWRP) and $4.077 million for the Youth Athletic Facilities (YAF) program. The negotiated Capital Budget also includes a historically-low $1 million allocation for the Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account (ALEA). WRPA urges lawmakers to enhance funding for both ALEA and YAF in future cycles.
(Capital Budget) As the Legislature looks to finalize a 2017-19 Capital Budget, WRPA urges lawmakers to refrain from diverting funding from dedicated accounts that are focused on funding outdoor recreation activities. These include the WWRP, YAF, and ALEA accounts, others such as the Boating Facilities Program (BFP) and Non-Highway Off-Road Vehicle Account (NOVA), and pass-through federal-funding accounts such as the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). WRPA urges lawmakers to keep top-of-mind a recent report study showing that the outdoor recreation sector generates $26 billion a year in economic activity for the state, as well as 200,000+ jobs.
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