The Advance

Public disclosure measure advances

2012-01-31T13:00:00.001-08:00

A measure that would improve the transparency of who contributes financially to ballot measures – or who spends big money to defeat them – was voted out of the StateGovernment and Tribal Affairs committee yesterday afternoon. Its sponsor, Rep. Andy Billig, calls it “a victory for public disclosure.”

The bill would apply to advertising costing $1000 or more that is for or against a ballot measure. It would require disclosure of the top five financial contributors within the advertisement itself.

More info about the bill and why Rep. Billig thinks it’s the people’s right to know these things can be read here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Best way to fight gangs? Keep kids off the streets to begin with!

2012-01-31T09:04:00.000-08:00

Street gangs are a problem in Washington. Children as young as 10 or11 are recruited to join gangs and engage in criminal activity to prove they“belong,” and the deeper they go, the harder it is to help them get out. Are there effective ways to break the cycle of crime before it breaks our kids?

Read thisguest column in the Everett Herald by Reps.Connie Ladenburg and Luis Moscoso on thestrategies they’re proposing to fight criminal gangs in our state.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

One step closer to marriage equality in Washington

2012-01-30T16:30:00.000-08:00

Rep. Jamie Pedersen, Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, andhis family testify in favor of HB 2516

A week ago the House Judiciary Committee heard moving testimony from families,military veterans, religious leaders, and community organizers in favor of House Bill 2516, which would make Washington the seventhstate in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage.

This afternoon the equal protectionmeasure cleared a key hurdle when the committee took executive action.

The HDC has supported Washington’s marchtoward the establishment and maintenance of equality for gay, lesbian, andbisexual citizens in recent years. This bill builds upon the work alreadycarried out; including the voter-approved Referendum 71, which established domestic partnershiplaws in our state.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Lawmakers reaching out to keep in touch with citizens

2012-01-30T13:00:00.000-08:00

Headsup, good people of the 38th Legislative District -- the state capital is comin'at ya! And in a good way, too. Folks in the Snohomish County communities ofTulalip, Marysville and Everett are encouraged to keep their dance cards openearly Tuesday night, January 31, for a Telephone Town Hall.

That'sright; you read right. The three lawmakers who serve the 38th District -- stateRep. John McCoy, state Rep. Mike Sells, and state Sen. Nick Harper -- arehosting an hour-long tele-forum that evening from 6 to 7. It's a grandopportunity for citizens to engage their legislators in a frank conversationabout what's going on in the 2012 legislative session.

Shortlybefore 6 o’clock the night of January 31, thousands of 38^th Districtcitizens will receive telephone calls inviting them to stay on the line andparticipate in the tele-Town Hall. People who want to join in will be givensimple, uncomplicated instructions on what to do. But wait! What if you are a38th Legislative District resident and you want to join in but you don't get the callbetween 5:45 and 6 Tuesday night, January 31? In that case, simply callthis toll-free telephone number directly, 1-877-229-8493, and then enter PINcode No. 18646 when prompted. And you'll be in!

McCoy,Sells, Harper and the 144 other lawmakers are about a third of the way to anearly March deadline for completing their work in the 2012 legislative session.The three lawmakers emphasized that citizens should always feel free to contactone, two, or all three of them whenever the citizens want to ask a questionand/or share an opinion.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Stay in the know!

2012-01-30T11:20:00.000-08:00

Want to keep up with the floor debate happening on the floor right now? You can follow along on TVW, or you can track progress on the floor calendar.

It's your democracy - participate!

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Stopping cyber scams

2012-01-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

Malicious identity thieves on Facebook, Twitter, craigslist and other social networks and online serviceswould face greater legal penalties under a bill passed by the House Jan. 23.

The bill makes harmfulelectronic impersonation a civil offense, meaning a victim can sue the impersonator. It would add another level of protection to existing privacy laws.

“We’ve had some awful stories, in fact that sometimes have led to suicides, with abuse of social networking, includingdeception and harassment and fraud and intimidation,” Rep. Roger Goodman of Kirkland said during floor debate on the bill.

The bill was approved 95-0 and moves to the Senate. It was originally sponsored in 2011 by then-Rep. David Frockt ofSeattle, who is now a senator.

To read a newspaper article on the bill written before the House vote, click here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Activists of all ages take Olympia!

2012-01-27T12:53:00.000-08:00

Citizen activists come in all shapes, sizes, and ages! Yesterdayafternoon, Representative Mary Helen Roberts had the pleasure of meeting with some very young and equally adorable elementary school students.

Students from King’sElementary in Seattlesat down with Rep. Roberts and asked hard-hitting questions,such as “What bill is your favorite?”

For those who can’t make the trip to Olympia, Rep. Roberts often visits classrooms throughout her district.

In fact, just last November, Rep. Roberts visited Meadowdale Elementary in Lynnwood to seefirst-hand how budget cuts are affecting classrooms.KING 5’s Mimi Jung covered Rep. Roberts’ trip, and the segment is available here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Breaking the criminal cycle

2012-01-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

According to the Violence Policy Center, Washington state is tied for 4th place with states for the most drive-by shootings. Just last week, a multi-agency sweep in Eastern Washington resulted in 25 gang-related arrests. With gang activity an ever-increasing problem, how do we help at-risk youth avoid a life of violence and criminal activity?

Rep. Connie Ladenburg has found a way to break the criminal cycle before it breaks our young people – by encouraging the establishment of juvenile-gang courts. Her legislation calls for "a strategic and collaborative approach" in putting an end to juvenile gangs.

"Gang court is a tool for rescuing kids from a nightmare," Ladenburg emphasized.

Ladenburg's House Bill 2535 received a public hearing in the House Early Learning & Human Services Committee Tuesday afternoon. To watch the hearing on TVW, click here.

"Juvenile-gang activities in cities and communities of all sizes are a threat to public safety, as well as being a terrible, dangerous menace for so many children themselves."

Another promising measure is Rep. Luis Moscoso’s House Bill 2432, which would promote local intervention and prevention programs to reduce gang violence through the creation of the Criminal Street Gang Prevention and Intervention Grant Program Account.

“This problem will not go away on its own. We need to start putting effort, money and the collective resources of communities and local law enforcement into strategies that actually work,” Moscoso said. “Let’s focus on preventing our kids from getting into violent gang activity in the first place by creating and increasing opportunities available to youth to keep them off the streets.”

Moscoso’s bill hearing held on Monday can be watched on TVW here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Washington, Seattle rank with the best in new “Top 10” lists

2012-01-26T13:00:00.001-08:00

Congratulations,Washington! Three new top 10 lists are once again shining the spotlight on ourrole as a national leader.

The Puget Sound Business Journal reportstoday that theconservative Tax Foundation’s 2012 State BusinessTax Climate Index ranks Washington as having the seventh best business-friendly tax climate inthe nation. Washington climbed four spots on the new list, rising fromthe 11^th best in the nation on the 2011 rankings ofbusiness-friendly tax climates.

Meanwhile,a ForbesWomanstudy found that women still only earn between 70 to 80 cents for every dollarearned by men, but that some cities shine when it comes to pay for full-time,year-round female workers. ForbesWoman scoured the United States to find the Best Paying Cities for Women. Coming in at #10 (drumroll): Seattle.

If you canread this you may be one of the reasons Seattle is number two on yet anothertop-ten list. According to a CentralConnecticut State University studyof the most literate U.S. cities, Seattleites are some of the best readers inthe nation, second only to Washington D.C.

The studyused newspaper circulation, number of bookstores, library resources, periodicalpublishing resources, educational attainment, and Internet resources for itsfindings.

Washingtonianscheer when the Huskies or Cougars make the top 10 in college football. Rankingwith the very best in measures of economic competitiveness, fairness andliteracy gives all of us a good reason to cheer for Washington, too.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Proposed changes to Discover Pass get public hearing today

2012-01-26T08:00:00.000-08:00

Last session, legislators saved all 120 of our state parks from closure by implementing a new user fee system. Beginning last July, vehicles entering state parks needed to display an annual "Discover Pass" (or a day pass) in order to park. While there is some flexibility for those who are only parking momentarily to use the restroom or drop off recyclables, vehicles without a pass can be ticketed.

The intent behind the legislation was to prevent the shuttering of state parks, the majority of which are not self-supporting. And in fact, 41 other states already charge user fees at their state parks, so Washington was in the minority of states that did not.

While thousands of Washingtonians have purchased Discover Passes since they became available last summer, these sales haven't generated enough revenue so far to stave off more cuts to the parks system. So lawmakers are examining possible tweaks to the Discover Pass program that may make it more user-friendly, encourage more people to buy the pass, and keep the gates at our parks open. Among the proposals being considered are allowing the pass to be transferable among vehicles in the same household, capping the pass fee at $30 even, and clarifying which state lands require a Discover Pass for parking.

Today in the House General Government Appropriations and Oversight Committee, five bills that propose changes to the Discover Pass will get public hearings. The bills are:

House Bill 2153, sponsored by Rep. Zack Hudgins
House Bill 2217, sponsored by Rep. Chris Hurst
House Bill 2295, sponsored by Rep. Kevin Van De Wege
House Bill 2373, sponsored by Rep. Van De Wege
House Bill 2528, sponsored by Rep. Hudgins

The hearing takes place at 2:00 p.m. in the John L. O'Brien Building, Hearing Room C.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Can we do more with less?

2012-01-25T14:04:00.000-08:00

That’s the ultimate question mostorganizations are constantly trying to answer in this new economy.

In the last three years, revenueshortfalls have forced the legislature to cut over $10 billion in state spending.

Although all state agencies have takendramatic cuts to their budgets over the last three years, they still haveessential functions to perform. They’ve had no choice but to find ways toperform their duties with fewer resources.

Our institutions of higher education havestepped up to this difficult challenge and implemented several efficienciesacross their campuses. To site a few examples:

The University of Washington has reducedits administrative units by sixteen percent. Both UW and WWU have eliminatedover 40 academic programs at their campuses.

Washington State University haseliminated over 1,000 courses from the course catalog and reduced or eliminated25 degrees.

Our community and technical colleges arealso becoming more efficient through expanding open course libraries, reducingthe need for remedial courses, and streamlining college assessments andplacements.

With another $1.5 billion shortfalllooming, additional cuts are likely. House Democrats are continuing to findways to streamline government.

Today, the House Higher EducationCommittee heard testimony on House Bill 2585 - a bill sponsored by Rep. Larry Springer (D-Kirkland) - that would give collegesand universities more flexibility with certain aspects of their operations suchas competitive bidding and payroll direct deposit.

“HB 2585 helps our higher educationsystem act more responsibly and efficiently,” said Springer.

Margaret Shepherd with the University of Washington statedin testimony in support of HB 2585 that it would lead to over $1 million insavings annually at the UW.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Statement by Rep. Hans Dunshee on Jobs Now

2012-01-25T13:08:00.000-08:00

Iappreciate how everyone is working together – business and labor, the House andSenate, Republicans and Democrats – to create jobs.

It’s an urgent need, with 30 percent of construction workers unemployed on the westside and 60 percent east of the mountains. There rightly is a sense of urgency.

I’m releasing proposed lists of construction projects in the House version of JobsNow so that people can see what this would look like and where jobs would becreated.

The House and Senate lists of construction projects are a little bit different, butthose differences will be easy to bridge. We stand united behind the goal ofhelping our state’s construction workers, veterans and small businesses getback on their feet, doing good work that will benefit our state for decades tocome.

-Hans

Click here for a link to the documents aboutproposed projects around Washington state.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Lytton, Seaquist host teletown halls this week

2012-01-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

How do we do more with less?

For the last several years, lawmakers have been looking at innovative and less-expensive ways of communicating with their constituents. Teletown halls were recently embraced as a cost efficient way to reach out to constituents during the legislative session.

Rep. Kristine Lytton

Reps. Kristine Lytton (D-Anacortes) and Larry Seaquist (D-Gig Harbor) will be hosting hour-long teletown hall conversations this week.

Rep. Lytton’s call with those living in the 40th Legislative District will happen tonight at 6 p.m. She’ll discuss what’s going on with education including her trio of bills that would help teachers and principals grow in their careers, give school districts greater spending flexibility, and increase state funding for all-day kindergarten programs.

Rep. Larry Seaquist

Rep. Seaquist’s teletown hall for 26th Legislative District residents will start at 6:35 p.m. on Thursday, January 26. As the chair of the House Higher Education Committee, Rep. Seaquist is excited to have a conversation about the latest in higher education funding. He’ll also discuss other topics like the state budget situation and the economy. Callers will be encouraged to ask their own questions during the conversations.

Registered voters within these districts will be called when the teletown halls begin. Those that do not receive a call and would like to participate can call 1-877-229-8493 and enter the ID code “18646.”

