Olympia, Wash. — Less than an hour after taking his oath of office and giving his inaugural address, Gov. Bob Ferguson signed three executive orders Wednesday afternoon.
The three aforementioned executive orders will address the following key issues, according to Ferguson’s office:
- Housing: Ferguson’s office, in a press release sent to KOMO News, wrote that the executive order directs state agencies to review all regulations that impact housing, permitting and construction and identify any provision that can be streamlined, deferred or eliminated.
- Reproductive freedom: The press release continued to say that this executive order directs the Department of Health to convene a roundtable of medical providers, reproductive health experts and policy makers to recommend strategies for protecting reproductive freedom.
- Permitting reform: Lastly, Ferguson’s press release noted that this executive order will direct all state agencies to cut down their permit and license processing times. If an agency does not meet its deadline, it will refund the application fee.
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After taking the oath of office, Ferguson delivered a speech that did not shy away from the state’s failures in recent years.
“We face real challenges as a state and as a people,” Ferguson said. “Our state is unaffordable for many Washingtonians. We rank 50th, last, per capita, in number of law enforcement officers.”
To address public safety needs, the governor is backing a $100 million proposal to help police departments recruit more officers.
“I’m in politics because I believe in the power of government to improve people’s lives,” said Ferguson. “At the same time, we must recognize government does not always meet that promise. So let me be clear: I’m not here to defend government. I’m here to reform it.”
Regarding the state’s budget deficit, Ferguson is calling for a 6% across-the-board spending cut from Washington state agencies on his first day in office—a move that will save $4.4 billion.
He said the move will not impact education or public safety but is asking other agencies to identify immediate changes.
The inaugural address referenced other challenges, including the overall lack of affordability in Washington and the high price of housing.
He also spoke about investing more in education, discussed climate protection, and expressed concerns about the incoming Trump administration.
