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The 2020 Legislative Session started on Monday, January 13, 2020 and is scheduled to end on this Thursday, March 12, 2020.  As this is a short session, bills moved rapidly through the session. 

March 2, 2020 was the last day for bills in the opposite house to pass out of the House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees.

This past Friday, March 6, 2020 at 5 PM was the last day to pass opposite house bills (except initiatives and alternatives to initiatives, budgets and matters necessary to implement budgets, differences between the houses, and matters incident to the interim and closing of the session).

This Thursday, March 12, 2020 is the last day allowed for regular session under our state constitution.

Top Actions of the Week:

Both the House and the Senate introduced their supplemental budget early in the last week of February.   The primary work of the Legislature this week is to negotiate a final appropriations supplemental budget package that can pass both chambers by the last day of this session. With the extreme changes in the stock market that occurred this week with the news of the COVID-19 virus, it is possible that both chambers will consider the budget with greater conservatism than they did initially.  Both houses are also now proposing additional funding to deal with this health crisis.

These bills do make some important investments in regard to the following areas[1]:

  1. Housing and homelessness – by increasing funding for housing programs that assist very low income people who are sick or facing a temporary disability and eliminating a policy that reduces cash benefits for those residing in shelters
  2. Early Learning – invests funds and expands eligibility in the Working Connection and ECEAP programs so that low income families can obtain childcare and providers who provide these services can remain in business (with increased reimbursement rates). 
  3. Economic security for low income families – reversing cuts and reinvests in the TANF program.  The Senate proposal reinstates the child support pass-through, which would allow WorkFirst/TANF recipients to retain a portion of child support payments made on their behalf. 
  4. Access to healthy foods – makes fruit and vegetables more accessible to SNAP and WIC participants.

They also included funding for a new statewide Office of Equity but failed to fund programs directly in communities addressing disparities and violence in their own communities (i.e. Communities of Concern Commission and the statewide taskforce on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women).

The House budget does provide stronger investments in our communities. 

  1. It restores commonsense exemptions to the WorkFirst/TANF time limits and eliminates harsh penalties for families who face the steepest barriers to work and family well-being. 
  2. Dedicates longer-term funding to the Housing and Essential Needs program and funds a pilot program to provide rental assistance to adults with disabilities and seniors to prevent homelessness. 
  3. Expands access to affordable childcare for families experiencing homelessness.  But the House did neglect to invest in dual language early learning which the Senate version funded. 

Neither proposal proposed new revenue to clean up our regressive tax system.  They relied on a positive revenue forecast with a large one-time windfall (from a $300 million spike in estate tax revenue from Paul Allen’s estate) to fund modest investments in our communities’ needs.  For the long term we need new revenue resources.

Neither proposal funds a Working Family Tax Credit which could provide a boost in income to approximately 1 million households across the state. This type of tax credit would  offset the effect of our state’s  inequitable tax code for the lowest-income tax group in our state.  These families currently pay six times more of their share of incomes in state and local taxes than the wealthiest Washingtonians.

What actions can you take with your representatives and senators now?

  1. Tell them that you support a capital gains tax.
  2. Tell them that you support a Working Family Tax Credit.
  3. Encourage them to pass legislations such as that in HB 1703 which would increase transparency regarding tax exemptions and accountability.  This would require that the Department of Revenue report on all tax exemptions and their fiscal impact every two years instead of the current four years. Every tax exemption that has no sunset and reduces revenue by over $50,000 annually would appear in the budget document and would have to be proactively reauthorized as part of the budget or it would sunset.
  4. Encourage them to pass HB 2945/SB 6690 to rescind the Boeing tax exemption.
  5. Let your senators and representatives know that you support the investments in our communities and that the House operations budget is the better version for the supplemental budget. 

You can contact your legislators by calling the Legislative Hotline at 1 800-562-6000.  You can also contact them by e-mail using this format:  firstname.lastname@leg.wa.gov.  If you need to look up your legislators, use the following link to find them: http://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/

Note:  Committee members for House and Senate Committees are listed at the end of this alert. 

We have also included hyperlinks on each of the bill actions below, which will take you to the WA State Legislature’s comment page for the bill where you can enter your support or opposition to the bill and include a comment (up to 1000 characters).

Civil and Equal Rights

WA State Office of Equity

HB 1783 Creating the Washington state office of equity.

SUPPORT

HB 1783 establishes the Washington state office of equity to promote access to equitable opportunities and resources that reduce disparities, including racial and ethnic disparities, and improve outcomes statewide across all sectors of government.  The bill also requires all state agencies to apply an equity lens to agency decision-making; designate a diversity, equity, and inclusion liaison; develop plans for diversity, equity, and inclusion and for language access; and collaborate with the Equity Office to develop performance measures.

Status:  HB 1783 has passed the Senate and is going back to the House for concurrence on an amendment made in the Senate.

Action: Contact your representatives and ask that they vote to concur with the Senate changes  Then contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  HB 1783 and ask that he sign and pass it into law.

WA State Women Veterans License Plate

HB 2187 Creating Washington State Women Veterans License plate.

SUPPORT

HB 2187 creates a special license plate recognizing the efforts of women veterans in Washington state.

Status:  HB 2187 passed out of the House out of the Senate Transportation Committee and went to the Senate Rules Committee.  Unfortunately, it did not pass out of the Senate by Friday, March 6.  Thus, this bill is now DEAD.

Voting Rights Opportunities  for Youth

SB 6313 Increasing opportunities for young voters.

SUPPORT

SB 6313 allows individuals to vote in a primary election if they are 17 years old, but will be 18 by the general election.  They also require the Department of Licensing to provide an automated process for voter registration when receiving or renewing enhanced driver’s licenses or identicards.  Each public university with 5000 or more students must open a student engagement center which provides ballots and voter registration materials.  These student engagement centers may be open on the eight business days prior to and on the election day.  The university can contract with the county auditor to operate these centers.  The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction in collaboration with the County Auditors and League of Women Voters must identify and make available civics materials for high school courses.