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Washington Investment Trust idea moves ahead

2012-01-24T11:24:00.000-08:00

What if there was an institution that could finance public projects that support economic development, create jobs, increase public health, safety and quality of life, improve the environment, promote community vitality, and even offer low-cost loans to struggling students?

Rep. Bob Hasegawa believes such an institution is possible in our state and he’s sponsoring a measure to create it. He calls it The Washington Investment Trust, and the idea is having its first public hearing this week.

Hasegawa said that although the Washington Investment Trust is modeled after the Bank of North Dakota, this startup legislation is much narrower in approach because it will focus on infrastructure lending to municipal governments and student loans.

HB 2434 is scheduled for a hearing this Thursday, January 26 at 8:00 a.m. before the House Committee on Business & Financial Services, in House Hearing Room B of the John L. O'Brien Building.

The companion bill, SB 6310 will also get a hearing on Wednesday, January 25 at 1:30 p.m. in the Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Housing & Insurance, Senate Hearing Room 2 of the J.A. Cherberg Building.

“The Washington Investment Trust will keep our money in Washington, working for Washingtonians instead of ending up in Wall Street,” Hasegawa added, referring to taxpayers’ money that goes into an account held in a private bank which makes—and keeps—an interest off that money.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Legislature hears ideas to end capital punishment

2012-01-24T09:27:00.000-08:00

Rep. Reuven Carlyle introduced a bill last week that would eliminate the death penalty in Washington state. If enacted, HB 2468 would impose a punishment of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for aggravated first degree murder.

“The death penalty is beneath us as a civilized society,” said Carlyle. “It is economically inefficient. It is unjust to the victims’ families because of the frustration of years of delay in allowing a form of closure. It is inequitably applied across race, class and social status. It does not achieve deterrence for other criminals.”

The first electricchair, whichwas used to execute William Kemmler in 1890.

For more of Rep. Carlyle’s thoughts regarding the death penalty, check out his blog here.

The U.S. Supreme Court abolished the death penalty in 1972 but reinstated it in 1976 giving states the authority to enact death penalty statutes. Thirty-seven states reauthorized capital punishment shortly after the court ruling.

New Jersey, New Mexico, and Illinois recently abolished the death penalty. New Jersey spent $254 million on death penalty convictions without a single person being executed. Only five people have been executed in Washington state since it was reinstated in 1981. According to the state Department of Corrections, eight men are currently on death row with sentences dating back as early as 1991.

A companion bill - SB 6283 – is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Judiciary committee on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. To watch the hearing on TVW, click here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Should juveniles automatically be shackled when they go to court?

2012-01-23T13:00:00.000-08:00

That's a question that will be considered this evening before the House Early Learning and Human Services committee.

Rep. Ruth Kagi is sponsoring a measure that gives detention staff and judges the discretion to decide whether leg irons, belly chains, and other types of restraints should be used when transporting a juvenile to and from court, as well as in the courtroom itself.

Currently, only seven of Washington's 39 counties do not routinely restrain children who are brought to court. A juvenile's behavior in and out of the courtroom, the crime he or she is accused of, and whether or not the juvenile even committed the crime are not generally taken into account. Rep. Kagi believes all these factors should be considered.

The bill was supposed to have a public hearing last week, but severe winter storms caused several legislative committees to cancel or postpone their meetings. The Legislative Calendar shows which committees are meeting today, as well as time and location.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Marriage equality has first hearings today

2012-01-23T09:53:00.000-08:00

Will Washington become the next state to pass marriage equality? Today marks the next step toward answering that question as committees in both the House and Senate hear bills that would make civil marriage between same-gender couples legal.

SB 6239 will be heard this morning at 10:00 in Senate Hearing Room 2, and HB 2516 will be heard at 1:30 this afternoon in House Hearing Room A.

TVW plans to cover both hearings, as well as a press conference on marriage equality at noon.

Here's a sample of the news coverage on the issue from over the weekend.

Committees to hold gay marriage hearings Monday

A state with justice and marriage for all | Jerry Large

Gay marriage gaining momentum in WA Legislature

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Be prepared for anything - including snowstorms

2012-01-19T13:38:00.000-08:00

How can you protect your family and home against Mother Nature?

The snowstorm of January 2012 is another example of why everybody, no matter where you live, needs to be prepared for:

Windstorms and snowstorms
Power outages
Floods
Heat waves
Other natural disasters

As the Federal Emergency Management Agency says, it’s important for every family to (1) be informed, (2) make a plan, (3) build a kit and (4) work with your neighbors. Learn more at www.ready.gov

Here are some easy tips for storms like this:

Bump up the thermostat BEFORE the power goes out
Make sure outside faucets are turned off and insulated
Leave inside faucets dripping to prevent freezing
If the power does go out, use flashlights instead of candles, which are a fire hazard
Don’t drive on snowy and icy roads unless you absolutely have to, because if you get stuck, or injured, ambulances will have just as hard of a time getting to you
Have a kit ready for the house and your car, with blankets, food, water, a first-aid kit, medicines and other essentials.
If you have to travel, make sure somebody knows where you’re going and check the Department of Transportation’s website on conditions before you go. www.wsdot.wa.gov

Here in the House of Representatives, we’ve focused a lot of time and attention on preparing for emergencies like this and doing a better job of coordinating local, state and federal efforts to help people. If you’ve got ideas or questions, please contact Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Chair Christopher Hurst at christopher.hurst@leg.wa.gov

Education remains high priority in Olympia

2012-01-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

Education is always a hot topic in Olympia during the legislative session. This year is no different, but there may be more of a focus this time around in light of the recent McCleary decision by the state Supreme Court. The court reaffirmed lower court rulings stating that the legislature hasn’t met its constitutional obligations to fully fund basic education.

Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos gets mic'd up for TVW

However, the court also reaffirmed that staying committed to sweeping reforms passed by House Democrats in 2009 and 2010 will get us back on track to providing our children with a quality education and fulfilling our constitutional obligations. These reforms provide a cohesive, student-focused funding system that is transparent and easy to understand.

K-12 education funding is only one of the many issues facing lawmakers this session. Other education hot topics being discussed in the House Education Committee include authorization of charter schools, teacher and principal evaluations, and educational opportunities for low-income, at-risk diverse students.

Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos (D-Seattle) discussed the McCleary decision and other issues on TVW’s The Impact. You can play the embedded video below or click here to watch the interview.

Update: We've posted another video, this time from Rep. Ross Hunter, discussing his vision for basic education funding.

Liias stands up for health care reform

2012-01-18T14:23:00.000-08:00

Rep. Marko Liias and 16 other Washington state representatives have joined forces with representatives all across the nation to defend Obama’s health reform, the Affordable Care Act. Boasting 518 total signatures representing every state, as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, the brief was filed at the Supreme Court by The Constitutional Accountability Center on January 12.

“All Washingtonians deserve the basic security of good-quality health care,” said Liias. “The Affordable Care Act is the kind of health care reform we need to ensure all families have the opportunities and quality of life we deserve.”

Under the Affordable Care Act, Washington state residents will see immediate benefits, such as:

Coverage expansions provide support for health coverage for early retirees.
Small business owners will be eligible for a small business tax credit when providing insurance plans for employees.
Washington seniors will receive assistance closing the Medicare Part D “donut hole,” as well as access to free preventative care.

“As a nation, we simply cannot afford to fall back on this progress. We must move forward in providing affordable health care to all of Washington,” Liias said.

Click here to see the entire brief. Click here to see the list of WA state legislators who signed the brief.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail...

2012-01-18T11:29:00.000-08:00

Representative Chris Reykdal won’t let record snowfall and freezing temperatures get in the way of talking to his constituents in the 22nd Legislative District. Rep. Reykdal recorded a video update just this morning on the capitol campus, where he discussed his one of his top priorities this session: the HOPE Act.

The House of Representatives is open for business on this very-snowy Wednesday. If you too must venture out, we urge you to use caution and to utilize the Washington State Department of Transportation’s website for the latest on road conditions and travel alerts.

For updated delay and cancellation notices for legislative hearings, check out TVW's blog - The Capitol Record.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Yes, we're open!

2012-01-17T15:01:00.000-08:00

The Legislative Building through a haze of snow flurries

The Capitol Campus is covered in a mantle of snow today,adding a bit of brightness to the usual gray of the legislative session. The winter weather hasn’t kept the hardiest visitors from testifying or demonstrating, but the crowds are noticeably smaller so far this week.

The Legislature will continue meeting, no matter what the conditions, but the schedules could be adjusted somewhat if the big storm being predicted really does roll in. If you are planning a trip to the Capital, please check the current committee meeting times and agendas,just in case. And be careful out there!

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

In-House expert honors Dr. King

2012-01-16T17:00:00.000-08:00

In 2003, Drew Hansen, a young lawyer in Seattle, wrote abook entitled “The Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Speech that Inspireda Nation.” On Jan. 16, 2012 – Martin Luther King Day – Hansen, now a state representative from Kitsap County, honored the man who inspired his book with aspeech of his own in the state Legislature. Click below to see a video ofHansen’s thoughtful and heartfelt address, his first speech from the floor of theHouse.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Service members' call of duty honored in flurry of legislative action

2012-01-16T16:24:00.000-08:00

Talkabout walking the talk.

TheHouse of Representatives today got down to the serious business of standing upfor citizens who’ve gone out of their way to stand up for their country.Military folks -- citizens who put their lives on hold, and all toooften put their lives on the line -- shouldn't have to look over theirshoulders and wonder what's going on with their parental, legal and educationrights back home. That'sthe message hammered home this morning in a trio of measures among the veryfirst bills to win House of Representatives approval in the 2012 legislativesession.

House Bill 1050, prime-sponsored by state Rep. John McCoy,protects the rights of military parents. The legislation:

Courtesy www.mcchord.af.mil

* Allows a military parent to ask the court todelegate the parent's residential time with a child if the parent's militaryorders involve being more than one night away when the parent is scheduled tohave time with a child.

* And provides that the delegation provisionapplies when establishing a parenting plan or court order, not just whenmodifying an existing plan or order.

House Bill 1615, prime-sponsored by state Rep. Connie Ladenburg, safeguards the legal rights for all ofour citizens called up to active duty. The measure makes sure National Guardmembers can count on the same legal protections when they are called up inresponse to a state emergency as they now receive when they are called toservice by the president.

House Bill 1221, prime-sponsored by state Rep. Fred Finn, will see to it that colleges and universitiesprovide a chance forreservist students to make up any tests they miss if they're called to activeduty or military training for a month or less. This legislation fills a gap incurrent state law that can adversely impact men and women who are eitherinvolved in military drills and training or are called to duty in response tonatural disasters that might run less than 30 days.

The three military bills passed the Houseunanimously and will now receive further consideration in the Senate.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

2012 STEM schools to receive cash grants

2012-01-13T15:17:00.000-08:00

Rep. Tina Orwall

Last April we reported that employers in our state are looking for professionals in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (known as STEM fields), and we cited some of the steps taken in recent years to increase advanced degree production in Washington state.

One of those steps was the Enhanced STEM instruction measure (HB 2621) sponsored by Rep. Tina Orwall, which passed the Legislature unanimously in 2010.

That law required the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to designate a number of schools to serve as “lighthouses” that offer technical assistance and advice to school districts and communities regarding best practices in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics instruction. STEM schools are effective in helping a wide range of students excel in math and sciences in preparation for college, as well as providing them with the skills to compete for high-tech job opportunities.

An OSPI release earlier this week announced that this year five schools and an entire district will be serving as lighthouse or STEM schools:

Eastmont Junior High School (Eastmont School District)

Secondary Academy for Success (Northshore)

Science and Math Institute (Tacoma)

Stewart Middle School (Tacoma)

Toppenish High School (Toppenish)

Odessa School District

Each of the five schools and one district will receive $20,000 grants to promote and develop STEM education, including technical assistance and advice for other middle schools and high schools that are creating their own STEM environments, in compliance with HB 2621.

Orwall said that she applauds “the great work being done throughout our state to prepare students for careers in STEM fields, which are essential to strengthen our workforce.”

Two schools and one district were awarded Lighthouse grants in 2011; you can read about it here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Get paid for helping injured workers keep their jobs

2012-01-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

Good things come to those who keep injured workers on the job under the new Stay at Work program launched this week.

If you’re an employer and you keep injured workers doing safe, light-duties until they fully recover and can go back to their regular activities, you may be entitled to a partial reimbursement from the state Department of Labor & Industries.

The Stay at Work program was part of the Workers’ Compensation System legislation sponsored by Rep. Tami Green and passed by the Legislature last year.

“This is a win-win for both workers and employers,” said Green. “Workers recover more quickly and are less affected by lost wages. Employers save on worker’s comp premiums and the expense of hiring someone to backfill the injured worker.”

In addition to the Stay at Work program, these other reforms in the Workers’ Comp package aimed at reducing costs for employers and improving workers’ health will be launched by L&I this year: a Workers’ Compensation Provider Network, expansion of the successful Centers for Occupational Health and Education (COHE), and Structured Settlement Agreements.

