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Legislative Session Wins!
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The 2022 60-day legislative session wrapped up just before the midnight deadline on Thursday last week. Here is the full summary of the session work.
Lawmakers approved a state budget that contains a HUGE WIN for the hospitality industry on the last day of the 2022 legislative session. Your state Government Affairs team was able to secure $160 million in assistance to the hospitality industry, conventions, arts sector and small businesses.
Of that funding, $100 million is earmarked specifically for the hospitality industry, with $15 million dedicated to assist lodging properties that incurred costs associated with the eviction moratorium.
The Washington Hospitality Association will continue to work with the Department of Commerce on the details related to implementation of this relief program. The hospitality relief program should come online in the next few months. They will share eligibility, application and timeline details with members as soon as those become available.
Please let your legislators know how much you appreciate the $100 million+ in relief for the hospitality industry in the budget.
Another big win for hospitality – the budget includes $7 million to support lower liquor license fees through the implementation of HB 1359. This bill will reduce liquor license fees by 50% for those set to expire or issued between April 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2023.
The Washington Hospitality Association also advocated for SB 5649 to strengthen the Paid Family & Medical Leave Program. Earlier this year, the Employment Security Department shared new information that the program’s solvency was at serious risk. Lawmakers allocated additional funds to ensure the program can continue to pay benefits to employees along with approving new and significant accountability measures and oversight that will better stabilize the program.
And lastly, the biggest win this session came as a direct result of your engagement with lawmakers. The State Government Affairs team is proud to be your voice in the (virtual) halls of the Capitol. But they could not have achieved these wins without your participation as well.
Through your stories about the struggles you continue to work through during the pandemic, lawmakers were successful in getting the hospitality industry relief package approved as mentioned earlier. And you also helped defeat an ergonomics bill specifically targeted at the hospitality industry, a bill that would ban latex gloves and a bill that would divert lodging tax revenues away from tourism promotion. |
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From Inspire WA: Cultural Sector Wins!
The investment in the cultural sector is simply historic and staggering. Every cultural organization and business stands to benefit. This success comes at the end of a two year advocacy journey. I'm hopeful for all of our cultural programs, within every Washington county, and all of the communities they serve. This is your win, Washington!
The State Legislature is providing $50 million for cultural recovery grants. Additional funding expands state investment in arts facilities, the Motion Picture Industry, and rural museums. PreK-12 students will be provided expanded options for creative learning. And, other policies will drive more science, heritage, and arts programming throughout the state. We still have a lot of work to unpack and clarify, so stay tuned as we launch our state-wide Cultural Futures share and listening tour to communicate all the resources and how you may access them.
2022 Legislative Session Review for Cultural Sector
Budget Provisos - New Funding
- $20 million for organizations/programs within the cultural sector
- $25 million for organizations/programs within the cultural sector (correction from FY 22)
- $5 million for COVID related expenses to arts organizations with budgets over $5 million
- $1.5 million for Arts-Based Services for Veterans
- $71,000 for Goldendale Arts Revitalization
- $120,000 for ArtsWA's Constituent Management System
- $150,000 for the State Poet Laureate Program
- $257,000 to maintain State-Owned Public Art
- $15 million for Film Incentive bill
TOTAL: $67,737,000 for the Cultural Sector
Bills - New public policies
- HB 1058: Councilmanic authority for Cultural Access - DID NOT PASS
- HB 1647: Building for the Arts increase - PASSED
- HB 1914: Film Incentive - PASSED
- SB 5756: Quincentennial committee - PASSED
- SB 5856: Firearms in museums - PASSED
- SB 5878: Clarifying Arts Education - PASSED
NOTE! Upcoming Sessions to Support Cultural Organizations
Inspire Washington is hitting the road and heading to communities across the state with our Cultural Futures share and listening tour! We will breakdown the wins from this year's Legislative Session and ensure you know how to claim funding for your organization or program.
Tour locations include: Bellingham, Everett, Wenatchee, Tieton, Spokane, Tri-Cities, Vancouver, Olympia, Tacoma, South Seattle, North Seattle, East King County, Gray's Harbor county, and Port Angeles.
Learn more HERE! |
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"Exploration and Discussion on Mega-events"
Join moderators Dave Bratton & Erin Francis-Cummings as they share some recent questions answered from the Coronavirus Travel Sentiment Index Report. This week’s update of travel insights was followed by an exploration and discussion on mega-events. Don Skeoch, Chief Marketing Officer at the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, Justin Bresler, Vice President of Marketing at Visit Denver, and Melissa Gogel, Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Visit Phoenix share their experiences and best practices for planning and leading their destinations through major events like the Super Bowl, MLB All-Star Game and more.
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Local Updates and Opportunities
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March 16 (Reuters) - Canada is expected to announce on Thursday that travelers entering the country will no longer have to take a pre-arrival COVID-19 test, CBC News reported, citing sources.
Canada will be removing the testing requirements at airports and land border crossings, CBC News said, adding that the requirements will be dropped by the end of March.
Fingers crossed!
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Travel-Related COVID-19 Resources
Looking to guide Canadian visitors to tests to get back across the border? Here is a list from Whatcom County that includes locations with the now-accepted rapid antigen tests.
