Thousands sign up to testify

OLYMPIA - More than 1,500 people signed up to speak on behalf of reopening Washington businesses during a Jan. 20 public hearing on Senate Bill 5114.

Sponsored by both Democrat and Republican senators, Senate Bill 5114 and its companion House Bill 1321 would skip over Phase 1 of Gov. Jay Inslee's newest phased-in reopening plan, "Healthy Washington-Roadmap to Recovery" plan, allowing for 25% indoor capacity at restaurants and gyms, and indoor entertainment like theaters and bowling alleys. 

Dannielle Knutson, a majority partner at Budd Bay Cafe, Oyster House and River's Edge in Olympia, told the Senate State Government and Elections Committee that after her husband died of cancer, she was left to weather the personal and financial burden of staying closed.

It has cost her $120,000 a month since the beginning of the pandemic, she said.

"It's left me fighting for our restaurants," Knutson said. "Every day that we are not open, we are continuing to pile on more debt in our businesses as well as my personal life." 

State officials acknowledge the severe impact on businesses and promised more help for those shuttered by coronavirus orders from the governor, but health officials say pushing for a quick reopening will only feed the pandemic.

State Department of Health Deputy Secretary Lacy Fehrenbach said regional, phased approach is based on evaluating virus case trends in terms of healthcare capacity.

One of the bill's 16 sponsors, Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, said the bill did in fact support science and data.

"Thousands of restaurants and other small family businesses statewide have been lost for good – decimated by rules that are not supported by data and science and are enforced by state employees who have not had to skip a single paycheck," Braun said.