Status: 

SB 6313 has passed both houses and is on its way to the governor for signature..

Action:  Contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  SB 6313 and ask that he sign and pass it into law.

Courts Open to All Act

HB 2567 Concerning open courts.

SUPPORT

HB 2567 prohibits warrantless civil arrests. Prohibiting these civil arrests at courthouses is necessary for immigrant survivors to be able to get help for the abuse they are experiencing.  The Legislature makes findings on the following: the importance of keeping Washington courts open, accessible, and free from interruption; that civil arrests at court facilities create a climate of fear that deters residents from interacting with the justice system; and that it is imperative to ensure that all members of the community feel safe coming to, remaining at, and returning from court.

Status:  HB 2567 is on its way to the Governor for signature.

Action: Contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  HB 2567 and ask that he sign and pass it into law.

Redistricting Commission

HB 2575 Concerning reforms to increase transparency and accountability of the Washington redistricting commission.

SUPPORT

HB 2575 modernizes the state’s Redistricting Commission to increase transparency and accountability and maximizes public input.  This bill does the following:

  • Begins the Commission earlier with the appointment of four full time commissioners moved to Dec 1 of the year ending in 0 and their selection of the chair by January 1 of the year ending in 1.  These commissioners must hold two rounds of public hearings in each congressional district.  The bill further outlines how this public input must be done to assure input from diverse voices and communities
  • Before any public forum is held, the Commission must publish a report detailing its priorities and intentions for using redistricting criteria in its decision-making process. Any preliminary plan and reasonably final plan must be made public to allow for public review and comment. And the final report that accompanies the redistricting plans must include  a) a summary of all public input received; b) all plans discussed by the full Commission; c) a summary of the data used to create those plans; d) analyses of the maps using specified redistricting metrics; e) a written explanation if an alternative plan furthers redistricting criteria more than the final plan; and f) any other information that provides the basis on which the Commission made its decisions.
  • Gives people with limited English a better chance to engage with the commission by requiring translation services and notices in major languages.

Status:  HB 2575 was voted on in the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Monday, 3/2 but it did not receive enough signatures signing off on it before the midnight deadline on the 2nd.  The bill is DEAD.

Prohibiting Private Detention Facilities

HB 2576 Concerning private detention facilities.

SB 6442 Concerning private detention facilities.

SUPPORT

SB 6442 in its original form banned any person, business, or state or local governmental entity from operating a private detention facility within the state or entering into agreements with any local or state government or private organization in any other state providing for the operation of a private detention facility. SB 6442 was amended in the House to allow the Department of Corrections to transfer prisoners to a private detention facility in limited circumstances if

  1. the governor finds that an emergency exists such that the population of the state correctional facility exceeds it maximum capacity, resulting in safety and security concerns;
  2. the governor has considered all other legal options to address capacity,
  3. the DOC secretary determines that that the transfer is in the best interest of the state or the offender;
  4. the contract with the out-of-state private correctional entity includes requirements for access to public records to the same extent as if the facility were operated by the department, inmate access to the office of the corrections ombuds, and inspections and visits without notice; and
  5. Should any of these requirements in this subsection not be met, the contract can be voided.

HB 2576 was amended to change the prohibition on contracting with private detention facilities to require the Department of Health to conduct a study evaluating state and local authority and practices for inspecting private detention facilities and enforcing statutes, codes, rules, and policies on the health, safety, and welfare of detainees.

Status:  HB 2576 has passed the Senate with the amendment to require the DOH to conduct a study evaluating state and local authority and practices for inspecting private detention facilities and enforcing statutes, codes, rules, and policies on the health, safety, and welfare of detainees. It is now on its way to the governor for signature.

SB 6442 has passed out of the House and now goes back to the Senate for concurrence on the amendments made by the House which changed the emergency criteria that the governor has meet for the state to contract with private detention facilities.

Action:  Contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  HB 2567 and ask that he sign and pass it into law.

Contact your senator and let them know that you support SB 6442 and request they vote to concur with the House. Then contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  SB 6442 and ask that he sign and pass it into law.

Hair Discrimination

HB 2602 Concerning hair discrimination.

SUPPORT

HB 2602 would prohibit hair discrimination.  Currently WA State Law Against Discrimination (WLAD) includes prohibitions for discrimination on the basis of race; creed; color; national origin; families with children; sex; marital status; sexual orientation; age; the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability; or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a disabled person.

This bill would amend the definition of race in the WLAD to include traits historically associated or perceived to be associated with race. This would include, but would not be limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles such as afros, braids, locks, and twists.

Status:  HB 2602 has passed out of the Senate and is on its way to the governor for signature.

Action:  Contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  HB 2602 and ask that he sign and pass it into law.

Pregnancy Discrimination

SB 6034 Extending the time allowed to file a complaint with the human rights commission for a claim related to pregnancy discrimination.

SUPPORT

SB 6034 extends the time allowed for a person to file a pregnancy discrimination complaint with the human rights commission within one year after the alleged unfair practice.

Status:  SB 6034 is on its way to the governor for signature.

Action:  Contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  SB 6034 and ask that he sign and pass it into law.

Consumer Rights

Debt buyers

HB 2476 Concerning debt buyers.

SUPPORT

HB 2476 this bill applies to collection agencies and creates a licensing system for collection agencies. No person or business may act as a collection agency without first acquiring a license from the Department of Licensing.  This collection agency act sets forth a number of prohibited practices including

  • contacting a debtor with excessive frequency or at an unreasonable hour,
  • publishing an individual’s debt or sharing the amount due with a third party, or
  • misrepresenting themselves when communicating with a debtor.

Status:  HB 2476, one of the strongest in the nation, PASSED the House and the Senate unanimously! It is now on its way to the governor for signature.

Action :  Contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  HB 2476 and ask that he sign and pass it into law.

Economic Equity and Support for Low Income Individuals and Families

Child support pass-through payments

SB 5144 Implementing child support pass-through payments.

