Washington Senate forms bipartisan committee to address state economic recovery

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Washington State Senate has formed a bipartisan committee to address the state’s economic recovery as it slowly recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig made the announcement Wednesday, and the Special Committee on Economic Recovery will meet in June. According to the committee, they will work on economic legislation ahead of the 2021 session.

Senator David Frockt (D-Seattle) will chair the seven-member committee, and Senator Randi Becker (R-Eatonville) will serve as vice chair.

“It’s hard to imagine a single aspect of day-to-day life in Washington that will not be impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, and we must respond swiftly to its devastating impacts on workers, businesses and households with solutions that will foster a robust and sustained recovery,” said Billig. “This bipartisan committee will lay the groundwork and help lead our state in addressing the economic impacts of the virus through effective and innovative solutions to this unprecedented challenge.”

The committee will be comprised of four Democrats and three Republicans, and will speak with experts and economists, as well as look to other states, to rebuild state and local economies.

“The purpose of this select committee is to look deeply at the ways in which the pandemic has structurally changed our state and regional economies, and to make recommendations on how we can come out stronger on the other side for workers and the businesses that employ them,” said Frockt. “The goal is to have this committee work together, without partisanship, in order to drive innovative, forward-looking ideas that can help the people in every corner of this state recover and prosper.”

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