Read the L&I press release here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Need a tow? That’ll cost you! Or will it?

2012-01-12T14:40:00.000-08:00

The newest member of the HDC is wasting no time getting to work this legislative session!
Rep. Gerry Pollet has introduced an important consumer protection measure in House Bill 2372.

HB 2372 would authorize the Utilities and Transportation Commission to place a $250 cap on towing fees for those who find themselves in the unfortunate circumstance of having their vehicle impounded. The bill does stipulate that the owner must reclaim their vehicle within 24 hours of the tow.

Adding another layer of protection, Rep. Pollet’s bill requires that towing companies disclose their rates in writing for those requesting a lift.

In a series of pieces last month, Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat highlighted the problem of excessive towing charges in the Seattle area. Danny found examples of towing companies charging upwards of $1,400 per impound. Take a look at his columns here, here and here!

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Paper or Plastic?

2012-01-12T12:40:00.000-08:00

We’ve all been asked the question. But if Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon of Burien has his way, there will be a new question for shoppers in Washington state.

Paper or reusable plastic?

Or no plastic at all?

Rep. Fitzgibbon and representatives from Environment Washington and Fred Meyer held a press conference today introducing House Bill 2404 banning single-use plastic bags from grocery stores.

Four cities in Washington – Bellingham, Edmonds, Mukilteo, and Seattle - have all passed single-use plastic bag bans. If this legislation is approved, a similar ban would be imposed on stores state-wide.

“We know that we have a plastic problem in Puget Sound, and we know that it threatens our wildlife every day,” said Rep. Fitzgibbon. “It is time for Washington to phase out single-use plastic bags.”

A similar bill in the Senate, SB 5779, was heard in the Senate Environment Committee yesterday. Representing the Washington Northwest Grocery Association, Holly Chisa expressed her support for the bag ban.

“We are not opposed to moving away from plastic bags. My grocery stores, which are the larger grocery stores, believe that a bag is a bag and it is time to make the move,” said Chisa.

You can watch that hearing here on TVW.org and read other stories about the ban here, here, and here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Remembering “the forgotten war”

2012-01-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

Korean War Memorial - photo courtesy WSDOT

In the end, House Bill 2138 just may be overshadowed by, say, the budget. But if one function ofgovernment is simply shining a light on things that should be noticed, Rep. Timm Ormsby’s bill recognizing our state’sKorean War veterans is good government in action. The Spokane Democrat’s legislation declares that July 27 – the anniversary of the official end of hostilities in the Korean War – is specifically recognized in Washington as Korean War Veterans Armistice Day. >The day won’t be a legal holiday,but it will be marked by the flying of the POW/MIA flag, along with theAmerican and Washington flags, by all public entities in the state.

“They call Korea ‘the forgotten war,’” Ormsby said, “but it shouldn’t be. More than 120,000 Washingtonians fought inthe war, 532 died there, and far more than that were wounded. The number of surviving Korean War vets inour state is dwindling almost daily, and I think they deserve every bit ofadded recognition and gratitude that we can give.”

In addition to formally establishing Korean War Veterans Armistice Day as an annual observance, the bill also clarifies that the third Friday in September each year is POW/MIA day throughout the state, directing that the POW/MIA flagsbe flown alongside the national and state banners on that day as well. HB 2138 received a unanimous thumbs-up frommembers of the House State Government & Tribal Affairs Committee this weekand could be one of the first bills OK’d by the full House during the 2012session.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Lawmakers take aim at more toxic toys

2012-01-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

Doctors, moms, lawmakers and the Washington Toxics Coalition joined forces at a press conference this morning to announce good news and bad news on infant and children’s products.

The bad news is that a new study of Hidden Hazards in the Nursery found high levels of toxic flame retardants in a jaw-dropping 85 percent of 20 popular children’s products that were tested recently—including nursing pillows, car seats, and changing pads.

The worst culprit was “chlorinated tris,” a carcinogen that has also been linked to DNA mutation, hormone disruption and other health problems. Even though this toxic threat was removed from children’s pajamas in the 1970’s, it was found in high concentrations in 80 percent of the products tested in the new study!

As a mom of a 4-year-old in Olympia put it, “It’s frustrating to find out the products my kids use contain harmful chemicals and that the government allows it.

But there is also good news: Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson and Sen. Sharon Nelson announced at the press conference that they are proposing the Toxic-Free Kids Act (HB 2266 and SB 6120) to ban toxic tris flame retardants from children’s products sold in Washington. After all, safe alternatives are readily available. Their bills would also prevent manufacturers from substituting untested and potentially dangerous alternatives to tris in their products.

As Dickerson said at the press conference, “Parents shouldn’t have to be chemists to know their children are safe from dangerous chemicals in children’s products.” That’s the philosophy that made Washington a national leader in protecting kids from toxic toys, and it is the reason why Washington’s leadership is needed to protect children again.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Tonight: Live tele town hall in the 3rd Legislative District

2012-01-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

Rep. Timm Ormsby

Spokane residents, your 3rd District legislators are hosting a town hall via phone tonight, and they want to make sure you have a chance to join the conversation.

Representatives Timm Ormsby and Andy Billig,together with Senator Lisa Brown, will be calling households in the district thisevening, beginning at around 6:00 p.m. The purpose of the call is to reach out and give constituents an opportunity to ask them questions or share their concerns about the 2012 legislative session, which began on Monday.

Rep. Andy Billig

Here’s how it works: Most people won’t have to do anything except answer the phone when it rings tonight, and stay on the line to be connected to the town hall. To ask a question, simply press STAR 3 on the phone. If youlive in the 3rd Legislative District and do not receive a phone call, here are instructions for how you can still participate. The town hall will last approximately one hour.

Tonight’s tele town hall is another way for the legislators to be accessible. Last fall, they held a series of mobile office events around the district, and last March they held two in-person town hall events. Rep. Ormsby previously hosted a tele town hall in 2010. You can see a transcript from that event here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Putting the “gay” back in marriage?

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

Photo: Lapham's Quarterly

Marriage equality was a topic of both House Speaker Frank Chopp’s opening day speech and Governor Gregoire’s State of the State address this week.

In this article from Lapham’s Quarterly, a philosophy professor suggests that same-sex marriage could revitalize matrimony, which has changed dramatically over the centuries and has taken its lumps in recent decades: The institution could be revived as a happy state – rather than, as the therapists say, something you have to work at.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

New Rx meds program will save lives in our state

2012-01-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

The number of people dying due to prescription drug overdoses in our state has grown dramatically: from 2003 to 2008 the state death rate increased 90 percent. In fact, currently, more people die from unintentional drug overdoses than in car accidents.

To crack down on this statewide overdose problem, in 2007 the legislature passed a bill that created the Washington State Prescription Monitoring Program (WA PMP), which was rolled out on October 7, 2011.

The state has since been collecting, and storing in a database, information regarding purchases of pain meds and other controlled substances (Schedule II, III, IV and V). So far the most dispensed drug—at 44 million pills to fill more than 800,000 prescriptions—was Hydrocodone / Acetaminophen (Vicodin). That’s a lot of pills and it makes sense to know where they’re going and how they’re used so that they are not misused or abused.

The WA PMP promotes public health and safety and helps improve patient care because physicians and pharmacists will be able to use the database to identify dangerous drug interactions, recognize undermanaged pain or see the need for substance-abuse treatment.

With the WA PMP, Washington joins another 47 states that have laws authorizing monitoring programs.

To learn more visit the program’s website here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Concierge Care Advisors group salutes Moeller's work for senior citizens

2012-01-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

Guarding safety and security for senior citizens and other vulnerable people should always be Mission No. 1. That undertaking is followed in terms of importance very closely by the writing of strong reporting and accountability standards for agencies and caregivers.

Admirable goals and objectives, both of these missions. In fact, state Rep. Jim Moeller for many years has led House Democrats in championing these very goals and objectives for communities all across the Evergreen State. Just recently, the elder placement and referral agency Concierge Care Advisors (CCA) saluted Moeller's work and commitment with a "Best of 2011 Award."

“Representative Moeller is truly remarkable in his ability to reach out to all stakeholders, including opponents of active legislation,” said Marc Lilly, who is the CCA CEO and co-founder. “(He) innovatively listens, but also remains true to his goal of security and safety for senior citizens."

Moeller is Speaker Pro-Tempore of the Washington State House of Representatives and a member of the House Health Care & Wellness Committee. He prime-sponsored legislation last session that, among other important new directions, calls for higher standards in recordkeeping, disclosure statements, and intake forms. In its press release touting the 49th District lawmaker's Olympian exertion, the CCA emphasized that Moeller "worked with stakeholders, including opponents, to gain passage of the first-in-the-nation legislation that regulated placement and referral agencies.

"A health-care professional himself," the CCA release continues, "Representative Moeller aggressively pursues long-term-care issues, particularly those that impact the safety and security of vulnerable adults. He was instrumental in pursuing solutions to slow or
inadequate investigations of abuse and neglect by various state departments, as well as seeking greater accountability and reporting."

"I'm grateful and honored to receive this recognition from people who themselves truly care, truly go out of their way to emphasize health and safety in the lives of all-too-often-forgotten citizens," Moeller said. “The majority of referral agencies do a good job matching senior citizens with appropriate services. Fortunately most of the time, there’s no problem at all. But yes, there are those agencies that fall short of meeting their responsibilities. And all too frequently, their shortcomings endanger the health and well-being of folks who can't fend for themselves very well, if at all.”

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Western cities most favorable

2012-01-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

According to an unscientific survey by an urban-centric web site affiliated with The Atlantic magazine, the U.S. city that generates the most favorable impression nationwide is Seattle. Coastal cities generally rated high, while the Midwest fared poorly as a region.

Denver, San Francisco, San Diego, and Portland, Oregon rounded out the top five most favorable cities.

Click here to read the entire story from the Atlantic Cities.

Image source: theatlanticcities.com

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

2012 Legislative Session is open

2012-01-09T13:41:00.000-08:00

Speaker Frank Chopp gaveled the session to order at noon today, laying out the House Democratic Caucus agenda for the upcoming year:

Create jobs now

Fund basic education

Save the safety net

Ensure equality

Provide opportunity

You can ready his opening comments here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Stay connected throughout the legislative session

2012-01-06T15:40:00.000-08:00

Most state legislatures will begin their legislative sessions in the next few weeks. Washington’s legislature willconvene for a 60-day session starting on Monday. Among one of the toppriorities will be to continue work balancing the operating budget.

The struggling economy has taken a toll on operating budgets all across the nation including right here in Washington.Unlike the federal government, our state government is required to approve a balanced operating budget. We cannot carry over operating debt from one biennium to another.

Requiring a balanced budget is good fiscal policy. But as a result of that requirement, we’ve had to cut over $10billion in state operating expenditures in the last three years as revenueshave not kept pace with demand for services.

Washington lawmakers convened for a special session in December to get a head start on the budget problem. About $500 million in “downpayment” budget cuts and fund transfers were approved, but that was only the first step.There’s still a shortfall of about another $1.5 billion that must be addressed.The shortfall can be mostly resolved through reduced spending (budget cuts),raising revenue (tax increases), or some combination of the two.

We hope you stay connected with the House Democrats throughout the legislative session (and beyond) to stay current onbudget and other discussions. We’ll do our best to keep you informed on thelatest information. There are several ways to stay connected with us:

Follow us on Twitter @WaHouseDems
Subscribe to our blog’s RSS feed – The HDC Advance. Blogger members can follow our blog here.
Visit our website for thelatest news from your representatives
Subscribe to the House of Representatives YouTube channel for the latest Legislative Updates and other videos from your representatives.
To contact any member of the House Democrats, visit our website at www.housedemocrats.wa.gov

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Cindy’s “Reaching for the American Dream” video reaches White House top 20

2012-01-06T13:30:00.000-08:00

The term "American Dream" wascoined by James Truslow Adams in his 1931 book The Epic of America. He definedit as "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement... It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but adream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attainto the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized byothers for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birthor position."

Eight decades later, people from all walks of life—and even from distant places in the globe, continue finding that Americais, indeed, the land of opportunity.

When the White House asked Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to tell their stories in a nationwide video challenge, state Rep. Cindy Ryu, aKorean-American, decided to share her journey in pursuit of the American Dream.

The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders recently announced that Ryu’s “Reaching for the American Dream” video has been selected as one of only 20 semi-finalists in the national “What’s your story?” challenge, which gathered hundreds of videosfrom across the United States.

Ryu said that her experiences in Shoreline and the 32nd LegislativeDistrict show that America is still the land of opportunity, “I think it is important for people, especially young people, to appreciate the blessings we enjoy as Americans, because we must all work together to preserve the AmericanDream for future generations.”

