Read copies below of the weekly reports.
========WEEK 13 REPORTED 4/15/23 ========
Lawmakers are working around the clock to pass as many policy bills as possible before the end of the day, Wednesday, April 12 – the last day to pass bills out of the opposite chamber. Over the next 5 days, legislators will spend all of their time in caucus talking about bills that will be coming up for consideration, or on the House and Senate floor debating and passing those bills. After the 12, lawmakers will pivot their focus to final budget negotiations.
Reproductive rights have taken center stage this week in Olympia and across the country. On Tuesday, Governor Jay Inslee announced that Washington had taken the unprecedented action to purchase a three-year supply of mifepristone, an abortion medication, for $1.3 million. Inslee directed the state Department of Corrections, using its pharmacy license, to purchase the drug. Legislators then introduced legislation authorizing the Department of Corrections to distribute or sell the medication to licensed health providers across the state [SB 5768 / HB 1854 (Keiser / Bateman)]. The Governor’s action was intended as a response to the Texas judge’s ruling, which came down on Friday afternoon, invalidating the FDA approval of the abortion drug mifepristone. The decision does not take effect for seven days, during which time the federal government is expected to make an emergency appeal. An hour later, there was a contradictory ruling from a Washington state federal judge, on a case filed by Attorney General Bob Ferguson, barring the FDA from restricting the availability of mifepristone in WA and 17 other states. Abortion, including medication abortion, remains legal and available in WA but these rulings highlight the volatile and ever changing landscape and the need to take steps to defend and expand access to abortion care.
AAUW priority bills that are still alive as of April 7 include:
=======Apprenticeship bills
State-Sponsored Apprenticeship Program – 2SHB 1013 – Sponsors: Rep Maycumber and Rep Santos
HB 1013 would establish regional apprenticeship programs for Washington state students. These programs would allow students to participate in a state-run apprenticeship program in high school that would offer students experience in different fields that may not require a college education. Apprenticeship programs allow for important graduation pathways and future career opportunities to students. Furthermore, these programs benefit employers by providing them with an opportunity to train students for jobs in these industries that are beneficial and important to local communities. If passed, one of the first pilot program sites would be in a district with a high percent of small, rural school districts. This bill was introduced last session but never made it out of committee. This year, HB 1013 has more than 50 bipartisan co-sponsors.
Update: HB 1013 passed the House, 97-0 on March 2. The bill has moved through all the relevant Senate committees and is now ready to be taken up by the Senate.
Working Connection Child Care – 2SHB 1525 – Sponsor: Rep Fosse
Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) helps eligible families pay for childcare. When a family qualifies for child care subsidy benefits and chooses an eligible provider, the state pays a portion of the cost of childcare. This bill would provide qualifying applicants and consumers of state registered apprenticeship programs eligibility for the Working Connections Child Care subsidy.
Update: The bill passed the House 96-0. It was heard in the Senate Ways and Means Committee on April 21 and executive action was taken on April 4. The bill is now ready to be taken up by the Senate.
======Economic Security bills
Unemployment insurance qualification – ESHB 1106 – Sponsor: Rep Fosse
HB 1106 relates to the qualifications for unemployment insurance when an individual voluntarily leaves work. Unemployment insurance benefits are a critical safety net for families in-between jobs. Despite this, Washington’s unemployment laws aren’t written to protect family caregiving. Currently, if a worker is forced to quit their job due to inability or inaccessibility to childcare, the employee is ineligible for unemployment insurance. This bill will allow for a change to the definition of a “good cause quit” to include quits as a result of inaccessibility to childcare. This allows for workers to qualify for unemployment insurance benefits while searching for new jobs.
Update: VICTORY!! On Thursday, the bill passed out of the Senate in a 26-20 vote. This has been a long journey and the advocacy of AAUW helped to finally get this bill across the finish line. There was an amendment adopted on the Senate floor that makes the change in voluntary quits temporary to 2029, but also requires a study at that time to capture the impact of this change that will position advocates for making this change permanent. The bill now heads to the House for concurrence.
Working Families Tax Credit – 2SHB 1477 – Sponsor: Rep Thai
HB 1477, while more technical in nature, makes some important changes to the WFTC. The bill would allow individuals filing as “married filing separately” to qualify for the Working Families’ Tax Credit. It would also permit individuals to apply for any Working Families’ Tax Credit payments for which they were eligible but did not claim for up to three years.
Update: The bill passed the House 96-1. It was heard in the Senate Ways and Means Committee and executive action was taken on April 4. The bill is now in Rules.
========Healthcare/Reproductive Rights bills
My Health My Data – ESHB 1155 – Sponsor: Slatter/Dhingra, at request of Attorney General
This legislation would block websites and apps from collecting and sharing health data. This is of concern for people who use search engines or health tracking apps. It would also prohibit the sale of health data, the use of geofences (location-based software that identifies when a person is in a certain area) to send unsolicited messages to persons at health facilities and would require companies that collect personal data to create, maintain and publish a privacy policy for consumer health data.
Update: After lengthy debate, the Senate passed the bill 27-21, with Senator Mullet (D-5) joining Republicans in opposition. The Senate strengthened the bill by reinstating the enforcement provisions which the House had stripped out of the bill. As a result, the bill must go back to the House for concurrence on the improvements made by the Senate.
=====Sexual Assault, Gender-Related Violence, Harassment and Discrimination bills
Preventing and Responding to Harassment – SHB 1207 – Sponsor: Rep Senn
Under HB 1207, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) must develop model student handbook language that includes information about policies and complaint procedures related to discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying. School districts and charter schools would also be required to designate one person in the school district as the primary contact regarding compliance with state laws prohibiting discrimination in public schools.
