2019 WACOPS Legislators of the Year

LD 45, Representative Goodman,  Together we have worked through some of the most significant public safety policy issues of our time.  Washington made local history and with your leadership set a tone for the nation.  Your open door gave us access to garner your support and interest in beginning a difficult dialogue on reducing the frequency of violent interactions between the public and law enforcement.  We value the work you’ve done and your steadfast inclusion of WACOPS.  During the 2019 session you voted in support of each of our priority bills.  Those bills included, but were not limited to, HB1064, PTSD protections (HB1909), 1st Responder Occupational Disease Presumptions (HB 1913), and LEOFF 2 Benefit Improvement (HB2144).   
 

LD 18, Senator Rivers ,You have been a long-time and true friend to our members and to the leadership they elect to our Executive Board.  You have received this award before, and each time you are elevated to this status it is without hesitation.  Your friendship is valued.  Senator, you consistently reach out to our Government Relations staff and volunteers and always keep your door open for us. Your voice in your caucus is essential to our success.  

 

 LD 7, Representative Maycumber, Your support of the specific and unique job of first responders is valued.  Having served as a peace officer yourself you have an important perspective on our issues.  Your outspoken advocacy for our recent work on occupational disease presumption, PTSD presumption, LEOFF 2 Benefit Improvement account, and so much more has not gone unnoticed. Your testimony on the floor of the House regarding PTSD was compelling and deeply appreciated.  We value your open door and your purposeful contact with our leadership and government relations staff to check-in on key issues related to our mission.

 

 LD 48, Senator Kuderer,  Your support of the specific and unique job of first responders is valued.  During the 2019 session you were the prime sponsor of SB 5849 - Concerning the presumption of occupational disease for certain publicly employed firefighters and investigators and law enforcement . Your support and persistent voice in your caucus helped to ensure this issue was made law last session.  Our requests were long-needed protections and you made a difference in their adoption (final passage was companion HB 1913).  Your testimony in Committee was compelling and significant.

  


2018 WACOPS Legislators of the Year

LD 22, Representative Doglio, your  sponsorship of the 2018 HB 2633 - Addressing the presumption of occupational disease for firefighters and law enforcement officers meant a great deal to our members.  We appreciate that you are continuing the effort in 2019.  Your votes in support of both SB 6214 – PTSD and SB 6188 – Brady Protections were essential for our members.  You’ve been a consistent supporter of important law enforcement legislation and we want you to know we appreciate you.

LD 25, Senator Zeiger, your support of WACOPS is valued. Your 2017 sponsorship of SB5477 – presumption of occupational diseases for firefighters and law enforcement officers was important to our members.   Additionally, your 2018 vote in support of SB 6188 – Brady Protections was appreciated too and helped to end, years of effort to achieve this outcome.  Your vote in support of SB 6214 – PTSD will allow those in need to seek the help they deserve.  You’ve taken consistent, and sometimes hard, votes on behalf of Washington’s law enforcement officers.  We want you to know we appreciate you.  

LD 35, Representative Griffey, your support of important legislation affecting our members including SB 6188 – Brady Protections and SB 6214 – PTSD Presumption was essential to the passage of those bills in 2018.  We heard your strong floor speech regarding the importance of the PTSD presumption bill and as a first responder, your message resonated with your peers in the House.  Your commitment to the labor issues of first responders is valued.  Your regular attendance at the weekly public labor luncheon meant a great deal to us and allowed us a way to keep you and others up to speed on the status of important law enforcement bills. Thank you for your service as a firefighter and legislator, and for your support of our members.    

LD 45, Senator Dhingra Your sponsorship of SB 6188 -- Brady protections for police officers, allowed a long-fought effort to finally come to the proper and fair conclusion.  The support you lent on our First Responders’ Post Traumatic Stress Disorder legislation (SB 6214) and the extensive work you contributed to the creation and passage of the consensus bill related to I-940 and re-defining Washington’s Use of Force statute (HB 3003) made awarding you with this recognition an easy and obvious choice for us.  
 


2017 WACOPS Legislators of the Year

Congratulations and thank you to the four listed WACOPS Legislators of the Year - 2017, as announced at the January legislative/membership meeting:

Senator Judy Warnick (R-Moses Lake, 13th District)

Sen. Judy Warnick was elected to the Senate in 2014, after serving four terms in the House of Representatives. She currently serves on the Ways & Means committee and is the ranking member of the Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks Committee.

Warnick is an advocate for rural Washington who focuses on policies protecting land use, water rights and economic growth.

Warnick is a member of numerous state committees and organizations; she has received more than two dozen awards and honors over the course of her career.

Warnick has been a consistent advocate for WACOPS during her legislative career. She serves as a sitting board member of LEOFF Plan 2. In 2016, Sen. Warnick was the prime sponsor of SB 6263 that added death and disability benefits to our members that respond to natural disasters or other federal emergencies. That bill passed the House and Senate with almost unanimous support and was signed into law.

 

Senator Kevin Van De Wege (D-Sequim, 24th District)

Sen. Kevin Van De Wege was elected to the Senate in 2016 after five terms in the House of Representatives. The chair of the Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks Committee, Van De Wege also serves on the Senate Ways & Means Committee and the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee.

Van De Wege is a firefighter, paramedic, husband and father, and a lifelong Washington resident residing in Sequim.

Sen. Van De Wege earned his degrees in fire administration and fire investigation, as well as paramedic certification. He also received a BA in Social Science from Washington State University and an MA in Public Administration from Fort Hays University.

Van De Wege has served as an active LEOFF member and past LEOFF Board member. He has been a consistent advocate and protector of WACOPS’ collective bargaining and labor protections. Kevin has also been the co-sponsor of both Presumptive and PTSD protections.

