Washington State Catholic Conference Newsletter
March 11, 2016  
 Inside this issue
  Regular Session of 2016 Legislature Ends  
  The regular session of the 2016 Legislature ended at 9:14 pm on Mar. 10 without the passage of a supplemental operating budget. At a 10:30 pm press conference, the Governor called a special session that began immediately. The Governor also announced he was vetoing 27 of the 37 bills passed during the regular session that were on his desk. None of the bills WSCC has been following were vetoed.

During the special session, all bills introduced during the 2015-2016 legislative session remain technically alive, though most of them will never be acted upon. Bills primarily related to the budget will be considered. Much of the legislative work will focus on reaching an agreement on the supplemental operating budget. Legislators could consider whether to override the Governor's veto of the 27 bills. A two-thirds majority of each chamber is required to override a veto. Even though the special session is called for 30 days by law, the legislators will adjourn as soon as their work is completed.
 

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  Bills Passed by Legislature that WSCC Supports  
  Mental Health
HB 2439 will establish the Children's Mental Health Work Group to identify barriers to access of mental health services for children and families. The bill passed the House on a 77-20 vote. The Senate amended HB 2439 and unanimously passed the amended bill.  The House refused to concur in the Senate amendments and asked the Senate to recede from the amendments. The Senate receded from its amendments but passed new amendments. The Senate sent the bill back to the House which passed it (86-11). The bill was delivered to the Governor.

Toxic Flame Retardants
HB 2545 will 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. The House passed HB 2545 by a 76-21 vote. The Senate amended the bill, significantly weakening it. The bill unanimously passed the Senate. The House concurred in the Senate amendments and passed the bill by a 96-0 margin. HB 2545 has been sent to the Governor.

Statewide Reentry Council
HB 2791 will create the Washington Statewide Reentry Council for the purpose of promoting successful reentry of offenders by recommending funding for housing, employment, and education programs.  The House passed HB 2791 by a margin of 94-3. The Senate amended the bill and passed it by a vote of 44-1. The House agreed with the Senate amendments and unanimously passed the bill which was sent to the Governor.

Bills on Human Trafficking
SB 5342 will adjust certain legal definitions concerning human trafficking to protect foreign workers. The bill unanimously passed the full Senate (49-0) last month. The House also unanimously passed SB 5342 and it has been delivered to the Governor.

SB 6376 will recognize January 11 as Human Trafficking Awareness Day in Washington State. The bill unanimously passed the Senate, and passed the House by a 96-1 margin. The bill was sent to the Governor.
 

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  Bills under Consideration that WSCC Supports  
  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 in January by a 69-28 margin. The bill was heard by the Senate Ways & Means Committee, but it did not come up for a vote. However, the bill is referenced in the House supplemental budget, and therefore the bill is technically still "alive."

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 12 percent. As it passed the House by a 97-0 vote, HB 1390 would eliminate the interest on most of the debt. As amended in the Senate, the bill does not eliminate the interest rate, but reduces it from twelve percent to four percent. HB 1390 did not pass the Senate. Since LFOs are referenced in the House budget, the bill is considered "alive."

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.  The Senate significantly amended HB 2518 but did not pass it. There is an indirect reference in the budget, so the bill's subject matter may still be "alive."
 

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  Bill WSCC is Monitoring  
  Charter Schools: SB 6194 will address 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 on Mar. 9, the bill was debated at length on the floor of the House, during which about two dozen amendments were considered. The House passed the amended bill by a vote of 58-39. The Senate concurred with the latest version of the bill and passed it by a 26-23 margin. The bill has been delivered to the Governor.  

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  Bills Considered Dead that WSCC Supported  
  Cesar Chavez Day
HB 1560 would have recognized 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 who worked to improve the treatment, pay, and working conditions of farm workers. The bill passed the House by a vote of 67-29. HB 1560 was heard in the Senate but it did not pass.

Voting Rights Act
HB 1745 would have promoted 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, and was amended in the Senate but it did not pass.

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 have increased the amount of vocational training for WorkFirst recipients from 12 to 24 months, subject to the amount appropriated. HB 1875 passed the House 89-7. A significantly amended bill passed the Senate unanimously. The House refused to concur in the Senate amendments and sent it back to the Senate. The Senate did not consider the bill again and the bill is considered "dead."

Temporary Homeless Housing by Religious Organizations
HB 2929 would have mandated 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. HB 2929 was amended in the Senate and passed unanimously. The House refused to concur in the Senate amendments and asked the Senate to recede from the amendments. The Senate receded from the amendments, adopted a new amendment, and unanimously passed the revised bill. The House refused to concur with the Senate revisions and the bill is technically "dead."


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The Washington State Catholic Conference (WSCC) is the public policy voice of the Catholic Bishops of Washington State.
 

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