Update: The bill passed out of the House on a vote of 60-36. On April 5, the bill passed out of the Senate on a vote of 28-20. It must now go back to the House for concurrence.
Supporting Crime Victims –2SHB 1028 – Sponsor: Rep Orwall
HB 1028 has several important provisions that support crime victims by promoting a victim-centered, trauma informed response by the legal system. Some of these provisions include: requiring law enforcement agencies to investigate a reported sexual assault within 90 days, when the testing of a sexual assault kit (SAK) results in a hit in the Combined DNA Indexing System (CODIS); requiring law enforcement agencies and prosecuting attorneys to provide case updates to the AG’s office for any case with a SAK that generates a CODIS hit regardless of when the SAK was collected; and specifying that hospitals and emergency medical facilities located in WA cannot charge for the examination of a victim of sexual assault.
Update: The bill passed the House, 95-0. It was heard in Senate Law and Justice and in Senate Ways & Means. It is now in Rules and must come to the floor by April 12 for consideration by the Senate as a whole.
========WEEK 12 REPORTED 3/31/23 ========
The 2023 legislature is heading into the home stretch and there is a lot going on! This week the Senate debated, and passed, its operating budget; the House introduced its budget proposal, held a public hearing on the bill and then moved it out of committee; and the legislature’s fiscal committees have been busy with activity as they work to hear and pass as many bills as possible before April 4th, the final day for bills to be voted out of the opposite chamber’s fiscal committee. Lawmakers, staff, and advocates are working around the clock to keep proposals moving forward. Read more below to learn how AAUW’s legislative priorities are progressing.
Here is a quick glossary of terms as you read through this week’s update:
Capital Budget: Appropriations made to state and local agencies for building and construction projects (like public buildings and other long term investments).
Operating Budget: A biennial plan for the revenues and expenditures necessary to support the administrative and service functions of state government including agencies, colleges, universities, and public schools.
Transportation Budget: Appropriations for highways, bridges, ferries, transit, vehicle licensing, and traffic enforcement.
Rules Committee: Committees in each house responsible for setting the daily calendars of the Senate and House. The President of the Senate and Speaker of the House, respectively, serve as chairs of these committees. A bill must be “pulled’ from Rules before it can be considered by the body.
AAUW priority bills that are still alive are in BLUE
========Apprenticeship bills
State-Sponsored Apprenticeship Program – 2SHB 1013 – Sponsors: Rep Maycumber and Rep Santos
HB 1013 would establish regional apprenticeship programs for Washington state students. These programs would allow students to participate in a state-run apprenticeship program in high school that would offer students experience in different fields that may not require a college education. Apprenticeship programs allow for important graduation pathways and future career opportunities to students. Furthermore, these programs benefit employers by providing them with an opportunity to train students for jobs in these industries that are beneficial and important to local communities. If passed, one of the first pilot program sites would be in a district with a high percent of small, rural school districts. This bill was introduced last session but never made it out of committee. This year, HB 1013 has more than 50 bipartisan co-sponsors.
Update: HB 1013 passed the House, 97-0 on March 2. 2SHB 1013 was heard and executive action was taken on March 23 and it was then referred to Ways & Means on March 24. This bill is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Ways & Means Committee on March 31 and is also scheduled for executive session in the Senate Ways & Means Committee on April 4.
Working Connection Child Care – 2SHB 1525 – Sponsor: Rep Fosse
Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) helps eligible families pay for childcare. When a family qualifies for child care subsidy benefits and chooses an eligible provider, the state pays a portion of the cost of childcare. This bill would provide qualifying applicants and consumers of state registered apprenticeship programs eligibility for the Working Connections Child Care subsidy.
Update: The bill passed the House 96-0. It was heard in the Senate Ways & Means Committee on March 21st and is now scheduled for executive action on April 4th. Click here to follow along with the hearing.
=========Economic Security bills
======Working Families Tax Credit – 2SHB 1477 – Sponsor: Rep Thai
HB 1477, while more technical in nature, makes some important changes to the WFTC. The bill would allow individuals filing as “married filing separately” to qualify for the Working Families’ Tax Credit. It would also permit individuals to apply for any Working Families’ Tax Credit payments for which they were eligible but did not claim for up to three years.
Update: The bill passed the House 96-1. It was heard in Senate Ways and Means on March 13th. This bill is scheduled for executive session in the Senate Ways & Means committee on April 4th. Click here to follow along with the hearing.
====Unemployment insurance qualification – ESHB 1106 – Sponsor: Rep Fosse
HB 1106 relates to the qualifications for unemployment insurance when an individual voluntarily leaves work. Unemployment insurance benefits are a critical safety net for families in-between jobs. Despite this, Washington’s unemployment laws aren’t written to protect family caregiving. Currently, if a worker is forced to quit their job due to inability or inaccessibility to childcare, the employee is ineligible for unemployment insurance. This bill will allow for a change to the definition of a “good cause quit” to include quits as a result of inaccessibility to childcare. This allows for workers to qualify for unemployment insurance benefits while searching for new jobs.
Update: The bill passed the House on March 3 on a vote of 51-44. The bill was heard in Senate Labor on March 16th. Executive action was taken on March 27. The bill came out of Rules and is now ready to be taken up by the Senate.
==========Healthcare/Reproductive Rights bills
My Health My Data – ESHB 1155 – Sponsor: Slatter/Dhingra, at request of Attorney General
This legislation would block websites and apps from collecting and sharing health data. This is of concern for people who use search engines or health tracking apps. It would also prohibit the sale of health data, the use of geofences (location-based software that identifies when a person is in a certain area) to send unsolicited messages to persons at health facilities and would require companies that collect personal data to create, maintain and publish a privacy policy for consumer health data.
