Anyone looking for an example of the transparency games being played in Olympia needs look no further than what is happening today. A Senate Ways and Means hearing is scheduled for 1:30pm today, and at 12:09pm Senate Bill 5754 was added to the agenda. SB 5754 concerns publication of tax data to ensure the transparency of Washington's tax preferences.
The less than 90 minutes notice gives people from Eastern Washington no opportunity to go to Olympia to testify on the bill. In fact, it barely gives them time to phone or email their Senator with questions.
This is yet another example of why the legislature should seriously consider another look at SB 5419. As WPC Government Reform director Jason Mercier explains, this bill [1], if amended as recommended by WPC, could extend transparency protections to all bills, extending the timeout period before floor action, and requiring a 72-hour notification process for public hearings. People from Eastern Washington can get to Olympia within three days. They can't in 90 minutes.