Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spin Control

WA Lege Day 7: Pro vote, pro-life, pro-cow

OLYMPIA -- It is League of Women Voters Lobby Day and March for Life Day.

Members of the league will be meeting in a room in the Capitol starting at 8:30 a.m., and abortion opponents will hold a rally on the north steps of the building starting at noon.

The Cattle Producers of Washington have a legislative reception at 5:30 p.m. No word on the menu, but it's a good bet beef will be served.

The House and Senate have "pro forma" sessions, which is Latin for "boring and nothing of any consequence is expected to  happen." But there's a long list of committee hearings.

For a complete list of today's hearings, go inside the blog.

Legislative Meeting Schedule

Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Time Committee Location
8:00 AM Economic Development, Trade & Innovation (S) Senate Hearing Rm 3
Education Appropriations (H) House Hearing Rm A
Financial Institutions & Insurance (H) House Hearing Rm D
General Government Appropriations (H) House Hearing Rm C
Health & Human Services Appropriations (H) House Hearing Rm B
9:55 AM PRO FORMA HOUSE SESSION
10:00 AM Environment, Water & Energy (S) Senate Hearing Rm 4
Financial Institutions, Housing & Insurance (S) Senate Hearing Rm 2
Higher Education & Workforce Development (S) Senate Hearing Rm 3
Judiciary (S) Senate Hearing Rm 1
Commerce & Labor (H) House Hearing Rm B
Ecology & Parks (H) House Hearing Rm C
Education (H) House Hearing Rm A
Higher Education (H) House Hearing Rm D
Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness (H) House Hearing Rm E
12:00 PM PRO FORMA SENATE SESSION
1:30 PM Agriculture & Rural Economic Development (S) Senate Hearing Rm 3
Government Operations & Elections (S) Senate Hearing Rm 2
Human Services & Corrections (S) Senate Hearing Rm 1
Labor, Commerce & Consumer Protection (S) Senate Hearing Rm 4
Agriculture & Natural Resources (H) House Hearing Rm B
Early Learning & Children's Services (H) House Hearing Rm A
Finance (H) House Hearing Rm C
Health Care & Wellness (H) House Hearing Rm E
State Government & Tribal Affairs (H) House Hearing Rm D
3:30 PM Transportation (S) Senate Hearing Rm 1
Ways & Means (S) Senate Hearing Rm 4
Capital Budget (H) House Hearing Rm C
Transportation (H) House Hearing Rm B
Ways & Means (H) House Hearing Rm A
6:00 PM Children's Legislative Oversight Committee (J) Senate Hearing Rm 1

Back to Top





House Committees


Agriculture & Natural Resources
1/19/10 1:30 pm
House Full Committee
House Hearing Rm B
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

Public Hearing:
  1. HB 2569 - Regarding access to information for outdoor recreation and wildlife viewing opportunities.
  2. HB 2593 - Concerning the department of fish and wildlife's ability to manage shellfish resources.
  3. HB 2696 - Regarding a proposal for a new permit-only salmonid fishery for the Columbia river.

Possible Executive Session:
  1. HB 2472 - Regarding the sea urchin and sea cucumber license limitation programs.
  2. HB 2446 - Regarding long-term noxious weed management on land newly acquired by the fish and wildlife commission.
  3. HB 2476 - Concerning mute swans.
  4. HB 2485 - Regarding the purchase of land by the department of fish and wildlife.
  5. HB 2491 - Requiring certain state agencies that manage natural resources to coordinate their land management with local governments.
  6. HB 2501 - Regarding payments in lieu of taxes for lands managed by the department of fish and wildlife.

Back to Top

Capital Budget
1/19/10 3:30 pm
House Full Committee
House Hearing Rm C
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

Public Hearing:
  1. E2SHB 1618 - Concerning community and surplus schools.
  2. HB 2451 - Authorizing use of voter approved local excess tax levies to pay financing contracts under the local option capital asset lending program and clarifying which "other agencies" may participate in the program.
  3. HB 2452 - Concerning determination of the terms and conditions of bonds, notes, and other evidences of indebtedness of the state of Washington.
  4. HB 2753 - Creating a workforce housing program.

Work Session: Economics of construction projects: costs of construction, job creation, revenue generated.