Update: After lengthy debate, the House passed the bill 57-39. The House made some changes that weakened the bill, in particular relating to how a person could enforce their rights if the law were violated. The Senate Law and Justice Committee, in passing the bill out of committee, reinserted those provisions taken out by the House. The bill has been pulled from Rules and is ready to be taken up by the full Senate.
=======Sexual Assault, Gender-Related Violence, Harassment and Discrimination bills
Preventing and Responding to Harassment – SHB 1207 – Sponsor: Rep Senn
Under HB 1207, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) must develop model student handbook language that includes information about policies and complaint procedures related to discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying. School districts and charter schools would also be required to designate one person in the school district as the primary contact regarding compliance with state laws prohibiting discrimination in public schools.
Update: The bill passed out of the House on a vote of 60-36. Executive action was taken in the Senate Committee on Early Learning and Education on March 22 and it was then passed to the Rules Committee for second reading on March 23. The bill is now ready to be taken up by the Senate.
Supporting Crime Victims –2SHB 1028 – Sponsor: Rep Orwall
HB 1028 has several important provisions that support crime victims by promoting a victim-centered, trauma informed response by the legal system. Some of these provisions include: requiring law enforcement agencies to investigate a reported sexual assault within 90 days, when the testing of a sexual assault kit (SAK) results in a hit in the Combined DNA Indexing System (CODIS); requiring law enforcement agencies and prosecuting attorneys to provide case updates to the AG’s office for any case with a SAK that generates a CODIS hit regardless of when the SAK was collected; and specifying that hospitals and emergency medical facilities located in WA cannot charge for the examination of a victim of sexual assault.
Update: The bill passed the House, 95-0. It was heard in Senate Law and Justice on March 16 and then heard in Senate Ways & Means on March 30. It is now scheduled for executive action in Ways & Means on April 3. Click here to follow along with the hearing.
=========== WEEK 11 Report from AAUW WA Lobbyist Nancy Sapiro=======
Important Notes from AAUW WA
The 2023 Legislative session is hurtling along and we are about to move into the always interesting budget deliberations. The State Supreme Court decision released on March 23 to uphold the new capital gains tax will make those discussions considerably easier. This ruling ensures that the proposed budget, especially for education, won’t need major cuts as it anticipated the capital gains tax revenue.
This past week has been a busy one! The revenue forecast came out early in the week, showing that our state economy is starting to soften; the Senate released and passed their capital budget; and last but not least, the Senate released their $69.2 billion two-year operating budget and held a public hearing on the proposal. We anticipate the Senate budget will be voted off of the Senate floor on Wednesday March 29.
As for the House, they will release their operating budget on Monday the 27th; hear public testimony on the proposal that same afternoon, with a vote on the House floor expected sometime late next week. After both chambers have passed their budgets, negotiations will commence between the two chambers to sort out differences and come up with an agreed upon final budget by April 23rd, the last day of session. House and Senate floor action will also pick up over the coming days as bills must pass through the second house by April 12th. It really is time to check your patience and stress levels. Things get very tense in these last few weeks as policy bill negotiations get serious and spending decisions are finalized.
If you would like to watch the House budget hearing on Monday, click here. And to follow the action as the House and Senate conduct floor debate, you can go to TVW.org, click on the LIVE button and search for floor debate.
AAUW priority bills that are still alive as of March 24 include:
========Apprenticeship bills
State-Sponsored Apprenticeship Program – 2SHB 1013 – Sponsors: Rep Maycumber and Rep Santos
HB 1013 would establish regional apprenticeship programs for Washington state students. These programs would allow students to participate in a state-run apprenticeship program in high school that would offer students experience in different fields that may not require a college education. Apprenticeship programs allow for important graduation pathways and future career opportunities to students. Furthermore, these programs benefit employers by providing them with an opportunity to train students for jobs in these industries that are beneficial and important to local communities. If passed, one of the first pilot program sites would be in a district with a high percent of small, rural school districts. This bill was introduced last session but never made it out of committee. This year, HB 1013 has more than 50 bipartisan co-sponsors.
Update: HB 1013 passed the House, 97-0 on March 2nd. The bill moved out of Senate Early Learning on March 23, and it was then referred to Ways & Means.
Working Connection Child Care – 2SHB 1525 – Sponsor: Rep Fosse
Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) helps eligible families pay for childcare. When a family qualifies for child care subsidy benefits and chooses an eligible provider, the state pays a portion of the cost of childcare. This bill would provide qualifying applicants and consumers of state registered apprenticeship programs eligibility for the Working Connections Child Care subsidy.
Update: The bill passed the House 96-0. It was heard in the Senate Ways & Means Committee on March 21.
=========Economic Security bills
Working Families Tax Credit – 2SHB 1477 – Sponsor: Rep Thai
HB 1477, while more technical in nature, makes some important changes to the WFTC. The bill would allow individuals filing as “married filing separately” to qualify for the Working Families’ Tax Credit. It would also permit individuals to apply for any Working Families’ Tax Credit payments for which they were eligible but did not claim for up to three years.
Update: The bill passed the House 96-1. It was heard in Senate Ways and Means on March 13.
Unemployment insurance qualification – ESHB 1106 – Sponsor: Rep Fosse
HB 1106 relates to the qualifications for unemployment insurance when an individual voluntarily leaves work. Unemployment insurance benefits are a critical safety net for families in-between jobs. Despite this, Washington’s unemployment laws aren’t written to protect family caregiving. Currently, if a worker is forced to quit their job due to inability or inaccessibility to childcare, the employee is ineligible for unemployment insurance. This bill will allow for a change to the definition of a “good cause quit” to include quits as a result of inaccessibility to childcare. This allows for workers to qualify for unemployment insurance benefits while searching for new jobs.
