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Spin Control

Wa Lege Day 36: Protests, pot, prevailing wages and more

OLYMPIA -- With the legislative session one-third gone, the pressure ramps up this week to get bills heard and voted out of their first committee. 

"Policy" bills -- changes to state law that don't come with a price tag -- must be out of their committee by Friday. Budget bills have another week. So the hearing schedule is heavy today and throughout the week, with some committees holding evening sessions to vote on bills they've alreadyheard.

Because it's a holiday for some, the protest schedule is heavy today also The Washington Student Association has a "lobby day" with members gathering in the Flag Circle north of the Capitol starting at 9 a.m.

 Abortion-rights advocates have a rally on the Capitol's north steps at 12:30 p.m. They want the Legislature to pass the Reproductive Parity Act, which is caught up in a political fight in the Senate.

 Our Economic Future Coalition, which says it represents more than 160 groups, from unions to church communities "working together to fix our broken revenue system, has a rally at 1:20 on the Capitol steps, and speeches in the Rotunda in the afternoon.

Service employees also have a lobbying day.

Hearings include bills that would extend the taxes that I-502 places on recreational marijuana to medical marijuana; several possible exemptions to the state's prevailing wage law; the ability to buy health insurance from other states and a health care plans under the Affordable Care Act.

Complete list of hearings is inside the blog.

 

Legislative Meeting Schedule

Monday, February 18, 2013

Time

Committee

Location

 

10:00 AM

HOUSE SESSION/CAUCUS

   
 

Agriculture, Water & Rural Economic Development (S)

Senate Hearing Rm 3

 
 

Governmental Operations (S)

Senate Hearing Rm 2

 
 

Health Care (S)

Senate Hearing Rm 4

 
 

Human Services & Corrections (S)

Senate Hearing Rm 1

 

12:00 PM

PRO FORMA SENATE SESSION

   

1:30 PM

Commerce & Labor (S)

Senate Hearing Rm 4

 
 

Early Learning & K-12 Education (S)

Senate Hearing Rm 1

 
 

Law & Justice (S)

Senate Hearing Rm 2

 
 

Capital Budget (H)

House Hearing Rm B

 
 

Finance (H)

House Hearing Rm A

 

3:30 PM

Appropriations (H)

House Hearing Rm A

 
 

Transportation (H)

House Hearing Rm B

 

6:00 PM

Governmental Operations (S)

Senate Hearing Rm 2

 


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House Committees


Appropriations
2/18/13 3:30 pm

House Full Committee
House Hearing Rm A
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

Public Hearing:

1.     SHB 1027 - Implementing changes to child support based on the child support schedule work group report.

2.     HB 1120 - Addressing volunteer fire department and law enforcement chaplains membership in the volunteer firefighters' and reserve officers' retirement system.

3.     HB 1211 - Concerning primary election voters' pamphlets.

4.     HB 1829 - Eliminating accounts and funds.

 

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Capital Budget
2/18/13 1:30 pm

House Full Committee
House Hearing Rm B
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

Public Hearing:

1.     HB 1260 - Concerning public facilities' grants and loans.

2.     HB 1841 - Authorizing electronic competitive bidding for state public works contracting.

 

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Finance
2/18/13 1:30 pm

House Full Committee
House Hearing Rm A
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

Public Hearing:

1.     HB 1695 - Allowing the use of lodging taxes for financing workforce housing and tourism promotion activities or facilities.

2.     HB 1789 - Creating greater consistency in the regulatory schemes applied to marijuana during the transition to the implementation of Initiative Measure No. 502.

3.     HB 1687 - Concerning the taxing authority of public facilities districts.

4.     SHB 1440 - Ensuring fairness to employers by protecting employees.

5.     HB 1604 - Reducing the frequency of local sales and use tax changes.

 

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Transportation
2/18/13 3:30 pm

House Full Committee
House Hearing Rm B
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

Work Session: Project Cost Drivers.

Public Hearing:

1.     HB 1801 - Addressing conflicts of interest in certain construction contracts.

2.     HB 1768 - Authorizing use of the job order contracting procedure by the department of transportation.

3.     HB 1767 - Concerning outdoor advertising sign fees, labels, and prohibitions.

4.     HB 1286 - Authorizing the sale or exchange of unused department of transportation lands to federally recognized Indian tribes.

5.     HB 1745 - Addressing the high occupancy toll lanes on state route 167.

 

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Senate Committees

The schedule is subject to the addition of more committee agendas. Please check our website, http://www.leg.wa.gov/legislature/pages/calendar.aspx


Agriculture, Water & Rural Economic Development*
2/18/13 10:00 am

Senate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 3
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 2/14/2013 2:58 PM

Public Hearing:

1.     SB 5696 - Providing limited civil immunity from liability for apiarists.

2.     SB 5770 - Permitting conservation districts to use electronic deposits for employee pay and compensation.

3.     SB 5766 - Improving relationships between agricultural producers and state regulatory staff.


Possible executive session on bills heard in committee. Other business.

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Commerce & Labor*
2/18/13 1:30 pm

alt="Watch on TVW" v:shapes="_x0000_s1026">Senate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 4
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 2/15/2013 2:48 PM

Public Hearing:

1.     SB 5476 - Clarifying the employment status of independent contractors in the news business.

2.     SB 5672 - Supporting youth programs through agricultural fairs and the horse racing commission.

3.     SB 5723 - Authorizing enhanced raffles conducted by bona fide charitable or nonprofit organizations serving individuals with intellectual disabilities.