Back to Top

Commerce & Labor*
1/19/10 10:00 am
House Full Committee
House Hearing Rm B
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 1/15/2010 2:59 PM

Public Hearing:
  1. HB 2444 - Providing leave from employment for participating in a child's educational activities.
  2. HB 2646 - Improving administration of wage complaints.
  3. HB 2764 - Protecting employees from adverse employment actions because of influenza.

Possible Executive Session:
  1. HJM 4017 - Requesting that the United States Congress enact the AgJOBS legislation.
  2. HB 2648 - Addressing unemployment insurance penalties and contribution rates for employers who are not "qualified employers."
  3. HB 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.
  4. HB 2589 - Concerning on-site wastewater treatment systems designer licensing.

Back to Top

Early Learning & Children's Services*
1/19/10 1:30 pm
House Full Committee
House Hearing Rm A
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 1/14/2010 8:27 AM

Public Hearing:
  1. HB 2431 - Establishing within basic education a program of early learning for at-risk children.
  2. HB 2731 - Creating an early learning program for educationally at-risk children.
  3. HB 2867 - Promoting early learning.

Back to Top

Ecology & Parks*
1/19/10 10:00 am
House Full Committee
House Hearing Rm C
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 1/18/2010 2:28 PM

Public Hearing:
  1. HB 2333 - Concerning volunteer state parks hosts.
  2. HB 2562 - Concerning lease rates for industrial users of state-owned aquatic lands.
  3. HB 2643 - Providing better water quality during charitable car washes.

Possible Executive Session: Bills previously heard in committee.

Work Session: Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission programs update.

Back to Top

Education*
1/19/10 10:00 am
House Full Committee
House Hearing Rm A
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 1/18/2010 4:37 PM

Public Hearing:
  1. HB 2631 - Creating a dropout prevention recognition program.
  2. HB 2586 - Encouraging kindergarten outreach.
  3. HB 2580 - Concerning secondary career and technical education courses.
  4. HB 2392 - Prohibiting the use of public resources by school district officers or employees to support or oppose a teachers' strike.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Presentation

Back to Top

Education Appropriations
1/19/10 8:00 am
House Full Committee
House Hearing Rm A
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

Public Hearing:
  1. HB 1757 - Establishing a small school district contingency fund.
  2. HB 1969 - Promoting predictable funding for school districts that provide residential education.
  3. HB 2449 - Concerning truancy payments to school districts.
  4. HB 2670 - Restoring the school district levy base.
  5. HJM 4020 - Petitioning Congress to fully fund forty percent of the costs of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Back to Top

Finance*
1/19/10 1:30 pm
Watch on TVWHouse Full Committee
House Hearing Rm C
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 1/14/2010 3:16 PM

Public Hearing:
  1. HB 2650 - Providing local flexibility with existing revenues during severe economic downturns.
  2. HB 2749 - Concerning local government taxation.
  3. HB 2773 - Concerning local excise tax authorities for counties and cities.

Back to Top

Financial Institutions & Insurance*
1/19/10 8:00 am
Watch on TVWHouse Full Committee
House Hearing Rm D
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 1/14/2010 7:00 PM

Public Hearing:
  1. HB 2419 - Modifying the exemption to the three-year active transacting requirement for foreign or alien insurer applicants.
  2. HB 2585 - Concerning insurance.
  3. HB 2622 - Protecting consumers from unfair practices by establishing criteria for the dissemination of credit and court record information contained in a consumer's tenant screening report.
  4. HJM 4021 - Requesting the restriction of executive compensation at financial institutions that received federal bailout funds.

Possible Executive Session:
  1. HB 1149 - Protecting consumers from breaches of security.
  2. HB 2404 - Concerning group life insurance.
  3. HB 2510 - Authorizing public hospital districts to execute security instruments.
  4. HB 2514 - Regulating crop adjusters.
  5. HB 2560 - Regulating joint underwriting associations.
  6. HB 2564 - Regarding escrow agents.
  7. HB 2585 - Concerning insurance.
  8. HB 2608 - Concerning regulation and licensing of residential mortgage loan servicers and services.
  9. HB 2636 - Concerning money transmitters.

Back to Top

General Government Appropriations*
1/19/10 8:00 am
Back to Top

Health & Human Services Appropriations
1/19/10 8:00 am
Back to Top

Health Care & Wellness*
1/19/10 1:30 pm
House Full Committee
House Hearing Rm E
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 1/14/2010 11:18 AM

Public Hearing:
  1. HB 2605 - Concerning billing for anatomic pathology services.
  2. HB 2639 - Exempting pipe tobacco from restrictions on shipping tobacco to consumers in Washington.
  3. HB 2652 - Regulating tanning facilities.
  4. HB 2706 - Concerning exemption from immunization.

