Address: 117 Legislative Modular Building * PO Box 40408 * Olympia, WA 98504

Olympia Office: (360) 786-7614 * Toll Free Hotline: (800) 562-6000 * E-mail: Matt.Boehnke@leg.wa.gov

August 7, 2024

Boehnke attends Washington National Guard Legislative Lift

I was honored to be invited by General Bret Daugherty to participate in an orientation flight aboard a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter on July 18 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.  In addition to the flight, I had the opportunity to walk through a KC135 aerial refueling plane and learn more about the U.S. Army’s critical cyber and other domestic response missions. 

The three-hour event was an excellent opportunity for me to observe the Washington National Guard in action as they conducted their federal and state missions. It was exciting to engage with the dedicated team members of the Washington National Guard and gain insights into their emergency response when disaster strikes in Washington State, including fires, floods, and pandemics.

As part of our national defense, Washington State must prioritize modernizing and updating equipment. Having updated technology and equipment is a huge support to our troops. We also have to continue prioritizing training opportunities for our troops so they are better prepared when duty calls.

Boehnke speaks at 33rd Annual PNWER Summit

In late July, I attended the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) annual summit in Whistler, British Columbia. The PNWER Annual Summit is the leading forum where policymakers and businesspeople come together to solve regional economic challenges. It is also a model for regional and binational cooperation. Over four days, I collaborated with public, private, academic, and non-profit stakeholders to address our region’s economic challenges. I came away with several potential solutions to the economic challenges we face in Washington State.  It was also an opportunity to engage with our region’s key decision-makers on both sides of the border.

During the forum, I discussed building out the hydrogen economy, supply chain efforts, innovative approaches to address the missing middle housing supply in our region, and building international zero-emission corridors. We also discussed AI for humanity, unleashing the power of AI, the current innovations in clean energy and smart technology reshaping transportation supply chains, and understanding perspectives on the U.S.-Canada relationship.

The forum was a great way to discuss advancing our sustainable regional economies through clean energy and innovation. Over 500 state, provincial, and territorial legislators, government officials, and business leaders from the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada were in attendance.

I look forward to continuing to build onto our great relationship with our Pacific Northwest. neighbors on all these efforts.

AI Task Force meets for first time

On July 26, the new statewide artificial intelligence task force, which I am a member of, met virtually to begin the two-year process of developing recommendations and best practices for Washington State’s effective use of artificial intelligence.

The task force is a bipartisan effort to address AI’s growing impact on our economy and assess its benefits and challenges. I am honored to be included in the select group and look forward to being a leader who will be open to your concerns, listen to your feedback and ensure these concerns are brought into our AI Taskforce discussions as we move forward in developing critical policies to lead this industry into the future. 

During our three-hour meeting, we reviewed the bylaws, established subcommittees, and elected volunteers to chair those committees. We also added four additional subcommittees, including climate and energy, autonomous vehicles and transportation, ethical and responsible AI/AI Governance, and recommendations for ongoing committees.

Over the next two years, the task force will meet at least once a month.  

In addition to our committee work, I would like to set up local meetings in the Tri-Cities area for residents and stakeholders to share their concerns at the local level. Even though this work is being led at the state level, we need local voices from our communities.

Once we have identified an effective way to connect and gather your input and concerns on AI, I will contact you through my newsletter and I look forward to hearing your voice.

Boehnke travels to Kentucky for NCSL annual conference

This weeklong conference is critical to our work on emerging state nuclear energy policy and emerging technology driven by AI.  

While at the conference, I look forward to continuing to gain valuable insights into what other states are doing to address nuclear siting and permitting, AI and allow me to help lead Washington state engagement efforts into policy development at the national level.

Sen. Boehnke Calendar

Aug 3-9 | Taskforce on AI, Cybersecurity and Privacy Summer meeting and NCSL Leg Summit Annual Conference

Aug. 9 | New small seed vegetable facility grand opening

Aug. 13 | Tri-Cities Child Care Strategy Summit

Aug. 13 | Speak at ceremony for Grid Storage Launchpad dedication

Aug. 15 | Presentation by student Nirbhuy Arun on STARS technology

Aug. 16 | Energy Council

Aug. 19 | Tri-Cities Legislative Council (TCLC) 

Aug. 21 | Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton/Franklin Co. Summer Jam

Aug. 22 | South Columbia Basin Irrigation District tour