Think we’re done with emergency orders? 29 are still in effect, with no plans to end them

It’s been more than two years since Gov. Jay Inslee issued his first COVID-19 emergency proclamation in the state of Washington.

Since then, the governor has signed 87 COVID-related proclamations, rescinding 58 fully so far, while all or portions of 29 proclamations are still active statewide. In February 2020 the governor first issued proclamation 20-05, which declared that COVID-19 is a statewide emergency. Without that emergency declaration in place, the governor would not have authority for other emergency powers under the law.

Of the proclamations, one of the most debated and controversial orders is still in effect. The proclamation requires workers in state, educational and healthcare settings to be vaccinated unless those individuals have a religious exemption or have a disability that prevents them from being vaccinated.

Mike Faulk, deputy communications director and press secretary for Inslee, told McClatchy that the Governor’s Office does not have any immediate plans to rescind any of the remaining orders. He said that most of the proclamations are still in effect because they’ve heard from stakeholders, policy analysts and other elected leaders that those proclamations are still needed “based on current conditions — whether it’s the status of the virus itself or labor and supply chain issues.”