Josh Kearns, Spokane County commissioner, hosted state Representative Suzanne Schmidt (Fourth Legislative District) and state Representative Mike Volz (Sixth Legislative District) for a legislative-session recap focused on projects and bills that affect Spokane County.

"We had some really good wins in the Fourth District," Representative Suzanne Schmidt said, citing capital-budget allocations for local schools, Plants Ferry and an accessibility lift at Mount Spokane that will allow people with disabilities to ski. Representative Mike Volz said the capital budget also included funding for the North–South Corridor and $7.5 million to address PFAS at some West Plains wellheads.

Why it matters: the state capital budget directs one-time construction and infrastructure dollars and can fund local projects that are not covered in operating budgets. The funding cited by the legislators affects recreation access at Mount Spokane, local school projects, river access (Plants Ferry) and drinking-water work in the West Plains.

Most important facts: Representative Volz told the program that the state provided "7 and a half million dollars" to help clean PFAS at wellheads in the West Plains. He described the funding as a start and said federal action may also be needed. Volz and Schmidt credited the local delegation’s work to restore or protect previously promised transportation money; Volz said the North–South Corridor is again funded and "[i]t's supposed to be completed by, what, 2030?" Schmidt said she worked with other legislators to secure capital-budget items for Spokane County.

Bills stopped: both legislators described state bills they said were defeated. Schmidt said one House bill she cited as "house bill $13.80" would have "allowed encampments throughout the state," and she said stopping it preserved cities’ ability to set local rules. Schmidt and Volz said they also helped block a proposal that would have allowed the attorney general to decertify elected sheriffs; Schmidt described that measure as enabling the attorney general "to intercede," and Volz said it would have "give[n] the attorney general to unelect an elected official."

What was not decided on air: the guests described their role pushing or opposing bills but did not present legislative vote records or formal bill numbers beyond the references above. They repeatedly framed the encampment proposal and the sheriff-decertification proposal as measures they "killed" or "stopped" during the session.

Additional context: Commissioner Kearns and the representatives discussed the politics of the session—including tax increases and budget forecasting—but those policy debates were framed as the legislators’ assessments rather than as new local actions.

Looking ahead: both legislators said some issues will return in future sessions or in courts. Volz noted PFAS work will likely require continued state and federal attention; both said transportation and site-specific capital projects will require further oversight.