Update: The bill passed the House on March 3rd on a vote of 51-44. The bill was heard in Senate Labor on March 16. CLICK HERE TO VIEW the hearing. ESHB 1106 is scheduled for executive session on March 27.
========Healthcare/Reproductive Rights bills
My Health My Data – ESHB 1155 – Sponsor: Rep Slatter at request of Attorney General
This legislation would block websites and apps from collecting and sharing health data. This is of concern for people who use search engines or health tracking apps. It would also prohibit the sale of health data, the use of geofences (location-based software that identifies when a person is in a certain area) to send unsolicited messages to persons at health facilities and would require companies that collect personal data to create, maintain and publish a privacy policy for consumer health data.
Update: After lengthy debate, the House passed the bill 57-39. The House made some changes that weakened the bill, in particular relating to how a person could enforce their rights if the law were violated. The Senate Law and Justice Committee, in passing the bill out of committee, reinserted those provisions taken out by the House. If you would like to watch testimony from the public hearing in the Senate, click here. The bill has been pulled from Rules and is ready to be taken up by the Senate.
======Sexual Assault, Gender-Related Violence, Harassment and Discrimination bills
Preventing and Responding to Harassment – SHB 1207 – Sponsor: Rep Senn
Under HB 1207, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) must develop model student handbook language that includes information about policies and complaint procedures related to discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying. School districts and charter schools would also be required to designate one person in the school district as the primary contact regarding compliance with state laws prohibiting discrimination in public schools.
Update: The bill passed out of the House on a vote of 60-36. Executive action was taken in the Senate Committee on Early Learning and Education on March 22, and it was then passed to the Rules Committee on March 23.
Supporting Crime Victims –2SHB 1028 – Sponsor: Rep Orwall
HB 1028 has several important provisions that support crime victims by promoting a victim-centered, trauma informed response by the legal system. Some of these provisions include: requiring law enforcement agencies to investigate a reported sexual assault within 90 days, when the testing of a sexual assault kit (SAK) results in a hit in the Combined DNA Indexing System (CODIS); requiring law enforcement agencies and prosecuting attorneys to provide case updates to the AG’s office for any case with a SAK that generates a CODIS hit regardless of when the SAK was collected; and specifying that hospitals and emergency medical facilities located in WA cannot charge for the examination of a victim of sexual assault.
Update: The bill passed 95-0. It was heard in Senate Law and Justice on March 16th. Click here to view the hearing. Executive action was taken on March 22nd, and it was then referred to Ways & Means on March 24.
=========WEEK 10 – Mar. 17, 2023 Report from AAUW WA Lobbyist Nancy Sapiro
With approximately one month left in the legislative session, committees were back in full swing this week hearing bills from the opposite chamber. Bills must now move forward in the opposite chamber, progressing through policy and fiscal committees on their way to the floor.
The Senate will be releasing its proposed operating budget late next week with the House following shortly thereafter. With the release of the budgets, the official launch of the budget phase of the session begins. Both the House and the Senate will spend many long hours together over the next few weeks, finalizing a budget that can get 25 votes in the Senate and 50 votes in the House, along with the governor’s signature. All of this needs to be wrapped up by April 23, the final day of the 2023 legislative session.
AAUW priority bills that are still alive as of March 17 [BLUE] listed below with ACTION steps.
======Apprenticeship bills
State-Sponsored Apprenticeship Program – 2SHB 1013 – Sponsors: Rep Maycumber and Rep Santos
HB 1013 would establish regional apprenticeship programs for Washington state students. These programs would allow students to participate in a state-run apprenticeship program in high school that would offer students experience in different fields that may not require a college education. Apprenticeship programs allow for important graduation pathways and future career opportunities to students. Furthermore, these programs benefit employers by providing them with an opportunity to train students for jobs in these industries that are beneficial and important to local communities. If passed, one of the first pilot program sites would be in a district with a high percent of small, rural school districts. This bill was introduced last session but never made it out of committee. This year, HB 1013 has more than 50 bipartisan co-sponsors.
Update: HB 1013 passed the House, 97-0 on March 2nd. It was heard in Senate Early Learning on March 15.
Working Connection Child Care – 2SHB 1525 – Sponsor: Rep Fosse
Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) helps eligible families pay for childcare. When a family qualifies for child care subsidy benefits and chooses an eligible provider, the state pays a portion of the cost of childcare. This bill would provide qualifying applicants and consumers of state registered apprenticeship programs eligibility for the Working Connections Child Care subsidy.
Update: The bill passed the House 96-0. It was heard in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education March 13 and is now scheduled for a hearing in Ways and Means March 21. If you would like to sign in as supportive for the public hearing, CLICK HERE.
=========Economic Security bills
Working Families Tax Credit – 2SHB 1477 – Sponsor: Rep Thai
HB 1477, while more technical in nature, makes some important changes to the WFTC. The bill would allow individuals filing as “married filing separately” to qualify for the Working Families’ Tax Credit. It would also permit individuals to apply for any Working Families’ Tax Credit payments for which they were eligible but did not claim for up to three years.
Update: The bill passed the House 96-1. It was heard in Senate Ways and Means on March 13.