SUPPORT

SB 5144 requires the Department of Social and Health Services to pass through a portion of child support collections for families receiving assistance under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. The federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 allows states to pass through up to $100 per month of collected child support to TANF families with one child and up to $200 per month of collected child support to TANF families with two or more children without having to reimburse the federal government for its share of the child support collected. This is known as the child support pass through. States that opt to implement the child support pass through must disregard the child support collection paid to the family in determining the family’s cash TANF benefit. Washington implemented child support pass-through payments in October 2008 but suspended the child support pass-through payments effective May 1, 2011.  SB 5144 was amended in committee and requires the Department of Social and Health Services to pass through child support up to $50 per month collected on behalf of a family, or up to $100 a month for a family that includes two or more children.

Status:  SB 5144 is on its way to the governor for signature.

Action:  Contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  SB 5144 and ask that he sign and pass it into law.

Unemployment benefits for persons with family responsibilities

SB 5473 Making unemployment benefits accessible to persons with family responsibilities and other availability issues and making clarifying changes.

SUPPORT

SB 5473 originally made changes to the unemployment insurance program which would allow a good cause consideration for receiving unemployment benefit to include that the separation from work was necessary because care for a child or vulnerable adult in the claimant’s care is inaccessible.  The bill was amended to require a study on the impacts to the Washington unemployment insurance trust fund and contribution rates is the law was amended to allow unemployment insurance benefits for individuals who leave work voluntarily for the following reasons:

  • the separation was necessary due to inaccessibility of care for a child or a vulnerable adult, if the claimant complies with certain conditions;
  • the employer, without a commensurate change in pay, substantially increases the individual’s job duties or significantly changes the individual’s working conditions;
  • or the individual left work to relocate outside the existing labor market because of the geographical location of or proximity to and the separation from a minor child.

Status:  SB 5473 has passed the House and is going back to the Senate for concurrence on the amendments made in the House to require a study to include impacts to the unemployment insurance trust fund if employers were not charged for benefits.  The report which is due by Nov 6, 2020 must provide information regarding the impacts and recommendations for how statutes and rules may be amended to address the circumstances described above, as fully as practicable, while limiting adverse impacts to the unemployment trust fund and the contribution rates of employers.

Action:  Contact your senator and let them know that you support SB 5473 and request that they vote to concur with the House amendments.  Then contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  SB 5473 and ask that he sign and pass it into law.

Breast milk expression

HB 2266 Concerning reasonable accommodation for the expression of breast milk without requiring written certification from a health care professional.

SUPPORT

HB 2266 prohibits an employer from requiring written certification from the employee’s health care provider regarding the need for a reasonable accommodation to express breast milk.

Status:  HB 2264 is on its way to the governor for signature.

Action:  Contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  HB 2266 and ask that he sign and pass it into law.

Child Support

HB 2302 Concerning child support, but only with respect to standards for determination of income, abatement of child support for incarcerated obligors, modification of administrative orders, and notices of support owed.

REQUEST AMENDMENT

HB 2302 makes modification to child support standards.  It clarifies the standard used to determine what constitutes full time employment for calculation of work, how to impute income for a parent who is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed and adds criteria which imputes income for a voluntarily unemployed or underemployed full time high school student 20 hours per week at minimum wage – this imputation is rebuttable.  The bill also recognizes that an individual who is incarcerated for 6 months or more frequently owe significant child support debts and such debts severely impact the individual’s ability to have a successful reentry and reintegration into society.  The bill allows for an automatic abatement within a child support order where there is a rebuttable presumption that an incarcerated person is unable to pay the child support obligation. Unless the presumption is rebutted, the child support obligation would be abated to ten dollars per month while the individual is incarcerated.  The bill also allows for a motion to be filed to reverse or terminate an abatement during the period of incarceration by demonstrating that the incarcerated person has possession of, or access to, income or assets available to provide support while incarcerated.   Where abatement is determined to be appropriate, the child support obligation is abated to $10 per month, regardless of the number of children covered by the order.  Abatement continues until the last day of the third month after the person is released from confinement, at which point the support obligation is reinstated at 50% of the underlying support obligation, but not less than the presumptive support obligation of $50 per month per child

WA State NOW is concerned about families in the middle may be at jeopardy of eviction due to the inability to pay for their housing, possible loss of job for not being able to afford transportation, loss of care for their children from not being able to pay the cost of child care, loss of utilities, possible homelessness, and/or loss of medical care with the loss of child support.

We are requesting that before the portion regarding abatement of child support payments for incarcerated individuals is implemented that the Department of Child Support conduct a study looking at the impact of this changes in procedure.

Status:  HB 2302 has passed the Senate and is going back to the House for concurrence on amendments may by the Senate.

Action:  Contact your representatives and senator and let them know you have concerns in regard to HB 2302.  Request that the bill be amended to require the Department of Child Support conduct a study looking at the impact and any mitigation for abatement of a child support order for incarcerated individuals.

Domestic Workers Labor Protections

HB 2511 Providing labor protections for domestic workers.

SUPPORT

HB 2511 requires that a domestic worker  who works as a nanny, house cleaner, home care worker, cook, gardener, household manager or other domestic service worker must be receive the following protections:

A hiring entity employing a domestic worker must:

  • pay at least minimum hourly wages;
  • pay overtime wages for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per work week;
  • allow for uninterrupted meal breaks of at least 30 minutes if the domestic worker works five or more hours;
  • allow for 10 minute rest breaks if the domestic worker works more than three hours;
  • permit the domestic worker to cook and consume the domestic worker’s own food, with reasonable restrictions allowed, for domestic workers living in the home of their hiring entity; and
  • keep and maintain records documenting hours worked, pay rate, and if applicable, the leave time earned and used.

