Rep. Hunt says he killed own Inaugural Ball bill

Less than a week after his bill to create an Inaugural Ball committee was introduced, sponsoring Rep. Sam Hunt has killed the bill. Hunt said he took House Bill 1205 off the agenda at Tuesday’s House Government Operations and Elections Committee hearing.

The reason is that House leadership wanted to hold off so soon after Hunt, former Secretary of State Sam Reed and others were able to bring the ball back to the Capitol - even after the ball’s private governing board had picked a Lacey venue. Hunt said he had talked to Majority Leader Pat Sullvan, D-Covington, about the matter and there was a sense they had four years until the next governor is inaugurated.

As outlined in his bill, a new committee would include representation from the Legislature, Supreme Court, and statewide elected officials.

And importantly, it would require the ball to take place on the Capitol Campus.