Our Voice: Extended legislative sessions take a toll

The triple overtime legislative session that ended last week set a new record at 193 days, which makes us wonder how some of our state legislators coped with the extended schedule.

In recent years, there tends to be a lot of stalling and partisan game-playing that goes on before lawmakers finally decide to buckle down and start negotiating.

This time they got a biennial operating budget through just before the deadline, and barely prevented a partial government shutdown on July 1.

Then they continued to grapple with the capital budget until last Thursday, but ended up adjourning without coming to an agreement on it.

It’s frustrating, and innumerable construction and maintenance projects are on hold because of the Legislature’s inaction — but that’s a topic for another day.

For now, we want to acknowledge that our lawmakers are human beings with families and jobs and commitments outside of the Capitol.

While we sometimes disagree with certain decisions — and we are not always impressed with the collective job of the Legislature — we appreciate the efforts of individual lawmakers trying their best to serve their constituents.

The toll continual “special” legislative sessions take on the personal lives of our state senators and representatives was highlighted in a recent report by The News Tribune of Tacoma.

It asked: Can average people still serve in the Legislature when sessions go months beyond schedule?

It’s an important question.

Back in the proverbial good ol’ days, a farmer conceivably could head to Olympia, serve in the Legislature and return home in time to plant potatoes and see the crop through until harvest.

It’s tougher to make that happen now without significant help at home.

Unlike some states that have professional legislatures — in which lawmakers work full-time and make enough without having to have a second job — Washington state has a part-time, citizen legislature.

At least it is supposed to.

But the demands are increasing and the legislative sessions are lengthening. State Sen. Reuven Carlyle, D-Seattle, told The News Tribune that it’s hard for people with demanding professional jobs to serve in the Legislature, as well as parents of young children.

State Rep. Eileen Cody, D-Seattle, a part-time nurse, echoed that sentiment: “What has always been my concern is that even though it’s supposed to be a citizen legislature, that you basically get it set up so it’s only retirees who serve, or people who have enough money.”

That is where we may be headed if lawmakers don’t do a better job of sticking to schedule.

Locally, Rep. Brad Klippert, R-Kennewick, a Benton County sheriff’s deputy, came in off a graveyard shift to talk to the Herald editorial board Wednesday. He said he’s grateful to his employer for giving him leave to go to Olympia, but not everyone has a job that allows that.

Rep. Larry Haler, R-Richland, said people know when they decide to run for office that if they win, it will take time away from home. That being said, he added that he ended up retiring early because of his work as an elected official.

The benefit of a citizen legislature is its diversity. We don’t need an elite group. We need people from all walks of life representing us, and making laws they then have to live with when they return home.

This story was originally published July 26, 2017 at 1:12 PM with the headline "Our Voice: Extended legislative sessions take a toll."