The employer may not:

  • request that a domestic worker allow the hiring entity to take possession of the worker’s personal effects, including any legal documents such as passports or other forms of identification;
  • engage in any form of discrimination or subject the worker to a hostile work environment;
  • take adverse action against a domestic worker for the exercise of rights, including denying use of the rights under the act; denying or delaying payment; terminating or demoting the worker; altering hours or pay; threatening action based on immigration status;
  • monitor or record bathroom activities, private living quarters, dressing or changing areas;
  • monitor or record, or interfere with private communications;
  • communicate to a person exercising protected rights, the intent to inform about the worker’s citizenship or immigration status to authorities; or
  • requiring or requesting a written agreement containing waivers, non-competes, non-disclosure, or non-disparagement inhibiting a worker’s rights or ability to seek employment.

Status:  HB 2511 has passed the Senate with amendments and is headed back to the House for concurrence.

Action:  Contact your representative and let them know you support HB 2511 and ask that they vote to concur with the amendments made by the Senate.  And then contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  HB 2511 and ask that he sign and pass it into law.

Workplace Safety

SB 6122 Protecting temporary workers.

SUPPORT

SB 6122 modifies the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act to require a staffing agency to visit the worksite employer’s actual workplace to review safety and health practices and hazards and then provide training to the employee for industry specific hazards the employee may encounter at the worksite.  The training must be completed annually and in the preferred language of the worker.  Training must be during work hours and at no cost to the employee.

Status:  SB 6122 failed to pass out of the House by the March 6 cutoff date.  It is DEAD.

Higher Education Access

SB 6141 Expanding access to higher education.

SUPPORT

SB 6141 recognizes the increasing importance of a postsecondary education as well as the financial barriers faced by many students who want to pursue a postsecondary education.  This bill establishes a means to share information about new financial aid opportunities and increase awareness of what is available including the expanded Washington college grants.  This bill requires the development of a centralized online statewide calculator tool for estimating combined financial aid packages from the federal Pell grant and the Washington college grant program for all public four-year institutions of higher education in Washington state. The calculator must be designed for anonymous use and may not be used to collect or share data.  It also requires that all school districts beginning in 2020-21 school year in coordination with the office of superintendent of public instruction facilitate a financial advising day with all high schools in each district.

Status:  SB 6141 has passed both the House and the Senate and is on its way to the governor for signature.

Action:  Contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  SB 6141 and ask that he sign and pass it into law.

Reproductive Rights and Health Care

Patient protection

HB 1608 Protecting patient care.

SUPPORT

HB 1608 prohibits a health care entity from limiting a health care provider’s provision of accurate and comprehensive information to patients about the patient’s health status, treatment options, and information regarding the Death with Dignity Act, if the provider is acting in good faith, within the provider’s privileges, and within the accepted standard of care.  It also requires the Department of Health (DOH) to create and make available online materials to inform health care providers and staff of the authority to act under these provisions, which health care entities must provide to privileged or employed health care providers and staff. And it requires the DOH to create materials for providers and patients about the Death with Dignity Act.

Status:  HB 1608 has passed out of both the House and Senate and is now on its way to the governor’s office for signature..

Action:  Contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  HB 1608 and ask that he sign and pass it into law.

Comprehensive Sex Education

SB 5395 Concerning comprehensive sexual health education.

SUPPORT
SB 5395 requires every public school district to provide a comprehensive sexual health education as an integral part of the curriculum that is evidence-informed, inclusive for all students regardless of their protected class status, skills-based, and meets other requirements including:

  • encourages healthy relationships based on mutual respect and affection and are free from violence, coercion, and intimidation;
  • teaches how to identify and respond to attitudes and behaviors contributing to sexual violence;
  • emphasizes the importance of affirmative consent, meaning conscious and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity, as a requirement before sexual activity; and is consistent with the health and physical education learning standards, which must be available on OSPI’s website.

The amended SB 5395 requires that the comprehensive sexual health education  be phased in for students in grades 6 through 12 by Sept 1, 2020 and for K through 5 by Sept 1, 2021.

Status:  SB 5395 has passed both the House and Senate and is on its way to the governor for signature.

Action:  Contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  SB 5395 and ask that he sign and pass it into law.

Pelvic Exam Consent

SB 5282 Requiring informed consent for pelvic exams.
SUPPORT
SB 5282 Prohibits a licensed health care provider from knowingly performing or authorizing a student practicing under their authority to perform a pelvic examination on a patient who is anesthetized or unconscious unless:

  • the patient or the patient’s representative provides informed consent;
  • the examination is necessary for diagnostic or treatment purposes; or
  • sexual assault is suspected, then evidence may be collected if the patient is not capable of informed consent due to a longer-term medical condition, or if evidence will be lost.

Status:  SB 5282 has passed out of the House and will be sent back to the Senate for concurrence as it was amended in the Senate to allow a pelvic exam if sexual assault is suspected

Action:  Contact your Senators and let them know that you support SB 5282 and request that they vote in concurrence for this bill. And then contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  SB 5282 and ask that he sign and pass it into law.

Cost-sharing for insulin products

SB 6087 Imposing cost-sharing requirements for coverage of insulin products.

SUPPORT

SB 6087 requires any health plan issued or renewed after January 1, 2021 that provides coverage for  insulin drug that it must cap out of pocket expenses at $100.00 per thirty-day supply.

Status:  SB 6087 has passed out of the House and has been sent back to the Senate for concurrence.

Action:  Contact your senator and let them know you support SB 6087 and ask that they vote to concur with the House amendments. Then contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  SB 6087 and ask that he sign it into law.

Prescription Drug Affordability Board

SB 6088 Establishing a prescription drug affordability board.
SUPPORT
SB 6088 establishes a prescription drug affordability board with responsibilities to identify prescription drugs and biological products that are of a high cost or where the drug has increased in prices for a thirty-day supply by two hundred percent or more in a 12 month period. The board can conduct cost reviews of drugs meeting the criteria in the bill. 

(1) The board must establish a process for setting upper limits for prescription drugs that the board has determined have led or will lead to excess costs to the state or patients. 

(2)Any state agency administering a state purchased health care program shall not pay an amount above the upper payment limit set by the board for a prescription drug.

(3) The process must take into consideration:

(a) The cost of administering the drug;

(b) The cost of delivering the drug to patients; and 

(c) Other relevant administrative costs related to the production and delivery of the drug.

