Gov. Jay Inslee says COVID is still a state emergency.
Gov. Jay Inslee isn’t committing to when he’ll end Washington’s COVID-19 state of emergency — and he will continue to make vaccination a job requirement for state workers.
Driving the news: Inslee didn’t say much last week as he issued a new directive making his state-worker vaccine mandate permanent.
- But, in an earlier interview with Axios Seattle, the governor shared some of his reasoning for continuing the requirement.
- “We’re saving the lives of state employees,” Inslee told Axios in June. “It is still a fatal disease, the vaccine is extremely effective.”
- He added that only a small fraction of employees — “like 3% or 4%” — left their jobs or were fired because they wouldn’t get vaccinated.
- “So the vast, vast, vast majority of state employees are with us. They’re doing great work, we want to keep them safe,” the governor said.
Zoom out: Republicans have criticized Inslee for continuing to declare COVID-19 a state of emergency — a proclamation that gives him broad power to ban activities he deems a threat to public “health, property or the public peace.”
- Asked by Axios what metric he is using to decide when to lift his COVID-19 emergency declaration, Inslee replied, “When it’s no longer useful for the health of Washingtonians.”
- He noted he has “removed over 70%” of the restrictions that were previously active, including mask mandates and school and business closures.
- The governor said he is doubtful he will have to reimpose those types of restrictions, “but anything is possible.”
Of note: According to CDC data, 15 Washington counties now have “high” COVID-19 transmission rates, meaning the CDC recommends that residents resume wearing masks in public indoor spaces and on public transit.
Between the lines: Democrats, too, have bristled over Inslee’s use of his executive authority when it comes to his vetoes.
- In one instance, Democratic leaders in the Legislature sued him over his use of a line-item veto and won, with the state Supreme Court saying the governor exceeded his constitutional authority.
- In comments to Axios, Inslee said he would follow the Supreme Court’s decision.
- But he didn’t say he would swear off vetoing individual lines or subsections of bills — the issue at the heart of that ruling.
- “There are circumstances where the court decision, I think, allows certain things,” Inslee told Axios.
- “…They resolved it in favor of the Legislature this time. They may favor the governor the next time.”
Hot seat speed round: (Environment edition)
On whether he wants to remove the Snake River Dams:
“I have not made any conclusions about which route to go.”
On whether cap-and-trade and other new laws put the state on track to meet its climate goals:
“No, we still need additional measures … We will have to have additional policies to waste less energy, and to generate more renewable sources and clean sources. Those are absolutely necessary.”
On why he thinks Washington’s cap-and-trade law is better than California’s:
“We have a much more [of] what I would describe as a rigorous, robust and effective way to handle the pricing of it. So you actually do get those carbon reductions. We also have a better environmental justice provision to make sure that we help communities of color … So yes, we have learned from their experience.”
