Fast action bodes well for Port Package Update legislation
Great job by everyone who testified and signed in Pro at today’s Senate Ways and Means hearing. Video coming soon, but we already have some good news.
Within minutes of the six hour meeting’s end, SSB5955 was placed on the schedule for a committee vote this Monday. This likely means that the bill will pass out of committee. As we’ve written before, bills that do not have support are simply not put up for a vote.
The speed at which the bill moved forward is also a good sign. That speed means there will likely be no further changes, which means that the committee generally liked what they heard. That means it is likely to go to the floor for a full vote soon. (For you government nerds, the extra ‘S’ means that the current version is a substitute from the original version of the bill ‘S’ubstitute ‘S’enate ‘B’ill.)
It gets better. the Port testified enthusiastically in support, and not just the usual Port lobbyist, but Commission President Hamdi Mohamed. Ms. Mohamed revealed that the Port will be providing an extra $5 million dollar match.
And the cherry on the sundae is that she indicated that this program could start this year, which is quite a turnaround from the last Port Commission meeting where the Port had talked about not doing anything until every new installation had been done!
Video
The discussion begins around 3:29:00 and lasts about 30 minutes–the longest one of the day.
Analysis
We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. Assuming the vote goes as expected on Monday, this entire process of being heard by committees and then having a floor vote, has to happen all over again in the House. And it has to happen fast, because the session is now half over!
But since the Port is now on board, with a stated program, this makes it more comfortable for the full Senate than voting on funding a non-existent program. It also increases the chances of a non-controversial result in the House. Fingers crossed.
No Action Item today
Actually there is the same one we always have: Tell your neighbors. If you’ve got a bad Port Package? They’ve likely got a bad Port Package. Get them on our list. Encourage them to sign up for a Site Visit. But in the meantime, we’ll have another quick update after the Monday vote.
Many of you (rightly) ask us why they should bother with all our requests, when the fate of bills like this seem handled so much behind closed doors. Just one example, SB5955 has already gotten hundreds of ‘Con’ sign-ins, and yet, is still moving forward.
When you watch the video, you may cringe at how uninformed electeds are on this (and so many) issues. That’s not a criticism of any individual so much as a system which forces them to process hundreds of bills and billions of dollars within 4-5 days. The term ‘Port Package’ means nothing to them. Even ‘sound insulation’ sounds trivial to someone who has not lived under the flight path. We’ve spent years trying to educate electeds at every level, but it’s a constant struggle because almost everyone, from City Councils to the Port, to Congress often gets even basic facts wrong. They are over-burdened, short on time, and few electeds appreciate being told when they get it wrong.
So we were particularly impressed with Senator Keiser–prime sponsor of the bill, who during the discussions was gently educating, encouraging and correcting her colleagues with grace and humor. Not. Easy.
The reason we value your testimony so much is because we need to find ways to get electeds to care about airport community problems. And the best way to do that is to hear from people like you, people with that lived experience. We’re not just trying to pass a bill, we’re trying to pass the right bill. Then keep the conversation going to the next bill. And the next. You make getting the right bill possible.