(4) The process must provide for the suspension of an upper payment limit if a drug is placed on the food and drug administration shortage list.

(5) The board must monitor the supply of drugs for which it sets an upper payment limit and may suspend that limit if there is a shortage of the drug in the state.

Status:  SB 6088 has passed the House and now goes back to the Senate for concurrence.

Action: Contact your senator and let them know you support SB 6088 and ask that they vote to concur with the House amendments. Then contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  SB 6088 and ask that he sign it into law.

Insulin Purchasing Program

SB 6113 Creating a central insulin purchasing program.

SUPPORT

SB 6113 establishes a central insulin purchasing program to allow the northwest prescription drug consortium to act as the single purchaser of insulin for the state thus leveraging the buying power of all insulin purchasers in the state with the goal of lowering the cost of insulin.

Status:  SB 6113 failed to pass out of the House by the March 6 cutoff date.  The bill is DEAD.

Postpartum Medicaid Coverage

SB 6128  Extending coverage during the postpartum period.

SUPPORT

SB 6128 expands Medicaid coverage to one year after a pregnancy ends instead of the current limit of 60 days.  The bill also directs the health care authority to submit a waiver request to the federal centers for Medicare and Medicaid services to allow the state to receive federal match for the coverage of pregnant and postpartum persons.

Status: SB 6128 has passed the House and is back in the Senate a concurrence vote.

Action:  : Contact your senator and let them know you support SB 6128 and ask that they vote to concur with the House amendments. Then contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  SB 6128 and ask that he sign it into law.

Violence Against Women

Human Trafficking

HB 2320 Requiring training on human trafficking.
SUPPORT
HB 2320 requires all transient accommodations to provide annual training on human trafficking to their employees.  The training must cover 1) the differences between sex and labor trafficking, 2) guidance specific to public lodging sector on identifying human trafficking, 3) guidance on responding to suspected trafficking, 4) contact information of a national human trafficking hotline and appropriate local law enforcement agency.  By January 1, 2021 every operator of a transient accommodation must conspicuously post signage for their employees regarding human trafficking awareness. The Department of Health may not renew or issue a license to an applicant without first receiving written confirmation that the training, signage, and procedures for reporting have been met.

Status:  HB 2320 has passed out of the Senate and is now back in the House for concurrence.

Action:  : Contact your representatives and let them know you support HB 2320 and ask that they vote to concur with the House amendments. Then contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  HB 2320 and ask that he sign it into law.

Model Sexual Assault Protocols

SB 6158 Concerning model sexual assault protocols for hospitals and clinics.
SUPPORT
SB 6158 establishes a sexual assault coordinated community task force within the attorney general’s office to develop model protocols ensuring that adult or minor sexual assault victims receive a coordinated community response when presenting for care at any hospital or clinic following a sexual assault. The task force is to report it its findings and recommendation to the legislature and governor by December 1st of each year with the task force expiring on Dec 31, 2022.

Status:  SB 6158 has passed out of the House and is back in the Senate for their vote on concurrence..

Action:  Contact your senator and request that SB 6158 and ask that they vote to concur with the House amendments. Then contact Governor Inslee and let him know that you support  SB 6158 and ask that he sign it into law.

Budget/Revenue

Rescinding Boeing tax exemption

HB 2945 Concerning aerospace business and occupation taxes and world trade organization compliance.

SB 6690 Concerning aerospace business and occupation taxes and world trade organization compliance.
SUPPORT
HB 2945 an SB 6690 impose the business and occupation (B&O) standard tax rates of 0.484 percent on the manufacturing of commercial airplanes and components of commercial airplane, the making of sales at retail or wholesale of commercial airplanes and components of commercial airplanes manufactured by the seller beginning April 1, 2020.  Boeing has determined that the tariffs to which they would be subject if this tax preference remains in place would be more financially detrimental than paying the B&O tax in Washington State, so they have requested that their exemption be eliminated.  The bill allows for the reimposition of the preferential B&O rate of .2904 percent on the manufacturing if the United States and the European Union resolve their World Trade Organization disputes regarding large civil aircraft manufacturers.

Status:  HB 2945 is in the House Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.
SB 6690 is in the Senate Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full Senate.  Since both of these bills deal with the revenue they remain alive as it is necessary to implement the budget.

Action:  Contact your representatives and senator and request that HB 2945  and SB 6690 be  pulled to the floor and that they vote YES.

Working Families Tax Credit

HB 1527 Providing a working families’ tax credit.

SB 5810 Providing a working families’ tax credit.

SUPPORT

HB 1527 and SB 5810 provide a sales tax credit for low-income working individuals and families similar to the federal earned income tax credit. The objective as cited in the bill is to allow low-income and middle-income workers to recover some or all of the sales tax, they pay to support state and local government as a way to increase their economic security and to decrease the regressivity of our state tax code. It is the legislature’s intent to provide a sales and use tax exemption, in the form of a remittance, to low income and middle-income working families. If a review finds that the working families’ tax credit provides meaningful financial relief to low-income and middle-income households, then the legislature intends to extend the expiration date of the tax preference.

Status:  Both of these bills have been held over from the 2019 session and are still in their respective finance committees at this time. As necessary to implement the budget, these bills are not subject to the cutoff.
Action:   Contact your representatives and senator and ask that HB 1527 and SB 5810 be included in the budget negotiations and that they pass HB 1527 and SB 5810 to reduce the inequities in our state’s current tax system.

Working to pass new progressive policies and demonstrating continued investment in our state is important.  However, in order to ensure these policies, have adequate funding, we must advocate for a healthy budget that invests in our schools, protects the most vulnerable and supports families and those they love.  We must support measures that aim to restructure our regressive tax system that currently relies the most heavily on taxes from the least affluent. 

This session the legislature will be making changes to the budget passed last year with a supplemental budget to make corrections and adjustments. It must be noted that the legislature adopted in 2019 a budget that did not include any significant revenue.  With no additional revenue even though there were some enhancements new initiatives have basically been impossible.  The proposed carbon tax and capital gains tax were not approved, and neither were major changes to the tax exemptions that could have increased revenue.  Since 2020 is the second half of the biennium it is unlikely that these revenues will be approved this session.

