Washington state lawmakers won't hear state of the judiciary speech; was ruling the reason?
Washington state lawmakers won’t be hearing a state of the judiciary speech from the state’s chief justice in January, but they say it’s not a snub.
Lawmakers say they have a busy calendar next month, and past addresses have been poorly attended, the Olympian reports.
The Senate Facilities and Operations Committee discussed the issue last month, the article says. “To be honest with you, most people think it’s a horrible waste of time,” said state Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver, who was serving as committee chairman during the discussion. “Most members don’t get much out of it. Most members don’t even bother attending.”
The move could be interpreted, however, as a response to a Sept. 11 court decision finding the legislature in contempt for failing to provide a plan for funding public education that complies with the state constitution, the story says. The court withheld sanctions to give lawmakers a chance to comply.
Chief Justice Barbara Madsen told the newspaper that the report will still be issued in writing.
Hat tip to How Appealing.
