The big five
Education
Gov. Chris Gregoire is backing a broad slate of changes: phasing in all-day kindergarten, expanding prekindergarten learning programs, adding thousands more college students, increasing teacher pay and shrinking class sizes.
Where things stand: A bill to allow school levies to pass with a simple majority vote – instead of the current 60 percent “supermajority” – is moving ahead in the House. So are several proposals to delay a requirement that high school students pass the math portion of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. But Gov. Chris Gregoire said adamantly that she’s “not interested” in broadening the reprieve. Also up for discussion this week: House Bill 2025, a proposal for a statewide curriculum in major subject areas.
Health care
Lawmakers are considering adding 32,000 children to state-paid health coverage, spending $26 million over the next two years to increase childhood vaccinations, and an array of other reforms designed to make health care more affordable for more people.
Where things stand: Gregoire said last week that she’s not ready to mandate human papillomavirus vaccinations for girls, like Texas is doing, but the state is buying thousands of doses of the cancer-fighting shots to distribute free of charge to doctors around the state. This week a House committee will hear a bill to require small companies to have their health insurers cover mental health problems to the same degree they cover medical problems.
The economy
From making health care cheaper to a “holiday” for some workers’ compensation costs, lawmakers and the governor say they want to help the cooling economy, particularly small businesses.
Where things stand: Economic development officials testified at hearings last week, urging state lawmakers to loosen restrictions on using tax dollars to help pay for growth-spurring roads, pipelines and other infrastructure. Gregoire on Thursday inked a deal to buy a 108-mile stretch of rail line between Cheney and Coulee City from a short-line railroad that was unable to turn a profit on the line. This week the Senate will hear a series of bills involving bouncers, nightclubs and security guards.
Same-sex marriage
Proponents want it, or at least domestic partnerships that would include many of the legal rights of married people. Critics are countering with a call to write the state law banning gay marriage into the state constitution – an unlikely move that would require approval from a legislative supermajority as well as voters statewide.
Where things stand: The domestic partnerships proposal is moving ahead, but no vote has been slated in either the House or Senate.
Environment
Gregoire has proposed spending $200 million toward the $9 billion problem of cleaning up Puget Sound, among other proposals.
Where things stand: The Puget Sound continues to dominate the discussion, but House Speaker Frank Chopp said odds look good for bills to phase out toxic flame retardants and boost alternative fuels. The governor set a goal to significantly reduce pollution and spending on imported fuel by 2020.