| |
Preview of Week 8 of 2016 Session
|
|
| |
There are fewer than two weeks remaining before the scheduled adjournment of the 2016 legislative session on March 10. Some bills that passed the Feb. 26 policy committee cutoff will also need to pass a fiscal committee by the Feb. 29 cutoff. Next Friday, March 4, is the deadline for all bills to pass the opposite chamber. For example, if a bill originated in the House, it will need to pass the Senate before it adjourns for the day on March 4.
In addition to the bills still being considered by each chamber, key legislators will be busy with negotiating the details for the supplemental budgets (operations, capital, and transportation).
The final week will be devoted to resolving any differences in bills that passed both the House and the Senate. This includes the budget bills. The differences need to be resolved and accepted by both chambers before they are sent to the Governor. |
|
|
Top
|
| |
Supplemental Budgets Proposed
|
|
| |
This past week, the House and Senate released their versions of the supplemental budget. There were no major cuts to social service programs in either the House or Senate budgets.
The House budget proposes to spend an additional $467 million, including $99 million for starting teacher pay raises as part of solving the teacher shortage crisis in the state. The House budget also contains $47 million for mental health, including $3 million for community mental health centers, and nearly $50 million to aid people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The funds could be used for rental assistance and rapid rehousing. The House plan proposes to pay for the increased spending by eliminating six tax exemptions, including the sales tax exemption for bottled water. In addition to ending some tax breaks, the House budget proposes to tap the state's emergency "rainy day fund" for $190 million to help pay for the devastating 2015 wildfire season.
The Senate supplemental operating budget relies on spending cuts and one-time savings and actually reduces state spending. The budget provides for a $159 million increase for low-income health care, necessitated by increased caseloads for patients on Medicaid, and includes $36 million to increase safety at Western State Hospital.
Neither the House nor the Senate supplemental capital budgets include any additional monies for the Housing Trust Fund. |
|
|
Top
|
| |
Bills Passed by Policy Committee in Opposite Chamber that WSCC Supports
|
|
| |
The bills in this section have passed a policy committee in the opposite chamber. Some of these will also have to pass a fiscal committee in the opposite chamber. All of these will also need to pass the opposite chamber prior to the end of legislative business on Friday, March 4.
BILLS NEEDING ACTION: Please take action on the bills that you are following by calling the Legislative Hotline: 1-800-562-6000. Ask support of your Senator or Representatives depending on whether the House or the Senate is presently considering the bill.
Breakfast After the Bell
HB 1295 would require each high-needs school to offer breakfast after the bell to qualified students. HB 1295 passed the House last month by a 69-28 margin. On Feb. 23, the bill was heard by the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee which voted it out of committee two days later. The bill is before the Senate Ways & Means Committee.
Legal Financial Obligations (LFOs)
Most people convicted of a crime must pay Legal Financial Obligations (LFOs) that include victim restitution, crime victims' compensation fees, etc. The interest rate on repayment is about 12 percent. As it passed the House on Feb. 3 by a 97-0 vote, HB 1390 would eliminate the interest on most of the debt. The bill was heard by the Senate Law & Justice Committee which passed it on Feb. 26, after being amended not to eliminate the interest rate, but to reduce the interest rate from twelve percent to four percent. The bill was referred to the Ways and Means Committee.
Cesar Chavez Day
HB 1560 would recognize March 31 as Cesar Chavez Day. Cesar Chavez, a Mexican-American born March 31, 1927, was an American farm worker, labor leader, and civil rights activist that worked to improve the treatment, pay, and working conditions of farm workers. On Feb. 11, the bill passed the House by a vote of 67-29. HB 1560 was referred to the Senate Government Operations & Security Committee which voted it out of committee on Feb. 25.
Voting Rights
HB 1745 would promote equal voting opportunity in certain political subdivisions by authorizing district-based elections, requiring redistricting and new elections in certain circumstances. The bill passed the House 50-47 on Feb. 4 and was heard by the Senate Government Operations & Security Committee on Feb. 25. The committee voted and amended the bill the same day. The House version would exempt any town with a population under 1,000. The Senate committee's amended version would exempt any town under 2,000 and also adds a section that limits liability. The amended bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.
WorkFirst
The Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program is called WorkFirst in Washington State. This program provides eligible adults assistance to find work. HB 1875 would increase the amount of vocational training for WorkFirst recipients from 12 to 24 months, subject to the amount appropriated. On Feb. 10, HB 1875 passed the House by an 89-7 margin. The Senate Human Services, Mental Health & Housing Committee heard the bill and voted a significantly different version out of committee on Feb. 25. The amended bill would limit the expansion of vocational training. The bill is in the Ways and Means Committee.
