Caring for animals, we’re into that too

Five bills aimed at protecting and helping animals have been introduced in the House so far this session. Will every dog (and for that matter cat, horse, parakeet, etc…) have his day? Let's see where those bills are:

Making poisonous substances taste nasty

Antifreeze, or rather, Ethylene Glycol, one of its main components, is sweet and tasty to animals and humans but it can also be lethal. According to the Humane Society, anywhere from 10,000 to 90,000 cats and dogs are accidentally poisoned with antifreeze every year across the nation. To protect Washington's residents, both the two and the four-legged kinds, a few years ago the Legislature passed a measure requiring that antifreeze sold, produced or distributed in the state have an aversive agent to make it taste bad. But that law didn't cover wholesale containers of 55 gallons or more. This year Rep. Sherry Appleton is sponsoring HB 1010 to include those large containers. The bill was approved by the Business and Financial Services Committee a couple of weeks ago and is now in the Rules Committee for further consideration.

See something? Say something!

HB 1186 gives immunity to veterinarians who report suspected incidents of animal cruelty from legal liability in any action brought against them. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Kathy Haigh, a vet herself, knows that sometimes veterinarians can tell, better than the average person, if an animal has been mistreated. The risk of liability keeps some veterinarians from reporting incidents they encounter in their practice. The protections under this bill should encourage veterinarians to report suspected cruelty to proper authorities. Haigh's measure was passed out of the Judiciary Committee earlier this week.

When buying a pet, let's make sure it's not a murky transaction

Say you see a guy selling lovely puppies out of his truck in a parking lot. You fall in love with one of them and want to buy it. But how much do you know about this seller? Is he licensed? Does he have a permit to sell animals in that location? What if you're dealing with a disreputable seller who does not provide safe and humane conditions for the puppies, and it turns out your puppy is sick? To prevent the sale of diseased animals to unsuspecting buyers, Rep. Mary Helen Roberts is sponsoring HB 1201, which already had a public hearing in the Judiciary Committee. Under this measure, legitimate and responsible sales of animals and adoption programs for animals are not affected.

Zero tolerance for animal cruelty

People who live or work with animals should treat them well; humans are supposed to care for their animals. Sadly, not everyone seems to be on board with that common-sense notion. Rep. Mary Helen Roberts sponsored another bill, HB 1202, which modifies animal cruelty provisions relating to the crimes of animal cruelty in the first and second degree, animal fighting, and leaving and/or confining an animal in a motor vehicle or certain enclosed spaces. This measure also had a public hearing in Judiciary a few weeks ago.

Spay/Neuter – it's the responsible thing to do!

Thousands of cats and dogs are put down every year in shelters because they can't find a home, or they are old and sickly and nobody wants to take care of them. The most effective and humane way to reduce the number of animals dying in shelters is a targeted, statewide spay/neuter effort. It is also the fiscally responsible solution. Rep. Kathy Haigh sponsored a legislation (HB 1229) that would provide financial assistance to support the costs of pet spay/neuter surgery. It would significantly reduce costs for animal care and control of homeless animals, and fewer animals would be euthanized in Washington shelters. This measure was heard before the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee yesterday. You can find footage of the hearing in TVW.

Read this story in Spanish.

Legislators laud Hood Canal “Puget Sound Champions”

Hood Canal

Yesterday, four honorees were singled out by the Puget Sound Partnership for their efforts in helping to restore our region’s major waterway to good health.  In a ceremony at the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribal Center, PSP’s Executive Director Gerry O’Keefe and former King County Executive Ron Sims handed out awards to three coalitions and one individual.

The coalitions include local jurisdictions and tribes that have teamed up to protect habitat, identify pollution sources, and/or engage in clean-up efforts to improve water quality.  Additionally, Pat Pearson of the Jefferson County WSU Extension was honored for her 20-year career in education and outreach on water quality issues.

Legislators whose districts include the areas bordering Hood Canal had plenty of praise for the honorees and their ongoing efforts.  Representatives Steve Tharinger, Drew Hansen, Sherry Appleton, Fred Finn and Kathy Haigh all weighed in to offer their congratulations and underscore the importance of the work being done.  A clean and healthy Hood Canal – and Puget Sound – are vital to the economies and quality of life in their respective districts.  Of course, the health of Puget Sound impacts our entire state, which is why we should all tip our hats to the work these awardees are doing.

You can read the Puget Sound Partnership’s press release on yesterday’s ceremony here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Q’s & A’s

Rep. Sherry Appleton

Reps. Sherry Appleton and Drew Hansen, along with Sen. Christine Rolfes, head for Poulsbo tonight to meet the press, and the public, and members of the North Kitsap School Board. (Sherry won’t have far to go; she calls Poulsbo home. The brand-new Rep. Hansen, who replaced Christine when she moved to the Senate, hails from Bainbridge Island, as does the brand-new Sen. Rolfes, who replaced Phil Rockefeller.)

Rep. Drew Hansen

The trio of 23rd-district lawmakers will talk about the upcoming special legislative session, with an expected extra emphasis on education issues, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the North Kitsap School District boardroom, 18360 Caldart Ave. Tonight’s forum is free and of course open to the public.

That’s Outstanding!