Possible Executive Session: Bills previously heard in committee.

Back to Top

Higher Education*
1/19/10 10:00 am
House Full Committee
House Hearing Rm D
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 1/15/2010 11:24 AM

Public Hearing:
  1. HB 2655 - Expanding the higher education system upon proven demand.
  2. HB 2822 - Modifying the budget recommendations developed by the higher education coordinating board to include recommendations on tuition and fees.
  3. HB 2854 - Making changes to the state higher education loan program.
  4. HB 2858 - Regarding the purchasing authority of institutions of higher education.
  5. HB 2859 - Regarding administration at institutions of higher education.

Back to Top

Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness*
1/19/10 10:00 am
Watch on TVWHouse Full Committee
House Hearing Rm E
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 1/15/2010 11:19 AM

Public Hearing:
  1. HB 1203 - Modifying the definition of relative for purposes of the crime of rendering criminal assistance.
  2. HB 2625 - Addressing bail for felony offenses.
  3. HB 2626 - Modifying violation provisions for offenders.
  4. HB 2781 - Imposing a sanction for offenders who violate sentence conditions by committing an assault against a law enforcement officer, employee of a law enforcement agency, or department of corrections employee.
  5. HJR 4220 - Amending the state Constitution so that the provision relating to bailable crimes by sufficient sureties is modified.

Back to Top

State Government & Tribal Affairs*
1/19/10 1:30 pm
House Full Committee
House Hearing Rm D
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 1/14/2010 2:36 PM

Public Hearing:
  1. HB 2398 - Modifying election notice provisions.
  2. HB 2448 - Changing the definition of "immediate family" for purpose of membership on the Washington citizens' commission on salaries for elected officials.
  3. HB 2575 - Expanding the membership of the capital projects advisory review board.
  4. HB 2583 - Concerning conferences prior to filing actions alleging a public records request violation.

Work Session: Background information for HB 2617 - Eliminating Boards and Commissions.

Possible Executive Session: Bills previously heard in committee.

Back to Top

Transportation
1/19/10 3:30 pm
Back to Top

Ways & Means*
1/19/10 3:30 pm
House Full Committee
House Hearing Rm A
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 1/18/2010 2:16 PM

Public Hearing:
  1. HB 1541 - Granting half-time service credit for half-time educational employment prior to January 1, 1987, in plans 2 and 3 of the school employees' retirement system and the public employees' retirement system.
  2. HB 2519 - Addressing duty-related death benefits for public safety employees.
  3. HB 2921 - Capturing additional savings. Note that the hearing will be on a proposed substitute bill that will be available online Monday afternoon, January 18, at this link: http://leap.leg.wa.gov/leap/budget/detail/2010/ho2010p.asp .

Back to Top


Senate Committees


Agriculture & Rural Economic Development
1/19/10 1:30 pm
Back to Top

Economic Development, Trade & Innovation
1/19/10 8:00 am
Back to Top

Environment, Water & Energy*
1/19/10 10:00 am
Senate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 4
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 1/14/2010 10:34 AM

Public Hearing:
  1. SB 6289 - Protecting lake water quality by reducing phosphorus from lawn fertilizers.
  2. SB 6257 - Concerning water discharge fees.
  3. SB 6471 - Regarding the energy facility site evaluation council.

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

Back to Top

Financial Institutions, Housing & Insurance*
1/19/10 10:00 am
Watch on TVWSenate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 2
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 1/14/2010 4:01 PM

Public Hearing:
  1. SB 6198 - Modifying the exemption to the three-year active transacting requirement for foreign or alien insurer applicants.
  2. SB 6251 - Concerning nonresident surplus line brokers and insurance producers.
  3. SB 6253 - Concerning insurance.
  4. SB 6190 - Requiring full payment of all moneys due under the certificate of delinquency prior to any change of ownership of real property after a certificate of delinquency is issued.
  5. SB 6195 - Mailing applications for distributions of excess proceeds from county tax lien foreclosures to the record owner.
  6. SB 6261 - Addressing utility services collections against rental property.
  7. SB 6306 - Regulating crop adjusters.
  8. SB 6459 - Concerning the inspection of rental properties.

