One thing needs to be made clear before moving forward – when referring to the A-team, we’re talking about the 1980’s tv series A-Team, not the 2010 film A-Team. If you’re already lost, this may not be the legislative update for you. If hearing the phrase A-team conjures images of 19″ TVs with rabbit ears on top covered in aluminum foil and five channels you had to physically get out of your chair to turn a dial on the set to view, then continue reading. If it also evokes warm feelings of Americana and the aroma of delicious Salisbury steak tv dinners served in foil trays with mashed potatoes, corn, and that little tiny cobbler dessert that came out of boxes with the words “hungry man” printed on them, you’re in the right place.
The A-team was a group of four former soldiers running from a crime they didn’t commit. While moving from place to place, they had a soft spot for the little guy, the downtrodden, and the underdog. Each episode, they’d stop in some out-of-the-way place to put up a fight against a local bully, only to escape at the last second while nearly being caught by the military police. It was a popular show of its day.
GMA legislation is having its day during this session. Like the A-team, there are four distinct bills all working together that complement each other in a struggle to win. Each of the bills brings its skills to the group, and together they form one cohesive unit.
- E2SHB 1099 adds a new goal to the GMA for climate change.
- E2SHB 1241 extends the mandatory update cycle for comprehensive plan updates from eight years to ten.
- E2SSB 5275 creates more flexibility for infill and redevelopment activity in LAMIRDs, and
- HB 1978 extends shoreline master program mandatory updates from eight years to ten to coordinate with E2SHB 1241.
If these bills seem familiar, like you’ve seen them in the past, it’s because you have. They were all introduced in the last session and revived this year. You might say they’re like a rerun of an old familiar tv show. And like an episode of the A-Team, there’s a plot to how these bills are supposed to move. And it’s a bit unorthodox.
Stakeholders are working together to make sure these bills are passed as a package – meaning the success of one is tied to the others. While no formal guarantees can be made, our goal is to see that all of them pass or none. Just like the A-Team, no one bill will be left behind.
And maybe, at the end of this session, we’ll be able to look at each other, smile, and say John “Hannibal” Smith’s iconic line from every A-Team episode – “I just love it when a plan comes together.“