The legislature is also dealing with the passage of I-976 which has resulted in an injunction that the court imposed preventing its implementation until a court decision is made.  And until the final decision is made, jurisdictions and the state are developing strategies to continue to collect the full amount of the pre-initiative car tab fees or not.  Even with these constraints there does not appear to be any momentum to use our general fund monies to support transportation.

In order for our communities to thrive, our lawmakers must generate new resources from our richest residents who have some of the lowest overall state and local tax rates.  We need to encourage our legislators to tax capital gains (which are highly concentrated with those at the top of the income scale in the state).  As noted by the Washington State Budget and Policy Center, “A tax on capital gains would help lawmakers pay for tax credits and programs that would benefit women, nonbinary and trans people, and other communities overrepresented among households with low incomes. Legislators do not have to sacrifice revenue in order to reduce the strain of our tax code on Washingtonians with low incomes. Enacting a tax on capital gains – which are profits from the sale of corporate stocks, bonds, and other financial assets – would generate revenue to fund an expanded Working Families Tax Credit and reinvest in WorkFirst/TANF. And the tax would almost exclusively be paid by Washington’s millionaires, who have benefited most from the thriving economy we all help to build and maintain.

A short legislative session should not get in the way of advancing gender equity in Washington. Lawmakers can and must take these steps to address gender- and race-based economic inequities exacerbated by our tax code.”

Foreclosure prevention funding: Sen. Mullet has put in an operating budget request for $1.82 million in the supplemental budget. Other members can sign on to that request. Rep. Orwall is circulating a sign on letter to support her budget request. Please ask your senators to contact Sen. Mullet’s office to sign on to the foreclosure prevention budget request and ask your house members to contact Rep. Orwall and sign on to the foreclosure prevention budget request support letter!

On Friday, February 21, 2020 the WA State Economic & Revenue Forecast Council forecasted an increase of $606 million for the 2021-23 biennium and $321 million for the 2023-25 biennium.  Also, Boeing requested that the state rescind Boeing’s tax exemption which is also likely to increase revenue.  This in addition to the increase in monies noted in the revenue forecast will make the  budget appropriations go a little smoother. 

Both the House and the Senate introduced their supplemental budget early in the last week of February.   The primary work of the Legislature this week is to negotiate a final appropriations supplemental budget package that can pass both chambers by the last day of this session. With the extreme changes in the stock market that occurred this week with the news of the COVID-19 virus, it is possible that both chambers will consider the budget with greater conservatism than they did initially.  Both houses are also now proposing additional funding to deal with this health crisis.

These bills do make some important investments in regard to the following areas[2]:

  1. Housing and homelessness – by increasing funding for housing programs that assist very low income people who are sick or facing a temporary disability and eliminating a policy that reduces cash benefits for those residing in shelters
  2. Early Learning – invests funds and expands eligibility in the Working Connection and ECEAP programs so that low income families can obtain childcare and providers who provide these services can remain in business (with increased reimbursement rates). 
  3. Economic security for low income families – reversing cuts and reinvests in the TANF program.  The Senate proposal reinstates the child support pass-through, which would allow WorkFirst/TANF recipients to retain a portion of child support payments made on their behalf. 
  4. Access to healthy foods – makes fruit and vegetables more accessible to SNAP and WIC participants.

They also included funding for a new statewide Office of Equity but failed to fund programs directly in communities addressing disparities and violence in their own communities (i.e. Communities of Concern Commission and the statewide taskforce on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women).

The House budget does provide stronger investments in our communities. 

  1. It restores commonsense exemptions to the WorkFirst/TANF time limits and eliminates harsh penalties for families who face the steepest barriers to work and family well-being. 
  2. Dedicates longer-term funding to the Housing and Essential Needs program and funds a pilot program to provide rental assistance to adults with disabilities and seniors to prevent homelessness. 
  3. Expands access to affordable childcare for families experiencing homelessness.  But the House did neglect to invest in dual language early learning which the Senate version funded. 

Neither proposal proposed new revenue to clean up our regressive tax system.  They relied on a positive revenue forecast with a large one-time windfall (from a $300 million spike in estate tax revenue from Paul Allen’s estate) to fund modest investments in our communities’ needs.  For the long term we need new revenue resources.

Neither proposal funds a Working Family Tax Credit which could provide a boost in income to approximately 1 million households across the state. This type of tax credit would  offset the effect of our state’s  inequitable tax code for the lowest-income tax group in our state.  These families currently pay six times more of their share of incomes in state and local taxes than the wealthiest Washingtonians.

What actions can you take with your representatives and senators now?

  1. Tell them that you support a capital gains tax.
  2. Tell them that you support a Working Family Tax Credit.
  3. Encourage them to pass legislations such as that in HB 1703 which would increase transparency regarding tax exemptions and accountability.  This would require that the Department of Revenue report on all tax exemptions and their fiscal impact every two years instead of the current four years.  Every tax exemption that has no sunset and reduces revenue by over $50,000 annually would appear in the budget document and would have to be proactively reauthorized as part of the budget or it would sunset.
  4. Encourage them to pass HB 2945/SB 6690 to rescind the Boeing tax exemption.
  5. Let your senators and representatives know that you support the investments in our communities and that the House budget is the better version for the supplemental budget. 

