Helen Sommers: An Oral History

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Chapter 23 How the Legislature changed in 36-year career Monahan: How do you see the change in the power of the Legislature over your 36-year career, comparing 1973 and now? Representative Sommers: With a Legislature that met only a few months every year or two and temporary staff, the Legislature didn’t have near the power of the executive branch. When session was over, we’d leave Olympia and the executive branch was totally in charge. But the big change for the Legislature came with a full-time professional staff that was able to research issues from a legislative perspective, which was often a different perspective than the executive branch. Legislators spent more time year-round with ongoing sessions and interim gatherings. And, certainly technology also was one of the equalizers! Technology gave us ready access to all kinds of information. The various state departments put out information and shared it with both the executive and the legislative branches of Government. The members and the staff were so much better prepared and had access to knowledge. We had the ability to mandate the way the information was presented and to improve the access to information. Technology made very significant changes to the process that made the Legislature more effective and an equal partner in governing. Before the 1970s, the Legislature was a very weak branch of government because all the information funneled down from the executive branch . That changed. Monahan: Compare the way the two parties – the majority and the minority – worked together then, and how they work together now. What are the major changes over the years you served? Representative Sommers: Camaraderie in 1970s - 80s was very different then than now. There were friendships and congeniality on both sides of the aisle. Social gatherings at the end of the day brought legislators together regardless of their party! There was nothing wrong with legislators from both parties being friends. The dynamics are very different now. The power of those in charge – leadership and chairs – also has changed. Year-round access and information certainly gives more power. Those with decision making authority are in control of the process. The relationships, including friendships between the majority and the minority, have diminished. Sadly, politics has changed in so many ways. Monahan: With the changing role of the Legislature as a more equal branch of government than in the years before you were elected, what are your thoughts on a full-time Legislature with fewer members? I read an article by Shelby Scates, in the Seattle Weekly (1999) “Missing the bad old days.” Scates interviewed Don Brazier, a former legislator (R-Yakima–1967-69), Chair of the Utilities & Transportation Commission, and a member of the Public Disclosure Commission. Brazier also was a noted historian and author with his books “History of the Washington Legislature Don Brazier 1854-1963” and his second volume covering 1965-1982. At that time, Brazier said Washington had the second-largest Legislature in the western states. He suggested reducing the size of the Legislature and making it full-time with a commensurate salary increase for fewer elected members. He suggested, at the time, a 64-member House and 32-member Senate. What are your thoughts on a smaller, full-time Legislature and how do you think that would work? Representative Sommers: It’s too bad that we set aside the idea of a smaller number, but a full-time Legislature. I agree with the concept. But one of the major steps we did take was the professional full-time staff. That was a huge change for us, and certainly toward a more efficient, better prepared, more knowledgeable Legislature. The change meant legislators were more in the loop than ever before. Legislators are involved with Olympia
pg. 70 How Legislature changed in 36 year career many times during the year for committee weekends and such. And the professional, non-partisan committee staff, a full-time chief clerk, the administrative staff, and also partisan Caucus staff, I think these changes gave the Legislature a more-equal footing. But the idea of a smaller, full-time Legislature certainly could have made a big difference. Helen Sommers addresses the House on ‘Children’s Day,” Feb. 1998
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Helen Sommers An Oral History - 197
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Published 2010 Washington State Leg
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Contents Melinda McCrady . . . . .
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pg. 2 Preface position she always s
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pg. 4 Foreword ‘About Helen Somme
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pg. 10 Helen Sommers’ Early Years
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pg. 12 Helen turns two-year Caracas
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pg. 14 Seattle draws Helen to the N
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pg. 16 Helen Sommers seeks a career
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Page 43 and 44: pg. 38 Mount St. Helens From Gamsca
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Page 47 and 48: pg. 42 STaTe RePReSeNTaTiVe 36 th D
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Page 53 and 54: pg. 48 Helen Sommers takes helm of
Page 55 and 56: pg. 50 Gary Locke elected Governor
Page 57 and 58: pg. 52 Déjà Vu! - House 49-49 tie
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Page 63 and 64: pg. 58 Helen Sommers enjoys her fav
Page 65 and 66: pg. 60 The 2005 session - Gregoire/
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Page 69 and 70: pg. 64 The History of Women in the
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Page 81 and 82: pg. 76 Looking back at Helen Sommer
Page 83 and 84: pg. 78 Looking back at Helen Sommer
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Page 107 and 108: pg. 102 Gary Locke everybody in her
Page 109 and 110: pg. 104 Gary Locke other administra
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pg. 124 David Ammons And maybe it w
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pg. 126 David Ammons of today. Mona
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pg. 130 Jim Boldt And, if she wasn
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pg. 132 Jim Boldt eventually in the
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pg. 136 Denny Heck Leonard Sawyer r
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pg. 138 Denny Heck If you want to p
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pg. 140 Lynn Kessler disturbed by t
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pg. 146 Eileen Cody talks about how
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pg. 150 Mary Lou Dickerson It took
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pg. 152 Mary Lou Dickerson last day
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pg. 154 Jeanne Kohl-Welles go for t
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pg. 158 Barry Sehlin was, as I said
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pg. 160 Barry Sehlin I was named co
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pg. 164 Dean Foster so we started p
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pg. 166 Dean Foster their operation
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pg. 168 Dean Foster Co-Chief Clerks
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pg. 170 Vito Chiechi Pro Tempore Jo
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pg. 174 Cindy Zehnder make sense, b
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pg. 190 Yona Makowski fied staff wh
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pg. 196 Helen Sommers has seen the
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pg. 232 Biography leGIslatIve BIoGr
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pg. 234 Biography COMMUNITY ACTIVIT
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pg. 240 Election & Voting September
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pg. 242 Election & Voting District
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pg. 270 The Press it a try. There w
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pg. 274 The Press Questions Linger
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pg. 306 Index
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pg. 308 Index Clibborn, Rep . Judy
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pg. 310 Index L Larsen, Congressman
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pg. 312 Index Lisa; See Canfield, S
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Helen Sommers: An Oral History

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