Legislative Update
The Government Affairs Committee works on city, state and federal issues affecting the business environment. During the state legislative session the group hosts conference calls with area legislators to keep on top of current issues. Throughout the rest of the year, they maintain those relationships as well as try to keep members informed of other regulations and concerns that might affect them. The Pullman Chamber is a member of the Association of Washington Business and the Grassroots Alliance. Periodically the Chamber will forward information from other organizations to its members. We welcome Chamber members to attend our committee meetings. For information contact the Pullman Chamber of Commerce.
Do you know what Pullman city ward you live in?
News
The Pullman Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee has created a list of questions related to business and economic development in Pullman and presented to the candidates for the upcoming election.
We provide these questions and the candidate’s responses for you to help in your decision-making for this important election.
Pullman Chamber of Commerce Legislative Agenda
Stay up to date with information about your legislators at work during the 2025 legislative session.
The Pullman Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee will be presenting their priority legislative agenda to the Chamber board for approval. The priority guidelines for the 2025 session will be coming soon.
Policy Consideration Procedure and Expectations
The Chamber believes that engaging in topics and policy issues that impact our members is an important way to amplify the voice of our business communities. This process has been created to streamline requests for endorsements of issues and formalize the review process.
Association of Washington Business
Washington Retail Association
Initiatives Information
Association of Washington Cities – this site has a great ‘bill tracker’ to keep up with the state’s legislative bill activity.
Contact Info for Washington Senators and Legislators:
Senator Mark Schoesler
Rep. Mary Dye
Rep. Joe Schmick
Members of the Legislature
Senators
Representatives
Tips for writing an effective letter to your legislator
Handwriting, typing, or e-mailing a letter to a legislator is one of the most effective means of communicating your views. These letters carry a tremendous amount of weight with elected officials who use them to judge public opinion, weigh legislation, discover new ideas, and remain connected with their constituents.
Here are some tips to make your letter more effective.
Identify yourself and the issue:
Elected officials and publications will not consider anonymous letters. Please identify yourself, including contact information such as e-mail, physical address, and phone number. Also, put the issue you are addressing in the subject header of the letter.
Keep it short and to the point:
Elected officials and editorial boards receive a lot of letters. In order to improve the chances of your letter being read, it is best to keep it brief – less than two pages and limited to one subject.
Check grammar and spelling:
Also if you are handwriting your letter, make sure it is legible.
Be courteous:
Elected officials work tirelessly to develop the best government possible for all of us. Keep the content of your letter civil and focused on the issue that you are addressing.
Make it personal:
Why are you passionate about this issue? Tell how this issue will affect you. What will it mean to your business? What are some ramifications of this legislation that they might not be aware of?
Ask for a reply:
This letter shouldn’t be a “one off” but a start of a dialogue between you and your representative. Be sure to ask for a reply letter. If you are mailing your letter, it might be good to include a self-addressed stamped envelope along with you letter.
Remember to sign it:
The personal touches add greatly to how you letter will be received. If you are mailing or faxing it, a handwritten signature it is a great way to do that.