Unemployment insurance qualification – ESHB 1106 – Sponsors: Rep Fosse
HB 1106 relates to the qualifications for unemployment insurance when an individual voluntarily leaves work. Unemployment insurance benefits are a critical safety net for families in-between jobs. Despite this, Washington’s unemployment laws aren’t written to protect family caregiving. Currently, if a worker is forced to quit their job due to inability or inaccessibility to childcare, the employee is ineligible for unemployment insurance. This bill will allow for a change to the definition of a “good cause quit” to include quits as a result of inaccessibility to childcare. This allows for workers to qualify for unemployment insurance benefits while searching for new jobs.
Update: The bill passed the House March 3 on a vote of 51-44. The bill was heard in Senate Labor on March 16 and is scheduled for executive session March 23.
=======Healthcare/Reproductive Rights bills
My Health My Data – ESHB 1155 – Sponsor: Slatter/Dhingra, at request of Attorney General
This legislation would block websites and apps from collecting and sharing health data. This is of concern for people who use search engines or health tracking apps. It would also prohibit the sale of health data, the use of geofences (location-based software that identifies when a person is in a certain area) to send unsolicited messages to persons at health facilities and would require companies that collect personal data to create, maintain and publish a privacy policy for consumer health data.
Update: After lengthy debate, the House passed the bill 57-39. It was heard in Senate Law and Justice on March 16 and is scheduled for executive action on March 22.
===Sexual Assault, Gender-Related Violence, Harassment and Discrimination bills
Preventing and Responding to Harassment – SHB 1207 – Sponsors: Rep Senn
Under HB 1207, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) must develop model student handbook language that includes information about policies and complaint procedures related to discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying. School districts and charter schools would also be required to designate one person in the school district as the primary contact regarding compliance with state laws prohibiting discrimination in public schools.
Update: The bill passed out of the House on a vote of 60-36. It will be heard in Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education on March 20th. CLICK HERE to register your support.
Supporting Crime Victims –2SHB 1028 – Sponsors: Rep Orwall
HB 1028 has several important provisions that support crime victims by promoting a victim-centered, trauma informed response by the legal system. Some of these provisions include: requiring law enforcement agencies to investigate a reported sexual assault within 90 days, when the testing of a sexual assault kit (SAK) results in a hit in the Combined DNA Indexing System (CODIS); requiring law enforcement agencies and prosecuting attorneys to provide case updates to the AG’s office for any case with a SAK that generates a CODIS hit regardless of when the SAK was collected; and specifying that hospitals and emergency medical facilities located in WA cannot charge for the examination of a victim of sexual assault.
Update: The bill passed 95-0. It was heard in Senate Law and Justice on March 16th and is scheduled for executive action on March 22.
==========WEEK 9 – Mar. 10, 2023 Report from AAUW WA Lobbyist Nancy Sapiro
Wednesday, March 8 marked the cut-off for all bills to be out of their house of origin. The day brought relief for some and deep disappointment for others, as bills that did not pass from their house of origin are considered “dead” for the session. Because WA operates on a two-year biennium, these bills can come back to life but generally not until the next legislative session in January 2024.
Each year as floor cutoff approaches, there is great speculation as to what the “5:00 bill” in each chamber will be. The term “5:00 bill” refers to a rule that if debate begins on a bill prior to the 5:00pm cutoff, debate can continue after 5:00pm. Legislative leadership may choose the 5:00 bill because it is controversial with a lot of amendments, enabling them to work on the bill without taking up valuable floor time needed to pass other bills, or because the bill is of special importance to the majority caucus. This year, the Senate picked a broadly bipartisan, uncontroversial bill, SB 5600, which extends the expiration date of the state Universal Communications Services Program by ten years. On the other hand, the House majority leadership picked a highly controversial bill, HB 1240, which prohibits the manufacture, importation, distribution, sale, or offer for sale of any assault-style weapon. If the bill passes the Senate, Washington will join nine other states with similar bans.
The good news for AAUW is that all but 2 of our priority bills are still moving forward! Here’s where things stand as of Friday, March 10.
[BLUE UPDATE means still alive and positively moving – RED dead]
===Apprenticeship Bills=== HB 1013 and HB 1525
State-Sponsored Apprenticeship Program – HB 1013 – Sponsors: Rep Maycumber and Rep Santos
HB 1013 would establish regional apprenticeship programs for Washington state students. These programs would allow students to participate in a state-run apprenticeship program in high school that would offer students experience in different fields that may not require a college education. Apprenticeship programs allow for important graduation pathways and future career opportunities to students. Furthermore, these programs benefit employers by providing them with an opportunity to train students for jobs in these industries that are beneficial and important to local communities. If passed, one of the first pilot program sites would be in a district with a high percent of small, rural school districts. This bill was introduced last session but never made it out of committee. This year, HB 1013 has more than 50 bipartisan co-sponsors.
Update: HB 1013 passed the House, 97-0 on March 2. A hearing is scheduled in Senate Early Learning on March 15. CLICK HERE to sign in and show your support. Deadline March 15 12:30 pm.
Working Connection Child Care – HB 1525 – Sponsor: Rep Fosse
Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) helps eligible families pay for childcare. When a family qualifies for child care subsidy benefits and chooses an eligible provider, the state pays a portion of the cost of childcare. This bill would provide qualifying applicants and consumers of state registered apprenticeship programs eligibility for the Working Connections Child Care subsidy.
Update: The bill passed the House 96-0. It is scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education on March 13th. To sign in as supportive, CLICK HERE. Deadline March 13 12:30 pm.
NEWLY ADDED! Working Families Tax Credit – 2SHB 1477 Sponsor: Rep Thai
HB 1477, while more technical in nature, makes some important changes to the WFTC. The bill would allow individuals filing as “married filing separately” to qualify for the Working Families’ Tax Credit. It would also permit individuals to apply for any Working Families’ Tax Credit payments for which they were eligible but did not claim for up to three years.