HOUSE COMMITEES

Appropriations Committee:
Timm Ormsby (Chair), June Robinson (1st Vice Chair), Steve Berquist (2nd Vice Chair), Drew Stokesbary, Drew MacEwen, Skyler Rude, Michele Caldier, Bruce Chandler, Frank Chopp, Eileen Cody, Laurie Dolan, Mary Dye, Joe Fitzgibbon, Drew Hansen, Larry Hoff, Zach Hudgins, Christine Kilduff, Vicki Kraft, Nicole Macri, Gina Mosbrucker, Eric Pettigrew, Gerry Pollet, Cindy Ryu, Joe Schmick, Tana Senn, Larry Springer, Mike Steele, Pat Sullivan, Robert Sutherland, Gael Tarleton, Steve Tharinger, Mike Volz, and Alex Ybarra

Capital Budget Committee:
Steve Tharinger (Chair), Beth Doglio (Vice Chair), , Richard DeBolt, Norma Smith, Mike Steele, Lisa Callan, Chris Corry, Lauren Davis, Mary Dye, Carolyn Eslick, Chris Gildon, Morgan Irwin, Bill Jenkin, Mari Leavitt, Debra Lekanoff, Jacquelin Maycumber, Melanie Morgan, Mike Pellicciotti, Strom Peterson, Marcus Riccelli, Sharon Tomiko Santos, Mike Sells, Monica Jurado Stonier, and Jim Walsh

Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee
Christine Kilduff (Chair), My-Linh Thai (Vice Chair), Morgan Irwin, Jeremie Dufault, Roger Goodman, Jenny Graham, Drew Hansen, Steve Kirby, Brad Klippert, Tina Orwall, Strom Peterson, Matt Shea, Javier Valdez, Amy Walen, and Alex Ybarra

College and Workforce Development Committee:
Drew Hansen (Chair), Debra Entenman (Vice Chair), Mari Leavitt (Vice Chair), Luanne Van Werven, Chris Gildon, Jenny Graham, Steve Berquist, Vicki Kraft, Jared Mead, Dave Paul, Gerry Pollet, Bill Ramos, Skyler Rude, Mike Sells, Vandana Slatter, Robert Sutherland, and Jesse Young

Commerce and Gaming Committee:
Strom Peterson (Chair), Drew MacEwen, Kelly Chambers, Brian Blake, Bill Jenkin, Steve Kirby, Shelley Kloba, Melanie Morgan, Brandon Vick, and Jesse Young

Consumer Protection and Business Committee:
Steve Kirby (Chair), Brandon Vick, Larry Hoff, Andrew Barkis, Brian Blake, Davin Duerr, Jeremie Dufault, Cindy Ryu, Sharon Tomiko Santos, Mike Volz, Amy Walen, and Alex Ybarra

Education Committee:
Sharon Tomiko Santos (Chair), Laurie Dolan (Vice Chair), Dave Paul (Vice Chair), Mike Steele, Bob McCaslin, Mike Volz, Steve Berquist, Michelle Caldier, Lisa Callan, Chris Corry, Paul Harris, Christine Kilduff, Vicki Kraft, Lillian Ortiz-Self, Skyler Rude, Monica Jurado Stonier, My-Linh Thai, Javier Valdez, and Alex Ybarra

Environment & Energy Committee:
Joe Fitzgibbon (Chair), Debra Lekanoff (Vice Chair), Matt Shea, Mayr Dye, Matt Boehnke, Richard DeBolt, Beth Doglio, Jake Fey, Jared Mead, June Robinson, and Sharon Shewmake

Finance Committee:
Gael Tarleton (Chair), Amy Walen (Vice Chair), Ed Orcutt, Jesse Young, Mike Chapman, Noel Frame, Nicole Macri, Tina Orwall, Larry Springer, Drew Stokesbary, Brandon Vick, and Sharon Wylie   

Health Care and Wellness Committee:
Eileen Cody (Chair), Nicole Macri (Vice Chair), Joe Schmick, Michelle Caldier, Kelly Chambers, Frank Chopp, Lauren Davis, Richard DeBolt, Paul Harris, Jacquelin Maycumber, Marcus Riccilli, June Robinson, Monica Jurado Stonier, My-Linh Thai, and Steve Tharinger

Housing, Community Development and Veterans Committee:
Cindy Ryu (Chair), Melanie Morgan (Vice Chair), Bill Jenkin, Chris Gildon, Andrew Barkis, Debra Entenman, Noel Frame, and Mari Leavitt

Human Services and Early Learning Committee:
Tana Senn (Chair), Lisa Callan (Vice Chair), Noel Frame (Vice Chair), Tom Dent, Carolyn Eslick, Bob McCaslin, Chris Corry, Roger Goodman, Dan Griffey, Christine Kilduff, Brad Klippert, John Lovick, & Lillian Ortiz-Self

Innovation, Technology and Economic Development Committee:
Zach Hudgins (Chair), Shelley Kloba (Vice Chair), Norma Smith, Matt Boehnke, Vandana Slatter, Gael Tarleton, Luanne, Van Werven, and Sharon Wylie

Labor and Workplace Standards Committee:
Mike Sells (Chair), Mike Chapman (Vice-Chair), Gina Mosbrucker, Bruce Chandler, Mia Gregerson, Larry Hoff, and Timm Ormsby

Local Government Committee:
Gerry Pollet (Chair), Davina Duerr (Vice Chair), Vicki Kraft, Dan Griffey, Sherry Appleton, Keith Goehner, and Tana Senn

Public Safety Committee:
Roger Goodman (Chair), Lauren Davis (Vice Chair), Sherry Appleton (2nd Vice Chair), Brad Klippert, Robert Sutherland, Jenny Graham, Dan Griffey, John Lovick, Tina Orwall, Mike Pellicciotti, and Eric Pettigrew

Rules Committee:
John Lovick (Acting Chair), Steve Berquist, Kelly Chambers, Mike Chapman, Chris Corry, Lauren Davis, Noel Frame, Chris Gildon, Paul Harris, Christine Kilduff, Joel Kretz, Jacqueline Maycumber, Lillian Ortiz-Self, Tina Orwall, Eric Pettigrew, Marcus Riccelli, Skyler Rude, Larry Springer, Monica Jurado Stonier, Pat Sullivan, Robert Sutherland, Mike Volz, J. T. Wilcox, and Sharon Wylie

Rural Development, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Committee:
Brian Blake (Chair), Sharon Shewmake (Vice Chair), Bruce Chandler, Tom Dent, Mike Chapman, Mary Dye, Joe Fitzgibbon, Joel Kretz, Debra Lekanoff, Ed Orcutt, Erick Pettigrew, Bill Ramos, Joe Schmick, Larry Springer, and Jim Walsh