Want to know or share how the CDC regards Whatcom County in terms of risk, so guests can make their own health and safety decisions now that the mask mandate has ended? Here is that resource.
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COVID-19 rapid tests are still being distributed, check the link above for ordering yours!
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Candidates for Bellingham Police Chief will be introduced to the public at a virtual meeting on March 17, 2022, as part of the City’s commitment to involving the community in selecting Bellingham’s next top law enforcement officer.
The virtual public forum is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. March 17, 2022. At the forum, each candidate will provide a brief introduction and answer questions selected from those provided by community members during the public feedback process. More details and all written comments received so far are available on the Police Chief Selection page of the City’s Engage Bellingham site.
“We are eager to introduce semi-final candidates as part of our commitment to involving the community in selecting our new Police Chief,” Bellingham Mayor Seth Fleetwood said. "Like so many communities across the nation, we see the years ahead as transformational for law enforcement and public safety. Public feedback will help shape this work and is providing us with valuable insight as we consider candidates for the Police Chief position.”
Fleetwood said 13 applications were received by the deadline earlier this month. Profiles of semi-finalist candidates who are expected to be introduced on March 17 will be made available prior to the scheduled forum.
A second Police Chief recruitment was initiated early in 2022 after an earlier process concluded without selecting a new chief. (More details: Mayor announces a new Police Chief search will be held) Interim Police Chief Flo Simon has said she will remain in the position through May 2022.
The Bellingham Police Chief reports to the Mayor and provides leadership and direction to the employees who are responsible for law enforcement services in the City of Bellingham. The department currently has 193 budgeted FTEs, including dispatch and civilian staff, with 168 FTEs currently filled.
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Businesses within the City of Bellingham are eligible for free water saving fixtures, as well as rebates for larger water efficiency upgrades. The first step is to sign up for a free water audit with the Community Energy Challenge, and their expert staff will do a quick walk-through at your business to identify all water saving opportunities. Thanks to funding from City of Bellingham, they can provide fixtures such as faucet aerators, showerheads, and dishwashing sprayers for free, and they can help you get preapproved for rebates for everything from efficient toilets, to ice machines, to clothes washers.
For more information or to sign up, contact energy@sustainableconnections.org or 360-647-7093, and you can read more about the offerings here.
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The Whatcom County Executive’s Office has announced that it is accepting requests for the use of Economic Development Investment (EDI) funds for costs related to public infrastructure improvements associated with construction of affordable workforce homes. Both owner-occupied and renter-occupied homes of either single-family detached or attached housing types are eligible.
“The housing affordability crisis is affecting so many residents of our county, particularly our young and growing families. It’s also an obstacle to economic growth and attracting new businesses,” said County Executive Satpal Sidhu. “This new program expands our toolkit for addressing housing issues, providing a mechanism to incentivize the construction of homes that will be affordable over the long term.”
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Tell the City more about your recreation program and facilities needs and interests by taking an online survey or joining in an upcoming focus group, all part of the Parks and Recreation Department Recreation Needs Assessment.
Community members are invited to join any of three focus group meetings, scheduled at 7 p.m. March 22 and April 5, 2022.
More information about the Recreation Needs Assessment, including an online survey, is available on the Engage Bellingham site.
While every focus group meeting is open to all, community recreation program and sports providers are particularly encouraged to attend on March 22. K-12 and higher education program providers are encouraged to attend April 5.
Focus group meetings will be held online due to ongoing COVID-19 public meeting restrictions. Zoom meeting links can be found on the Recreation Needs Assessment link on the City's Engage Bellingham page, under "Key Dates."
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Employee Retention Tax Credit or ERTC
Almost every hospitality business in Washington is eligible for the Employee Retention Tax Credit because the requirements are linked to COVID-19 government orders. It’s the single best relief opportunity available and it's surprising how many eligible businesses are letting it pass by. If you’re unsure about the ERTC, you can talk with Adesso. They are experts in this arena. They can tell you if you’re eligible and get the process started before Tax Day. On average members receive $26,000 per employee. Get started through ERTC Support Center here.
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As our community deals with the aftermath of the extensive flooding and damage throughout our county, The Whatcom Community Foundation has mobilized its Resilience Fund to help support local relief efforts.
Local funding is the fastest and most flexible way to get resources to the organizations that need it most.
The Whatcom Community Foundation has been working with local agencies, leaders and partners across Whatcom County to determine how they can best support people and communities being most affected by the floods in Whatcom County.
Yes, I want to give! Click here.
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Current Campaigns and Outreach
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Share Our Campaigns, Support Our Local Economy!
Share the campaigns below with your own audiences.
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When it comes to celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, Bellingham and Whatcom County know how to do it right! We have created a guide to all things Irish in Whatcom County. From local activities to foodie specials, we have everything to help you celebrate the day or weekend.
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It's almost spring, but there's still winter fun! Ever wonder what winter in Whatcom County looks like? After arriving at Bellingham International Airport and checking into the Holiday Inn & Suites, start with a delicious breakfast featuring locally sourced ingredients at Old Town Cafe! After, grab some gear at Backcountry Essentials before heading out to discover a new winter hike. When you're ready to warm-up, head downtown for a flick at the Pickford Film Center before sipping on some craft beer at Aslan Brewing Company!
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