State Senate elects Steve Conway president pro tempore, adopts session rules and committee roster

The Washington State Senate elected Senator Steve Conway president pro tempore and approved its permanent and emergency parliamentary rules during an organizational session held Jan. 13, 2025, in Olympia. The body also elected Senator John Lubbock as vice president pro tempore, re-elected Sarah Bannister as secretary of the Senate and confirmed committee assignments and several joint-session and procedural resolutions.

The actions set the Senate’s leadership and procedural framework for the 69th Legislature and cleared routine items needed to begin the session’s legislative work, including adopting standing rules (Senate Resolution 8603), contingency parliamentary rules for emergencies (Senate Resolution 8601) and placing several joint- and calendar-setting concurrent resolutions on the second-reading calendar.

Most consequential at the dais, by recorded roll call and voice votes: the Senate elected Steve Conway to the position of president pro tempore. The secretary’s roll call and the presiding officer’s announcement recorded 47 votes for Conway with one member absent or excused. The Senate then elected…