A group of judges will review the top 20 videos and select 10 that will appear on the White House website. The public will then be invited to vote for their favorite videos, and the top winners will be invited to share theirstories in person at the White House.

Read the full press release here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Proposed laws hope to boost voting, democracy

2012-01-06T11:26:00.000-08:00

There’s nothing more fundamental to democracy than voting.

One citizen. One vote.

That was a radical concept, an idea that has now spread around the world.

Yet many people don’t vote. They haven’t even registered to do it.

As this story in The Stranger shows, three proposed laws – introduced by three Democrats and two Republicans -- would make it easier for Washington voters to get into the habit.

Motor Voter, Turbo-Charged – House Bill 2203 would expand today’s motor-voter system. Instead of being offered the chance to register to vote when you get your driver’s license, or renew it (opt-in), the system would automatically register you to vote unless you say otherwise (opt-out).

Vote to the Deadline – House Bill 2204 would let citizens register to vote up to 5 p.m. on election day, or eight days in advance of a special election. Right now, state law cuts people off from registering to vote 29 days before elections if you do it online and eight days before the election when you do it live, in person, at your friendly county auditor’s office.

Pre-register 16-year-olds – House Bill 2205 is getting the most attention, because it would allow people 16 years and older to sign up to vote (when they turn 18) as they apply for their first driver’s license. Young people have the lowest voting turnout rates. This bill could get a lot more young adults into the habit of voting, especially now that the entire state is vote by mail. You don’t have to drive to a polling station anymore.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

46th Legislative District Town Hall THIS Saturday

2012-01-05T17:11:00.000-08:00

Meet with members of the 46th Legislative District as they prepare for the 2012 Session.

Inform your lawmakers of issues important to you and your community.

Learn about the issues facing lawmakers as they return to Olympia.

Receive an update on actions taken during the special session and the continuing budget process.

Saturday, January 7th from 1 to 2:30 PM
North Seattle Community College Concert Hall at 9600 College Way North

For a map and driving directions, please click here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

It pays to cover kids

2012-01-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

In case you missed the announcement amidst thehustle and bustle of the holidays, our state is therecipient of a $17 million bonus payment from the federal government for our “…efforts to identify and enroll eligible children in Medicaidcoverage.” In other words, we’re being rewarded for doing a great job ofproviding health care coverage to children in our state.

This isn’t the first time we’ve received a bonus for ourApple Health for Kids enrollment numbers. Last year we receivedover $20 million, and the year before nearly $8 million.

Making sure all children have health care coverage has long been apriority for House Democrats. When the legislature had to cut billionsfrom the budget in 2010, it resisted booting kids off Apple Health as a wayto save money.

Andlast year, legislators passed a bill that madechanges to state insurance laws so children could receive coverage onindividual plans without being subjected to pre-existing conditionslimitations. This prevents kids from falling through the cracks and being leftwithout any coverage.

While westill haven’tchanged eligibility requirements, the current budgetsituation has forced some recent changes to Apple Health. Mainly,families with undocumented children who earn between 201 and 300percent of the federal poverty level now face increased costs in order toreceive coverage.

You can read more about our bonus award from this article in TheOlympian.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Happy new bill!

2012-01-04T17:49:00.000-08:00

Not only did the new year begin Jan. 1, but several bills passed by the Legislature in 2011 took effect that day.

Most legislation approved last year did not kick in Jan. 1: The default effective date is 90 days after the end of a session – but the Legislature can set a different date.

Of the nine bills passed in the November-December special session, only one took effect Jan. 1: A money-saving measure that postpones from Jan. 1, 2012 to July 1, 2015 the application of a 2010 law expanding the criteria for the involuntary commitment of dangerous mentally ill persons.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Governor calls on legislators to approve marriage equality

2012-01-04T13:04:00.000-08:00

Governor Chris Gregoire made a historic call for marriageequality this morning in Olympia. Joined by Reps. Jamie Pedersen, Marko Liias, and Laurie Jinkins,Gregoire called on the legislature to deliver her a bill legalizing same-sexmarriage by the conclusion of the regular legislative session.

“Today, I’m announcing my support for a law that givessame-sex couples in our state the right to receive a marriage license inWashington- the same right given to heterosexual couples,” said Gregoire.

In the past few years alone, House Democrats have takensignificant steps to ensure equal protection under the law for gay and lesbiansacross Washington. Just two years ago,the legislature passed and voters OK’ed Referendum 71, which expanded rightsfor same-sex couples but fell short of marriage equality.

Following the governor’s announcement, House Speaker Frank Chopp said “Our caucus has a proud history of supporting equality for allpeople in Washington. Every family should have the same rights andresponsibilities under the law, and I appreciate Governor Gregoire’s support ofmarriage equality.”

“It’s good for families, it’s good for the state, and it’sthe right thing to do,” added Speaker Chopp.

If signed into law, Washington would be the seventh state inthe country to expand full marriage rights to same-sex couples.

You can find the full text of the governor’s speech here, as well as thevideo here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

49th Legislative District Town Hall

2012-01-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

Your 49th Legislative District lawmakers- Rep. Jim Moeller, Sen. Craig Pridemore, and Rep. Sharon Wylie - cordiallyinvite you to a town hall meeting on:

Saturday, January 7, 2012
10 a.m. to noon.
PublicService Center 6th floor Hearing Room
1300 Franklin Street, Vancouver

Keep your lawmakers informed on theissues that are important to you and your community so they can betterrepresent you in Olympia, and if you have questions, be sure to bring themalong.

Get briefed on the actions taken duringthe December Special Session to close the budget gap and learn about the billsyour lawmakers will be working on when the regular Legislative Session conveneson Jan. 9.

Let’s kick-off the New Year with the bestfoot forward by getting the conversation started!

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Chris Reykdal wants you...

2012-01-03T15:00:00.000-08:00

Rep. Chris Reykdal (D-Olympia)

…to participate in tonight’s telephone town hall, that is.

Rep. Chris Reykdal will be spending the evening discussing the upcoming legislative session and last month’s special session, as well as taking questions directly from constituents.

If you are a resident of the 22nd Legislative District and have a burning question for Rep. Reykdal, or would simply like to hear what he has to say, be sure to pick up the phone when he calls you at 6 p.m. tonight.

If you do not receive a call, you can call toll-free 1-877-229-8493 between 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. to connect to the live event.

This is the first telephone town hall for Rep. Reykdal, who hosted an in-person town hall last spring at Garfield Elementary School in Olympia.

Tonight’s event will serve as a way for Rep. Reykdal to hear from constituents as we move into the legislative session, as well as another avenue for citizens to access their representatives in the legislature.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Who represents you?

2012-01-03T13:30:00.000-08:00

Commission redraws our state’s political map

Every ten years, the political lines get redrawn after the census. It’s a complicated process, but necessary to make sure your vote counts the same as anyone else’s vote.

You can see the new Congressional and legislative district maps here, at the Redistricting Commission’s website.

Traditionally, lawmakers redrew their own boundaries. That still happens in other states, and there have been problems with that sort of system. Sometimes, political parties in power tried to draw new districts that hurt the party out of power.

Here in Washington state, the process is more open and fair. A commission of five citizens is appointed, with the House suggesting two names (one from the Democrats and one from the Republican), the Senate suggesting two and the governor picking a non-partisan, non-voting chair.

If a state is holding steady in population, this job isn’t too hard. You adjust the lines a little. But if a state is growing – or shrinking – a lot, you’ve got to rewrite the map and possibly add (or subtract) Congressional districts.

Our state grew enough that we gained a seat in Congress, with that new 10th District centered on Olympia.

We have 49 legislative districts, according to the state constitution. That number doesn’t grow or shrink according to the population. The districts do grow or shrink, depending on their population. What redistricting does is make sure every legislative district has roughly the same number of citizens, so your vote counts the same as any other voter in the state.

The process just finished this year, with all five commissioners working together to travel the state, listen to citizens and redraw the maps.

All the commissioners voted for the final plan.

Here’s the joint statement from two of the Democratic commissioners:

January 1, 2012
For Immediate Release: Joint Statement
Redistricting Commissioners Dean Foster and Tim Ceis

Redistricting Commission reaches historic agreement
For the third time, the Washington State redistricting process has worked.

This is a bi-partisan process and it is always a challenge dealing with competing objectives. But we have reached a fair and equitable resolution that will serve the citizens of Washington well.

There were many historic changes in the adopted plan, including the addition of a 10th congressional district to Washington as well as a majority minority 9th Congressional District. The Commission also agreed to the first majority Latino district in our state and brings the total number of minority majority legislative districts to four. The 15th Legislative District, which is now comprised of over 54.5 percent Latino population, reflects the growing diversity of central Washington and the state as a whole.

The adopted Legislative and Congressional plans strive to equalize population, minimize unnecessary city and county splits, and keep communities of interest intact. The amount of public comment we heard throughout the process was instrumental in helping us make this determination and we thank the public for their participation.

The redistricting process included unprecedented public participation including 18 public hearings around the state, interactive web-based comments, and incorporation of comments from county auditors. The process has been successfully completed and it is now submitted to the legislature.

Details of the agreement can be found on the Redistricting website.

Contact: Amy Ruble 360-786-7222

Newlegislative district boundaries as approved by the Washington State RedistrictingCommission on January 1, 2012.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Give me your yen, your peso, your euro, yearning to be spent freely

2012-01-03T11:43:00.000-08:00

More than 140,000 Washingtonians had a job to go to last year thanks in large measure to the tourists who pumped more than $15 billion into the Evergreen State economy.

And actually, everyone else here also benefited because these visitors kicked in $1 billion for state and local taxes. Check these reports from the state Department of Commerce, as well as information from the Washington State Tourism industry.

Things are looking up, way up, for tourism all across the land. In fact, a recent Los Angeles Times story, "Spending by foreign tourists at record level," discusses very encouraging new details in a recent report from the U.S. Office of Travel and Tourism Industries. Folks from around the globe are on their way to spending more in the United States than foreign visitors have ever spent here before.

Spending from international tourism, according to predictions from the travel and tourism office, might very well top $152 billion in 2011. Such a mark would eclipse the previous top standard of $141 billion rung up in 2008.

Take this past October, for instance. The federal agency noted that foreign visitors plunked down $3.1 billion that month to travel to the United States -- and then spent upward of $10 billion buying things and doing stuff after they got here. That October 2011 figure was a 13-percent increase over the same month a year ago.

It's also estimated that Canada (31 percent), Mexico (13 percent), China (10 percent), and Brazil (7 percent) will make up two-thirds of the expected climb in international visitation to the United States the next five years.

Photo: Washington State Department of Transportation.
The Washington Ferry System, a very popular tourist attraction, is the
largest ferry system in the world carrying nearly 23 million riders per year.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Disparity: Mainstream Washington women mainly treading water in wages

2011-12-29T16:41:00.000-08:00

Call it the Evergreen Ceiling. Maybe that’s an appropriate and awfully unfortunate new Washington sobriquet -- what with our ranking 41st nationally in the wage disparity between women and men.

So reports the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, according to this recent "Disparity in wages puts Washington at No. 41" article in the Spokesman-Review newspaper. Here’s the specific, state-by-state table on the bureau’s website.

That's right. By a good many measures, the Evergreen State justly prides itself on the accomplishments of citizens who make up more than half of its population:

Women U.S. senators? Check.

Woman governor? Check.

Woman Chief Justice of state Supreme Court? Check.

Woman majority leader in state Senate? Check.

Women significant percentages in both state legislative chambers? Check.

But when it comes to wages for average working women, that's another story. Consider that in 2010 women totaled 938,000 and men 1,255,000 of the state's workforce of 2,193,000.

Washington women working full time earned $748 a week in 2010, which is 76.5 percent of the $978 that the men here took home every week. On average, U.S. women earned $669 a week, which is 81.2 percent of the median weekly wage of $824 for men.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Mapmaker, mapmaker, make me a map…

2011-12-28T16:45:00.000-08:00

With only a few days to spare, the Washington State Redistricting Commission released its draft proposal for new congressional district boundaries Dec. 28. Due to population growth between 2000 and 2010, the state earned an additional representative in Congress, so the commission had to carve out a new 10th district.

The commission must adopt plans for Congress and the state Legislature by Jan. 1, or the state Supreme Court takes over those tasks. You can follow the commission’s progress and view more maps on its web site.

The next commission meeting will be covered live by TVW on Thursday, December 29 at 10:30 a.m. Check your local listings or click here to watch the hearing.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

For whom the toll bills

2011-12-28T14:31:00.000-08:00

Before the sun risesover Lake Washington tomorrow – in fact, nearly three hours before the sunstruggles to shine through the clouds and rain – the first toll will becollected on a car crossing the state Route 520 bridge.

Although “collected”may not be quite the right word: For a driver who has purchased a “Good to Go!”pass and installed the sticker on his or her vehicle, the toll will be deductedautomatically from the prepaid account; otherwise, a camera will record thevehicle’s license plate and send the owner a (higher) bill.

