About the Legislative Department

The WSBA maintains an office in Olympia to coordinate State Bar interests in the governmental and legislative arena. The office is staffed by David Ward, Legislative Liaison and Diane Froslie, support staff.

In advocating Bar positions in the Legislature, the legislative team is guided by the Board of Governors' legislative comment policy. This comment policy has kept the WSBA out of trouble in Olympia and is designed to make sure that WSBA positions presented in Olympia represent a broad consensus of Section and Committee members. Please be sure to review it carefully.

The Legislative Department also coordinates the activities of the WSBA Legislative Committee. Klaus Snyder is the 2007-2008 chair of the committee, which has 33 members. Prior to the legislative session, the committee reviews all legislative proposals emanating from any WSBA Section or Committee and makes a recommendation to the Board of Governors for a position thereon. The time and resources of the legislative team are devoted to Board-approved legislation.

The Legislative Committee meets from September through November and presents its legislative recommendations to the Board for action in December. Proposed legislation is typically sent out for comment to any other Section or organization that would be affected by it so that the Legislative Committee's process is as thorough as possible. The Bar's legislative success is due in no small measure to its reputation for the kind of thorough debate that our legislative committee process requires. To insure that a proposal makes it through the process and to the Board of Governors for action, Sections need to submit their proposals to the Legislative Liaison no later than June.

Sections and Committees also play a critical role during the legislative session. Once session starts, the Legislative Liaison reviews every bill introduced for its impact on the practice of law. Bills involving major policy issues facing the WSBA are generally dealt with by the Board, which appoints a committee of its members to meet weekly during the session to provide direction to the legislative team. Bills involving a specific practice area, however, are referred directly to the Sections for comment and recommendations as to whether the Board should take action. For example, the Real Property and Probate Section has historically been asked to review scores of bills each year and have recommended Board action on roughly 40 bills in a typical legislative session. Because of the speed at which the legislative process moves, the Board relies on sections to act quickly on bills which the Legislative Liaison refers to them in order that the Board and the legislative team can respond to the legislature appropriately and effectively.

Finally, during the Interim, the period during which the legislature is not in session, the legislative office maintains regular contact with legislators, the Supreme Court and legislative committee staff regarding proposals which are being prepared for introduction in the next session.

If you ever have a question about the process or have to respond to a constituent regarding a legislative matter, please call the legislative office at 360/943-9977. The office address is 

1001 Eastside St. SE, Suite A
Olympia, WA 98501.