Tag Archives: ann rivers

Start managing COVID like flu, state expert tells senators

Rivers hopeful after hearing scientist say Omicron wave is ‘end of the pandemic’

OLYMPIA… Sen. Ann Rivers says the people of Washington need to know what members of the Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee were told recently by one of the state’s top experts on COVID-19: the end of the pandemic may soon be at hand, and it’s time to start managing the virus similar to the flu virus.

“For me, the presentation by this eminent scientist brought one revelation after another,” said Rivers, speaking about Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, who testified to the committee Jan. 12. “I haven’t heard any of this from the governor or others in the executive branch, even though I expect they are regularly consulting with the IHME about COVID. But this is important information that could give people hope, so they should be learning about it one way or another.

Murray’s belief that the latest wave will peak this month, then fall as quickly as it rose, and about the data indicating the Omicron variant is dramatically less severe than the Delta variant,” said Rivers, R-La Center, who is a longtime health-care committee member. “He also raised a very interesting question about the value of testing people who are asymptomatic, and I appreciated his explanation about what’s driving the surge of hospitalizations that is all over the news.

“What struck me most was his view that the end of the Omicron wave will be essentially equal not to the end of the virus but the end of the pandemic, and that the ‘best strategy’ going forward is a ‘change in mindset’ toward managing COVID not as a pandemic but as an endemic – like the flu. I took that to mean people should learn to live with the virus, because it’s not going away. That has obvious public-policy implications for the legislative and executive branches of state government and local governments.”

After Murray’s presentation to the committee, Rivers asked the IHME director whether, going forward, COVID vaccinations should be thought of more like flu shots – something many people get as an annual routine. Murray’s reply included his view that the benefit of COVID vaccination is “now mostly for the individual being vaccinated and not very much about infection control.”

“If our state’s COVID response is ‘following the science’ – well, our committee got a big dose of ‘science’ from the experts that needs to be followed,” said Rivers. “These are positive developments that absolutely need to be brought to the people’s attention.”

Rivers’ ‘more salmon for all’ bill set for Thursday public hearing

Adapting Alaska’s innovative hatchery approach could help feed orca sooner

Legislation that could lead to a dramatic increase in the number of salmon in Washington waters and boost the food supply for Puget Sound’s southern resident orcas will come before the Senate’s natural-resources committee at 1:30 Thursday afternoon.

The bipartisan bill is aimed at supporting the creation of a new private-public salmon hatchery in Bellingham, modeled after an approach that has proven to be productive and financially self-sustaining in Alaska.

Sen. Ann Rivers is prime sponsor of Senate Bill 6509, known as the Salmon Repopulation Act. She sees it as the most effective action lawmakers can take on behalf of the endangered orca as well as the commercial fishers, sport fishers, tribes and others in Washington who would benefit from having more salmon return to the state’s waterways.

“So far the things that have either been approved or proposed in the name of helping the orca tend to be restrictive, like putting more limits on whale-watching tours, or destructive – meaning the idea of breaching dams,” said Rivers, R-La Center. “I think the bipartisan support for this bill is due to its positive approach. What could be divisive or controversial about producing more fish in a way that would respect the environment and be a good investment for taxpayers?

“Our state has a robust hatchery program but the operation I saw in Alaska this past summer is at another level. I have no doubt this is the fastest and also the smartest way to make more salmon available for the orca to eat,” she added. “I’m convinced it can be adapted to our state, and the Port of Bellingham has the ideal location. The people who can make this happen have come to the table in recent weeks. The Legislature simply needs to say yes – and it needs to be this year, so the pilot project can get going. The orca can’t wait.”

18th District lawmakers set Jan. 4 town halls ahead of 2020 session

Residents of the 18th Legislative District are invited to town-hall meetings Saturday, Jan. 4, shortly before their legislative team heads to the state Capitol for a 60-day lawmaking session.

The meetings continue a tradition for Sen. Ann Rivers, Rep. Brandon Vick and Rep. Larry Hoff of engaging with their constituents in person ahead of the session’s opening day – which will be Jan. 13 in 2020.

The town hall times and locations are:

“This will be an important day for the legislators of the 18th District,” said Vick, R-Vancouver, who will be participating in his eighth legislative session in 2020. “Holding three separate meetings in three locations will allow us to receive important input from constituents throughout our district. I can use this valuable information as I continue to push for more government accountability and fiscal responsibility in Olympia. There will also be a number of other important issues to discuss this year, including transportation, education, and new tax proposals. Hearing from our constituents before the session begins, on these and other issues, is very helpful.”

“Meeting with our constituents and hearing their feedback on the issues they care most about helps us do our jobs more effectively as lawmakers,” said Hoff, R-Vancouver. “That’s why we held nine town hall meetings earlier this year, and are holding three more before the 2020 session gets under way January 13. From taxes to transportation, homelessness to affordable housing, there is much to discuss. I hope 18th District residents will come out and make their voices heard.”

“I’m a big believer in town halls because the people of our district do such a great job of sharing their thoughts. I never fail to come away with a list of ideas and issues that guide my work in Olympia,” said Rivers, R-La Center. “At this upcoming round of meetings I’ll also be ready to share some proposals – including one that would provide more money for transportation projects without any added taxes, and another to expand the state’s approach to salmon management in a way that would mean more fish for everyone. It’ll be great to get input on those.”

Residents seeking more information may contact any of the legislators’ offices:

Sen. Ann Rivers
Email: Ann.Rivers@leg.wa.gov | Phone: (360) 786-7634

Rep. Brandon Vick
Email: Brandon.Vick@leg.wa.gov | Phone: (360) 786-7850

Rep. Larry Hoff
Email: Larry.Hoff@leg.wa.gov | Phone: (360) 786-7812

Sexual-harassment data within state government needs tracking, senators say

OLYMPIA…Legislation introduced today would require all three branches of state government to track and submit data regarding sexual harassment of employees for detailed annual reports that would be public.

