Andy Billig
Majority Leader of the Washington Senate
Assumed office
January 12, 2019
Preceded bySharon Nelson
Member of the Washington Senate
from the 3rd district
Assumed office
January 14, 2013
Preceded byLisa Brown
Member of the Washington House of Representatives
from the 3rd district
In office
January 10, 2011 – January 14, 2013
Preceded byAlex Wood
Succeeded byMarcus Riccelli
Personal details
Born
Andrew Swire Billig

(1968-05-01) May 1, 1968
New York, U.S.[1]
Political partyDemocratic
EducationGeorgetown University (BA)
WebsiteState Senate website

Andrew Swire Billig (born May 1, 1968) is an American politician of the Democratic Party and co-owner of the Spokane Indians minor league baseball team. On November 6, 2012, Billig was elected to the Washington State Senate, representing the 3rd Legislative District.[2] He currently serves as the Senate Majority Leader.[3]

Personal life

Billig grew up in Chevy Chase, Maryland. He is of Jewish descent. Billig graduated cum laude from Georgetown University in 1990 with a degree in government. He has two children, Isabella "Bella" and Samuel, and is an active runner and triathlete, having completed the Coeur d’Alene Ironman Triathlon in 2004.[4]

Political positions

Billig has supported bills that would improve primary education, including a bill that would lower the compulsory education age in Washington from 8 to 5.[5] He has also been active in expanding statewide voter access and campaign finance reform in addition to efforts to protect the Spokane River.[6][7] In 2011, Billig received the Inter-Continental Smackdown Champion Award from Fuse Washington for his work against phosphorus pollution in Washington's lakes and rivers.[8] He has also expressed support for gun control, including a bill that would ban possession of high-capacity magazines.[9]

Washington House of Representatives

After he was elected to the House of Representatives in 2010, Billig immediately assumed a transportation leadership position in the House, serving as vice-chair of the House Transportation Committee.[10] In that role, he helped write the state's two-year transportation budget.[11] Billig also served on the Education, Environment, and Technology & Economic Development committees.

Washington Senate

In 2012, Billig was elected to the Senate, where he was given a position of leadership as the Minority Whip. In 2015 he was chosen to represent the caucus as the Deputy Leader, and now serves as the Senate Majority Leader. During the 2018 legislative session, he served on the Early Learning & K-2 Education, Ways & Means, and Rules committees. One of his primary achievements of the 2018 session was the DISCLOSE Act,[12] which increases transparency of campaign contributions and closes campaign finance disclosure loopholes.

Spokane Indians Baseball Team

In 1992, Billig became general manager of the Spokane Indians Baseball Team. He later became president and co-owner of the team and remains active in management and ownership.[4][13]

Awards

Billig has been recognized repeatedly for his leadership with the Spokane Indians, being voted Northwest League Executive of the Year in both 1994 and 2004. He was also nominated for the Larry MacPhail Award for promotional excellence several times and won the Joe Martin Award for Service to Baseball and the Community in 2007.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "2019-2020 Legislative Manual" (PDF). State of Washington. 2019. Retrieved 2021-12-14.
  2. ↑ (November 7, 2012) "Democrats holding edge in Legislature", Spokesman Review. Retrieved on December 5, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Washington State Wire",
  4. 1 2 "The Spokesman-Review Election Center", Retrieved on June 26, 2012.
  5. ↑ James, Albert (2022-01-20). "Washington is only state that doesn't require kids to be in school until they turn 8 – a bill under consideration would change that". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
  6. ↑ "E-newsletter- Protecting the Spokane River". Sen. Andy Billig. 2014-06-25. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  7. ↑ "Billig's campaign transparency bill blocked in the Senate". Sen. Andy Billig. 2016-02-18. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  8. ↑ "The 2011 Sizzle-Fizzle Awards - Fuse Washington". Archived from the original on 2012-12-20. Retrieved 2013-02-14.
  9. ↑ "Looking Back at What WA Lawmakers Accomplished in 2022 Session". www.publicnewsservice.org. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  10. ↑ "Billig". Archived from the original on 2012-08-10. Retrieved 2012-07-11., Retrieved on June 26, 2012.
  11. ↑ Archived 2012-06-05 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved on July 10, 2012.
  12. ↑ "Washington State Legislature". apps2.leg.wa.gov. Archived from the original on 2018-03-28. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  13. 1 2 "Northwest League Awards", Retrieved on June 26, 2012.
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