OLYMPIA — Stop me if you’ve heard this one: The Senate is going to vote today on whether to suspend portions of the law that requires two-third supermajorities for tax increases.
Democrats see it as a necessary step in getting something constructive done on a budget that fills a $2.8 billion hole in the state budget; Republicans see it as flaunting the will of the people.
Deja vu all over again, as Yogi Berra would say. The Senate did vote on this (twice) two weeks ago. But when the bill went to the House, folks over there made changes, so it needs to come back to the Senate for another vote. The good news: probably won’t be any amendments this time (thus removing the possibility of it going BACK to the House, for more tinkering). The bad news: there will still be an opportunity for speechifying.
Action on that bill is set for this evening.
Before that, Democrats will announce their Transportation Budget at noon. Committees have a fairly full schedule, with the bill on the House Human Services Committee agenda prompted by Phillip Paul’s escape from an Eastern State Hospital outing to the Spokane County fair, one that is moving fairly smoothly and already passed the Senate.
Full committee schedule is inside the blog. Click here to see it
Capital Budget*
2/22/10 3:30 pm
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Community & Economic Development & Trade
2/22/10 1:30 pm
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Human Services*
2/22/10 1:30 pm
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Judiciary
2/22/10 1:30 pm
House Full Committee
House Hearing Rm A
John L. O’Brien Building
Olympia, WA
Possible Executive Session:- ESSB 6286 - Concerning the liability and powers of cities, diking districts, and flood control zone districts.
- ESB 5297 - Concerning the procedure for filing a declaration of completion of probate.
- SSB 6591 - Revising the procedure for complaints filed with the human rights commission.
- SSB 6674 - Regulating indemnification agreements involving motor carrier transportation contracts.
- SB 6450 - Requiring the department of licensing to establish continuing education requirements for court reporters.
- SSB 5383 - Regarding wolf-hybrids.
- 2ESSB 5742 - Concerning crime-free rental housing.
- 2ESSB 6508 - Changing the class of persons entitled to recoveries under a wrongful death action or survival action.
- SSB 6831 - Concerning estates and trusts.
- SSB 6395 - Addressing lawsuits aimed at chilling the valid exercise of the constitutional rights of speech and petition.
- SSB 6459 - Concerning the inspection of rental properties.
- ESB 6764 - Regarding accrual of interest on judgments founded on tortious conduct.
- SSB 6686 - Changing the election and appointment provisions for municipal court judges.
- SSB 6470 - Addressing the burdens of proof required in dependency matters affecting Indian children.
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Local Government & Housing*
2/22/10 1:30 pm
House Full Committee
House Hearing Rm E
John L. O’Brien Building
Olympia, WA
REVISED 2/19/2010 11:35 AM
Public Hearing:- SSB 5548 - Expanding certain public facilities eligible to be credited against the imposition of impact fees.
- SSB 6214 - Restructuring three growth management hearings boards into one board.
- SB 6279 - Clarifying regional transit authority facilities as essential public facilities.
- SSB 6520 - Extending time to complete recommendations under RCW 36.70A.5601 conducted by the William D. Ruckelshaus Center.
- SSB 6611 - Extending the deadlines for the review and evaluation of comprehensive land use plan and development regulations for three years and addressing the timing for adopting certain subarea plans.
- ESSB 6603 - Concerning land uses adjacent to general aviation airports.
- ESSB 6468 - Coordinating the weatherization and structural rehabilitation of residential structures.
- SSB 6205 - Concerning portions of state highways better served by merged districts under certain circumstances.
- SSB 6271 - Concerning annexations by cities and code cities located within the boundaries of a regional transit authority.
- SB 6418 - Regarding cities and towns annexed to fire protection districts.
- ESB 6261 - Addressing utility services collections against rental property.
Possible Executive Session: Senate bills previously heard in committee.
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Technology, Energy & Communications*
2/22/10 1:30 pm
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Transportation
2/22/10 3:30 pm
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Ways & Means*
2/22/10 3:30 pm
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Senate Committees
Agriculture & Rural Economic Development
2/22/10 10:00 am
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Early Learning & K-12 Education*
2/22/10 1:30 pm
Senate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 1
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA
REVISED 2/19/2010 9:50 AM
Public Hearing:- 2SHB 2731 - Creating an early learning program for educationally at-risk children.
- 3SHB 2687 - Creating the home visiting services account.
- 2SHB 2867 - Promoting early learning.
- HB 3068 - Providing access to alternative routes to certification for the recruiting Washington teachers program.
- SB 6858 - Providing for ample funding for basic education.
Executive Session:- HB 2996 - Including approved private schools in the superintendent of public instruction’s record check information rules.
- SHB 3036 - Requiring a public meeting before a school district contracts for nonvoter-approved debt.
