So far, onions are a go

OLYMPIA – No one’s cloning hot dogs yet, but if they were, no special label would be required.

Nor, it seems, will police be allowed to carry “spring-blade knives.” And sorry, rabbit ranchers, but there will be no exemption from slaughter regulations, even if the herd numbers less than 1,000 bunnies.

With just over two weeks left in this year’s legislative session, Washington lawmakers are scrambling to win votes for their ideas, kill their opponents’ proposals, and breathe life into bills that are fading fast.

“I’ve watched most of the things I really wanted die – and the few that are left are softballs,” said state Rep. John Serben, R-Spokane.

The big headline-making stuff is moving ahead, although in most cases lawmakers are still dickering over the specifics. Among these: toughening sex offender penalties and monitoring, spurring alternative fuel production, finding ways to store – and use – more Columbia River water, and revamping the medical malpractice system.

But hundreds of lesser-noticed bills are struggling to survive, their fates often decided in closed-door negotiations among a few key lawmakers.

“I’ve figured out the process now,” said Serben, whose fellow Republicans are outnumbered in the Legislature by Democrats. “If you want a bill to pass, you have to find a Democrat to sign it. And then you have to find two or three more.”

Here’s how some of this year’s proposals are faring:

“”The Wal-Mart bill”: Despite a furious push by labor unions and health advocates, the proposal to require big employers to spend at least 9 percent of payroll on health care died this year. House Speaker Frank Chopp wouldn’t let House Bill 2517 come to a vote. Yes, more people need health care, he said, but he doubted the bill would help much. In the end, the House approved HB 3079, which authorizes a study of the issue.

“Full-time lawmakers: Senate Bill 6659 would have declared lawmakers full-timers and prohibited them from having any job that might cut into that. The measure died quietly in the Senate.

“Cloned livestock: Also dead is SB 6383, which would have required labeling of any food products derived from cloned animals.

“Housing: The House has approved a $100 million expansion of the state’s housing programs, with money for rent vouchers for the poor, help for the homeless, weatherization, farmworker housing and construction of new low-income housing. That proposal is contained in HB 2418.

“Euthanasia: The Washington Death with Dignity Act, SB 6843, would have allowed physicians to help terminally ill patients end their lives. The bill never made it out of committee.

“Onions: The House, noting that “the ancient Egyptians worshipped the onion as a physical representation of eternity,” voted overwhelmingly to declare the Walla Walla sweet onion the official state vegetable. If the Senate agrees with HB 1964, the onion will join the proud ranks of the state tree, flower, grass, fruit, bird, gem, fish, marine mammal, insect, song, folk song, dance, tartan and fossil.

“Rosa Parks Day: HB 3284, which would have declared Dec. 1 to be a day of honoring civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks in public schools, died in committee.

“Smoking: The Senate decided to keep its distance from smokers this year, killing Sen. Bob McCaslin’s proposal, SB 6667, to ease up on the new 25-foot, outdoor no-smoking zone around doors, windows and air intakes. McCaslin figured 10 feet was enough.

“Electronics recycling: The Senate wants to require electronics manufacturers to set up a free system to dispose of old computers, monitors and other high-tech waste under SB 6428. The junk is loaded with lead and toxic chemicals, environmental groups say. Advocates concede, however, that companies would likely boost prices slightly to pay for the system.

“No switchblades: The Senate dropped Sen. Jerome Delvin’s plan, SB 6295, “modifying permissible weaponry for on-duty law enforcement officers” to include spring-blade knives.

“Hold my calls: The Senate has also approved SB 6776, which bans third parties from acquiring, buying or selling personal cell phone numbers and call records. Violations would be a low-ranked felony.

“Biking with baby: SB 6142 would have banned the use of bicycle baby carriers on roads unless riding on the sidewalk is illegal. It died in committee.

“Defending veterans: The House overwhelmingly passed HB 2564, which adds military personnel to the growing list of people against whom it is illegal to discriminate. Lawmakers said they feared that employers would deny jobs to servicemen for fear that they’ll be redeployed or distracted by combat trauma.

“Rabbits: SB 6252, Sen. Bob Morton’s bill to grant a Food Processing Act exemption for farmers who slaughter and sell fewer than 1,000 rabbits a year died in committee.

“Tax breaks: Both the House and Senate are backing tens of millions of dollars in incentives, although their lists differ. Among them: tax breaks for the timber industry, motion-picture firms, aerospace suppliers, farm diesel fuel, seed companies and biotechnology firms.

“Rain checks: SB 6203, which would have required businesses to issue rain checks if they run out of an advertised item, died in committee.