Senate backs rights for gay couples
In emotional debate, the state Senate voted Thursday to set up a statewide registry that would allow gay and lesbian couples, as well as some senior citizens, to get many of the legal protections that married couples get automatically. “You have prevented us from marrying,” Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, told the Senate. “Please do not prevent us from caring for each other.”
The bill would make Washington the fifth state to give some spousal rights to same-sex partners and was heavily criticized by many Republicans.
School taxes: The state Senate narrowly defeated a constitutional amendment to allow simple-majority approval of special school property tax levies Wednesday, but supporters have already requested another vote as they try to sway more senators to their side.
The measure would help several Eastern Washington school districts that enjoy support from a majority of their voters but have been unable to muster the needed 60 percent supermajorities. Republicans argued it would be a mistake to make it easier to raise taxes.
School spending: Washington lawmakers’ signature issue of the year, public education, now has a price tag for a laundry list of improvements: $1.2 billion.
The House Appropriations Committee subcommittee on education released its proposals Monday for the new two-year state budget that House Democrats will unveil March 19. The subcommittee is proposing large new appropriations for early learning, including a new “5-star” rating system for child care; full-day kindergarten for more kids; stronger public schools; and about 8,400 new college enrollment slots.
Election reform: The record campaign spending in last year’s Supreme Court races led to a call from Gov. Chris Gregoire and other lawmakers for public financing of some judicial races. But the proposal may be stopped by the very thing it’s trying to address: money. Gregoire allocated about $4.4 million in her spending plan to cover campaign costs for Supreme Court and appellate court positions. Lawmakers said last week that amount is unlikely to be in the final budget.
Staff and wire reports