Update: The bill passed the House 96-1; it is now scheduled for public hearing on March 13. If you’d like to sign in PRO, CLICK HERE. Deadline March 13 at 4 pm.
Note: The Lobby Day bills talking points have been updated to include this bill.
Expanding the Working Family Tax Credit – HB 1075/SB 5249 – Sponsors: Rep Thai and Sen Shewmake
In 2021 the legislature passed and funded the Working Families Tax Credit, a first-of-its-kind policy for the state to put millions of dollars back into the pockets of families. Eligible households can receive up to $1,200 per year starting February 2023. This bill would expand the WFTC to all low-income, working seniors and young adults.
Update: Unfortunately, the bill did not advance from its fiscal committee, and it is therefore dead for this session.
Unemployment insurance qualification – ESHB 1106 – Sponsors: Rep Fosse
HB 1106 relates to the qualifications for unemployment insurance when an individual voluntarily leaves work. Unemployment insurance benefits are a critical safety net for families in-between jobs. Despite this, Washington’s unemployment laws aren’t written to protect family caregiving. Currently, if a worker is forced to quit their job due to inability or inaccessibility to childcare, the employee is ineligible for unemployment insurance. This bill will allow for a change to the definition of a “good cause quit” to include quits as a result of inaccessibility to childcare. This allows for workers to qualify for unemployment insurance benefits while searching for new jobs.
Update: The bill passed the House on March 3rd on a vote of 51-44. There will be a public hearing on the bill on March 16 in Senate Labor. CLICK HERE to sign in as supportive of HB 1106. Deadline March 16 by 7 am.
===Healthcare and Reproductive Rights=== ESHB 1155 and SB 5241
My Health My Data – ESHB 1155 – Sponsor: Slatter/Dhingra, at request of Attorney General
This legislation would block websites and apps from collecting and sharing health data. This is of concern for people who use search engines or health tracking apps. It would also prohibit the sale of health data, the use of geofences (location-based software that identifies when a person is in a certain area) to send unsolicited messages to persons at health facilities and would require companies that collect personal data to create, maintain and publish a privacy policy for consumer health data.
Update: After lengthy debate last Saturday, the House passed the bill 57-39. It is now scheduled for public hearing on March 14. Please register your support and CLICK HERE. Deadline March 14 at 9:30 am.
Keep Our Care Act – SB 5241 Sponsor: Senator Randall
SB 5241 would ensure that health entity mergers and acquisitions improve, rather than harm, access to affordable quality care. It would give the AG’s office the tools it needs to ensure that future health system mergers and other transactions improve access to care. Specifically, the bill would prohibit a health entity consolidation that diminishes access to affordable quality care and would ensure AG oversight of all mergers. It also would allow for community input through public notification of proposed consolidations and the opportunity for public input and comment. The bill was introduced last session but did not advance after being heard in Senate Health.
Update: Sadly, advocates were unable to get the bill pulled from Rules before cut-off. The bill is dead for this session, but it will be back in 2024!
===Sexual Assault, Gender-Related Violence, Harassment and Discrimination === SHB 1207 and 2SHB 1028
Preventing and Responding to Harassment – SHB 1207 – Sponsor: Rep Senn
Under HB 1207, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) must develop model student handbook language that includes information about policies and complaint procedures related to discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying. School districts and charter schools would also be required to designate one person in the school district as the primary contact regarding compliance with state laws prohibiting discrimination in public schools.
Update: The bill passed out of the House on a vote of 60-36. It has been referred to Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education but a hearing date hasn’t yet been set.
Supporting Crime Victims –2SHB 1028 – Sponsor: Rep Orwall
HB 1028 has several important provisions that support crime victims by promoting a victim-centered, trauma informed response by the legal system. Some of these provisions include: requiring law enforcement agencies to investigate a reported sexual assault within 90 days, when the testing of a sexual assault kit (SAK) results in a hit in the Combined DNA Indexing System (CODIS); requiring law enforcement agencies and prosecuting attorneys to provide case updates to the AG’s office for any case with a SAK that generates a CODIS hit regardless of when the SAK was collected; and specifying that hospitals and emergency medical facilities located in WA cannot charge for the examination of a victim of sexual assault.
Update: The bill passed 95-0. It is now scheduled for a public hearing in Senate Law and Justice on March 16. To sign in as supportive, CLICK HERE. Deadline March 16 at 7 am.
WEEK 8 – Mar. 3, 2023 Report from AAUW WA Lobbyist Nancy Sapiro
We have now passed the half-way point of the 105-day legislative session and the House and Senate are hard at work passing bills. Much of the action these past few days has focused on issues of importance to the majority party including reproductive health, the environment, labor and workforce issues, rental housing, and gun violence. While many bills will successfully move on in the process, many will not. Some bills will die during this floor period because they are simply not one of the majority party’s priorities or they lack adequate votes. Other bills that are majority caucus priorities will die because they get laden with time-consuming amendments. Still other bills will become the victims of too little time and too many bills moving through the process. Bills have until Wednesday, March 8 to pass the floor in the house of origin. If a bill does not pass the floor in its house of origin, the policy idea moves closer to the dead end of the legislative life continuum.
So where are we as of Friday March 3? Here’s a rundown on bills of importance to AAUW.
===Apprenticeship Bills=== HB 1013 and HB 1525
State-Sponsored Apprenticeship Program – HB 1013 – Sponsors: Rep Maycumber and Rep Santos
HB 1013 would establish regional apprenticeship programs for Washington state students. These programs would allow students to participate in a state-run apprenticeship program in high school that would offer students experience in different fields that may not require a college education. Apprenticeship programs allow for important graduation pathways and future career opportunities to students. Furthermore, these programs benefit employers by providing them with an opportunity to train students for jobs in these industries that are beneficial and important to local communities. If passed, one of the first pilot program sites would be in a district with a high percent of small, rural school districts. This bill was introduced last session but never made it out of committee. This year, HB 1013 has more than 50 bipartisan co-sponsors.
