All-day floor action starts today

The last day to pass non-budget House bills to the Senate is next Thursday, March 12. So today the action moves from the committee rooms to the House floor as hundreds of bills are discussed, dismissed, picked-apart, and passed.

The House will convene at 10:00 a.m. and will run into the evening. No word yet on how late members will work, but we'll keep you posted right here as the day progresses.

First up on the agenda this morning:
HB 1596 – Woman’s right to breastfeed
HB 1789 – Offender release dates
HB 1824 – Concussion mgmt/youth sports
HB 1825 – Growth mgmt act
HB 1826 – Foreclosure sales
HB 1841 – College & university boards
HB 1326 – Pacific sardines

Legislature honors Medal of Merit recipients

Earlier today the House and Senate convened a joint session to recognize recipients of the Medal of Merit. The Medal is awarded to any person who has been distinguished by exceptionally meritorious conduct in performing outstanding services to the people and state of Washington. It was presented to women's rights advocates Emma Smith DeVoe and May Arkwright Hutton, central-Washington civic leader Wilfred Woods, and philanthropist/community leader William H. Gates, Sr.

Star-struck Capitol visitors and staffers noticed Gates' famous son Bill in the House gallery supporting his father.