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

Back to Top

Government Operations & Elections*
1/19/10 1:30 pm
Senate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 2
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 1/15/2010 3:02 PM

Public Hearing:
  1. SB 6222 - Exempting certain nonconviction data from public inspection and copying under the public records act.
  2. SB 6367 - Allowing agencies to direct requesters to their web site for public records.
  3. SB 6368 - Concerning conferences prior to filing actions alleging a public records request violation.
  4. SB 6408 - Changing remedies for actions under the public records act.
  5. SB 6428 - Exempting from disclosure personal information used to identify a person filing a complaint with an agency.
  6. SB 6529 - Increasing public access to public records.

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

Back to Top

Higher Education & Workforce Development
1/19/10 10:00 am
Senate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 3
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA

Public Hearing:
  1. SB 6359 - Promoting efficiencies including institutional coordination and partnerships in the community and technical college system.
  2. SB 6355 - Expanding the higher education system upon proven demand.
  3. SB 6357 - Requiring policies for academic recognition of certain life and learning experiences.
  4. SB 6358 - Regarding tuition surcharges for students who do not have timely completion of degrees.

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

Back to Top

Human Services & Corrections
1/19/10 1:30 pm
Senate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 1
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA

Public Hearing:
  1. SB 6414 - Modifying sex offender registration provisions.
  2. SB 6360 - Establishing a program to verify the address of registered sex offenders and kidnapping offenders.
  3. SB 6361 - Exempting a person's identifying information from public disclosure when submitted in the course of using the sex offender notification and registration program for the purpose of receiving notification regarding registered sex offenders.
  4. SB 6039 - Creating a sentence for treatment program for juvenile offenders.

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

Back to Top

Judiciary*
1/19/10 10:00 am
Senate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 1
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 1/14/2010 4:03 PM

Public Hearing:
  1. SB 6245 - Concerning prohibited practices of collection agencies.
  2. SB 6277 - Revising the order of vesting for the right to control disposition of human remains.
  3. SB 6394 - Concerning the right to control the disposition of human remains.
  4. SJR 8218 - Amending the state Constitution so that offenses that may result in a mandatory life sentence upon conviction are not bailable by sufficient sureties.
  5. SB 6286 - Concerning the liability and powers of cities and flood control zone districts.

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

Back to Top

Labor, Commerce & Consumer Protection*
1/19/10 1:30 pm
Watch on TVWSenate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 4
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 1/15/2010 4:39 PM

Public Hearing:
  1. SB 6348 - Prohibiting certain communications of collection agencies and their employees.
  2. SB 6330 - Permitting the placement of human trafficking informational posters in rest areas.
  3. SB 6332 - Concerning human trafficking.
  4. SB 6456 - Improving administration of wage complaints.

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

Back to Top

Transportation*
1/19/10 3:30 pm
Senate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 1
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 1/14/2010 10:40 AM

Work Session:
  1. Department of Transportation (DOT): Intercity Bus Program.
  2. Washington State Patrol: Pension system update.

Public Hearing:
  1. SB 6366 - Concerning permits for certain major transportation corridor projects.
  2. SB 6379 - Streamlining and making technical corrections to vehicle and vessel registration and title provisions.
  3. SB 6431 - Regulating the use and disclosure of video camera or other recording device data on public transportation facilities.

Possible executive session on bills heard in committee. Bills as referred to committee. Other business.

Back to Top

Ways & Means*
1/19/10 3:30 pm
Watch on TVWSenate Full Committee
Senate Hearing Rm 4
J.A. Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA

REVISED 1/15/2010 11:18 AM

Public Hearing:
  1. SB 6221 - Concerning clarification and expansion of eligibility to use the state's local government investment pool.
  2. SB 6220 - Concerning determination of the terms and conditions of bonds, notes, and other evidences of indebtedness of the state of Washington.
  3. SB 6218 - Authorizing use of voter approved local excess tax levies to pay financing contracts under the local option capital asset lending program and clarifying which "other agencies" may participate in the program.
  4. SB 6382 - Reducing the cost of state government operations by restricting compensation.
  5. SB 6503 - Closing state agencies on specified dates.

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

Back to Top


Joint, Select & Other Committees


Children's Legislative Oversight Committee
1/19/10 6:00 pm


The Spokesman-Review's political team keeps a critical eye on local, state and national politics.