For the Reporter

Sen. Pam Roach (R-Auburn) has again been designated by the Senate majority to serve as chair of the Senate Government Operations and State Security Committee.

The issues her committee considers include elections, campaign finance, military and veterans affairs, and all state and local administrative issues.

“I will continue to focus on open and accountable government,” said Roach. “People want fair, open and responsive governance for the tax dollars they pay. We all deserve that. I will continue a process that involves all citizens.”

The veteran lawmaker from rural Auburn said she has a variety of issues lined up for the committee to study during the 2015 legislative session, which begins Jan. 12.

“I am pleased to chair the Senate’s most voluminous committee and enjoy a broad range of responsibility,” said Roach. “This year will have the added emphasis of tribal affairs and cyber-security protections.

“While I have several new areas of investigations and study for the committee, we will continue our review of the Growth Management Act. These special projects are intended to determine whether legislative responses are needed,” Roach said.

Roach has already led two committee hearings on land use. One discussed the Growth Management Act as applied to master planned developments in Black Diamond. The other reviewed the Shoreline Management Act and sought to defend the rights of property owners along Lake Tapps and other water bodies in the state. Development laws which restrict how property owners may use their land have not been revisited by the Legislature since their passage in 1990s.