“Outstanding Legislator of 2011”– That’s a phrase that would be music to any lawmaker’s ears, but when it comes from the state’s military vets, there’s an extra-special ring to it.  Rep. Sherry Appleton was notified a few days ago by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Governor’s Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee that she would be honored with that title, bestowed annually as one of several Outstanding Service to Veterans Awards. 

Sherry, who was first elected to the House in 2004, was recognized for her years of often-behind-the-scenes work on behalf of the state’s nearly 700,000 military veterans.A statement issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs described her as “a long-time supporter of veteran initiatives and friend to veterans throughout the state.  She has supported many veteran bills, including one to provide property tax relief to disabled veterans.”

Sherry comes by her concern for veterans naturally:  Her late husband, Ron Appleton, was a distinguished Vietnam veteran, and the Kitsap County district she represents is in the heart of one of Washington’s largest concentrations of military bases, active-duty personnel, and veterans from every branch of the service.  In Olympia, Sherry is vice chair of the House State Government Committee& Tribal Affairs Committee, which deals with veterans’ issues in the Legislaturehe and her fellow honorees will take part in the annual Veterans Day parade in Auburn Nov. 5, and will be recognized at an awards ceremony after the parade.

A new face in the House

House Democrats are pleased to welcome state Rep. Drew Hansen to the majority caucus.  Drew was appointed by the Kitsap County Commission this week to replace 23rd-district Rep. Christine Rolfes, who moved over to the Senate.  (And we wish Christine well, as she moves into the seat in that chamber vacated by Phil Rockefeller when Gov. Gregoire appointed him to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council.)  Rounding out the district’s legislative team is veteran Rep. Sherry Appleton of Poulsbo.

A resident of Bainbridge Island, Drew is an attorney, an active Kitsap community leader, an acclaimed author and a longtime member of the state’s Community Economic Revitalization Board. 

The new representative has already begun attending budget meetings at the Capitol in preparation for the special legislative session that will commence on November 28.

To read this blog post in Spanish, please go here.

 

If the primary is secondary . . . what’s the point?

You say you’re thinking about throwing a party to celebrate the 2012 Washington presidential primary? Might be a good idea to wait a little while before you send out those invitations. If Rep. Sherry Appleton’s House Bill 1324 makes it to the governor’s office, Washington would take a pass on the 2012 ritual – and save an estimated $12 million in the process.

But wait; wouldn’t that keep our state from having a say at the national Democratic and Republican presidential nominating conventions? How about all those funny hats and balloons – wouldn’t we miss out on all that? Not really. The last time the state parties were legally bound by the results of our state’s presidential-preference primaries, Bill Clinton was governor of Arkansas, Sir Mix-A-Lot was topping the charts with “Baby Got Back,” and Johnny Carson ruled the late-night airwaves. A change in the law in 1995 gave the state parties the option to ignore the primary results and choose their respective delegates at precinct caucuses. They’ve done so in varying degrees ever since.

“If it doesn’t have any relevance,” Appleton asks, “why are we doing it? I’d rather put that $12 million into education, or health care, or services for vulnerable people. Twelve million dollars can go a long way,” she added. “It might seem like a small amount when we’re working on a budget that totals in the billions, but if you put human faces on that $12 million, it becomes a big deal.”

The bill – which Appleton points out would only cancel the 2012 presidential primary, and wouldn’t be a permanent kill – got mixed reactions in a public hearing Wednesday morning in the House State Government & Tribal Affairs Committee. They’ll give the bill a “do pass” or “do not pass” recommendation within a few days.

It's appointment time

As in appointments to legislative boards, commissions, task forces and whatnot.

Once bills are passed, the logistics of making them happen take place in agencies and within various work groups and committees. Legislators are often given a seat at the table and there's usually a slight frenzy of appointments just after the legislative session ends.

Poulsbo Rep. Sherry Appleton has been tapped for a second three-year term on the Washington State Sentencing Guidelines Commission (SGC). This little Commission actually has quite a big task - they're the ones who recommend sentencing guidelines for adult and juvenile offenders.

For SGC history buffs, a brief history:

In 1981, the Washington State Legislature enacted the Sentencing Reform Act ("SRA"), which established the Sentencing Guidelines Commission and directed it to recommend to the Legislature a determinate sentencing system for adult felonies...

The Commission completed the original adult felony sentencing "grid" in 1982, and the Legislature enacted it into law in 1983... The Commission continues to advise the Legislature on necessary adjustments to the sentencing structure.

Prior to 1984, sentences imposed for adult felonies in Washington were indeterminate. Courts had wide discretion over whether or not to impose a prison sentence and the length of any sentence... Indeterminate sentencing is still in effect for more than 750 prison inmates who committed crimes before July 1, 1984...

The Legislature has amended the Sentencing Reform Act in almost every legislative session, requiring longer periods of confinement for violent offenders, sex offenders and drug offenders. Statewide citizen initiatives have also resulted in the imposition of longer prison terms, including longer sentences for armed crime and also the nation’s first "three strikes and you’re out" measure. Where average prison terms have increased markedly in length, the state’s prison population has more than doubled since 1984.

And for serious SGC fans, you can attend their meetings yourself, the second Friday of each month.