HomeMy WebLinkAboutWORKSHOP WSAC JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Josh D.Peters, County Administrator
DATE: August 25,2025
SUBJECT: WORKSHOP and POTENTIAL ACTION re: WSAC Legislative Priorities
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
The Washington State Association of Counties (WSAC) has a Legislative Steering Committee (LSC), of
which Commissioner Eisenhour is a member, representing the interests of Jefferson County. WSAC is
currently accepting submissions for legislative priority proposals of an urgent or emergent nature for
consideration by the LSC at the September 18 meeting in Ellensburg. Submissions will be accepted until
5:00 PM on Thursday, September 4, 2025. The Board of County Commissioners has an opportunity to
provide input to WSAC for the 2026 state legislative session.
ANALYSIS:
WSAC's current legislative agenda for the upcoming session includes the following priorities:
1. New county revenue,
2. Funding for indigent defense,
3. Funding for rural County Coroners,
4. Addressing county housing access and affordability, and
5. Funding for the preservation and maintenance of the county transportation system.
These priorities were selected using the revised legislative agenda development process adopted by LSC
members in 2024. The process allows for additional submissions for legislative priority ideas that are urgent
or emergent and were not previously considered when the legislative agenda was originally adopted.
WSAC suggests that, when deciding to submit an urgent or emergent policy priority proposal, counties
should consider that:
1. WSAC's legislative agenda already includes five significant priorities.
2. Adding items to the legislative agenda may require removing others to ensure staff capacity.
3. The 2026 legislative session is a "short" session, lasting only 60 days.
4. Any proposals need to include justification as urgent or emergent.
5. Any proposals should not have been considered previously.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact related directly to providing input to WSAC on legislative priorities. Depending on
what happens during the 2026 legislative session, there could be fiscal impacts to Jefferson County,though
those are unpredictable at this juncture in the process.
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RECOMMENDATION:
Discuss WSAC's legislative priorities in anticipated of the 2026 legislative session. Consider whether to
provide input from Jefferson County to WSAC for urgent or emergent policy proposals not already included
on the current list of five WSAC legislative priorities. If so, determine the content of that input and submit
comments to WSAC on or before September 4, 2025.
REVIEWED BY:
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Jos D. Peters, County Administrator Date
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