The start of the 2013 legislative session saw some familiar faces in new places and some new faces in new places.
Sens. Andy Billig, D-Spokane, Jeannie Darneille, D-Tacoma, and Bob Hasegawa, D-Renton, all took the oath of office Monday afternoon. All three bring years of experience from the House of Representatives to the Senate.
Sens. Annette Cleveland, D-Vancouver, and Mark Mullet, D-Issaquah were also sworn in Monday. Cleveland is new to the legislature and Mullet, who originally took office in late November, brings his experience as a small business owner to Olympia.
The 26th Legislative District is still awaiting the appointment of the senator who will represent that district.
Billig was elected to the House in 2010. As vice chair of the House Transportation Committee, he helped craft the state’s bi-partisan transportation budget that created more than 43,000 jobs across Washington. In addition to his work in the Legislature, Andy is part-owner and former general manager/president of the Spokane Indians Baseball Club. He is active in the Spokane community. He served as a Big Brother, volunteer youth sports coach, and as a volunteer in several capacities with Greater Spokane Incorporated.
To hear more from Billig, click here.
During a 12-year career in the House, Darneille worked to increase education funding for all learners; expanded health care for children, families, and the disabled; developed a safe environment for children and adults to learn, grow, and thrive; safeguarded civil liberties; and promoted economic opportunities to create living-wage jobs that improve the well-being of families.
To hear more from Darneille, click here.
Hasegawa is a longtime labor and social justice activist. He led many workers struggles, winning top wages and benefits for working families and retirees, and he collaborated in many social justice struggles to protect civil rights, democracy, the environment and our constitutional rights.
To hear more from Hasegawa, click here.
For nearly 30 years, Cleveland has worked in public and private arenas including valuable experience on the Association of Washington Business Board of Directors, the Washington State Hospital Association's Public Policy Advisory Group and the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce's Public Policy Advisory Committee.
To hear more from Cleveland, click here.
Mullet’s experiences as a small business owner and member of the Issaquah City Council should serve him and his constituents well in Olympia. He also was a Managing Director at Bank of America, serving as the Global Head of Foreign Currency Options Trading. This made him responsible for a business spread across three different continents.