4.     SB 5211 - Concerning social networking accounts and profiles.

5.     SB 5521 - Protecting children under the age of eighteen from the harmful effects of exposure to ultraviolet radiation associated with tanning devices.

6.     SB 5597 - Concerning locksmith services.


Executive Session:

1.     SB 5107 - Concerning prevailing wages for workers employed in residential construction.

2.     SB 5619 - Exempting from prevailing wage requirements public works projects undertaken to repair fire damage.

3.     SB 5727 - Addressing prevailing wages in distressed counties.

4.     SB 5508 - Restricting prevailing wages on certain rural school district projects.

5.     SB 5045 - Allowing day spas to offer or supply without charge wine or beer by the individual glass to a customer for consumption on the premises.

6.     SB 5607 - Concerning beer, wine, and spirits theater licenses.

7.     SB 5310 - Creating a senior center license.

8.     SB 5517 - Changing the criteria for the beer and wine tasting endorsement for grocery stores.

9.     SB 5674 - Allowing wine and beer sampling at farmers markets.


Other business.

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Early Learning & K-12 Education*
2/18/13 1:30 pm

Senate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 1
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 2/15/2013 10:19 AM

Public Hearing:

1.     SB 5496 - Authorizing approval of online school programs in private schools.

2.     SB 5563 - Regarding training for school employees in the prevention of sexual abuse. (Hearing is on the Proposed Substitute.)

3.     SB 5491 - Establishing statewide indicators of educational health.

4.     SB 5649 - Using the collaborative schools process for required action districts that continue to struggle to improve student academic achievement.


The Chair plans to spend 15 minutes on each bill for Public Hearing. If draft bills, proposed substitutes, or striking amendments are to be heard, they can be obtained from committee staff or on the committee's website, http://www.leg.wa.gov/Senate/Committees/EDU/Pages/default.aspx, as soon as they are available. Possible executive session on bills heard in committee. Other business.

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Governmental Operations*
2/18/13 10:00 am

Senate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 2
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 2/14/2013 4:19 PM

Public Hearing:

1.     SB 5060 - Addressing the removal of county elected officials.

2.     SB 5641 - Requiring the governor's signature on significant legislative rules.

3.     SB 5664 - Establishing a process for the payment of impact fees through provisions stipulated in recorded covenants.

4.     SB 5636 - Providing a process for county legislative authorities to withdraw from voluntary planning under the growth management act.

5.     SB 5746 - Providing a method for dissolution of a public hospital district.

6.     SB 5747 - Concerning the election of public hospital district boards of commissioners.

7.     SB 5748 - Extending contribution limits to candidates for public hospital district boards of commissioners.

8.     SB 5704 - Concerning tax collection by the county treasurer.

9.     SB 5705 - Concerning amounts received by taxing districts from property tax refunds and abatements.


Possible executive session on bills heard in committee. Other business.

Governmental Operations
2/18/13 6:00 pm

Senate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 2
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA

Possible Executive Session: Bills heard in committee.

Other business.

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Health Care *
2/18/13 10:00 am

Senate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 4
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 2/14/2013 2:21 PM

Public Hearing:

1.     SB 5540 - Expanding opportunities to purchase health care coverage from out-of-state carriers.

2.     SB 5524 - Authorizing Washington pharmacies to fill prescriptions written by physician assistants in other states.

3.     SB 5459 - Requiring ninety-day supply limits on certain drugs dispensed by a pharmacist.

4.     SB 5465 - Concerning exemptions from licensure as a physical therapist.

5.     SB 5666 - Concerning disclosure of information by health care quality improvement programs, quality assurance programs, and peer review committees.

6.     SB 5482 - Concerning the federal basic health option of the affordable care act.

7.     SB 5450 - Concerning public hospital districts insurance coverage for commissioners.


Possible executive session on bills heard in committee. Other business.

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Human Services & Corrections*
2/18/13 10:00 am

Senate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 1
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 2/15/2013 3:47 PM

Public Hearing:

1.     SB 5551 - Concerning competency to stand trial evaluations.

2.     SB 5595 - Concerning child care reform.

3.     SB 5681 - Facilitating treatment for persons with co-occurring disorders by requiring development of an integrated rule.

4.     SB 5732 - Concerning the adult behavioral health system in Washington state (Hearing is on the Proposed Substitute).

5.     SB 5771 - Developing a risk assessment instrument for patients committed for involuntary treatment in Washington state.


Proposed substitutes can be obtained from committee staff or on the committee's website, http://www.leg.wa.gov/Senate/Committees/HSC/Pages/default.aspx, as soon as they are available. Possible executive session on bills heard in committee. Other business.

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Law & Justice*
2/18/13 1:30 pm

Senate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 2
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 2/15/2013 11:41 AM

Public Hearing:

1.     SB 5574 - Revising the admissibility in a civil action of failing to wear safety belt assemblies and failing to use child restraint systems.

2.     SB 5532 - Requiring crisis intervention training for peace officers. (Hearing is on the Proposed Substitute.)

3.     SB 5516 - Establishing the criminal justice training commission firing range maintenance account.

4.     SB 5692 - Concerning standby guardians and limited guardians.


If draft bills, proposed substitutes, or striking amendments are to be heard, they can be obtained from committee staff or on the committee's website, http://www.leg.wa.gov/Senate/Committees/LAW/Pages/default.aspx, as soon as they are available. Possible executive session on bills heard in committee. Other business.

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Ways & Means*
2/18/13 3:30 pm

Watch on TVWSenate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 4
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA

MEETING CANCELLED.

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