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Dansel’s Growth Management Act opt-out bill unanimously passes Senate


Feb 20, 2014

Before Tuesday’s deadline for the state Senate to act on legislation introduced by its members,, Sen. Brian Dansel, GOP-Republic, pulled Senate Bill 6194 to a vote; it passed unanimously and is on to the House of Representatives.

Dansel’s bill would allow counties with populations smaller than 20,000 to opt out of the land-use requirements of the state Growth management Act (GMA) if they are either compliant, or within three years of opting out, meet the withdraw requirements. Nine counties in Washington have fewer than 20,000 people, including Ferry and Pend Oreille counties, in the 7th Legislative District.

Similar bills have been up for votes for the past three years, but it was Dansel’s work with stakeholders and negotiating with interested parties that helped the bill move forward and receive bipartisan support.

“When we stopped talking about each other and started talking to each other, we could go forward in a way that was palatable for everybody,” Dansel said.


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