Visit theWashington state Department of Transportation web site for more information, or the WSDOT blogfor the answers to 10 frequently-asked questions about tolling.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Photo: WSDOT

Happy holidays from the House Democrats

2011-12-23T10:43:00.000-08:00

Snow on capitol campus, Feb. 2011

Expectlight blogging from us over the next week as we try to get in as much qualitytime with our loved ones as we can before returning to our legislative dutiesin the New Year.

Althoughthings are fairly quiet around here these days, there is still activity takingplace behind the scenes. The special session adjourned on December 14, but House budgetwriters have continued to work on an agreement to close the remaining shortfallin the state budget. Also, bills for the2012 Session (which begins January 9) are being prefiledthis month. The coming weeks will bringmuch debate about how best to move our state forward, but we are encouraged bysome of the recent economic news here in Washington.

In themeantime, all of us at the House Democratic Caucus wish you and yours the joyof the season.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

For some Washington schools, good nutrition pays off. Literally.

2011-12-21T13:30:00.000-08:00

By all accounts America is getting heavier and our state is not the exception. Want proof? Just today the AP reported that our ferries are adjusting their capacity guidelines due to the fact that we’re getting bigger.

Obesity is a problem, but so is the other end of the spectrum and, unfortunately, too many kids in America are either too heavy or too thin.

But here in Washington we’re doing something about it and our efforts have not gone unnoticed. Want proof? The Healthier US School Challenge recently awarded 21 of our schools in five school districts (Camas, Battle Ground, Highline, Hockinson and Marysville) cash incentive awards based on how they:

Improve nutritional quality in food
Provide nutrition education
Provide physical education and opportunities for physical activity

For details on what the awards entail and to see if your school made the cut, read the press release by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Blue-ribbon board named for Probst’s Opportunity Scholarships program

2011-12-21T08:30:00.000-08:00

The Opportunity Scholarships undertaking spearheaded by Rep. Tim Probst of Vancouver got a blue-ribbon boost Dec. 20 when Gov. Gregoire named the program’s board of directors.

The five men and two women bring to the board a distinguished record of achievement at some of the state’s leading corporations, including Boeing, Microsoft, Weyerhaeuser, Costco and Puget Sound Energy.

The program, designed to make college more affordable for middle-class families and approved by the Legislature earlier this year, received a major financial infusion in June when Boeing and Microsoft pledged $50 million for the scholarships.

Additional details can be found on our website here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

A tale of two legislators

2011-12-19T15:16:00.000-08:00

Rep. Fred Finn

Sen. Adam Kline

They graduated only one year apart, but state Rep. Fred Finn and state Sen. Adam Kline never met while they were both undergraduates at Johns Hopkins University in the 1960's. It would take almost forty years for their paths to cross again, this time in the Washington State Legislature.

The two legislators - who now also count each other as friends - are featured in an article in the latest issue of Johns Hopkins' Arts & Sciences alumni magazine. While their districts, constituencies and political philosophies differ, as well as the paths that brought them out west, both Rep. Finn and Sen. Kline agree that our state Legislature is a good place to build consensus. In fact, we've done a pretty good job here of avoiding the gridlock that often paralyzes the other Washington.

The online version of the JHU article can be found here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Washington jobs increase again . . . and again . . . and again

2011-12-19T08:30:00.000-08:00

It might come as a blow to some folks we know who make a living talking about “Washington’s unfriendly business climate,” but the latest data show the Evergreen State added 12,000 new private-sector jobs in November.

And lest you think this is a fluke, November was the 14th month out of the last 15 during which job growth in the state showed a net gain.

We’re not out of the woods yet, of course; while the overall unemployment rate dropped again last month, it still tops 8 percent. And for an unemployed breadwinner, knowing that someone else got a job may be nice, a cause for hope . . . but that doesn’t put bread on the table.

That’s why House Democrats are continuing efforts to help Washington’s economy return to the upward path it was on before the Great Recession threw the world into turmoil. It’s clear these efforts are paying off, and new legislation planned for the 2012 session will continue the positive trend.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

And the winner is…Washington wins up to $60 million in early learning grant money

2011-12-16T11:00:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: Washington has won the full $60 million grant award.

Washington is oneof nine states that will share $500 million in early learning grant moneyfrom the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services.

Washington will receive up to $60 million as part of the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge grant. The Race to the Top grantprogram challenged states to enact reforms that would increase access tohigh-quality early learning programs for children in low-income families.

Rep. Ruth Kagi, who chairs the House Early Learning &Human Services committee, heard the good news straight from Governor Gregoirethis morning.

“This is truly the result of a collective effort by peopleacross the state who have kept a focus on the importance of early learning,”Rep. Kagi said. “It started years ago with the Legislature’s creation of the Early LearningAdvisory Council and Washington Learns, and is very promising for the future ofeducation in our state.”

House Democrats championed a numberof reforms that have improved early learning in Washington. Thesereforms, and our continued commitment to ensuring all kids are ready forschool, put us in an excellent position to receive Race to the Top funding. Afew of the recent reforms that helped push our application to the top are:

Creating a Quality Rating and Improvement System to help licensed child care centers provide high-quality care.

Implementing the successful WaKIDS program statewide by the 2014-15 school year. WaKids brings parents, teachers, and early learning provides together to help young children transition into public schools.

Developing early learning guidelines.

Strengthening measurement tools that track student progress from preschool to college.

Enhancing professional development opportunities through awards and incentives for early learning providers.

"This Early Learning Race to the Top grant is a huge win for Washington's families, schools, and communities," said Rep. Marcie Maxwell, Deputy Majority Leader for Education & Opportunity. "Quality preschool and full day kindergarten experiences are the smartest program and dollar investments we can make."

For more information about Washington’s Early Learning Plan,click here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Cow power: Clean energy and money for farmers

2011-12-15T15:35:00.000-08:00

How can you turn a nasty, expensive problem into a huge winner?

Local dairy farmers spend tons of time, energy and money cleaning up the manure generated by their cows. It’s a hazard to human health and the environment if you do it wrong, and it’s just plain costly when you do it right.

But as this KIRO 7 story shows, you can turn cow pies into cow power.

Photo: KIRO TV

Dairy farmer Brian DeGroot told KIRO 7 he spent up to $3,000 a month disposing of all the manure produced by his dairy cows. Even a single dairy cow can produce a heck of a lot of that stuff.

What a feat of human ingenuity. A giant, stinky problem will now be transformed into clean energy and cash.

This is an amazing story of creativity. It’s a win for farmers, a win for jobs and a win for the environment.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Legislature adjourns for the year

2011-12-14T16:40:00.000-08:00

The 2011 second special session of the legislature has adjourned sine die as of around 4:00 p.m. this afternoon.

During the 17-day session, legislators made progress towards closing a projected $2 billion shortfall in the state operating budget. A "down payment" of nearly $500 million in cuts and savings was agreed upon by both the House and Senate earlier this week, and both chambers passed the measure.

There is clearly more to be done, but this is an important step forward. Budget writers will continue to work on an agreement to close the remaining shortfall clear through to the regular session slated to begin January 9.

Additionally, legislators passed a handful of other bills during this special session that will help Washingtonians affected by the tough economy. One measure will help military families who relocate to our state by allowing for expedited professional licensing of military spouses. This will enable qualified people to enter our workforce, and support our active-duty servicemen and -women by ensuring that their spouses can more easily find employment in our state. Another bill makes an important technical fix to last year's Foreclosure Fairness Act in order to ensure that homeowners and financial institutions will continue to have access to required mediation services.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Leading planners name Springer “2011 Legislator of the Year”

2011-12-14T14:00:00.000-08:00

Rep. Larry Springer

The future is now. No one knows better than the American Planning Association (APA) that our future depends on what our leaders do today. That’s whythe HDC is proud that the Washington Chapter of the APA recently named Rep. Larry Springeras its “2011 Legislator of the Year.”

As announced in the RedmondReporter and other news outlets, Springer was honored for his leadership on new laws that help local communities save taxdollars and plan for better futures.

The award announcement especially highlighted Springer’s leadership for thehomeless and for cost-effective reforms that help local governments maintainparks and facilities, undertake annexations, conserve open space, and buildinfrastructure for jobs and economic development.

Jill Sterret, President of the APA Washington Chapter, put it this way, “As a formermayor of Kirkland, well known for its good planning, his long record of publicservice shows his understanding of and commitment to the principles of goodplanning.”

The APA’s Legislator of the Year award is a good reminder that Larry Springer notonly serves the 45th District,he helps businesses, workers and communities across our entire state in hisrole as Deputy Majority Leader for Jobs & Economic Development in thepeople’s House.

Congratulations,Larry Springer!

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Washingtonians are recycling more than ever

2011-12-14T11:31:00.000-08:00

The Washington State Department of Ecology announced in a press release today that our state’s recycling rate increased to 49 percentlast year – its highest rate ever. In fact, that puts us within reach of the 50 percent goal set by the legislature in 1989 (the nationwide average was 34 percent in 2010).

In recent years, legislators have passed bills promoting more participation in recycling among local jurisdictions andwithin state government, and expanding the types of materials that can berecycled in our state. For example, in 2009 a bill that moved all state agencies toward using 100percent recycled paper was signed into law. The followingyear, a productstewardship program for recycling mercury light bulbs cleared the legislature, as well as a bill to give local governments more flexibility to encourage recycling and meet waste-reduction goals in their communities. It is hoped that these measures can help push our state tothe 50 percent – orhigher – mark.

Ecology maintains an excellent consumer website with recycling resources andinformation. It also staffs a toll-free hotline(1-800-RECYCLE) Mondays through Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to providepeople with information about where to recycle particular items or where theclosest recycling facility is located.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Boeing/Machinists deal is a big deal for Washington’s credit rating

2011-12-14T09:46:00.000-08:00

The good news just keeps pouring in! Over the past few weeks we’velearned that:

Small businesses are getting help to export their goods and services.
Businesses will have reduced costs in 2012 thanks tostate reforms.
Boeing’s 737 MAX will be built in Renton.
Consumer Reports gave kudos to fiveWashington businesses.
Our Ag industry is doing better thanexpected.

All of these are evidence that our economy—while still struggling, is recovering slowly but surely.

After hearing back in August that Standard &Poor’s had downgraded our nation’s credit rating, weare proud to hear that our state’s credit rating is in good shape, according toNicole Johnson, Moody's Investor Service Senior Vice President.

Photo: Machinists News Blog

In her report dated December 12, Johnson stated that the deal between Boeing Company and theInternational Association ofMachinists (IAM) union, which secures thousands of jobs andprovides union members a bonus that could boost sales tax collections, is credit positive for Washington state.

Moody’s rating for Washington is Aa1, which is defined here as “Obligations rated Aaare judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk. Themodifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its genericrating category.”

The newly ratified contract willenhance economic stability throughout the entire state. Johnson’s reporthighlights that the manufacturing sector in Washington accounts for 9.3% of allprivate sector jobs, and that, of those, the ones that include Boeingmachinists are a substantially bigger part of the state’s economy: the durablegoods manufacturing component that includes aerospace is 71.4% of allWashington manufacturing jobs compared to 61.3% nationwide.

Also worth noting is that Washington has regained the 5,000 Boeingaerospace jobs that were lost during the recession and the sector is expectedto grow as the company increases production (to fill these orders and these, and these) over the next several years.

TheBureau of Labor Statistics reports that Aerospace jobs are well-paying, with an average hourlywage of $37.57 compared to $23.32 for all manufacturing workers. In Washington,Johnson states in her comment, spending from those high wages have a multipliereffect that contributes to the overall strength of our state’s economy.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Budget down-payment clears House this evening

2011-12-13T18:32:00.000-08:00

By a vote of 86-8, the House of Representatives took the first big bite out of the budget deficit today with the approval of HB 2058. The measure now heads to the Senate for approval there.

More information on the plan is available here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Wanted: Energetic and enthusiastic students to serve as legislative pages

2011-12-13T14:00:00.000-08:00

House pages Myah Dawkins and Ty'zhuan Lewis
serving as flag bearers

The House and Senate are now accepting applications for theLegislative Page Program. Due to limited space, interested students areencouraged to apply as soon as possible.

While spending a week in Olympia, pages receive ahands-on and interactive civics lesson at the state legislature. Pages performa wide variety of tasks such as presenting the colors, running messages, and during debates on the Houseand Senate floors. Students also spend a few hours a day learning about stategovernment in the page school.

“I really encourage students and their parents to consider this,” saidRep. Larry Seaquist. “This is a great way for school-room study of history anddemocracy to come alive. Our pages really enjoy this week in the House.”

To serve as a legislative page, a public, private, or home school studentmust:

Have permission from a parent or guardian
Have permission from school
Be sponsored by a current member of the House of Representatives orSenate
Be at least 14 years of age and not have reached his or her 17th birthday

Click here andhere to watch videos about the legislative page program.