Mental Health
HB 2439 would establish the Children's Mental Health Work Group to identify barriers to access of mental health services for children and families and provide for depression screening for children ages 11 to 21. The bill passed the House on a 77-20 vote. HB 2439 was heard by the Senate Human Services, Mental Health & Housing Committee on Feb. 22, and voted an amended version out of committee on Feb. 25. The committee eliminated the proposed coverage for annual depression screenings and provider payment for children aged 13-21.
Intergenerational Poverty
HB 2518 would establish the Intergenerational Poverty Reduction Commission to develop two-generation strategies to reduce intergenerational poverty and welfare dependence in Washington State. The bill passed the House by a 75-22 margin on Feb. 16. HB 2518 was heard in the Senate Human Services, Mental Health & Housing Committee which voted an amended bill out of committee on Feb. 25. The amended version added requirements to the intergenerational poverty tracking system for it to include information about alcohol or chemical dependency, mental health, marriage, and community involvement. The data must be broken down by the additional categories: religious affiliation, familial status at time of birth, and presence and involvement of extended family. It also added a sunset clause.
Toxic Flame Retardants
HB 2545 would prohibit a manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer from manufacturing, selling, or distributing for sale or for use in this state children's products or residential upholstered furniture containing any of five flame retardants. On Feb. 15, the House passed HB 2545 by a 76-21 vote. On Feb. 25, the bill was heard by the Senate Health Care Committee which voted an amended version out of committee the same day.
Statewide Reentry Council
After people who have been convicted of crimes are released from jail or prison, they find many obstacles to reentering the community. HB 2791 would create the Washington Statewide Reentry Council for the purpose of promoting successful reentry of offenders by recommending funding for housing, employment, and education programs. On Feb. 15, the House passed HB 2791 by an overwhelming margin of 94-3. The bill was heard by the Senate Human Services, Mental Health & Housing Committee on Feb. 23. The bill was voted out of committee on Feb. 25.
Temporary Homeless Housing by Religious Organizations
HB 2929 would mandate that local governments liberally construe state building and energy codes to allow religious organizations to offer shelter to the homeless on church property. The bill passed the House unanimously on Feb. 11. HB 2929 was heard by the Senate Human Services, Mental Health & Housing Committee which voted the bill out of committee on Feb. 25.
Bills on Human Trafficking
HB 1651 would adjust certain legal definitions concerning human trafficking to protect foreign workers. Earlier this week, HB 1651 unanimously passed the full House and was referred to the Senate Commerce & Labor Committee which voted it out of committee on Feb. 24. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee. A very similar bill, SB 5342, unanimously passed the full Senate (49-0) on Feb. 5. It was referred to the House Labor & Workplace Standards Committee which voted it out of committee on Feb. 25, and it is in the House Rules Committee.
SB 6376 would recognize January 11 as Human Trafficking Awareness Day in Washington State. The bill was heard on Feb. 3 by the Senate Law & Justice Committee which voted it out of committee. On Feb. 16, the bill unanimously passed the Senate. The bill was heard by the House State Government Committee which voted it out of committee on Feb. 24. It is now in the House Rules Committee. |
|
|
Top
|
| |
Bills WSCC is Monitoring
|
|
| |
Oil Transport Safety
HB 2575 would direct the Department of Ecology to update and improve emergency planning to better respond to oil spills and fires. On Feb. 12, the House passed the bill by a 93-2 margin. On Feb. 25, the bill was heard by the Senate Energy, Environment & Telecommunications Committee which passed it to the Ways and Means Committee.
Charter Schools
SB 6194 would have addressed the Washington Supreme Court's concerns about charter schools by designating them as schools which are not common schools. The bill passed the Senate last month, and was heard by the House Education Committee on Feb. 19. Even though the bill did not get out of committee before the cutoff, it is referenced in the budget and therefore still "alive". |
|
|
Top
|
| |
Bill Effectively "Dead"
|
|
| |
Earlier Bulletins reported on bills that did not survive previous cutoffs.
HB 2086 would have made it easier for religious organizations to host homeless camps by limiting the ability of counties, cities or towns to discourage such encampments on church property. The bill passed the House by a 53-43 margin on Feb. 11. It was referred to the Senate Human Services, Mental Health & Housing Committee which did not hear the bill. |
|
|
Top
|
| |
Bill that Failed
|
|
| |
SB 6443 would have required the Human Rights Commission to repeal its recent rule allowing individuals the use of gender segregated facilities "consistent with their gender expression." On Feb. 10, the bill failed in a close vote by the full Senate, 24-25.
Click here to view WSCC bulletins on our website.
The Washington State Catholic Conference (WSCC) is the public policy voice of the Catholic Bishops of Washington State.
|
|
|
Top
|
|
|
