BREAKING: Mosquito Fleet Act passes State House of Representatives resoundingly

Friday, March 7, 2025 at 3:10 p.m.
UPDATED: March 7 at 4:00 p.m.
by Jeff Noedel

This afternoon, the full Washington State House of Representatives passed “ESHB 1923,” the Mosquito Fleet Act. The bill was authored by State Rep. Greg Nance (D-23, Bainbridge Island). Nance has become a vocal ally of all ferry-served communities in recent months. His bill has strong support from activists and local leaders in the San Juans, Kitsap County, and Vashon Island.

On February 19, both San Juan County Council Rep. Justin Paulsen and former Council Rep. Rick Hughes testified in favor of the bill during a House Transportation Committee hearing. The bill passed the committee vote with bipartisan support.

Today, the bill passed the full House overwhelmingly with 87 yeas and 8 nays.  All Democrats and most Republican Representatives voted for the bill, sending it to the Senate, where a companion bill could be heard by the Senate Transportation Committee, chaired by State Sen. Marko Liias (D-21, Mukilteo).

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson has not yet taken a public position on the Mosquito Fleet Act, but in a Thursday, March 6 news conference on WSF subjects at Colman Dock in Seattle, Ferguson had a mixed message when he said:

(Regarding) county-operated passenger ferries… hey, back on my King County Council days, I was involved with passenger service to the county. And big supporter of it back then, and big supporter of it now.

Folks like Representative Nance have…proposed out there that I was supportive of. Doesn’t look like this session that’s happening.

But again, back to options, I support that type of thing. Especially in these coming years. We need to get more options out there.

Right now we think we’re about to get to a good place. But things can happen. We do have an aging fleet. I want to emphasize that, right? It’s not always going to be a smooth path.

Which is why I appreciate Representative Nance as one example proposing that bill. I talked to him…ran into him the other day at the capitol. ‘Hey, Let’s work together. Let’s bring that back. What can we do to get more options?’

Our work is just beginning.

Ferguson made that statement approximately 24 hours before the bill passed the House by a wide margin.

One factor in the strong Republican vote seemed to be support from House Deputy Minority Leader Chris Corry (R-15, Yakima). Nance told SanJuans.Today after the vote, “Corry rocked his floor speech.”

Chris Corry is the son of Friday Harbor resident David Corry.

Check back, we will have more on this story overnight.

Our coverage of Nance’s Mosquito Fleet Act began on November 19, 2024. For SanJuans.Today’s previous nine articles on Nance’s bill, click here.