Additional information about the House page program can be found here. Click here to visit the Senate Page Program website.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Calling all 45th District residents…

2011-12-13T09:05:00.000-08:00

Feeling abit disconnected from your state legislature these days? Wish you couldtalk directly with your state representative?

Well, ifyou live in the 45th Legislative District, you’ll be able toparticipate in a live telephone town hall with state Rep. Roger Goodman tomorrow evening.

Rep.Goodman will be calling households in his district at about 6:00 p.m. onWednesday, December 14. To participate in the live town hall, simply stayon the line when you get the call.

Duringthe hour-long event, participants will have the opportunity to ask Rep. Goodmanquestions and speak directly with him.

Telephonetown halls are another way for legislators to communicate with and receivefeedback from their constituents. While they are not a replacement forlive town halls in the district, they do provide a way for more people toparticipate. In fact, over 6000 constituents participated last month in atelephone town hall hosted by Rep. Ross Hunter in the neighboring 48th Legislative District.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

House Democrats welcome Rep. Pollet!

2011-12-12T16:00:00.000-08:00

Rep. Gerry Pollet

Last week a new face joined the House Democratic Caucus:Rep. Gerry Pollet. Rep. Pollet was appointed to the House of Representatives bythe King County Council, following Rep. David Frockt’s appointment to the Senate and the untimely death ofour colleague and friend Sen. Scott White.

A thirty-year resident of Seattle, Gerry is ExecutiveDirector and co-founder of Heart of America Northwest, a 16,000 memberorganization dedicated to environmental clean-up. Gerry also teaches at theUniversity of Washington’s School of Public Health.

Gerry arrived in Olympia just hours after being sworn inby the King County Council, and has been busy getting up-to-speed with specialsession.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

House boosts Kittitas County solar project

2011-12-12T15:09:00.000-08:00

A bill to give afinancial lift to a major solar power project near Cle Elum won easy approvalin the House Monday.

The bill, by Rep. Deb Eddy of Kirkland, doubles the renewable energy credits for power from the Teanaway SolarReserve. That should significantly help backers obtain constructionfinancing for the project, which will create jobs in Kittitas County.

“The entireelectrical system is in the midst of a transformation,” Eddy said. “Theintroduction of wind power into our grid was only the beginning. TheTeanaway project will bring utility-scale solar generation into the Washingtonmix, helping raise the profile of this renewable.”

The 80-9 vote for HB1365 sends the measure to the Senate. A similar Eddy bill cleared the House inthe 2011 regular session but died in the Senate, as discussed in a June article in The Daily Record in Ellensburg.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Budget hearing at 3:30 today

2011-12-12T13:42:00.000-08:00

A bipartisan plan toclose nearly one-fourth of the projected $2 billion state budget gap was setfor a hearing Monday in the House Ways and Means Committee.

The bill, by ChairRoss Hunter of Medina, spells out $480 million in cuts and savings in the2011-13 biennial budget, which was initially adopted by the Legislature last spring. Since then, the economy’s sluggish growth has resulted in officialforecasts that revenues will fall $2 billion short of what’s outlined in thebudget, plus necessary reserves.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Boating association honors Upthegrove for championing copper paint phaseout

2011-12-09T16:26:00.000-08:00

Applyingcopper-based biocides to the underside of boats and other marine vessels helpskeep the growth of algae and barnacles in check. Butthese “anti-fouling” paints leach copper into our waterways that is toxic to aquatic life, and are extremely costly for boatyards to clean up.

That’swhy lawmakers passed a bill lastsession to begin transitioning away from copper-based anti-fouling paints toother effective but less toxic alternatives. The bill was a great example of thebusiness and environmental communities coming together in order to protectWashington’s “Evergreen Legacy” – in this case, our precious waterways andmarine life - as well as our small businesses.

Yesterday,the Northwest Marine Trade Association – which represents 640 small businesses across Washington –gave its “Legislator of the Year” award to Rep. Dave Upthegrove for his leadership on the bill. Rep. Upthegrove was the bill's House sponsor, and aschairman of the Environment committee helped ensure its smooth passage. In his acceptance speech to the NMTA, Rep.Upthegrove noted that Puget Sound has played a large role in his life going allthe way back to his childhood, when he and his brother would play at SeahurstBeach in Burien. His district is also home to boatyards that benefit from cleaner, safer marine vessel paints.

You can read the press release about his awardhere.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

The jobs are coming; now we need the workers

2011-12-09T13:59:00.000-08:00

Thousands of Boeing jobs will stay in Washington thanksto a deal struck by Boeing and union leaders last week, then ratified by workers on Wednesday. It’s an exciting development for the state,as the 737MAX orders have piled up to 700 airplanes already. Some big orders and more reasons to celebratemightalso be in the works.

With all those good jobs staying and coming into the state,House Democrats want to ensure they are filled by Washington workers. So we are moving quickly to help trainworkers for aerospace jobs now and in the future. Within the next week, we will hear thesebills:

Provide $1M for theAerospace Training Student Loan Program The loan program was created to break down financialbarriers for workers to receive training for aerospace jobs. With this investment, loans will trainworkers for jobs ready now, then be paid back into the fund to keep connectingworkers with jobs.
Establish AerospaceTraining Pathways in Middle and High School Building on the last year’s Launch Year legislation, thiswill encourage school districts to adopt Project Lead the Way, an innovativeScience, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) curriculum, that can combinewith aerospace technical courses.
Strengthen TeacherMath and Science Standards More rigorous math and science standards for studentsentering teacher preparation programs will be set by the Professional EducatorStandards Board.
Give Higher EducationCredit Equivalencies Just as Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureatecourses in high school become college credit, Project Lead the Way courseswould have credit equivalencies at our community, technical and four-yearuniversities.

Here is a press release with more information.

To read this blog in Spanish, click here.

Helping veterans who have suffered traumatic brain injuries

2011-12-09T09:49:00.000-08:00

Our veterans don't simply put theirlives on hold for our country. In many cases, these men and women who volunteeredto stand in harm's way for us put their very lives on the line.

Tragically and all too often, however, a huge need goes unanswered for some ofthese injured warriors now struggling mightily to endure traumatic braininjuries (TBI).

These injuries are very difficult to treat and manage becauseafflicted individuals might actually feel some kind of normal on the inside.And yet, they have to work terribly hard carving out a new life and overcomingseverely curtailed physical abilities on the outside.

Aimed at strengthening services for combat veterans as well as otherpeople enduring TBI is House Bill 1614, which was passed and signed into law earlier this year.

The Washington TBI StrategicPartnership Advisory Council isworking with the Department of Social and HealthServices to develop and monitor astatewide, comprehensive plan addressing the needs of TBI patients.

A recent Seattle Weekly article -- "VA Staffers Say They Can't MeetDemand for Soldiers' Mental Health Care" (Dec. 8, 2011)-- reveals a dreadful canyon, the vast ravine between services needed andservices received. The Obama administration notes that more than 30,000 troops will be coming home from Afghanistanby the end of next year.

That's wonderful news in anybody'sbook, and especially wonderful when joined up with thousands of their comrades in arms coming home from Iraq. The huge question looms, though: Are we, and mostpointedly, is the Veterans Administration prepared for the enormous and inevitable population of trauma andPTSD cases?

To readthis blog post in Spanish, go here.

Hunter’s school funding reform draws notice

2011-12-08T18:13:00.001-08:00

Ross Hunter has rolled out his sweeping proposal to reform the school levy equalizationprogram in a couple of settings, and it’s beginning to attract media attention.

He went public with it Nov. 19in a speech to the Washington State School Directors’ Association, and the Waysand Means Committee he chairs held a work session on the concept Dec. 7.

Hunter’s plan would provide budgetary relief for the state without hurtingschool districts, and ideally tap future economic growth more effectively. Sofar, he has not introduced a bill incorporating the proposal.

To read this blogpost in Spanish, click here.

Texting while driving: a growing danger

2011-12-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

Quite possibly as dangerous as driving drunk

A new nationalreport says Driving While Texting – which some experts say is as dangerous asdrunk driving – went up 50 percent last year.

Some key numbersfrom the report, which you can readhere:

18 percent of drivers said they’ve sent texts or emails while driving
Half of driversaged 21 to 24 said they’ve texted while driving
At any givingtime, almost 1 percent of drivers are texting

According to theAssociated Press story, other places in America saw reductions in this behaviorby drivers after new laws were passed.

Pilot projectsin Hartford, Connecticut and Syracuse, New York showed a reduction after apublic education campaign was coupled with police enforcement.

Driving WhileTexting dropped by a third in Syracuse.

It was cut by 57percent in Hartford, Connecticut.

Here in Washington state, we responded by passing a law banning texting whiledriving.

It will beinteresting to see how our state’s latest numbers compare to the nationalreport.

The AP storyquotes a spokesman for the Governor’s Highway Safety Association, JonathanAdkins, as saying enforcement is the best approach: "It is clear thateducational messages alone aren't going to change their behavior. Rather, goodlaws with strong enforcement are what is needed. Many drivers won't stoptexting until they fear getting a ticket. The increase shows what an uphillchallenge distracted driving remains."

To read this blogpost in Spanish, click here.

SR 520 tolling—Will you be Good To Go?

2011-12-07T17:16:00.001-08:00

Breakingnews: Tollingon the 520 bridge will start Dec. 29. Being prepared can save you money, timeand peace of mind.

Tolling the currentbridge while building the new one will slash public costs and help keep futuretolls low, but it will also add traffic to SR 522, I-5, I-90, and I-405 ascommuters explore alternative routes. That’s why our state’s Department ofTransportation (WSDOT) and local communities are making a massiveeffort to smooth the transition by giving travelers more tools and choices thatyou should you know about.

Know your tollingchoices.You can always drive your vehicle across the bridge and have a bill mailed toyou automatically, but having a GoodToGo! sticker will save you$1.50 each trip—and it works on every tolling facility in the state! Thewww.Goodtogo520.orgweb page makes it easy to get a sticker and offers great tips. Be sure to checkout the SR 520 Tolling Video.

Understand bargaintolling.You can get deep discounts for crossing the 520 bridge during non-peak hours.The SR 520 Toll Rates web page gives you an idea ofhow much you can save.

Know your transitoptions.Metro and Sound transit are adding nearly 130 bus trips each day toroutes that go around or cross the 520 bridge. Metro’s Getting across the 520 Bridge web page offersgreat tools for finding transit and ride-sharing alternatives to regular tolls,including expanded Cross-lake bus routes and schedules and a handy Eastside Park and Ride Map (PDF).

Know your trafficconditions. Drive smart and save time with up-to-the-minute traffic info from WSDOT’s SeattleArea Traffic page, or Dial 511 Travel info, and Twitterfeeds.

As HouseTransportation Committee Chair Judy Clibborn puts it,“Knowing your choices, planning ahead, and allowing some extra time to reachyour destination will go a long way toward making the transition to tolling aseasy as possible.”

To readthis blog post in Spanish, click here.

Want help selling your stuff in the rest of the world? You got it!

2011-12-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

Our state is still facing financial challenges, but two recent announcements show Washington has a brighter future to look forward to.

Lastweek we heard that Boeing’s737 MAX will be built in Renton and today we have greatnews for businesses that want to sell their products abroad.

Backin June of 2010, Governor Gregoire announced the WashingtonExport Initiative toincrease the number of companies exporting their goods and services, andup the total export sales out of Washington. The state initiative complementsthe National Export Initiative, President Obama’s plan to double the nation’sexports by 2015. After 16 months of hard work by the Department of Commerce, the $1.6 millionExportWashington program for small businesses was launched yesterday.

Whilesmall businesses make up about 95 percent of all Washington businesses, only 4percent are currently exporting. This new program will grow that figure byhelping open up international markets for about 100 Washington companies andgenerate $58 million in new export sales.

For more information on this program and how itcan help your business, read the Department of Commerce press release.

To read this blog post in Spanish, click here.

Frank Chopp talks protests, budget, Boeing and more

2011-12-06T08:57:00.000-08:00

TVW’s Inside Olympia sat down with House Speaker Frank Choppto run through current state issues. They touched on a lot, and I bet youcan guess what subject Chopp is “ecstatic” about.

(Note: If the video below doesn't play, you can also see it at this link)

To read this blog post in Spanish, click here.

Taking the bounce out of borrowing

2011-12-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

Because of a provision in the state constitution, thedownturn in state revenues in the Great Recession also has severely crimped the legalability of the state to borrow money – money that might be used for stimulusprojects at a time when the economy could use a boost. But last week, a state commission recommended changing the constitution so the borrowing limitationisn’t tied quite so tightly to recent revenue fluctuations.

