Valley Lawmakers

Sen. Bob McCaslin

As chair of the Senate Government Operations Committee, McCaslin’s top priority has been the Growth Management Act. But with a moderate committee and facing strong opposition, his attempts to repeal the act or to allow counties to opt out of GMA planning have fallen by the wayside.

McCaslin, who has introduced 45 bills of his own, has also used his chairmanship to pursue a governmental reform agenda. He has introduced legislation to eliminate both the state’s presidential primary and legislative session in even-numbered years, and a bill that would require elected state officials who seek another office to resign their position.

Overall, McCaslin says his aim has been to limit the costs of government and push for more deregulation.

Also a member of the Senate Law and Justice Committee, McCaslin has entertained a small law enforcement agenda, proposing to prohibit prosecution of individuals who shoot intruders in their homes.

Rep. Mark Sterk

The House Law and Justice Committee vice chairman, Sterk has pursued an aggressive law enforcement agenda. A Spokane Police Department sergeant, Sterk has proposed to allow for more time before commencing a prosecution for traffic crimes where a death occurs. He has also proposed to create the crime of malicious use of explosives. Both bills have passed out of the House. Bills outlawing destruction of driving records and the interception of communications have also been sucessfully sent to the Senate.

Sterk, who also sits on the House Transportation Policy and Budget, and Education committees, has also been one of the leading voices in pushing the GOP social agenda. His proposals to ban late-term abortions and hypnosis in schools both died.

Rep. Larry Crouse

Much of Crouse’s session has been consumed by one issue. As chair of the House Energy and Utilities Committee, he has had to tackle energy deregulation, the biggest issue the committee has faced in recent years.

If and when such deregulation takes place, Washington residents would be able to purchase their power from providers throughout the country. But because the cost of energy is already cheapest in the Northwest, it hasn’t been determined what benefits it would provide locally.

Legislative leaders have praised Crouse for stalling and trying to determine the impact on Washington before action is taken.

“This effects all consumers, no matter where you are in the state,” Crouse said. “For me, it’s more of what I didn’t do that’s important to consumers.”

Crouse has held hearings on the issue to hear arguments on all sides of the issue, then killed proposals that would deregulate energy in the state. He sponsored a bill that creates a governor’s task force to further examine the issue. That bill died, but such a group could still be formed by the governor.

Crouse is also a member of the Appropriations Committee.

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