Rookie reps finding way in Legislature; Region's Kretz, Serben and

A cowboy, a Christian and a banker walk into the state Capitol.

If you're looking for a punch line, you won't find one. These are the region's three newest state lawmakers.

The trio - Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda, John Serben, R- Spokane, and David Buri, R-Colfax - make up a third of the small Republican freshman class in the Washington state House of Representatives. Typical protocol for first-year lawmakers is to be seen rather than heard, which can make pushing a legislative agenda a difficult task in an arena dominated by legislative veterans.

While they each come from different personal backgrounds, they share two common experiences - shifting from private citizen to public servant and dealing with the growing pains that are a part of being a freshman lawmaker.

JUST OFF THE FARM

Of the three, Joel Kretz is perhaps the most unlikely politician. He owns a large ranch in Wauconda, a small town in Okanogan County.

"I can sit on my porch (at home) and I can see 20, 30 miles and not a single light. It's little bit of an adjustment," said Kretz.

Now, from his fourth-floor office on the Capitol campus, Kretz can look out his window and see a half-dozen street lamps.

"I see more people here in a day than I do in a month at home," he said.

So what made Kretz decide to trade in his frontier lifestyle for legislative service?

"It was almost out of desperation," said Kretz, who represents the rural 7th District. "I never, ever planned on being a politician. It was one of those things that sort of happened."

"The way of life that has sustained the area in the 7th District for hundreds of years has gone away," he said.

Kretz is pushing legislation, HB 1832, that would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to post reports online about cougar attacks and other run-ins with pets, livestock and people. The measure unanimously passed the House and is waiting for consideration in the Senate.

While in office he wants to help strengthen the relationship between politicians from rural and urban areas.

"The big divide I see is not Democrat versus Republican, it's urban versus rural," Kretz said. "I see my biggest job is to educate the urban legislators."

GOD AND POLITICS

Serben, a devout Protestant, at times finds himself praying for guidance in Olympia.

"I imagine I could pull out the Bible and find a verse for every bill out there," said Serben, who notes that while he sometimes looks for help from a higher power he avoids using the Bible as a governing doctrine for how to vote.

"I think religion is where you build your moral compass," said Serben. "I try to use it as more of a guiding set of principles instead of a way to legislate."

While his religion plays a major role in his daily life in Olympia, Serben said he only speaks of it if asked. The only sign of religion in his office is a Bible on a bookshelf.

Before coming to Olympia he spent time as an insurance salesman, and he still keeps in touch with his clients. His experience in the field has helped him with some of the bills he has proposed and given him an edge over other freshmen.

"I knew it (being a freshman) would be a challenge. So I figured the best way to deal with it is to take the issues you have interest and knowledge in and become an authority on them so people come to you."

A FRESHMAN WITH EXPERIENCE

Most freshmen have limited experience with the political process, but that's not the case for David Buri. While this is his first legislative session as a lawmaker, it's his seventh year working on the Capitol campus.

Before taking the oath of office, Buri spent six years as a legislative assistant for former state Sen. Larry Sheahan. Prior to that, Buri was the vice president of the Bank of Whitman for eight years. He said his banking experience was helpful, but his time spent with Sheahan was invaluable.

"Having been in the process, you know what you can do and what you can't do. You know what your limitations are," he said.

One of those limitations is following the freshman code of conduct of being seen and not heard. Buri has had to come up with clever ways to overcome this obstacle.

When in caucus discussing ways to approach a bill, Buri had an idea but was mindful of his freshman status and thought the idea would be overlooked. So he passed a note to a senior party member, and she presented his idea.

With six years of experience in Olympia, what would he have to accomplish to consider his first year as a lawmaker a personal success?

"I would like to have a bill signed by the governor. That would mean I've been able to work something through the House process and the Senate and get it to the governor's desk."

Buri has almost reached that goal. Recently, his first bill - HB 1161, which would include libraries in the list of public institutions that law enforcement agencies notify about sex offenders - was passed out of the House. The bill is now in the Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee.

Buri said he and his fellow freshman lawmakers from the region meet on a weekly basis and discuss what they've learned and the nuances of their new positions.

"We each bring different strengths to the table," said Buri. "We all do very well together."

SIDEBAR: AT A GLANCE What they've done so far Rep. Joel Kretz: -- HB 1823 would increase fuel access in rural areas. Kretz said the idea for the bill came to him because the nearest gas station to his ranch is 50 miles away. -- HB 1831 provides compensation for damage done to livestock by wildlife. The bill was passed out of the House Natural Resources, Ecology & Parks Committee and is now in the House Appropriations Committee. Rep. John Serben -- HB 1125 deals with the management of estates and trusts. Among other things it affords adopted children the same inheritance rights as the biological children of parents. The bill was the first Republican bill to pass out of the House. -- HB 2173 provides rights and protections to service members during their military service, including the ability to stay civil proceedings. The bill applies to all judicial and administrative proceedings, but does not apply to criminal proceedings. Rep. David Buri -- HB 1161 includes libraries in the list of public institutions that law enforcement notifies about sex offenders. The bill passed the House and is now in the Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee. -- HB 2096 calls for a study of the economic and social contribution of agricultural fairs to the state.

Travis Hay can be reached at (360) 586-0002 or travis.hay@gmail.com.

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