The current rule sets the state’s debt limit at a percentageof the annual average of general revenues in the previous three years. The commission, whose membership includes Rep. Hans Dunshee of Snohomish, would calculate the average based on the previous sixyears, reducing the impact of busts (and booms) and making for a smoother ridefrom highs to lows. The commission recommended some other changes, too,designed to improve management of the state debt.

The Crosscut web site has writtenabout the issue and the commission posted its report online.

To readthis blog post in Spanish, go here.

National Governors Association: State governments are feeling the squeeze

2011-12-05T13:30:00.000-08:00

The National Governors Associationand the NationalAssociation of State Budget Officers released a report todayconfirming most state legislatures are still facing difficult economicsituations.

The Fall 2011 Fiscal Survey of Statesshows overall general fund spending by state legislatures are still atpre-recession levels. While revenues have declined, demand for core governmentservices like education, transportation, and public safety continues toincrease putting states in a difficult position.

Washington is feeling the pinch too. Despite cutting over $10.5billion from the state’s general fund budget in thepast three years, we are facing another $2 billion budget deficit.

The governor laid out two different plans to address thebudget shortfall – an all-cuts budget and an alternative planthat would “buy back” some of the cuts with a temporary sales tax increase. Thenew revenue would restore about $411 million in cuts to education, $42 millionfor long-term care and developmentally disabled services, and $41 million inpublic safety.

The Legislature held public work sessions this week todiscuss the governor’s proposals.

To read this blog post in Spanish, go here.

Election turnout up, but still low in off-year

2011-12-05T08:30:00.000-08:00

The Washington Secretary of State reported this week that“turnout” in the Nov. 8 election came in at just under 53 percent of allregistered voters (the SOS puts “turnout” in quotation marks because theelection was conducted entirely by mail, a process designed in part toencourage voting).

That rate of participation was 6 percentage points higherthan Secretary of State Sam Reed predicted – but it’s still, of course, barelymore than half of all registered voters. And when the 1.94 millionballots cast are compared to the state’s total voting-age (18 and over) population of 5.14million, the participation rate drops to about 40 percent.*

Off-year elections without races for presidentor governor, like the one Nov. 8, yield relatively low participation rates. In the last presidential election, in 2008, turnoutreached close to 85 percent – although, again, the percentage of participationamong the voting-age population would be considerably lower.

*Those numbers yield a rate of under 38 percent, but the Census figures for the 18-and-over population include non-citizens not eligible to vote, so the turnout of the eligible voting-age population would be somewhat above that percentage.

To readthis blog post in Spanish, go here.

The state of children in Washington state

2011-12-02T12:29:00.001-08:00

Coach Dave Quall – former chair of Education and longtimemember of the House – always asked, “Is it good for the boys and girls?”

That was his test of whether a bill should pass.

The bigger question is, “How are the boys and girls doing?”

Children’s Alliance teamed up with the Washington StateBudget and Policy Center to form KIDS COUNT and to take a look at how kids inour state.

Their new report, Stateof Washington’s Children, is a snapshot of data about kids, includinginformation on education, poverty and hunger.

While our state has many advantages and strengths –including the nation’s top SAT scores – the report shows that we have work todo, especially in light of the global recession:

One in five children do not graduate from highschool

More than 100,000 children still lack healthinsurance, despite a massive statewide effort to cover every child

Since 2007, unemployment has doubled amongworking moms and dads

25 percent of children aren’t getting enoughfood

These problems are not unique to our state. But the childrenaffected by these problems are unique to our state, our neighborhoods and our families.

To read this blog post in Spanish,click here.

A one-stop link for services

2011-12-01T13:00:00.001-08:00

State Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson and House Democrats proposedan exciting new idea in 2010—an “opportunity portal” to provide fast,efficient, one-stop access to a wide array of federal, state and local benefitsthat are available to Washington residents. The result was anew law and the nation-leading Washington Connection(www.washingtonconnection.org) portal.

An important milestone was reached yesterday when SeattleMayor Mike McGinn announced that City of Seattle benefits and services can nowbe accessed through Washington Connection. He noted that it’s the “first partnership of its kind in the nationbetween a state and a large city.”

Thanks to WashingtonConnections, Washington residents can quickly learn about and apply forservices and benefits that include food assistance, medical assistance, cash, education, veterans benefits,home care services, housing assistance and more. It is safe, secure andlightning fast.

WashingtonConnections is the best kind of public-private partnership. Thanks to state andlocal leaders and great partners like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,children, adults and families in Washington are getting help they need inrecord time.

Making government work faster and better for people is aleading priority of the HDC. Washington Connections shows how that leadershipis helping residents and communities throughout our great state.

Want to learn more? Take a look at Mayor Mike McGinn's press release and the Puget Sound Business Journal article: Gates Foundation helps fund centralized city/state public assistance website.

To read thisblog post in Spanish, go here.

State reforms lead to reduced business costs in 2012

2011-12-01T11:37:00.000-08:00

Rep. Mike Sells

Thanks in part to legislation passed by the House and Senate last year, most businesses in Washington will see not only their workers' comp premium stay steady, but also a significant drop in unemployment insurance costs.

This would be the first time since 2007 that L&I rates have not increased, saving businesses $150 million next year. It is important to remember, however, that some businesses still might see premium increases based on their recent claims history and risk class. For example, restaurants and retail stores will see a 3% drop, but construction and forest products could see a slight increase due to the injury claims.

As far as unemployment insurance costs, most employers in the state will receive a lower tax rate in 2012, and all rate classes will drop. In fact, tax rates for employers that had nolayoffs in the past four years will plummet by 71 percent, to an all-time low for that rate class (side fact: 91% of employers in rate-class 1 are small businesses with fewer than 5 employees).

In total, the tax-rate reductions will equal about $207 million, in addition to the $300 million in savings sponsored by Mike Sells, Chair of the House Labor & Workforce Development Committee, and passed by the Legislature last year. "Without the actions we took last year to bring relief to business owners still struggling through an economic slump, these rate reductions wouldn't have been possible," said Sells. "This news, combined with yesterday's 737 MAX announcement, show that the recent steps we've taken, and reforms we've implemented to respond to our businesses' needs, are paying off."

Kris Tefft, AWB general counsel and government affairs director on employment law and workers’ compensation, agrees: “Today’s announcement reflects the value of the reformmeasures passed in 2011, without which employers would surely have seen rate increases next year. We’ve appreciated the opportunity to make our case that this is not the time for any sort of rate increase on business,” said Tefft.

Here's a handy factsheet and FAQs from ESD's website on the adjusted rates.

To read this blog post in Spanish, go here.

December again brings call for halting drunken and drugged driving

2011-12-01T10:45:00.001-08:00

It'stime to underline and re-underlinethat tried and true "None forthe road" rule in living rooms, break rooms, barrooms, and other potentialimbibing rooms all across America. In unhappy fact, however, these upcomingwinter holidays will likely suffer a greater than usual number of impairedmotorists thoroughly terrorizing our thoroughfares -- hence December's statureas National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month. Most everycitizen knows the wrenching anguish of losing a loved one, a friend, aco-worker, or an acquaintance to drunken driving – or perhaps at least knowssomeone who has been either injured or involved in a DUI accident or arrest.

TheMADD website notes thatat any given hour of the day or night, two million repeat drunken drivers are driving drunk. Again.

Thetragedy hit awfully close to home for one legislator this past July. A youngfather is gone, killed in a car accident involving a driver under theinfluence. The young father was a neighbor of state Rep. Roger Goodman, who has sponsored several successfulanti-DUI bills in the Legislature. Goodman said that the gentleman left twokids behind and "our whole neighborhood is in trauma." He emphasizedthat a drunken driver should be required to pay child support for kids who'velost their parent. The Kirkland lawmaker is fine-tuning a child-support bill aspart of a comprehensive anti-DUI package for consideration in the 2012 regularsession beginning Jan. 9.

To readthis blog post in Spanish, go here.

House Democrats applaud news of Renton landing the 737 MAX, contract deal

2011-11-30T15:06:00.001-08:00

No one knows airplanes better, and no region of the world builds them better, than Washington State. That’s the message House Democrats in Olympia conveyed as news broke of a tentative deal between Boeing and its machinists’ union, leading to the announcement that Renton will be the home of the new 737 MAX.

Democratic caucus leader on the Pegasus Project, Larry Springer points to the decade of work between the HDC and the aerospace community to land the 737 Dreamliner and the tanker as the reason why the MAX will be built here. “We’ve championed new investments, funding, and reforms in recent years, fostering growth and jobs in the industry.” They include:

Workforce development scholarships and grants worth millions to train aerospace workers
New educational state facilities providing new resources to manufacturers and workers
Aerospace training programs through state community and technical colleges
Streamlined permitting processes for Boeing and its aerospace manufacturing partners
Reforms at L&I and ESD, which reduced premium rates for workers’ comp and unemployment insurance

Co-leader on the Pegasus Project, Marcie Maxwell, recounted some personal memories. “I’ve watched the maiden voyage of every 737 for many years from my Renton home. Many of my neighbors are proud of their work designing and building generations of Boeing planes. This is great news for Boeing, for Renton, and for the hundreds of suppliers across 29 counties in our state.

“The bottom line is, we’re building more airplanes faster and better than ever before,” said House Democratic Caucus Chair Eric Pettigrew. “And winning the new 737 MAX in Renton is a sign that we’ll be doing so for a long, long time.”

Read the full press release here.

Check out this link highlighting some recent posts that contributed to today's good news.

To read thisblog post in Spanish, click here.

Take a moment today to thank first responders in your community

2011-11-30T13:25:00.001-08:00

As you may haveheard, today is “Thank First Responders Day” across Washington state. Thisobservance began following the tragic loss of four police officers in Lakewoodin 2009, and was officially established by a proclamation signed by GovernorGregoire on June 18, 2010.

According to the ThankFirst Responder website, “Unfortunately it seems thatthe community only recognizes the brave and generous acts of our firstresponders when tragedy occurs. We shouldn’t need something terrible to happenfor us to realize how fortunate we are to have such well-trained men and womenthere for us every single moment of life”.

Here at the HDC,we couldn’t agree more. We’ll be taking time out from special session activityto thank our very own Reps. Kevin Van De Wege and Christopher Hurst, who also serve the people ofWashington state as first responders.

Please join us inthanking police officers and fire fighters in your community for the sacrificesthey make to keep us safe not only today, but throughout the year.

To read thisblog post in Spanish, click here.

Think you’ve got what it takes to balance the budget? Give it a try!

2011-11-30T12:08:00.001-08:00

On Mondaylegislators officially convened to begin work on cutting an estimated $2billion from our state’s Operating Budget.

If you were intheir shoes, how would you go about balancing the budget? The League ofEducation Voters’ budgetcalculator lets you make those decisions for yourself.

Like lawmakers,you'll have to choose which programs to reduce funding for and which toeliminate entirely. You’ll also have the choice to raise revenue, keeping inmind that any revenue options are subject to a two-thirds majority vote of thelegislature or a vote of the people.

Give it a try andbe sure to let your legislators know what you would prioritize!

To read this blog post in Spanish, click here.

What you can do to fight hunger

2011-11-29T14:08:00.001-08:00

Nutrition is one of the basic necessities of life and yet oneout of nine households in the United States struggles to put food on thetable. Nearly one-fourth of those that go hungry in our country are children.

Not only do real families suffer due to lack of adequate nutrition,but the problem also has economic consequences. The Alliance to End Hungerreports that the U.S. spendsmore than $90 billion each year on direct and indirect costs associatedwith hunger.

Food assistance programs like the Child & Adult Care Food Program(CACFP) are key to fighting the battle against hunger. Through a partnershipwith U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Officeof Superintendent of Public Instruction (OPSI) can reimburse some costsassociated with providing meals to eligible programsand organizations that serve children and adults.

In 2010, the OSPI helped provide over 3 million meals tolow-income children and families through organizations participating in theCACFP.

If you operate a child or adult day care center, an at-riskafterschool program, ECEAP or Head Start, or emergency shelter and areinterested in applying for the program, contact Adele Roberts, Child NutritionServices, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, P.O. Box 47200,Olympia, Washington 98504-7200.

If you or someone you know is inneed of nutrition assistance, contact the WashingtonBasic Food Program at 1-877-501-2233.

To read this blog post in Spanish, click here.

Cuts are cuts

2011-11-28T18:34:00.001-08:00

There’s a lot of chatter about whether the state has really cut $10.5 billion from the state budget or not.

A recent news story called some of the cuts made to the operating budget over the last three years “reductions in expected spending.”

Huh?

Here are some simple facts:

Our state’s population kept growing, despite the recession.
We have more kids in our public schools.
More seniors needing health care.
More inmates in our state prisons.

Inflation means costs go up every year, even if the population doesn’t. Combine population growth AND inflation and the budget has to grow simply to keep up.

So those cuts feel quite real to the teachers and corrections officers who lost their jobs.

Those cuts are real to the working poor who lost their health coverage.

