For immediate release:
May 17th, 2019

Media Contact:
David Boze 206-946-1018

SEATTLE -- Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig (D-Spokane) and Senators Mike Padden, (R-Spokane Valley), Sharon Brown (R-Richland) and Guy Palumbo (D-Maltby) were named the recipients of Washington Policy Center’s (WPC’s) inaugural Summit Award for their successful efforts to strengthen the ability of citizens to participate in government via remote testimony.  Their work has given citizens from across the state better access to their elected representatives by incorporating the use of video conferencing technology into public hearings.

The award was presented Tuesday at WPC's Solutions Summit policy conference at the Historic Davenport Hotel in Spokane.

“Until now, citizens in Eastern Washington would lose a full day of work just driving to Olympia if they wanted to offer testimony on an issue of importance to them." said Chris Cargill, WPC’s Eastern Washington Office Director. “This bipartisan group of lawmakers saw the benefit of remote testimony and championed the cause. They made citizen involvement easier, safer, and less costly.  They deserved recognition for that work.”

Sen. Padden was the first to hold a remote testimony trial run out of Spokane in 2013,and in 2015 Sen. Brown worked with Columbia Basin College to set up a dedicated remote testimony room. As Chair of the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee, Sen. Palumbo volunteered to be the first to offer remote testimony for every hearing during the 2019 legislative session. Senate Majority Leader Billig expanded the use of remote testimony to every Senate committee for the 2019 legislative session.