Hello from the Washington State Capitol! The rain continues to fall here in Western Washington, but there have been a few hints of spring that have left us wanting more. There’s nothing quite like the Capitol Campus on a bright, sunny day when the birds are singing and the cherry blossoms and other flowers are blooming. The green grass, blue sky and magnificent sandstone buildings never fail to remind me how lucky I am to serve here as your Secretary of State!
 
Let me take a moment to thank all of you for the supportive e-mails, letters and cards, as well as the beautiful flowers that now brighten my office! I’m truly blessed to have so much support as I begin my cancer treatments and I want you to know much it means to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

This past month, I was fortunate enough to host a number of important guests, including a group from the Latino Civic Alliance, Wenatchee’s Apple Blossom Court, Skagit Valley’s Tulip Festival Ambassadors, and many others. It’s one of my favorite responsibilities of serving as your Secretary of State and I always look forward to meeting folks from around the state and the world.

 And that includes you! If you’re in Olympia, please don’t hesitate to stop by the office to say, “Hi.” You can also spend some time viewing our current Legacy Washington exhibit, Who Are We? Washington’s Kaleidoscope, featuring stories from some truly amazing Washingtonians. If you can’t make it to Olympia, you can always share your thoughts and comments with me via e-mail. Just send a note to kim.wyman@sos.wa.gov and my staff and I will be happy to respond.
 
Have a great April and I hope to see you soon!
 
Sincerely,

Legislative finish line now in sight

The 105-day 2017 legislative session is beginning to wind down, just as policy negotiations are heating up. The House and Senate have both introduced proposed budgets that are being debated in their respective chambers. There is talk about additional time being needed to continue negotiations, but those rumors are still in their infancy. I remain hopeful that the House and Senate can reach an agreement before the session ends April 23.
 
Not all of my bill proposals have made it through the legislative process, unfortunately, but I’m still hopeful that some of them will soon become law, including:

• Senate Bill 5336 enacts stiffer penalties for attempting to physically damage, destroy, or remove without permission a ballot box or its contents.
• House Bill 1470 makes filing for candidacy easier for candidates whose prospective districts span more than one county. Most election candidates already file online, so filing with the Secretary of State would not require much change in current practice.
• Senate Bill 5040 deals with foreign entities doing business in Washington, and makes clarifying changes to the state’s Uniform Business Organizations Code to ensure provisions refer to the appropriate business entity.

 
Because this is the first year of the two-year legislative cycle, bills that do not make it through the process this session will automatically be reintroduced at the beginning of the next session. I’m optimistic that next year we will see more progress on issues like modifying our state’s Presidential Primary and brining consistency to voter registration deadlines.

Time to rock out with your socks out!

Many people have been asking how they can show support after my recent cancer diagnosis. In response, we’ve come up with an idea that we think will help lift my spirits.
 
During a recent MRI, I had to sit completely still and look at nothing but my feet. I happened to be wearing a pair of neon socks and thought how cool it would be to see other people’s fun socks as well.
 
If you’d like to help out, please snap a picture of your own fun socks and post it to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #wymanrocksthesocks. Alternatively, you can e-mail me a photo of you in your fun socks and I’ll post the pictures to an online photo gallery. Please send it to kim.wyman@sos.wa.gov...I can’t wait to see all your fun footwear!

CFD donors pledge $5 million for 14th straight year

The Washington State Combined Fund Drive has a streak going that we hope continues for many years to come. For the 14th straight year, state and higher education employees and retirees have given more than $5 million annually through the CFD.

In 2016, nearly 16,400 CFD donors pledged $5.3 million to local, national and global charities. The CFD disbursed funds to more than 1,700 charities last year, including 71 that received at least $10,000. Go here to view CFD’s 2016 Annual Report.

I continue to be amazed by the generosity of the thousands of CFD donors. It shows a strong, ongoing willingness by many state and higher education employees in Washington to give and help others. This makes a difference locally and throughout the world.   

This year’s Annual Giving Campaign will kick off in October, but the program’s first event is right around the corner. The CFD will be hosting its annual Leadership Breakfast on May 11 at the Hotel RL in Olympia. It’s meant to inspire our state agency directors and lead CFD volunteers to do great things in the year to come. It is filled with charity speakers, fun videos and great educational content. For more information on the kickoff, contact the CFD at 360-902-4182 or cfd@sos.wa.gov.

State Archives receives Dan Evans’ scrapbooks

Our State Archives is used to receiving and preserving valuable and interesting documents, but occasionally it acquires something so rare, historic and amazing that you can’t help but go “Wow!”
 
Such a moment happened recently when iconic statesman Dan Evans turned over 37 scrapbooks covering his political career, from his years as a state legislator in the 1950s and early ‘60s, to his 12 years as governor from 1965 to 1977, to his five-plus years as a U.S. senator in the 1980s.
 
Archives staff have begun to review, repair and digitize the scrapbooks, a project that might take several months to a year to complete. Once digitized, the scrapbooks will be a gold mine for political junkies and historians alike.
 
You can watch a KING-5 story on these amazing scrapbooks here.

Legacy Washington seeking sponsors for Korea 65 project

Korea 65, The Forgotten War Remembered is an upcoming exhibit at the State Capitol that casts light on a forgotten conflict—one that killed millions, separated families and helped shape the Pacific Northwest. Visitors will learn more about the war and the lessons we continue to learn 65 years later. Korea 65 also includes a series of in-depth stories available for free on the Secretary of State’s website.
 
Legacy Washington is currently seeking sponsors for this project. All exhibits are printed with private funding raised by the Washington State Heritage Center Trust, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Exhibit sponsors will be invited to attend the opening ceremony on September 14 at the Capitol, and to several events throughout the year. Sponsor names are displayed on the Secretary of State’s website and on all marketing, web and printed material.
 
For more information on Korea 65 sponsorship and to help share these fascinating stories contact Laura Mott, Director of Development, at 360-902-4171 or laura.mott@sos.wa.gov.

How the State Library helps Washington communities

Some might think the Washington State Library is just a great place to find rare books or collections about our state or the Northwest that usually aren’t available elsewhere.
 
It is, but the State Library also benefits many Washington communities in other ways. In fact, it’s the only agency in Washington specifically designated by law to assist libraries and ensure that Washington residents have access to library and information services. The State Library achieves these goals by using federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds, and offering projects, consulting services, grants, subsidies and training to improve libraries throughout Washington.
 
To get a better idea of how the State Library helps our communities, it recently compiled fact sheets to illustrate funding and other support from WSL to libraries across the state. They include Legislative District Fact Sheets and Congressional District Fact Sheets, as well as a Statewide Impact Fact Sheet.
 
If you have a question that’s tough to answer, try the State Library’s Ask a Librarian feature. You can ask your question via e-mail or chat from 8 to 5 weekdays. Try it out now!