Senate Passes Bill to Address Hirst Ruling Pt 1

I'm Bob Larson. A Senate bill has passed targeting the Supreme Court's controversial Hirst decision, which slowed or halted building and well drilling permits on rural lands.

Moses Lake Senator Judy Warnick sponsored SB 5239 and says the winners are the landowners ...

JUDY WARNICK ... "It's truly a bill that is needed in the rural areas, especially for anyone who has property, property rights, water rights, that need to drill a well just simply to build a home. Those are the winners today, not just the Senate. It was the winners today out there in the rural areas that want to build a home."

Warnick says there's a lot of passion for this bill, like the man who literally got on his knees before the Ways and Means Committee ...

ZACH NUTTING ... "I'm begging you, literally begging you to pass this bill. I deserve to build the house that I set out for. I can't afford any of these other mitigation policies. I can't afford water reservoirs. My budget was so thin when I set out for this and already it's been stretched beyond reconcile through the delay. Please pass this bill so I can begin to heal my family."

Warnick believes THAT was the difference ...

JUDY WARNICK ... "I would say keep up that message because that's the one that made the difference for me and for many of our members in our committee when he said that because that makes it real."

The bill now moves to the House.

Listen Monday for more on the bill and the support its received.