Demos Support Gop Bill To Curb State Regulators

Senate Democrats, still smarting from a brief coup by Republicans, on Friday relented and helped pass a regulatory reform plan that is a key feature of the GOP “Contract with Washington State.”

Fourteen of the 25 Democrats, including Majority Leader Marcus Gaspard and Caucus Chairman Sid Snyder, joined a solid bloc of 24 Republicans in approving a plan to curb government regulators and require agencies to be more “userfriendly.”

The House is expected to approve the measure and send it to Gov. Mike Lowry next week.

The quiet acquiescence of the Democrats belied the drama of the previous evening, when the Republicans capitalized on the absence of ailing Democratic Sen. Cal Anderson to recraft the bill in the image of a measure that already has cleared the GOP House.

Anderson is suffering from AIDS and has been undergoing chemotherapy for non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Democrats were outraged that Republicans would take over control of the Senate in his absence.

With a 24-24 tie, the Republicans can pass amendments or block Democrats’ procedural motions because the presiding officer, Lt. Gov. Joel Pritchard is a Republican and can break the tie. Pritchard cannot, however, vote on final passage.

The Republicans, needing at least one Democratic vote to pass the regulatory-reform bill, didn’t rub it in Friday.

Democrats swallowed hard and helped pass the bill. The only reference to the previous day’s events was to say Lowry can veto the GOP amendments that were added over their objections.

The bill is aimed at greatly restricting the regulatory powers of state agencies. Both houses agree on that goal, but the House goes much further.

The House would repeal the broad rulemaking authority for a number of agencies, allowing them to regulate only as expressly permitted by federal or state law. The Senate also would rein in the regulators, but would allow some discretion in interpreting state law.

During amendments, the Republicans expressly included the Department of Labor and Industries and the state insurance commissioner’s office in the restrictions.

Democrats said they fear the Republicans have gone too far and will lead to an attack on the state’s prevailing wage law, worker safety and consumer-protection activities.

“This bill is a turkey now,” said Sen. Lorraine Wojahn, D-Tacoma.

But sponsors in both parties, including Sen. Betti Sheldon, D-Bremerton, said the measure is an even-handed approach to restrict the powers of unelected bureaucrats, while still keeping environmental, worker safety and other protections intact.