To create jobs as soon as possible, the Legislature wasted no time in passing legislation today that appropriates $341 million in federal stimulus funds for transportation construction projects, expected to generate 3,300 jobs across the state.
House Bill 1978, sponsored by Rep. Judy Clibborn (Mercer Island), was approved by the House in a 67-28 vote this morning, before being sent to the Senate, where it passed 45-4 this afternoon. It now goes to the Governor’s desk for approval, expected Thursday afternoon.
“A vote today is a vote for jobs,” Clibborn said on the House floor. Since half of the funds must be obligated within four months and the rest within the year, legislative leaders expect it to provide an immediate economic boost. In addition to creating jobs, the projects on the list address congestion, improve safety and preserve roads.
The state’s $341 million isn’t the only federal stimulus money coming to Washington. Local jurisdictions are directly receiving $151 million for road use and $179 million for transit. Also on the table is $18 billion in federal grant money for which the Washington State Department of Transportation can apply. HB 1978 directs WSDOT to apply for as many grants as practically possible.
Governor Gregoire is expected to sign the bill tomorrow afternoon.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
House will resume floor debate at 2:30
We are at ease right now for the lunch break and a meeting of the Rules committee where members will select the next batch of bills to move to the floor calendar. While getting a bill to the floor calendar is not a guarantee that it will be voted on by the full House, it certainly is a good indicator -- only a handful of bills each session get as far as the "green sheet" and die there.
Health care focus on floor today
Members have just convened on the House floor. Looks like today will be the day for numerous health care bills including:
1460 Critical access hospitals
1647 Hospital care administrative procedures
2117 Basic health plan
2014 Tamper-proof prescription pads
2128 Children’s health coverage
This is in addition to a couple health care-related bills run yesterday such as Rep. Liias' HB 1138 (the restroom access bill that Pearl Jam's Mike McCready testified in favor of) and HB 1308 regarding organ transplants.
1460 Critical access hospitals
1647 Hospital care administrative procedures
2117 Basic health plan
2014 Tamper-proof prescription pads
2128 Children’s health coverage
This is in addition to a couple health care-related bills run yesterday such as Rep. Liias' HB 1138 (the restroom access bill that Pearl Jam's Mike McCready testified in favor of) and HB 1308 regarding organ transplants.
All-day floor action will continue
Today the House will continue with all-day floor action starting at 10. No signs yet how late we'll go, and there are still dozens of bills to work through. We'll keep you posted once we have a better idea of which bills will be up first.
In the meantime, a few House committees are meeting this morning, including the Community & Economic Development & Trade Committee which is discussing the Green Economy Jobs Initiative.
In the meantime, a few House committees are meeting this morning, including the Community & Economic Development & Trade Committee which is discussing the Green Economy Jobs Initiative.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
The House is back at it
Back on the Floor after caucus and a lunch break. Very soon we will run a package of consumer protection bills including the following:
1011 – Prohibits a government or business entity from remotely reading an identification device using RFID technology that they did not issue. Builds upon our successful efforts last year that made it a Class C felony to scan another person's identification device remotely for the purpose of fraud or identity theft without that person's knowledge and consent.
1140 – Strengthens the Mobile Home Dispute Resolution Program by creating informal and formal dispute-resolution procedures. As the Attorney General has always emphasized, the purpose of the dispute resolution process is to avoid legal fights and punitive actions whenever there is a hope of resolving issues agreeably. We all have the same goal here.
1215 – Strengthens and expands our state’s “Lemon Law” for people who purchase a new or nearly new vehicle and experience two or more serious safety defects in a year.
1311 – Reverse mortgages are one way older homeowners can borrow against the equity in their home. In today’s tough times, we expect more seniors will look to these useful, but complex and sometimes expensive, loans to help them financially. HB 1311 ensures we have a thoughtful framework for regulating reverse mortgage lending practices in our state so seniors and their heirs aren’t stuck with an enormous tab.
