How they voted
Washingtonvotes.org compiles a weekly report on local lawmakers’ votes during the previous week.
Sex education: By a vote of 61-36 on March 4, the House approved House Bill 1282, requiring every public school district to provide medically accurate sexual health education that emphasizes abstinence, but that also incorporates other ways to prevent teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. This education must be consistent with the state Department of Health’s January 2005 Guidelines for Sexual Health Information and Disease Prevention, or schools cannot teach sexual education at all. The bill is under consideration in the Senate.
Yes: Reps. Alex Wood, D-Spokane; Timm Ormsby, D-Spokane.
No: Reps. John Serben, R-Spokane; Bob Sump, R-Republic; Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda; Don Cox, R-Colfax; David Buri, R-Colfax; Larry Crouse, R-Spokane Valley; Lynn Schindler, R-Spokane Valley; John Ahern, R-Spokane.
Homeowners insurance: By a vote of 57-40 on Tuesday, the House approved HB 1779, prohibiting homeowners insurance companies from canceling, denying, not renewing, or charging a higher rate for a home insurance policy based solely on the fact that a consumer made an inquiry into the nature and extent of the policy. The bill is under consideration in the Senate.
Yes: Wood, Orsmby.
No: Serben, Sump, Kretz, Cox, Buri, Crouse, Schindler, Ahern.
Paper records of electronic voting: By a vote of 48-0 on March 4, the Senate approved Senate Bill 5395, requiring poll-site electronic voting machines to produce an individual paper record at the time of voting. The voter must be able to review the record before finalizing his or her vote. The record may not be removed from the voting place and must be readable by machines and humans. The bill is under consideration in the House.
Yes: Sens. Lisa Brown, D-Spokane; Bob McCaslin, R-Veradale; Brad Benson, R-Spokane; Bob Morton, R-Kettle Falls; Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville.
Voter registration: By a vote of 49-0 on Monday, the Senate approved Senate Bill 5743, enhancing voter registration record keeping. The bill’s many provisions require, among other things, the secretary of state or county auditor to verify that voter registration applicants are U.S. citizens, as they must be by state law. The bill lists the forms of ID that may be used by an applicant for voter registration and requires that county elections officials randomly investigate the registered voter list and make corrections. The bill also requires that voter registration forms contain a box the applicant may check to indicate that he or she is a member of the military. The bill is under consideration in the House.
Yes: Sens. Lisa Brown, D-Spokane; Bob McCaslin, R-Veradale; Brad Benson, R-Spokane; Bob Morton, R-Kettle Falls; Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville.