Y = Yes, N = No, E = Excused, NV = Not Voting
ESHB 1694 – Addressing fiscal matters for the 2007-2009 biennium
ESHB 1694, which passed the House by a vote of 83 to 13, adjusts the spending for the 2007-09 biennial budget. The 2007-09 biennial operating budget was adopted in 2007 and modified in 2008. It appropriates $33.7 billion from the state General Fund and several other accounts, referred to as the Near General Fund. The total budgeted amount from all funds and accounts, which includes state and federal funds, is $57.2 billion. ESHB would reduce the 2007-09 Near General Fund budget by $636 million and the total budget by $334 million. ESHB 1694 is now before the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
41st District
Rep. Judy Clibborn, (D-Mercer Island), Y
Rep. Marcie Maxwell, (D-Renton), Y
48th District
Rep. Deborah Eddy, (D-Kirkland), Y
Rep. Ross Hunter, (D-Medina), Y
ESHB 1906 – Expanding the unemployment benefit compensation and training program
ESHB 1906 increases the payable unemployment benefits by $45 per week and raises the minimum weekly unemployment benefit to $155. In addition, ESHB 1906 expands eligibility for the training benefits program for persons that are disabled, honorably discharged from the military and low-wage workers. Other changes made by ESHB 1906 include eliminating restrictions to the shared work program, such as the limit on the number of weeks that an employee may receive benefits. The $45 weekly increase and training benefits will not count as part of the experience rating accounts for employers. ESHB 1906 passed the House by a vote of 91 to 2 and is now before the Senate for further consideration.
41st District
Rep. Judy Clibborn, (D-Mercer Island), Y
Rep. Marcie Maxwell, (D- Renton), Y
48th District
Rep. Deborah Eddy, (D-Kirkland), Y
Rep. Ross Hunter, (D-Medina), E
SSB 5040 – Penalties for underage gambling
SSB 5040 makes it a class 2 civil infraction for a person under the age of 18 to participate in unlawful gambling, such as punchboards, pull-tabs or card games. Persons under the age of 18 may play bingo, raffles, and amusement game activities only as provided in Washington State Gambling Commission rules. SSB 5040 also establishes that a person under the age of 18 will forfeit money or items of value associated with illegal gambling. SSB 5040 passed the Senate by a vote of 46 to 0 and is now before the House Commerce and Labor Committee.
41st District
Sen. Fred Jarrett, (D-Mercer Island), Y
48th District
Sen. Rodney Tom, (D-Medina), Y
SSB 5042 – Provides waivers for small business from penalties for paperwork violations
SSB 5042 provides small businesses with waivers from penalties for the failure to properly collect, post or retain data or records in accordance with State regulations. Under present law, small businesses can be fined by agencies that discover paperwork violations during technical assistance reviews. The waiver is only available to small businesses that have not previously committed a paperwork violation. In addition the waiver does not apply when the violation presents a direct danger to the public or employees, results in loss of income or benefits for employees, involves knowing or will conduct that may result in a felony or if the failure concerns the assessment or collection of tax, debt, revenue or receipt. SSB 5042 passed the Senate by a vote of 46 to 0 and is now before the House State Government and Tribal Affairs Committee.
41st District
Sen. Fred Jarrett, (D-Mercier Island), Y
48th District
Sen. Rodney Tom, (D-Medina), Y
SB 5107 – Addressing renewable resource projects within energy overlay zones
SB 5107, passed the Senate by a vote of 46 to 0, revises judicial standards for granting relief under the Land Use Petition Act. SB 5107 presumes that a land use decision that establishes a renewable resource project in an energy overlay zone is reasonable when a project meets the standards and requirements for the specified zoning. Energy overlay zones are formal plans enacted by counties which establish suitable areas for sighting renewable resource projects based on currently available resources and existing infrastructure with sensitivity to adverse environmental impacts. SB 5107 is now before the House Technology, Energy and Communications Committee.
41st District
Sen. Fred Jarrett, (D-Mercier Island), Y
48th District
Sen. Rodney Tom, (D-Medina), Y
SSB 5616 – Connecting business expansions and recruitment to customized training
SSB 5615, passed the Senate by a vote of 46 to 0, allows participants in the Washington customized training program to delay payments into the employment training finance accounts for 2009 and 2010. SSB 5616 would require employers to make efforts to hire trainees from the Job Skills Program, but removes the requirement that employers hire a minimum of 75 percent of trainees from the program. In addition training institutions would be required to make efforts to develop training programs using trainers preferred by participants. SSB 5616 is now before the House Higher Education Committee.
41st District
Sen. Fred Jarrett, (D-Mercier Island), Y
48th District
Sen. Rodney Tom, (D-Medina), Y
SOURCE: WashingtonVotes.org, a free, non-partisan website to find plain-English explanations of bills and a record of each legislator’s votes. Do you want to know more about your government? Visit www.WashingtonVotes.org today.
