Majority rules, as 6th District illustrates
OLYMPIA – For a stark illustration of the political clout that comes from being in the majority party, look no farther than a crescent of land wrapped around western, southern and northern Spokane.
The two Democratic lawmakers from the 6th Legislative District – both freshmen elected a few months ago – sponsored some of most popular bills of the session. Sen. Chris Marr’s bills included a governor-requested one that will add thousands more children to state-run health coverage. Rep. Don Barlow’s included one to have the state keep picking up the cost of Medicare drug “co-pays” for low-income senior citizens.
And both – Marr in the Senate, Barlow in the House – sponsored bills establishing an Eastern Washington state veteran’s cemetery near Spokane. Although not the sponsor, Marr also pushed bills to create an Institute for Systems Medicine and an applied sciences laboratory in Spokane, both of which he says are key to the region’s future.
“We have the opportunity to jump-start research” and commercialization of the results, Marr said. “In 10 years, people could view this as the watershed for how our economy was transformed.”
Then there was Rep. John Ahern, the lone remaining Republican lawmaker from a district that for decades elected nothing but.
Ahern introduced seven bills, including proposals to toughen penalties or improve prosecution of child rape, drunken driving and vehicular homicide. All the bills died in the Democrat-controlled House. Most never got a hearing.
“I guess this is the way they want to play the game,” Ahern said, standing in the wings during the Legislature’s final hours last week. “But as my mother said: Don’t worry, the worm will turn.”
It wasn’t a complete victory lap for the Democratic freshmen. Marr’s bill to do away with the statute of limitations for prosecuting child sex abuse failed in the face of opposition from judiciary committee chairman Sen. Adam Kline. A similar bill from Barlow also died.
How their proposals fared:
Ahern
“HB 2369: Revoking parental rights for anyone convicted of raping their child. Failed.
“HB 1690: Requiring insurance companies to notify all policyholders when the company’s name is changed. Failed.
“HB 1321: Requiring a doctor to notify at least one parent before performing an abortion on a girl under 18. If the girl objected, a court would decide whether the abortion could take place. Failed.
Barlow
“HB 2262: Giving salary bonuses to teachers who get national board certification. Passed Legislature.
“HB 2201: Freezing home values to ease property taxes for senior citizens and disabled people. Failed.
“HB 1705: Allowing cities and counties to set up health science partnerships funded partly by a slice of that area’s sales and use taxes. Passed Legislature.
“HB 1993: Toughening the standards to be a state counselor. The bill requires all certified counselors to get additional health credentials by July 2009. “I’m concerned people are doing private counseling without adequate experience. We’re trying to protect the public,” Barlow said. “All you have to do now is pay $40 and take a two-hour AIDS class. Then you can hang out a shingle as a registered counselor.” Failed, but Barlow said lawmakers agreed to study the problem.
Marr
“SB 5503: Launches a state licensing program for athletic trainers. Passed Legislature. Several local universities have programs in this, Marr said.
“SB 5079: Expanding the types of judges and court commissioners empowered to perform marriage ceremonies. Passed Legislature.
“SB 5092: Boosting state support for economic development organizations in Spokane and other urban counties. Marr said the bill was intended to balance state funding, long focused on rural economic development. The Tri-Cities economic development agency has been getting $1 million a year from the state, he said, while Spokane’s has gotten $50,000. This bill would boost that to $500,000. Passed Legislature.