Update: HB 1013 passed the House, 97-0 on March 2nd.
Working Connection Child Care – HB 1525 – Sponsor: Rep Fosse
Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) helps eligible families pay for childcare. When a family qualifies for child care subsidy benefits and chooses an eligible provider, the state pays a portion of the cost of childcare. This bill would provide qualifying applicants and consumers of state registered apprenticeship programs eligibility for the Working Connections Child Care subsidy.
Update: The bill passed the House 96-0 and now moves to the Senate.
===Economic Security=== HB 1075/SB 5249 and HB 1106
Expanding the Working Family Tax Credit – HB 1075/SB 5249 – Sponsors: Rep Thai and Sen Shewmake
In 2021 the legislature passed and funded the Working Families Tax Credit, a first-of-its-kind policy for the state to put millions of dollars back into the pockets of families. Eligible households can receive up to $1,200 per year starting February 2023. This bill would expand the WFTC to all low-income, working seniors and young adults.
Update: Unfortunately, the bill did not advance from its fiscal committee and it is therefore dead for this session.
Unemployment insurance qualification – HB 1106 – Sponsors: Rep Fosse and Rep Reeves
HB 1106 relates to the qualifications for unemployment insurance when an individual voluntarily leaves work. Unemployment insurance benefits are a critical safety net for families in-between jobs. Despite this, Washington’s unemployment laws aren’t written to protect family caregiving. Currently, if a worker is forced to quit their job due to inability or inaccessibility to childcare, the employee is ineligible for unemployment insurance. This bill will allow for a change to the definition of a “good cause quit” to include quits as a result of inaccessibility to childcare. This allows for workers to qualify for unemployment insurance benefits while searching for new jobs.
Update: The bill passed the House on March 3rd on a vote of 51-44.
Keep Our Care Act – SB 5241/HB 1263 – Sponsors: Senator Randall and Rep Simmons
SB 5241 would ensure that health entity mergers and acquisitions improve, rather than harm, access to affordable quality care. It would give the AG’s office the tools it needs to ensure that future health system mergers and other transactions improve access to care. Specifically, the bill would prohibit a health entity consolidation that diminishes access to affordable quality care and would ensure AG oversight of all mergers. It also would allow for community input through public notification of proposed consolidations and the opportunity for public input and comment. The bill was introduced last session but did not advance after being heard in Senate Health.
Update: This bill is sitting in Rules and will need to be pulled to the floor for a vote by the 8th.
My Health My Data – HB 1155/SB 5351 – Sponsor: Slatter/Dhingra, at request of Attorney General
This legislation would block websites and apps from collecting and sharing health data. This is of concern for people who use search engines or health tracking apps. It would also prohibit the sale of health data, the use of geofences (location-based software that identifies when a person is in a certain area) to send unsolicited messages to persons at health facilities and would require companies that collect personal data to create, maintain and publish a privacy policy for consumer health data.
Update: This bill is ready to be taken up by the House for debate and passage.
===Sexual Assault, Gender-Related Violence, Harassment and Discrimination === HB 1028 and HB 1207
Supporting Crime Victims – HB 1028 – Sponsors: Rep Orwall
HB 1028 has several important provisions that support crime victims by promoting a victim-centered, trauma informed response by the legal system. Some of these provisions include: requiring law enforcement agencies to investigate a reported sexual assault within 90 days, when the testing of a sexual assault kit (SAK) results in a hit in the Combined DNA Indexing System (CODIS); requiring law enforcement agencies and prosecuting attorneys to provide case updates to the AG’s office for any case with a SAK that generates a CODIS hit regardless of when the SAK was collected; and specifying that hospitals and emergency medical facilities located in WA cannot charge for the examination of a victim of sexual assault.
Update: The bill is in Rules.
Preventing and Responding to Harassment – HB 1207 – Sponsors: Rep Senn
Under HB 1207, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) must develop model student handbook language that includes information about policies and complaint procedures related to discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying. School districts and charter schools would also be required to designate one person in the school district as the primary contact regarding compliance with state laws prohibiting discrimination in public schools.
Update: The bill passed out of the House on a vote of 60-36. It has been referred to Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education but a hearing date hasn’t yet been set.
================
WEEK 7 – Feb. 24, 2023 Report from AAUW WA Lobbyist Nancy Sapiro
Today marks the second major cut-off of the session. As of 5:00 pm Friday the 24th, all bills that have significant fiscal implications for the state must have passed out of their fiscal committees if they are to receive further consideration this session. Appropriations and Ways and Means members have staged late night meetings to hear bills and vote them out.
Interestingly enough, the fate of many bills is not determined by an up or down vote on the chamber floor but as a result, either by accident or by choice, of calendar rules – a tightening series of deadlines as the legislative clock counts down.
Beginning Monday, the race will be on to get bills to the floors of the chambers for a vote by March 8th. And then we start all over again! Bills that passed in the Senate will go to the House for consideration and all bills that passed in the House will go to the Senate. There will be less time than in the first round to educate members on the bills and do advocacy before the next calendar deadline.
So where are we? Here’s a rundown on bills of importance to AAUW –> [BLUE UPDATE means still alive]
===Apprenticeship Bills=== HB 1013 and HB 1525
State-Sponsored Apprenticeship Program – HB 1013 – Sponsors: Rep Maycumber and Rep Santos
Update: Executive action was taken on HB 1013 on February 23rd in Appropriations. The bill now moves on to Rules.
