With both the Senate Majority and Minority leaders for the 2019 Session being from Eastern Washington, we are hopeful the use of remote testimony will increase and become a more standard option for the general public. We are not alone. The Yakima Herald Republic wrote this week: 

"On a good traffic day — and, really, is any amount of traffic considered good? — it takes three hours to drive from Yakima to the state Capitol in Olympia. On a bad traffic day, well, you might want to bring some overnight provisions for that 180-mile, one-way expedition.

That’s why out here in the hinterlands, away from the madness of the Interstate 5 corridor and the political machinations therein, it’s easy to feel left out of the debate on issues that can profoundly affect our lives. It can be a major burden, as in missing a full day of work and burning a tank or two of gas, for a concerned Central Washington citizen to give a minute or two of testimony to legislative committees. It is even more burdensome, as in a six-hour trek, for Spokane residents to get their voices heard. 

Fortunately, the state Senate in the past few years has reached out — way, way out, across the state — to set up high-speed internet connections in remote outposts such as Ellensburg, Pasco, Spokane, Wenatchee and Walla Walla to allow remote testimony . . . The Senate should make remote testimony a regular part of hearings, not an afterthought agreed upon when someone on our side of the Cascades requests it. Perhaps with an eastsider, Sen. Andy Billig, D-Spokane, as the new majority leader, he will encourage more participation from our side of the state."

In some exciting news, it sounds like Sen. Billig is willing to do just this. According to his office: 

"Sen. Billig plans to discuss it [remote testimony] soon with Senate Administration. It certainly won’t decrease, and hopefully there are ways we can increase it."

According to the Senate, here are the remote testimony locations used during the 2018 Session: 

This Senate graphic was created at the request of Sen. Padden who said: 

“Remote testimony is so important because it allows those without the time, resources or physical ability to travel to still have their voices heard in Olympia on issues important to them. The 2019 Session starts in January, a time when driving across the mountain passes can be impossible or life-threateningly dangerous due to weather. Technology advances means that remote testimony is a fairly simple, commonsense solution to this problem. There is no excuse for it not to be widely available in one of the most wired and technologically advanced states in the country. As a lawmaker who represents a district far away from Olympia, I appreciate having an opportunity to hear directly from the men and women I represent.”

As we told the Yakima Herald Republic, those wanting to use remote testimony could be required to sign in at least 24-48 hours before the hearing -- assuming proper five-day public notice of hearing — so remote locations would know if they should be open and staff/chairs could manage testimony. Just like those in Olympia, signing up would not be a guarantee to testify, but you’d at least be in the queue and not have to take all day off work or school to travel over a mountain pass in the winter for one minute of testimony.

At this point the infrastructure for remote testimony is in place, especially at the community colleges. Lawmakers can’t claim they don’t have ability to do it – they just need the will to do so. The House also needs to join the Senate in providing the opportunity for remote testimony.

Lawmakers should show their commitment to "One Washington" by opening the doors to Olympia for those throughout the state with remote testimony.

Additional Information
All you need to know about remote testimony