SCR 8400
In CommitteeSenate
Joint session/state of jud.
Convening a joint session for the purpose of receiving the State of the Judiciary message.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This resolution formally schedules a joint meeting of the Washington State Legislature to hear the Chief Justice’s annual State of the Judiciary address. It sets the date, time, and location for the event and confirms that both chambers must agree for it to proceed.
- Calls for a joint session of the Washington State Legislature (House and Senate) to meet together in the Senate Chamber.
- Sets the date and time for the joint session as Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at 12:45 p.m..
- Designates the purpose of the meeting as receiving the State of the Judiciary message from the Chief Justice of the Washington State Supreme Court, Steven C. Gonzàlez.
- Requires both the Senate and House of Representatives to concur in the resolution for it to take effect.
Who is affected
- Legislators — Members of the Washington State Legislature (Senators and Representatives) who will attend and participate in the joint session.
- Judicial Branch leadership — The Chief Justice and justices of the Washington State Supreme Court, who deliver the State of the Judiciary message.
- Legislative and judicial support staff — State employees and support staff who assist in organizing and hosting the joint session event.
- General public and media — General public and media, who may observe the event (often streamed or covered in news) and benefit from increased transparency about the judiciary's priorities.
Who Is Most Affected
Legislators gain a formal opportunity to observe and engage with the judiciary’s priorities, reinforcing inter-branch dialogue, but the event imposes no material cost or burden on their time beyond routine legislative calendar planning.
Judicial leadership gains a high-profile platform to communicate directly with lawmakers and the public, reinforcing judicial independence and transparency—though no new authority or resources are granted.
Support staff may experience a minor increase in logistical coordination (e.g., room setup, tech support), but the event is routine and well-resourced; no significant labor impact is expected.
The public and media benefit from increased transparency and visibility into judicial priorities, supporting civic education—though actual engagement depends on media coverage and accessibility of the broadcast.