AWB to name Judy Warnick Legislator of the Year

MOSES LAKE — The Association of Washington Business (AWB) is planning on naming Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, the 2017 AWB Legislator of the Year.

The AWB Government Affairs Council voted to give Warnick, who is a member of the AWB Board, the award, which she will receive during the AWB Evening of Excellence on Nov. 29 at Benaroya Hall in Seattle. Warnick served in the state House of Representative from 2007 to 2014, when she decided to run for the state Senate. She is currently the chair of the Senate Agriculture, Water, Trade and Economic Development committee and serves on the Ways and Means and Early Learning and K-12 Education committees.

The council voted to bestow the award on Warnick for her support of the business community and her hard work on water issues, including her efforts to find a solution to the state Supreme Court’s controversial Hirst ruling.

In Whatcom County v. Hirst the court ruled counties have an obligation to determine whether well drilling has an effect on surface water before allowing exempt wells to be drilled. Warnick has been working to pass a legislative solution to the ruling, which has slammed counties with in-stream flow rules. The Columbia Basin Herald previously reported Washington Federal officials will limit home loans in Washington because of the ruling. Warnick told the Herald the failure of the legislature to agree on a viable Hirst fix solution is a factor in the hold-up with the state’s capital budget.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.