State Government and Tribal Relations Committee:
Mia Gregerson (Chair), Mike Pelliciotti (Vice Chair), Jim Walsh, Keith Goehner, Sherry Appleton, Laurie Dolan, Zack Hudgins, Gina Mosbrucker, and Norma Smith

Transportation Committee:
Jake Fey (Chair), Sharon Wylie (1st Vice Chair), Vandana Slatter (2nd Vice Chair), Javier Valdez (2nd Vice Chair), Andrew Barkis, Jim Walsh, Jesse Young, Matt Boehnke, Kelly Chambers, Mike Chapman, Tom Dent, Beth Doglio, Davina Duerr, Jeremie Dufault, Debra Entenman, Carolyn Eslick, Keith Gohner, Mia Gregerson, Morgan Irwin, Shelley Kloba, John Lovick, Bob McCaslin, Jared Mead, Ed Orcutt, Lillian Ortiz-Self, Dave Paul, Mike Pellicciotti, Bill Ramos, Marcus Riccelli, Matt Shea, Sharon Shewmake, and Luanne Van Werven

SENATE COMMITEES

Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources and Parks Committee:
Kevin Van De Wege (Chair), Jesse Salomon (Vice Chair), Judy Warnick, Jim Honeyford, John McCoy, Christine Rolfes, and Shelly Short

Behavioral Health Subcommittee to Health & Long-Term Care Committee:
Manka Dhingra (Chair), Keith Wagoner, Jeanne Darneille, David Frockt, and Steve O’Ban

Early Learning and K-12 Committee:
Lisa Wellman (Chair), Claire Wilson (Vice Chair), Brad Hawkins, Jeff Holy, Sam Hunt, John McCoy, Mark Mullet, Mike Padden, Jamie Pedersen, Jesse Salomon, and Keith Wagoner

Environment, Energy, and Technology Committee:
Reuven Carlyle (Chair), Liz Lovelett (Vice Chair), Doug Ericksen, Phil Fortunado, Sharon Brown, Mona Das, Steve Hobbs, Marko Liias, John McCoy, Joe Nguyen, Ann Rivers, Tim Sheldon, Shelly Short, Derek Stanford, and Lisa Wellman

Financial Institutions, Economic Development and Trade Committee:
Mark Mullet (Chair), Bob Hasegawa (Vice Chair), Lynda Wilson, John Braun, Mona Das, Doug Ericksen, and Steve Hobbs

Health and Long Term Care Committee:
Annette Cleveland (Chair), Emily Randall (Vice Chair), Steve O’Ban, Randi Becker, Steve Conway, Manka Dhingra, David Frockt, Karen Keiser, Ron Muzzall, Ann Rivers, and Kevin Van De Wege

Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee:
Emily Randall (Chair), Derek Stanford (Vice Chair), Jeff Holy, Sharon Brown, Doug Ericksen, Marko Liias, and Lisa Wellman

Housing Stability and Affordability Committee:
Patty Kuderer (Chair), Mona Das (Vice Chair), Hans Zeiger, Jeanne Darneille, Phil Fortunato, Rebecca Saldaña, and Judy Warnick

Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation Committee:
Jeanne Darneille (Chair), Joe Nguyen (Vice Chair), Maureen Walsh, Annette Cleveland, Steve O’Ban, Claire Wilson, and Hans Zeiger

Labor and Commerce Committee:
Karen Keiser (Chair), Steve Conway (Vice Chair), Curtis King, John Braun, Rebecca Saldaña, Mark Schoesler, Derek Stanford, Maureen Walsh, and Lisa Wellman

Law & Justice Committee:
Jamie Pedersen (Chair), Manka Dhingra (Vice Chair), Mike Padden, Jeff Holy, Patty Kuderer, Jesse Salomon, and Lynda Wilson

Local Government Committee:
Dean Takko (Chair), Jesse Salomon (Vice Chair), Shelly Short, Jim Honeyford, Sam Hunt, and Liz Lovelett

Rules Committee:
Cyrus Habib (Chair), Karen Keiser (Vice Chair), Mark Schoesler, Randi Becker, Andy Billig, Reuven Carlyle, Annette Cleveland, Bob Hasegawa, Curtis King, Patty Kuderer, Marko Liias, John McCoy, Joe Nguyen, Ann Rivers, Tim Sheldon, and Shelly Short

State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections Committee:
Sam Hunt (Chair), Patty Kuderer (Vice Chair), Hans Zeiger, Ron Muzzall, Bob Hasegawa, Brad Hawkins, and Dean Takko

Transportation Committee:
Steve Hobbs (Chair), Rebecca Saldaña (Vice Chair), Tim Sheldon, Annette Cleveland, Curtis King, Mona Das, Phil Fortunato, Liz Lovelett, Joe Nguyen, Steve O’Ban, Mike Padden,  Emily Randall, Dean Takko, Claire Wilson, and Hans Zeiger

Ways & Means Committee:
Christine Rolfes (Chair), David Frockt (Vice Chair, Operating, Capital Lead), Mark Mullet (Capital Budget Cabinet), John Braun, Sharon Brown, Jim Honeyford, Randi Becker, Andy Billig, Reuven Carlyle, Steve Conway, Jeanne Darneille, Manka Dhingra, Bob Hasegawa, Sam Hunt, Karen Keiser, Marko Liias, Ron Muzzall, Jamie Pedersen Ann Rivers, Mark Schoesler, Kevin Van De Wege, Keith Wagoner, Judy Warnick, and Lynda Wilson

Hint:  You can view bills by going to the following website and plug in the bill number for which you want to view the history and status:
http://dlr.leg.wa.gov/billsummary/

[1] https://budgetandpolicy.org/schmudget/three-takeaways-from-the-house-and-senate-budget-proposals/

[2] https://budgetandpolicy.org/schmudget/three-takeaways-from-the-house-and-senate-budget-proposals/

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