Legislative and Transportation Committee Meeting

The Legislative and Transportation Committee supports chamber membership by advocating for sound business practices at state and local government levels. This includes advocacy in Olympia, developing policy positions, hosting legislative receptions, reviewing referendums and initiatives, and helping organize all legislative events of the Chamber.

The committee fulfills this by the following methods:

• Chamber Day planning, attending, and messaging to our elected officials

• Hosting another day in Olympia to advocate for small business issues given bills proposed, dropped, and in process

• Providing ongoing bulletin messages on proposed legislation and tax impacts to business and our members

• Sharing transportation presentations throughout the year on changes, tolling, and more to keep members informed

• Working with the South KC Coalition to develop policy positions that address our members’ business needs, requiring ongoing communication with both the coalition and business members

• Prioritizing Renton Chamber legislative priorities and evaluating their impact on business

• Hosting a Legislative Reception to enable Chamber members to hear from incumbents and candidates

• Inviting all individuals running for election to seek Chamber endorsement; reviewing responses, completing interviews, and recommending decisions to the Board for input and approval before communicating outcomes

• Reviewing referendums, initiatives, and local issues as appropriate for recommendation to the Board

• Sponsoring the Legislative Reception in the fall to introduce candidates to local business

October Guest Speaker

This month’s Legislative Meeting will feature Matthew M. Smith, FCA, EA, MAAA, Washington’s third State Actuary and executive head of the Office of the State Actuary. Matt oversees the actuarial valuations of 14 public retirement plans and directs actuarial services for the state’s prepaid tuition program, certain medical programs, and the Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Program.

In addition, he leads research and policy staff in support of the Select Committee on Pension Policy (SCPP), which studies issues and policies affecting the Washington State Retirement Systems and makes recommendations to the Legislature. Matt will provide valuable insight into the state budgeting process, pension formulas, and the financial projections that impact both state programs and the business community.