The big five

Here’s a look at the key issues on the move in the Legislature this year.

Education

Gov. Chris Gregoire is backing a broad slate of changes: phasing in all-day kindergarten, expanding prekindergarten learning programs, adding thousands of college students, increasing teacher pay and shrinking classes.

Where things stand: As existing math education turns into something of a political piñata for lawmakers and the governor, a group called Where’s the Math? descended on the Capitol last week to urge a return to traditional math programs.

Health care

Lawmakers are considering adding 32,000 more children to state-paid health coverage, spending $26 million over the next two years to increase childhood vaccinations, and a broad array of other reforms designed to make health care more affordable for more people.

Where things stand: Health care committees continue to wade through a broad list of reforms, including an industry-opposed bill to require health care providers to report unprofessional conduct by colleagues and a call for universal health care paid for by a 10 percent payroll tax on medium and large employers.

“More and more employers are cost-shifting and withdrawing. That’s one of the reasons why the system is beginning to fall apart,” said Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines.

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: Though a number of modest local economic development bills are quietly wending their way toward becoming law, most of the Statehouse chatter has been about a couple of big-ticket items: whether taxpayers should help pay for a new SuperSonics stadium or a NASCAR track.

Gregoire – an enthusiastic football and basketball fan – seems to be warming to the idea of helping build a large new Sonics stadium in Renton. But the NASCAR track continues to struggle, with the vast majority of lawmakers lukewarm to the idea.

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 in a holding pattern, awaiting a vote in either the House or Senate. Legislative leaders say passage is likely.

Environment

Gregoire has proposed spending $200 million toward the $9-billion problem of cleaning up Puget Sound, among other proposals.

Where things stand: The House has passed a bill to phase out the use of toxic flame retardants, and budget staff are trying to decide how much of a requested $100 million for recreation and wildlife habitat the state can afford over the next two years.

On that list: a $250,000 fishing dock on Newman Lake and $306,000 for park land acquisition in Spokane Valley’s Greenacres neighborhood.