Sen. Dozier speaks, Democrats don’t listen

By Terry Murry on Friday, January 15th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

OLYMPIA – In his first speech on the Senate floor this week, Sen. Perry Dozier (R-Waitsburg) led an effort by Senate Republicans to relax the coronavirus lockdown restrictions that have forced closures of restaurants, entertainment venues, and gymnasiums across the state.

The majority party shot it down, passing a resolution that extended Gov. Jay Inslee’s emergency orders indefinitely. That resolution now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Dozier said the state’s on-again, off-again lockdown orders are forcing small businesses to fight for survival. He offered an amendment to the resolution that would have moved all regions of the state to Phase 2 of the lockdown plan. That phase allows reopening with social-distancing precautions. All members of the GOP voted in favor of Dozier’s resolution.

“Businesses everywhere are being pushed to the brink by lockdown orders that are far more stringent than needed,” Dozier said. “During the brief respite we had this summer and fall, they proved they can operate safely while maintaining social-distancing protocols. This second round of state-ordered closures has been devastating. The longer we wait, the more businesses we will lose for good.”