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“The Impact”: Public Option & College Promise Bills Advance

Mike McClanahan profile by Mike McClanahan

This week on “The Impact”:

Two high profile bills pushed by Democratic Governor Jay Inslee moved forward in recent days, but only after fiery floor debates.

First, the governor’s public option health care proposal cleared the House.

“I’m just trying to help bring down the prices. That’s really what it amounts to,” said Rep. Eileen Cody, D- West Seattle.

“This is a step, big step towards socialized medicine,” said Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax.

Then the governor’s College Promise Scholarship bill cleared the Senate.

“This is following through on our commitment. So the budget writers last year promised our kids, the students of this state, that we were going to get rid of this wait list. Almost 20,000 kids qualify but we don’t fund it,” said Sen. Guy Palumbo, D-Maltby.

“I guess I feel sorry for the kids who are on a waiting list for this who sincerely want to get a diploma, get a degree, that are being shut out because we’ve got other kids that are getting 1.92’s,” said Sen. Maureen Walsh, R-Walla Walla.

Support is building in the legislature to put Washington on Daylight Saving Time year round, but first lawmakers have to choose between two different approaches.

Click here to watch “The Impact” – March 13th, 2019