Hirst Decision Prompts Legislation

The controversial Hirst Decision by the Washington State Supreme Court has spurred Senator Judy Warnick to file legislation to help clarify water rules in rural Washington.

Warnick said she has heard from many residents who recently bought property or homes in rural areas, "Thinking it was going to be their retirement property in a rural area. Now they can't build and they also can't sell it for development because there's no water available unless they go through a very, very expensive process."

The measure's stated intention is to limit cost factors to determine water availability.

The Senator says it's important to tackle this from a legislative side.

"My proposed solution is to go back, look at how the state water resource management system works and try to work with the Department of Ecology and the folks that brought the lawsuit actually to prove that there is water out there."

Warnick's proposed bill will be heard by the Senate committee on Ag, Water, Trade and Economic Development Tuesday.