They’re real to the college students struggling to pay higher tuition at our public colleges.

Saying these cuts aren’t real is like telling your bank you aren’t paying your mortgage next month – but it’s not a real cut, because the bank only expected you to pay.

When revenue dips while the population goes up, real people suffer. And now the temporary boost our state got from the federal stimulus is ending.

Our state budget is 90 percent public schools, universities, prisons and health care.

We can’t cut $2 billion without hurting our public schools, universities, public safety and health care. There are no easy budget fixes.

Sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar – and a cut is simply a cut.

To read this blog post in Spanish, click here.

Mr. Smith goes to Olympia

2011-11-28T13:55:00.001-08:00

So does Ms. Jones.

And Mr. Doe, Ms. Gonzales, and Mr. Cheung.....

Thousands of people converged on the Capital Campus today as legislators began a special session to address the current $2 billion budget hole. Among the demonstrators were teachers, school employees, parents of children with disabilities, and caregivers for the elderly -- all concerned about how the next round of budget cuts will affect them.

Below are a few glimpses of the crowd.

To read this blog post in Spanish, click here.

Special Session begins at noon today

2011-11-28T10:01:00.001-08:00

Legislators are back in Olympia today for the start of the special session, which officially begins at noon today.

This afternoon, the House Ways and Means committee will hold a public hearing on the House supplemental budget proposal, HB 2127. The hearing begins at 1:30 p.m. in Senate Hearing Room 4 of the Cherberg Building.

To read this blog post in Spanish, click here.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

The Advance will be taking a few days off over the Thanksgiving weekend. On Monday we'll be back for the start of the special session, reporting on what's happening with the budget and other news about your House Democrats. In the meantime, here's a few state resources to keep close while we are away:

Hitting the road? Be sure to check traffic at Dept. of Transportation

Feeding friends and family? Head to the Dept. of Health's Holiday Food Safety Guide

Plan and deal with bad weather with the Dept. of Health and Emergency Management Division

And of course, if you're looking to give back a little, you can use the search at the Secretary of State's Charities Program

What about the children?

2011-11-23T10:47:00.001-08:00

Rep. Jeannie Darneille

For the millions of mothers and fathers who have lost theirjobs in the Great Recession, Thanksgiving 2011 may be a less festive occasionthan it was before the economy crashed. The impact on them, of course, extendswell beyond fewer courses on the holiday table or smaller servings of cranberrysauce. And the economic downtown also takes a heavy toll on others gatheringwith them for the meal: their children.

Rep. Jeannie Darneille joined with Sen. Debbie Regala tohost a community forum in their Tacoma district to hear from children and theirparents about what the recession means to families. The Nov. 15 forum drew morethan 100 people to Jason Lee Middle School.

The forum was modeled after a similar program in Connecticutthat led to legislation addressing the needs of children in hardship.

To learnmore, read Sen. Regala’s reporton the forum.

Is Washington's revenue REALLY down?

2011-11-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

It is often suggested in some quarters that Washington doesn't really have a revenue problem at all, despite the fact we have had to take budget reductions of more than $10.5 billion over the last three years. During his presentation at the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council meeting last week, chief economist Arun Raha pretty well dispelled that myth.

As you can see from the charts below, state revenues are currently way below the 2008 level, and will continue to be lower at least through 2013. Revenues have also not kept up with population growth, according to Raha.

There is more information available here.

And the award for most unusual award goes to...

2011-11-22T14:55:00.000-08:00

It's a frisbee, it's a UFO, it's a...Secchi Disk!

Recently, Rep. Andy Billig had the opportunity to speak at the North American Lake Management Systems 31st Annual Symposium, held at the Spokane Convention Center on the banks of the Spokane River.

He discussed a highlight from the 2011 session: Passage of the “Clean Fertilizers, Healthier Lakes and Rivers” bill (HB 1489), which he sponsored. It regulates the sale and use of lawn fertilizer containing phosphorous, because businesses and local governments have spent millions on wastewater treatment upgrades to control phosphorous discharge into waterways. Phosphorous fuels algae growth which leads to a decline in dissolved oxygen levels in water bodies like Lake Spokane, endangering fish and other aquatic organisms. In some years, phosphorous promotes toxic algae blooms that can be lethal to pets and pose an immediate health hazard to humans.

After Rep. Billig's speech, the Washington Lake Protection Association honored him with their 2011 Secchi Disk Award. The award's inscription reads, “Thank you for keeping the P for Protection and not for phosphorous.”

What is a Secchi Disk? Created in 1865 by Pietro Angelo Secchi SJ, it's a circular disk used to measure water transparency in oceans and lakes. The disc is mounted on a pole or line, and lowered slowly down in the water. The depth at which the pattern on the disk is no longer visible is taken as a measure of the transparency of the water. Secchi disk measurements have been an integral component lake water quality assessment programs for some time, especially in Minnesota where lake residents make periodic measurements and submit their readings to state and local agencies. With passage of HB 1489, Washington joined Minnesota and Michigan in strictly regulating phosphorous in lawn fertilizer in order to keep rivers and lakes healthier.

Holiday cheers to Washington businesses

2011-11-22T11:23:00.001-08:00

Everyoneknows Washington is often praised for being one of the best places in Americato start and grow a business. But did you know that Washington businessesare also world leaders for consumers? The newNaughty & Nice Holiday List from Consumer Reports leaves no doubt.

The2011 edition of Consumer Reports’ Naughty and Nice Holiday list features 10companies that have adopted great policies for consumers, and nine companiesthat have embraced hidden fees, naughty merchandize-return tactics andother Grinch-like policies that will bring no cheer to holiday shoppers.

Celebrationsare in order in our case because four ofthe top ten businesses on Consumer Reports’ Nice Holiday List callWashington Home:

Amazon.comwas applauded for taking the lead on frustration-free packaging that is goodfor consumers and the environment, too.
Kent-basedREI earned a tip of the hat for having a great merchandise-return policy thatoffers peace of mind without any hassle for consumers.
Microsoftwon plaudits for soaring beyond the pack with consumer-friendly refundpolicies.
Costcoearned cheers not only for its generous return policies, but also for the freetech support it offers on many electronic products.

Asthe Holiday season gets into full swing, the HDC is proud to join ConsumerReports in singing the praises of these great Washington companies for treatingconsumers right. Santa knows if you’ve been naughty or nice. But ConsumerReports knows best which businesses have been the nicest.

Toread this blog post in Spanish, go here.

Rep. Tharinger joins WWRC board

2011-11-22T08:54:00.000-08:00

The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition board announced the appointment of six new members in a press release yesterday. Among the new appointees is state Rep. Steve Tharinger.

Rep. Tharinger, who served on the Washington State Salmon Recovery Funding Board from 2002 to 2010 and chairs the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Council, is a longtime advocate for Washington's natural resources and agricultural lands.

He is also a member of the House Capital Budget Committee, which allocates grant funding for the protection of wildlife habitat, natural resource recreation areas, and working farms through the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP). WWRC administers the WWRP grants.

In 2007, the WWRC gave former state representative and then- House Capital Budget chair Bill Fromhold its "Award for Outstanding Legislative Leadership." Fromhold passed away in 2010 from leukemia.

"I didn't have the privilege of working with Bill Fromhold in the House, but his legacy is one of protecting our natural areas for the benefit of future generations," Tharinger said. "Like Bill, I believe our state's economy and environment are closely intertwined, and both can thrive simultaneously."

Statement from Speaker Chopp on Governor Gregoire's budget proposal

2011-11-21T16:04:00.001-08:00

As we mentioned earlier, Governor Gregoire released her 2011 supplemental budget proposal today. House Speaker Frank Chopp released this statement about that proposal:

“This recession has had anunprecedented impact on our state’s economy, and after three straight years ofdeep budget cuts, we have very few options left. I understand just how difficult it was forthe Governor to write this budget – we are facing the same bleak numbers in theLegislature.

“I am very heartened that sheincluded a revenue package in her proposal. The service reductions and program eliminations that will result fromcutting $2 billion more in the current biennium will be devastating for peoplein communities all over the state. Weowe it to our school children, to our citizens with disabilities, and, frankly,to the future of our state to have a discussion about alternatives.”

To read this blog post in Spanish, click here.

Governor unveils budget that ‘shreds safety net’

2011-11-21T10:42:00.001-08:00

Gov. Chris Gregoire says the state has cut $10.5 billion inthe last three years – and because of the global recession, needs to make upfor another $2 billion shortfall.

This time, however, she’s proposing alternatives tolawmakers that include raising revenue.

“I have heard from all four caucuses that we need to look atrevenue, because they see the depths of the cuts,” Gregoire said. “What we haveis the envy of other states and nations. We can and we must make sure that wedon’t give it up.

An all-cuts budget would include cuts that the governor saysshe can’t stomach.

Those cuts include:

$49 million in cuts to the Basic Health Plan,ending health coverage to 35,000 people
Cutting four days from the school year andeliminating levy equalization for poorer schools
Shortening the time that 16,600 convictedcriminals would be under supervision once released
Chopping another $160 million from colleges anduniversities

“Are we going to have a future for Washington state or not?”Gregoire said. “It’s time for this generation, our generation, to step up.”

Gregoire said she may be the first governor in the state topropose a referendum to the voters to raise revenue via a half-penny hike inthe sales tax.

“I can’t live with these cuts. It’s not right for the stateof Washington – we must stand up, we must unite, we must do what’s right … tobuy a better future for Washington state.

Gregoire said the sales tax isn’t a perfect option, but it’sthe best option.

“This is our calling,” she said. “This is ourresponsibility. We can build the future of Washington, and I believe we must. …We’re going to stand up to this challenge. We’re tough. It’s time to be tough,to unite, to stand up for Washington.”

The governor’s full proposal and details can be found here.

Toread this blog post in Spanish, click here.

Save the date: Wylie's pre-session town hall is on Nov 22

2011-11-18T16:26:00.000-08:00

Education Reform: New graduation requirements on the horizon for the class of 2016

2011-11-18T11:54:00.000-08:00

For the last several years, education reform has been, and will continue to be, an important issue in Washington state. Over half of all students who enroll in community or technical colleges directly after high school need to take at least one remedial course to catch up. We need to do a better job making our students college and career-ready by the time they graduate from high school.

House Democrats have championed reforms aimed at improving our K-12 education system. During the 2011 legislative session, Rep. Marcie Maxwell (D-Renton) sponsored House Bill 1443 that proposed a number of reforms. Although the bill failed to receive Legislative approval, the Washington State Board of Education adopted some of the bill’s components through changes to the Washington Administrative Code.

Repealing the time-based definition of credit is one of the changes adopted by the board. Currently, most high school students received a full course credit by spending 150 hours in the classroom. By removing the time-based definition of credit, local school districts will now have more flexibility in measuring student achievement.

The board approved this change last week.The board also approved new high school graduation requirements that will take effect for the class of 2016 and beyond. The new requirements will:

Increase English from 3 to 4 credits.
Increase social studies from 2.5 to 3 credits and require .5 credit of civics.
Decrease electives from 5.5 to 4 credits.
Make successful completion of Washington State History and Government a non-credit requirement.
Clarify that the 2 credits of health and fitness includes .5 credits of health and 1.5 credits of fitness.
Create a “two for one” policy that would enable students taking a CTE-equivalent (career and technical education) course to satisfy two graduation requirements while earning one credit.

The revised language on the new graduation requirements can be found on the Board of Education site here. One-page flyers and summaries can be found here and here.

Toread this blog post in Spanish, please clickhere.

State’s budget situation continues to deteriorate – but at a slower pace

2011-11-17T16:53:00.000-08:00

TheWashington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council released its quarterlyrevenue forecast Thursday morning, and it indicated that, although there aresome bright spots on the horizon, our economy is still not back on track.

Thecouncil’s executive director, Dr. Arun Raha, reported that the revenue forecastfor the 2011-2013 biennium is now $122 million lower that it was just twomonths ago, bringing the current budget shortfall to about $2.1 billion. That’sthe difference between the spending outlined in the biennial budget adopted bythe Legislature earlier this year and the now-anticipated revenue for theperiod, allowing for an ending balance of about $400 million as a reserve.

During hisreport, Dr. Raha made the following points:

· Our economic recovery is threatened by eventsoutside the state of Washington – mainly, the European debt crisis and the politicalgridlock in Congress.

· Washington’s employment numbers are not great –but Boeing is doing well, as is the software industry.

· State and local governments are shedding jobs,including 900 from the state’s liquorsystem due to the imminent privatization of hard-liquor sales under the ballotinitiative approved by voters this month.

· Consumer confidence is still weak.

The Legislature will begin a special session Nov. 28 toaddress this budget situation. Ourbudget writers have been working for several weeks now developing options,finding more efficiencies and cuts, and looking for additional reforms.

Toread this blog post in Spanish, please clickhere.