Today's committee meeting line-up

Today marks the End of (Assembly) Days with committee meetings in full swing until 3:30 today. The next time legislators convene in Olympia will be for the start of the 2010 session on January 11.

This morning, the Education Committee is talking about numerous issues including the status of changes to the state's student assessment program (formerly known as the WASL).

At 10, the Human Services Committee will take a look at the savings and efficiencies underway in the GA-U program. GA-U is a cash and health care assistance program for people who are physically or mentally are incapable of working, and is one of the programs considered at-risk in the midst of growing budget challenges.

The Finance Committee will meet at 1:30. Their agenda includes a look at the 2009 Performance Review of Tax Preferences. Tax preferences (also called tax breaks or tax incentives, depending on your point of view) are essentially money the state is choosing not to collect for some reason, usually to help a struggling industry or lure new businesses to the state. These will get very close scrutiny as legislators determine whether we can afford to keep many of them in place.

And on the heels of some major news from Governor Gregoire yesterday, the Government & Tribal Affairs Committee will be looking at the elimination of certain state boards and committees. More details to follow in a separate post.

As always, follow the action on TVW.