- HB 1757 - Establishing a small school district contingency fund.
Possible executive session on bills heard in committee. Other business.Back to Top
Economic Development, Trade & Innovation*
2/22/10 1:30 pm
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Government Operations & Elections*
2/22/10 10:00 am
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Health & Long-Term Care*
2/22/10 1:30 pm
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Labor, Commerce & Consumer Protection*
2/22/10 10:00 am
Senate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 4
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA
REVISED 2/19/2010 8:06 AM
Public Hearing:- SHB 2649 - Correcting references in RCW 50.29.021(2)(c)(i), (c)(ii), and (3)(e), RCW 50.29.062(2)(b)(i)(B) and (2)(b)(iii), and RCW 50.29.063(1)(b) and (2)(a)(ii) to unemployment insurance statutes concerning employer experience rating accounts and contribution rates.
Carry-over testimony for individuals signed up to testify on 2/18 hearing.
- SHB 2804 - Concerning beer and caffeinated or stimulant-enhanced malt beverages.
- HB 2947 - Concerning special occasion licenses.
- HB 2642 - Establishing a pilot project to allow wine tasting at farmers markets.
- SHB 2688 - Creating a beer and wine tasting endorsement to the grocery store liquor license.
- E2SHB 1560 - Regarding collective bargaining at institutions of higher education.
- SHB 3003 - Placing symphony musicians under the jurisdiction of the public employment relations commission for purposes of collective bargaining.
- HB 2942 - Offering human trafficking training for criminal justice and correctional personnel, and other public safety employees.
- SHB 2589 - Concerning on-site wastewater treatment systems designer licensing.
- E2SHB 3024 - Providing uninterrupted meal and rest breaks for certain employees.
Possible executive session on bills heard in committee. Other business. Back to Top
Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation
2/22/10 1:30 pm
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Transportation
2/22/10 3:30 pm
Senate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 1
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA
Public Hearing: SB 6381 - Making 2009-11 supplemental transportation appropriations.
Copies of proposed substitutes are available by noon on 2/22/2010 from committee staff. Possible executive session on bills heard in committee. Other business. Back to Top
Ways & Means*
2/22/10 3:30 pm
Senate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 4
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA
REVISED 2/19/2010 1:23 PM
Public Hearing:- SB 6867 - Eliminating the state printer.
- ESHB 2753 - Creating the Washington works housing program.
- SB 6855 - Exempting community centers from property taxation and imposing leasehold excise taxes on such property.
- SB 6851 - Concerning the clean water act of 2010 funding cleanup of water pollution and other programs necessary for the health and well-being of Washington citizens through an increase in the tax on hazardous substances.
- E2SHB 1597 - Improving the administration of state and local tax programs without impacting tax collections by providing greater consistency in numerous tax incentive programs, revising provisions relating to the confidentiality and disclosure of tax information, and amending statutes to improve clarity and consistency, eliminate obsolete provisions, and simplify administration.
- SHB 1679 - Reimbursing medical expenses for certain totally disabled public safety personnel.
- HB 2987 - Addressing the impact on the firefighters’ pension fund when a city or town enters a regional fire protection service authority.
- HB 2823 - Permitting retired participants to resume volunteer firefighter, emergency worker, or reserve officer service.
- SHB 1545 - Authorizing the higher education coordinating board to offer higher education annuities and retirement income plans.
Executive Session:- SB 6748 - Concerning the business and occupation taxation of newspaper-labeled supplements.
- SHB 3066 - Creating uniformity among annual tax reporting survey provisions.
- SB 6844 - Streamlining lottery accounts by transferring local accounts into the treasury custodial accounts, directing transfers of unclaimed prize money, and eliminating obsolete provisions.
- SSB 6766 - Concerning forest fire prevention and suppression.
- SSB 6409 - Creating the Washington investment in excellence account.
Possible executive session on bills heard in committee. Other business. Back to Top
House committee meeting documents for this session may be viewed once the meeting has started and for any previous meetings from this session at the following Web site:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/cmd/If you plan to visit the Capitol Campus in Olympia, please keep in mind parking is very limited. For directions, maps and information regarding parking and free shuttle service please see:
http://www.leg.wa.gov/legislature/Pages/Parking.aspxThis list (waleg-schedule@listserv.wa.gov) is maintained and distributed by the Washington State Legislature. If you wish to unsubscribe to this list, please go to
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/subscriptions/, or send an email to
listserv@listserv.wa.gov with the subject line blank and the command “signoff waleg-schedule@listserv.wa.gov” in the body of the e-mail (without quotes).
Jim Camden is a veteran political reporter for The Spokesman-Review.
Jonathan Brunt covers Spokane City Hall for The Spokesman-Review.
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