Mid-session update: Several disastrous bills fall short, but much to watch out for

Thank you to the thousands of you who have contacted lawmakers and signed in for committee hearings in response to our action alerts. With sign-ins especially often 10:1 in favor of a common-sense position, the response from our community has not gone unnoticed.

Wednesday, March 12, marked a significant cutoff date for the Washington legislative session, in that it was a deadline for a bill to advance out of its originating chamber, either the House or Senate. Like anything in Olympia, “rules” are written in pencil, and there are caveats and exceptions. One such exception is the deadline does not apply to budget-related bills – and anything that can raise taxes affects the budget.

Still, this marks a key point where one can confidently say a bill is dead in the water. And your vocie and your advocacy has made an incredible impact over the last two months  to save the most powerful legislative tool available to Washington citizens and to stop several pieces of legislation that would’ve exasperated the crime problems in our state.

Here’s an update on where some of the legislation we’ve alerted you to stands:

CAUSE TO CELEBRATE

• The “initiative killer” (SB 5382) would have undermined the most powerful and effective democratic tool Washington citizens have and was ironically backed by many who decried “assaults on democracy” at the federal level. Due to widespread public outcry and opposition from Future 42, Let’s Go Washington and the Democrat Secretary of State, it is now dead.
• For the first time in many years, Education Scholarship Accounts (HB 1140), which would allow parents to choose the best education for their child, received a hearing. This bill drew overwhelming support at the committee hearing, with supporters outnumbering opponents by more than 1,000! While the bill failed to advance, this strong show of support keeps the idea alive in future years, while opponents were hoping to squelch the concept for the foreseeable future.
• HB 1380 was dubbed the “homelessness is a civil right” bill. It would have allowed encampments anywhere across the state and exposed any local government attempting to enforce laws saying otherwise to tremendously expensive lawsuits. Fortunately, it did not advance from committee and will not become law this session.
• Two bills (HB 1178 and SB 5312) that would have enacted lighter sentencing for dangerous criminal behavior failed to advance from committee. Respectively those bills would’ve lowered penalties for those convicted of gun crimes and for child sex predators caught in sting operations.
• A bill that would allow activist judges the unilateral ability to release convicts (HB 1125) did not receive a vote in the state House, meaning it can be considered dead. Typically a bill with more than 30 co-sponsors like this one had typically means it has a strong chance of becoming law, but lawmakers heard a lot of opposition on this bill and ultimately decided to back off.

CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM

• The Vehicle Mileage Tax (HB 1921), which would implement a per-mile tax and create a giant bureaucracy to track and manage it, did not receive a floor vote in the House. This means it could be dead, although it could be brought back due to the budgetary exception.
• HB 1334, which would triple the rate your property taxes could increase, is similarly stalled but could be revived. Other property tax hikes – like HB 1042 (allows county treasurers to add a fee for the collection of your property taxes) and HB 4201 (makes it easier for property taxes to pass at the ballot box) – are in a similar position.
• A $.10 beverage container deposit/tax on all can and bottle sales (HB 1607) did not receive a vote from the full House, meaning this bill is likely dead – although it could be brought back in the budget. This would dramatically increase costs at the time of purchase and states with similar programs have seen increasing fraud and deposits increasingly difficult to redeem.

ALIVE & DANGEROUS

• A repeal of Initiative 2081/the parental notification initiative (SB 5181 & HB 1296) have passed their respective chambers, despite lawmakers having voted with overwhelming majorities ( the Senate unanimously) to make parental notification a law less than a year ago. This current law would once again make it far more difficult for parents to know what is happening to the health and education of their children while at school. Next steps on these bills are not yet clear. The House and Senate will now negotiate a final bill to vote on based on these two that have passed
• Statewide rent control (HB 1217) passed the House. Like every place where it’s been tried before, this would lead to less housing construction and lower property values – ultimately making it more difficult to find a place to rent in Washington.
• Unemployment for Striking Workers (SB 5041), which incredibly would have Washingtonians pay unemployment for workers walking off the job under their own free will, has advanced from the Senate and is onto the House. This bill is a blatant handout from certain lawmakers to labor unions that fund their campaigns and actively works against the public interest.

All bills that have advanced from their chamber of origin now go through committee and, if advanced, will receive a vote in the opposite chamber.

The other big thing to come is the state budget, which has loomed over the legislative session to date and will soon become the primary focal point, as well as the $6.6 billion shortfall. Democrat legislative leaders and Governor Bob Ferguson have been planting seeds for a “measured” approach with that shortfall being addressed with spending cuts and tax increases – and a heavy emphasis the latter (although the Senate GOP released an alternative which shows the budget can be balanced without tax increases).

But that approach ignores the real issue, which is that state spending has doubled since former Governor Jay Inslee was sworn in 12 years ago, and that shortfall is entirely due to lavish spending obligations.

More on that to come.