Sen. John Braun and Sen. Ann Rivers come at Senate Bill 5845 from different directions but are sponsoring it with the same goal: learning the extent of sexual-harassment claims made by state employees and how those are addressed. If the bill becomes law, the initial report would look back three years to provide context for future tracking.

“It’s obvious that sexual harassment happens within state government – until yesterday, there was a vacant seat in the Senate for that reason. I know the Legislature has been stepping up its efforts to address workplace conduct, and maybe the other branches have also. But without better data, it’s going to be a challenge to tell whether any of this is having the desired effect,” said Rivers, R-La Center, who has been out front for Senate Republicans on the issue since the #MeToo movement emerged in late 2017.

For Braun, R-Centralia, the bill is his second try to get the requirement into law. The idea was part of budget legislation he proposed in 2018.

“My first concern is about the human cost of sexual harassment – this behavior is just plain wrong. We need to shine the brightest possible light within state government to make sure we are leading the way in eliminating sexual harassment from the workplace.

“But as sexual harassment is a management issue, it also can come with a financial cost. This bill would get at that by requiring the reporting of settlements or judgments as well as the claims themselves,” said Braun, who recently exposed more than $500 million worth of management missteps within the state’s executive branch.

“To paraphrase a saying, you can’t manage what you don’t measure. My hope is that tracking the data regarding sexual harassment will reveal any trends, and making the annual reports public will help improve policies and management where needed. For those of us who value the work our state employees do, this bill is a way to demonstrate it.”

The two lawmakers said their legislation is modeled after a proposal in California, requested by its governor after a series of newspaper reports revealed the state did not know the extent of sexual harassment claims or costs brought by state employees.

Rivers’ advocacy for early learning earns Crayon Award

In recognition of her commitment to advancing policies that support early learning, Sen. Ann Rivers has been selected to receive a Crayon Award on behalf of the Early Learning Action Alliance.

“Every child in our state needs to be ready to start school regardless of what street they live on or what their family structure looks like. I’m proud to stand up for our youngest residents and do everything in my power to ensure that they are ready to learn and succeed,” said Rivers, R-La Center.

Crayon Awards are presented every two years to policymakers who support investments that are critical to closing the school readiness gap. Sen. Rivers received a Silver Crayon Award in 2014. A formal ceremony to present the award will be scheduled later this summer.

“We are delighted that once again Senator Ann Rivers is a recipient of the Crayon Award and is being recognized as an early learning champion and advocate for her work on behalf of young children and their families during the 2016 legislative session.  Access to high quality early learning programs are essential for closing the opportunity gap many of our children experience.  We appreciate Senator Rivers for her continued dedication to the infants, toddlers and preschoolers growing up in Clark County,” said Debbie Ham, director of the Southwest Early Learning Regional Coalition.

The Early Learning Action Alliance is a broad coalition of Washington nonprofits, professional associations and business with the shared belief that opportunities and support provided in first five years of life are critical to school preparedness and successful outcomes.

Rivers selected to attend historic convention of states

Sen. Ann Rivers has been selected to attend a two-day ‘snapshot’ of an Article V convention in Colonial Williamsburg Sept. 22 -23. She was one of three Washington state legislators invited to attend the historic event.

“Many folks have heard me speak of ‘our’ state capitol and ‘our’ government; I truly believe that it is. Walking through a mock convention and seeing how the process would play out will be highly informative and provide valuable insight that I can bring back to my colleagues and constituents,” said Rivers, R-La Center. “I support returning government to the citizens and I’m honored to be a spokesperson for this important conversation.”

A convention of states would gather representatives from the states for the purpose of debating amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Article V of the Constitution allows for constitutional amendments to be proposed either through a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress, or though the calling of a convention on application by the legislatures of two-thirds of the states. A convention has never been used to propose amendments to the Constitution.

“The legislation I sponsored this year asked Congress to call a convention of the states to amend the Constitution. The simulation in Colonial Williamsburg is part of the planning process for a real convention and my involvement makes me more informed in the event that Washington participates in one in the future,” said Rivers.

The Convention of States Project is the work of Citizens for Self Governance who believe that the federal government is out of control and the answer is a grassroots movement supported by Americans.

Funding from Legislature gives local school districts breathing room

Two Clark County school districts have been awarded grants that will allow them to make classrooms and other learning environments less crowded for students in kindergarten through third grade. The Ridgefield School District will receive $1.2 million and the Vancouver School District will benefit from a nearly $43 million grant; the state money will go to construct more classrooms and provide more learning space.

“This is an important piece of the ongoing education puzzle that the Legislature is solving. While I’m pleased that two of my school districts were selected for grants, there are still many needs in schools throughout southwest Washington,” said Sen. Ann Rivers, co-chair of the Education Funding Task Force. “Lowering class sizes has long been a goal, but where do you physically place kids when you add another class in a grade level? These grants, along with the additional 4.6 billion dollars the Legislature has already committed to education, are great steps toward ensuring that every child in our state has the opportunity for an excellent education.”

The K-3 class size-reduction grants are the result of Senate Bill 6080 and will be funded through the state capital budget. Districts with the highest percentage of free and reduced lunches and the most crowded K-3 classrooms were considered for grants first. Other requirements included that the district had not raised capital funds through a levy or bond in the past 10 years.

A total of 21 school districts statewide will receive grants reaching nearly $234 million. Schools that require 10 or more new classrooms to meet lower class size standards are expected to build a new school. Additional funding is directed to those schools to cover the cost of administrative offices, hallways and cafeterias. Those schools that needed fewer additional classrooms were classified as a remodel of an existing structure.