 

Representative Morgan Irwin (R-Enumclaw, 31st District)

Initially appointed, Representative Irwin won his seat in the November 2017 general election. He currently sits on the House State Government, Elections & Information Technology Committee and the House Transportation Committee.

Irwin was born and raised in Enumclaw, where he grew up on his family’s cattle ranch. He is a graduate of Washington State University and holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business and economics. Irwin is serving his first term in the state House of Representatives.

Irwin is currently an officer with the Seattle Police Department. His street-level perspective led to his involvement in Seattle’s Real Time Crime Center’s Violent Crime Task Force. He has served on the Enumclaw City Council where he worked to balance the city’s budget without reserve funding, protect vital infrastructure and strengthen the police department.

Irwin earns this award after only one year in the Legislature. He is a consistent advocate for WACOPS legislation and vocal opponent of I-940. He recently voiced his opposition to the initiative in an interview on Q-13 News and continues to be an educated and experienced opponent on this matter.

 

Representative Tina Orwall (D-Des Moines, 33rd District)

Rep. Tina Orwall was elected to the House of Representatives in 2008. She currently serves as Assistant Speaker Pro Tempore and holds positions on the Higher Education, Judiciary, Public Safety (Vice-Chair) and Rules committees.

Orwall earned a B.S. in psychology and an M.A. in social work administration from the University of Washington. Orwall works as the Washington State Taking Healthcare Home Coordinator in the City of Seattle, Office of Housing.

Orwall is well-regarded for her service as a health care and workforce development strategic planner, affordable housing advocate and community leader. She’s known as a strong fighter for improved services and responsive government for people throughout Puget Sound  -especially for those in the most vulnerable populations.

Orwall is an active member of the Des Moines Rotary Club and Kent Chamber of Commerce. She serves on the boards of Judson Park retirement community in Des Moines and the United Way of King County Out of the Rain Impact Council. Since 2001 Orwall has received more than two dozen awards and recognition from statewide organizations.

Orwall earns the WACOPS recognition for being the leading voice in managing the crisis of untested rape kits, and for consistently seeking the WACOPS labor perspective on all law enforcement matters before her. 


2016 WACOPS Legislators of the Year

Ann Rivers (R-LaCenter), District 18
Representative Rivers has been the 18th Legislative District’s state senator since mid-2012 and was re-elected to the Senate in 2016. She is not only a member of the Senate Republican Caucus, but also the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus. The MCC, composed of Republican and Democratic senators, is built around a set of shared principles and committed to governing in a more inclusive and bipartisan way.

Rep. Rivers serves on the Senate Transportation Committee, Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee, Senate Health Care Committee and Senate Rules Committee.

Rivers is focused on strengthening Washington’s economy, protecting our state’s taxpayers by prioritizing and controlling state spending, offering each child in Washington an opportunity to succeed in school, and making sure the projects Southwest Washington needs for a solid transportation system are moving forward. 

Rep. Rivers’ primary occupation is as president of a governmental and public-affairs consulting firm based in La Center where she resides with her husband and two sons.

Rep. Rivers is an active community member who belongs to the Greater Clark County Rotary and other organizations, and volunteers for events such as the American Cancer Society’s West Clark County Relay for Life (publicity chairwoman). She also has served/is serving on the board of directors for several organizations, including Innovate Washington

Rep. Rivers was also selected as a WACOPS Legislator of the Year in 2012.

Rep. Drew Hansen (D-Bainbridge Island), District 23 
Rep. Hansen has represented the 23rd Legislative District (most of Kitsap County) since 2011. He serves as Chair of the Higher Education Committee, and also serves on the Appropriations and Judiciary Committee. 

Entering the 2016 Legislative session, Representative Hanson was committed to ensuring that public records requests for body cam footage would not break the bank for cities and counties and would not negatively impact public safety staffing. Representative Hanson recognized that the rush to implement body cam programs was a detriment to law enforcement officers and developed a task force within sideboards that were acceptable to WACOPS and provided us with two task force members. 

As a legislator, Hansen is focused on job creation and job training. When the Legislature is not in session, Hansen practices law as a partner at Susman Godfrey LLP. He lives on Bainbridge Island with his wife, Julie, and their two young children. 

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Rep. Dan Kristiansen (R-Monroe) District 39
Representative Kristiansen has served in the Washington State House of Representatives since 2003, and is the leader of the House Republican Caucus. Dan represents the 39th Legislative District, which includes parts of King, Snohomish, and Skagit counties. He is a Snohomish County native who has lived in the Snohomish/Monroe area for more than 30 years. 

Representative Kristiansen’s top priorities as a legislator are to improve Washington’s economy, encourage job growth, preserve existing jobs and attract more employers. 

Representative Kristiansen provided outstanding leadership during the 2016 session including allowing his caucus to vote their conscience on the body cam task force legislation, supported protections for law enforcement officers placed on Brady Lists, along with other WACOPS priority legislation. 

Sen. Steve Conway (D-South Tacoma) District 29
Having served the 29th District as a State Representative for 18 years, Senator Conway is a Democratic senator for the Pierce County district that includes South Tacoma and East Hill. 

He is a member of the Senate Commerce & Labor Committee, chairs the Select Committee on Pension Policy and also serves on the Senate Ways & Means and Senate Health Care committees. 

He is a graduate of the University of Oregon, with a Master’s degree in history and a Doctorate in Philosophy. He was also a Fulbright Scholar at the London School of Economics. Steve recently retired as a business agent for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 81. 

While the majority in the Senate attempted to merge LEOFF 1 into the woefully underfunded teacher’s pension plan, Sen. Conway made every attempt possible to derail the effort including an amendment and roll call vote during the budget process. When the bill became a study, Senator Conway insured that WACOPS and the LEOFF 2 Board had true input.

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