1683 – Stiffens punishment against those who violate terms of the Consumer Protection Act.
1816 – Allows cellular phone customers to request their number not be included in a directory database. This opt-out option ensures cell phone users can keep their contact information private if they choose.
2013 – Self-service storage facilities are a fast-growing industry. Many consumers, however, don’t realize their belongings are not insured from theft or damage unless they purchase their own insurance. HB 2013 allows the owner of a self-service storage facility to offer self-service storage insurance, an easy and convenient way for customers to become educated about their options and, if they choose, to protect their belongings.
1011 – Prohibits a government or business entity from remotely reading an identification device using RFID technology that they did not issue. Builds upon our successful efforts last year that made it a Class C felony to scan another person's identification device remotely for the purpose of fraud or identity theft without that person's knowledge and consent.
1140 – Strengthens the Mobile Home Dispute Resolution Program by creating informal and formal dispute-resolution procedures. As the Attorney General has always emphasized, the purpose of the dispute resolution process is to avoid legal fights and punitive actions whenever there is a hope of resolving issues agreeably. We all have the same goal here.
1215 – Strengthens and expands our state’s “Lemon Law” for people who purchase a new or nearly new vehicle and experience two or more serious safety defects in a year.
1311 – Reverse mortgages are one way older homeowners can borrow against the equity in their home. In today’s tough times, we expect more seniors will look to these useful, but complex and sometimes expensive, loans to help them financially. HB 1311 ensures we have a thoughtful framework for regulating reverse mortgage lending practices in our state so seniors and their heirs aren’t stuck with an enormous tab.
1683 – Stiffens punishment against those who violate terms of the Consumer Protection Act.
1816 – Allows cellular phone customers to request their number not be included in a directory database. This opt-out option ensures cell phone users can keep their contact information private if they choose.
2013 – Self-service storage facilities are a fast-growing industry. Many consumers, however, don’t realize their belongings are not insured from theft or damage unless they purchase their own insurance. HB 2013 allows the owner of a self-service storage facility to offer self-service storage insurance, an easy and convenient way for customers to become educated about their options and, if they choose, to protect their belongings.
All-day floor action starts today
The last day to pass non-budget House bills to the Senate is next Thursday, March 12. So today the action moves from the committee rooms to the House floor as hundreds of bills are discussed, dismissed, picked-apart, and passed.
The House will convene at 10:00 a.m. and will run into the evening. No word yet on how late members will work, but we'll keep you posted right here as the day progresses.
First up on the agenda this morning:
HB 1596 – Woman’s right to breastfeed
HB 1789 – Offender release dates
HB 1824 – Concussion mgmt/youth sports
HB 1825 – Growth mgmt act
HB 1826 – Foreclosure sales
HB 1841 – College & university boards
HB 1326 – Pacific sardines
The House will convene at 10:00 a.m. and will run into the evening. No word yet on how late members will work, but we'll keep you posted right here as the day progresses.
First up on the agenda this morning:
HB 1596 – Woman’s right to breastfeed
HB 1789 – Offender release dates
HB 1824 – Concussion mgmt/youth sports
HB 1825 – Growth mgmt act
HB 1826 – Foreclosure sales
HB 1841 – College & university boards
HB 1326 – Pacific sardines
Monday, March 2, 2009
Fiscal bills face cutoff in the House
Today is the last chance for non-budget fiscal bills to clear their respective committees, so there is no action planned for the House floor. However, you can expect a real flurry of activity in both the Finance and Ways and Means committees.
Starting at 8:00 am, the House Finance Committee will vote to send up to 40 bills to the Rules committee -- the last stop for measures before being considered on the floor.
At 1:30, House Ways and Means will start what is likely to be a very long night. Here is the agenda for today:
Public Hearing:
SHB 1412 - Concerning health benefit plan coverage of neurodevelopmental therapies.
SHB 1560 - Regarding collective bargaining at institutions of higher education.
