This week's hot list

Monday 1/25
1:30 HHR D Human Services
Public Hearing:
HB 2717 – Restricting outings from state facilities (response to the mentally ill murderer who walked off from a field trip to the Spokane County fair)
HB 2932 -- Assessment and treatment of mentally ill persons committed to state hospitals under chapter 10.77 RCW (part of Governor's public safety package)
HB 3076 -- Modification to involuntary treatment act commitment standard (part of Governor's public safety package)

1:30 HHR B Technology, Energy & Communications
Public Hearing: HB 3034 – Modifying the energy independence act

3:30 HHR B Transportation
Work Session: Columbia River Crossing, Interstate 405, Alaskan Way Viaduct
Public Hearing:
HB 2941 – Authorizing the use of express toll lanes in the Interstate 405 corridor
HB 2897 – Concerning the administration, collection, use and enforcement of tolls
HB 2929 – Clarifying the use of revenue generated from tolling the state route 520 corridor

3:30 HHR A Ways & Means
Public Hearing:
HB 1547 – Increasing the duty-related death benefit for public employees
HB 1679 – Providing access to catastrophic disability medical insurance under plan 2 of the law enforcement officers’ and firefighters’ retirement system
HB 2998 – Suspending certain monetary awards and salary increases (one of our “early action” savings bills)


Tuesday 1/26
8:00 HHR A Education Appropriations
Work Session: Review of the Quality Education Council Report and Recommendations
Public Hearing:
HB 2893 – Changing school levy provisions (Sullivan’s bill to increase the levy lid and levy equalization and allow school districts to include I-728 and I-732 in their base)
HB 2776 – Regarding funding distribution formulas for K-12 education (follows up on the QEC’s work and sets new funding formulas in statute)

8:00 HHR B Health and Human Services
Work Session: Effects of budget reductions and proposed reductions on the mental health system and alcohol and substance abuse programs in the 2009-11 biennium.

8:00 HHR C General Government Appropriations
Public Hearing: HB 1096 – Enhancing small business participation in state purchasing.

10:00 HHR C Commerce & Labor
Public Hearing:
HB 2743 – Addressing collective bargaining for certain employees of institutions of higher education and related boards.
HB 2584 – Regarding the scope of collective bargaining for nontenured faculty at community and technical colleges.

10:00 HHR B Ecology & Parks
Work Session: Federal update on greenhouse gas legislation from Senator Cantwell’s office. Will be video-teleconferenced.

10:00 HHR A Education
Public Hearing: HB 2915 – Regarding mathematics and science high school graduation requirements. (Postpones graduation requirement for math and science until the class of 2014)

10:00 HHR E Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness
Public Hearing:
HB 2787 – Addressing Green River emergency flooding reparedness and response
HB 2619 - Requiring the use of electronic signaling devices in certain conditions (requirements for mountain climbers)

10:00 HHR D Higher Education
Public Hearing: HB 2930 – Expanding the pool of qualified teachers.

1:30 HHR A Health Care & Wellness
Public Hearing: HB 2961 – Establishing a statewide electronic tracking system for the nonprescription sales of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine.

1:30 HHR D State Government & Tribal Affairs
Public Hearing: HB 2736 – Establishing the office of open records

1:30 HHR C Finance
Public Hearing:
HB 2970 – Addressing tax avoidance
HB 2972 – Increasing revenues by eliminating and narrowing preferential tax treatment

3:30 HHR B Transportation
Public Hearing: HB 2816 – Concerning fuel taxes on exported fuel


Wednesday 1/27
8:00 HHR D Human Services
Public Hearing: HB 3045 – Alternatives to prison for nonviolent offenders with minor children

8:00 HHR E Local Government & Housing
Public Hearing:
HB 2906 – Authorizing bonds for the housing trust fund program
HB 2922 – Providing housing assistance for certain veterans through the housing trust fund

1:30 HHR A Education
Work Session: Update on Race to the Top

1:30 HHR E Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness
Public Hearing:
HB 2415 – Concerning criminal street gangs
HB 2550 – Concerning abatement of nuisances involving criminal street gang activity

1:30 HHR C Environmental Health
Public Hearing: HB 2818 – Reducing the environmental health impact of cleaning in state facilities.


Thursday 1/28
8:00 HHR D State Government & Tribal Affairs
Public Hearing (all bills related to gathering signatures and filing initiatives):
HB 2397 – Imposing a distance requirement for gathering signatures on an initiative measure or referendum
HB 2570 – Protecting the integrity of the initiative and referendum process
HB 2579 – Addressing the revocation of signatures on ballot measures
HB 2613 – Concerning signature gathering for initiatives, referenda, and recall petitions
HB 2614 – Concerning signature gathering
HB 2615 – Modifying the filing fee provision for initiatives and referenda

8:00 HHR B Agriculture & Natural Resources
Public Hearing: HB 2966 – Establishing a state meat inspection program.

8:00 HHR E Early Learning & Children's Services
Public Hearing: HB 2741 – Transferring the administration of the infant and toddler early intervention program from the department of social and health services to the department of early learning.

1:30 HHR B Health and Human Services
Work Session: Effects of budget reductions and proposed reductions on the health care system in the 2009-11 biennium.


Friday 1/29
1:30 HHR D State Government & Tribal Affairs
Public Hearing: HJM 4025 – Jointly honoring and supporting the Republic of South Vietnam and American veterans of the Vietnam War.

1:30 HHR B Agriculture & Natural Resources
Public Hearing: HB 2599 – Concerning withdrawals of groundwater for stock watering purposes.