We asked state Rep. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick, about his priorities for the 2022 state legislative session, which kicked off Jan. 10, entering the third year of the global Covid-19 pandemic.

Boehnke announced in December his plan to run for the state Senate after Sen. Sharon Brown, R-Kennewick, said she would seek reelection.

Boehnke is a three-term member of the House, former city council member and retired Army veteran of 21 years. He also owns a small business and teaches at Columbia Basin College. 

1. What are your top three priorities for the coming session?

Governor’s emergency powers, community safety, long-term care insurance. 

2. What part of Washington's Clean Energy goal (if any) is the most exciting to you?  What role can the Tri-Cities play in meeting that goal? 

I support most all of the Clean Energy goal. Our community has been and should continue to be the leader in clean and alternative energy. Our goal is to become and strive toward leading the state and the nation in clean energy of all types, including focusing on a resilient generation, transmission and storage capacity.

3. Are you in favor of repealing the state’s long-term care tax?

Yes, I supported and helped run several amendments in an attempt to “fix” this legislation, but the Democrats voted them down. Now we see the governor is taking the responsible action and listening to the people and asking for a delay. We want to come back into a special session to fix this, but it looks like we will have to wait until our regular session in January. I support everyone supporting I-1436, the initiative showcasing some of our recommendations to fix this policy.

4. How do we move our economy/health forward while respecting that so many in our district are reluctant to embrace masks or get vaccinated against Covid-19?

Leadership is about integrity. When we say let’s meet a goal, we must stick by it and support it. We must start to showcase the effectiveness of our security measures. We must continue to build trust that if our numbers are going down, we must open up. We must continue to fight to respect an individual’s and or their family’s rights to make the best decision for themselves.

5. Will the Tri-Cities see any of the federal infrastructure dollars? What are you lobbying for?

We are currently working so that if there are opportunities for local and regional projects to get assistance from the federal funding for infrastructure, then we can action those projects sooner than later. 

This funding will help a lot, especially in our multimodal transportation efforts I’m lobbying for broadening the Highway 240 corridor, supporting our collaboration with Darigold and Amazon, increasing our capacity for air travel of all types, as well as rural broadband, water and waste water treatment. 

With these opportunities, we must remember to conduct a thorough review of everything to ensure that we understand the federal requirements and their impacts to and what those requirements mean for the near and long term.

Go to leg.wa.gov to track bills, find agendas and contact your legislators.