HB 1774 - Excluding certain state forest land revenues from the basic education allocation. (If measure is referred to committee.)
SHB 1776 - Changing school levy provisions.
HB 1799 - Reducing the release of mercury into the environment.
SHB 1914 - Regarding community and technical colleges' maintenance and operations funding. (If measure is referred to committee.)
2SHB 1944 - Regarding the development and field testing of a statewide kindergarten assessment process. (If measure is referred to committee.)
HB 2041 - Concerning student transportation funding. (If measure is referred to committee.)
HB 2291 - Exempting the agricultural commodity commissions from certain administrative cost reductions.
SHB 2295 - Concerning the organization of the department of social and health services. (If measure is referred to committee.)
Bills referred to committee.
Possible Executive Session:
HB 2267 - Protecting the collective bargaining rights of certain exempt employees.
HB 1329 - Providing collective bargaining for child care center directors and workers.
SHB 1701 - Authorizing the department of information services to engage in high-speed internet activities.
SHB 1747 - Reducing climate pollution in the built environment.
HB 1940 - Requiring that school district and educational service district employees' basic benefits be determined and administered by the state health care authority.
HB 1953 - Allowing department of fish and wildlife enforcement officers to transfer service credit.
HB 2052 - Delaying the implementation of the health insurance partnership.
SHB 2106 - Improving child welfare outcomes through the phased implementation of strategic and proven reforms.
HB 2107 - Regarding the delivery of early learning home visitation programs.
SHB 2167 - Providing flexibility in the education system.
SHB 2239 - Concerning the creation of a student loan program with a dedicated revenue source.
HB 2245 - Clarifying public employees' benefits board eligibility.
HB 2287 - Requiring state agencies to use one hundred percent recycled content paper.
Bills previously heard in committee.
Starting at 8:00 am, the House Finance Committee will vote to send up to 40 bills to the Rules committee -- the last stop for measures before being considered on the floor.
At 1:30, House Ways and Means will start what is likely to be a very long night. Here is the agenda for today:
Public Hearing:
SHB 1412 - Concerning health benefit plan coverage of neurodevelopmental therapies.
SHB 1560 - Regarding collective bargaining at institutions of higher education.
HB 1774 - Excluding certain state forest land revenues from the basic education allocation. (If measure is referred to committee.)
SHB 1776 - Changing school levy provisions.
HB 1799 - Reducing the release of mercury into the environment.
SHB 1914 - Regarding community and technical colleges' maintenance and operations funding. (If measure is referred to committee.)
2SHB 1944 - Regarding the development and field testing of a statewide kindergarten assessment process. (If measure is referred to committee.)
HB 2041 - Concerning student transportation funding. (If measure is referred to committee.)
HB 2291 - Exempting the agricultural commodity commissions from certain administrative cost reductions.
SHB 2295 - Concerning the organization of the department of social and health services. (If measure is referred to committee.)
Bills referred to committee.
Possible Executive Session:
HB 2267 - Protecting the collective bargaining rights of certain exempt employees.
HB 1329 - Providing collective bargaining for child care center directors and workers.
SHB 1701 - Authorizing the department of information services to engage in high-speed internet activities.
SHB 1747 - Reducing climate pollution in the built environment.
HB 1940 - Requiring that school district and educational service district employees' basic benefits be determined and administered by the state health care authority.
HB 1953 - Allowing department of fish and wildlife enforcement officers to transfer service credit.
HB 2052 - Delaying the implementation of the health insurance partnership.
SHB 2106 - Improving child welfare outcomes through the phased implementation of strategic and proven reforms.
HB 2107 - Regarding the delivery of early learning home visitation programs.
SHB 2167 - Providing flexibility in the education system.
SHB 2239 - Concerning the creation of a student loan program with a dedicated revenue source.
HB 2245 - Clarifying public employees' benefits board eligibility.
HB 2287 - Requiring state agencies to use one hundred percent recycled content paper.
Bills previously heard in committee.
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