Bills passed: how Legislature compares to earlier years
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With the 2013 Legislature taking a two-week break to catch its collective breath between the end of the 105-day regular session and the special session starting May 13 to pass a new operating budget and other items, it’s worth taking a look back to see how many bills were passed by the Legislature in previous odd-year “long sessions” and compare the bill production to this year.
This chart was compiled by office staffer (and legislative history buff) Patrick McDonald and session communications intern Adam Noble. It revealed that the ‘13 Legislature passed the second fewest number of bills since it went to annual sessions in 1980.
According to the analysis, 332 bills were sent to Gov. Inslee this year, the lowest mark since 1983 when 315 were signed into law. And what year saw the most bills passed by the Legislature? 2009, when 581 bills were sent downstairs to Gov. Gregoire.
In three (1991, 2001 and 2013)of the five years that saw the lowest number of bills passed by the Legislature, different parties controlled the House and Senate, or there was a tie in the House. In 1981, among those lowest five years, the Senate shifted from a 25-24 Democratic majority to a one-vote edge for the Republicans when Sen. Pete von Reichbauer left the Senate Democratic Caucus for the Senate Rs during the middle of session.
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Secretary of State
Steve Hobbs
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