Working Connection Child Care – HB 1525 – Sponsor: Rep Fosse
Update: This bill was heard in Appropriations on February 22nd. CLICK HERE to view the hearing. It passed out of Appropriations on Friday and is picking up support from many legislators!
===Economic Security=== HB 1075/SB 5249 and HB 1106
Expanding the Working Family Tax Credit – HB 1075/SB 5249 – Sponsors: Rep Thai and Sen Shewmake
Update: Unfortunately, the bill did not advance from its fiscal committee, and it is therefore dead for this session.
Unemployment insurance qualification – HB 1106 – Sponsors: Rep Fosse and Rep Reeves
Update: The Rules Committee was relieved of further consideration and this bill is now ready to be taken up by the House.
Keep Our Care Act – SB 5241/HB 1263 – Sponsors: Senator Randall and Rep Simmons
Update: Executive action was taken on this bill in the Senate Ways & Means Committee on February 23rd. Although it passed out without recommendation, the bill is still alive. CLICK HERE to view the executive session.
My Health My Data – HB 1155/SB 5351 – Sponsor: Slatter/Dhingra, at request of Attorney General
Update: This bill is ready to be taken up by the House for debate and passage.
===Sexual Assault, Gender-Related Violence, Harassment and Discrimination === HB 1028 and HB 1207
Supporting Crime Victims – HB 1028 – Sponsors: Rep Orwall
Update: The bill passed out of the House Appropriations Committee on February 22nd. CLICK HERE to view the executive session.
Preventing and Responding to Harassment – HB 1207 – Sponsors: Rep Senn
Update: The Rules Committee was relieved of further consideration and this bill is now ready to be taken up by the House.
========WEEK 6 – Feb. 17, 2023 Report from AAUW WA Lobbyist Nancy Sapiro
The legislative session is now more than one third complete and today, Friday the 17th, marks the first bill “cut off” date, the date by which bills must be moved out of their first policy committee to receive further consideration. Bills that have failed to pass this cutoff are considered dead for the session. Of course, no concept is really dead until the end of the biennium, as parts can be resurrected in various ways or reintroduced next year. Cutoff dates do play a significant role in the annual legislative process to limit the number of bills that move through the process. This year, members of the House introduced a whopping 846 bills and members of the Senate introduced 767!
Beginning tomorrow, bills that passed out of their policy committee and that have significant fiscal impact on the state will need to be heard in a fiscal committee (Appropriations and Ways & Means). These bills must then move out of those fiscal committees by February 24th. We will then have until March 8th for bills to be passed off the House and Senate floors.
Below are updates and bill tracking of AAUW’s legislative priorities.
There is one Call to Action for SB 5241 Keep Our Care Act.. It has a public hearing in Ways & Means on February 21st. Click here to sign in PRO by 8 am on Tuesday February 21st.
===Apprenticeship Bills=== HB 1013 and HB 1525
State-Sponsored Apprenticeship Program – HB 1013 – Sponsors: Rep Maycumber and Rep Santos
This year, HB 1013 has more than 50 bipartisan co-sponsors. The substitute bill passed out of the Education committee unanimously (15/0).
Update: This bill was heard in the House Committee on Appropriations on February 8th. It has until February 24th to pass out of committee. Click here to view the hearing from the 8th.
Working Connection Child Care – HB 1525 – Sponsor: Rep Fosse
Update: This bill was referred to Appropriations on February 9th. A hearing must be scheduled, and the bill must pass out of committee by February 24th.
===Economic Security=== HB 1075/SB 5249 and HB 1106
Expanding the Working Family Tax Credit – HB 1075/SB 5249 – Sponsors: Rep Thai and Sen Shewmake
The substitute bill SHB 1075 passed out of the Finance committee with a bipartisan, near unanimous vote (11/1/1).
Update: This bill was referred to Appropriations on February 13th. A hearing date has not yet been set.
Unemployment insurance qualification – HB 1106 – Sponsors: Rep Fosse and Rep Reeves
Update: This bill passed on a partisan vote from the Labor and Workforce committee (6/3). The bill is ready to be taken up by the House for a floor vote.
Keep Our Care Act – SB 5241/HB 1263 – Sponsors: Senator Randall and Rep Simmons
Update: Executive action was taken in the Law & Justice committee and the bill passed out of committee on a partisan vote 6/5 on February 16th. It has a public hearing in Ways & Means on February 21st. Click here to sign in PRO by 8 am on Tuesday February 21st.
My Health My Data – HB 1155/SB 5351 – Sponsor: Slatter/Dhingra, at request of Attorney General
Update: This bill is ready to be taken up by the House for debate and passage.
===Sexual Assault, Gender-Related Violence, Harassment and Discrimination === HB 1028 and HB 1207
Supporting Crime Victims – HB 1028 – Sponsors: Rep Orwall
Update: The bill was heard in the House Committee on Appropriations on February 6th. Click here to view the hearing from the 6th. It must pass out of this committee by February 24th.
Preventing and Responding to Harassment – HB 1207 – Sponsors: Rep Senn
Update: The Rules Committee was relieved of further consideration and this bill is now ready to be taken up by the House.
=========WEEK 5 – Feb. 10, 2023 Report ===========
Another busy week in Olympia! February 17 marks the first “cut-off” date, the date by which policy bills need to have passed out of their first policy committee to receive further consideration. From February 18 – 24 attention will shift to the fiscal committees (Appropriations and Ways and Means), where costs of the policies will be considered. And then, we have until March 8 for bills to pass off the Senate and House floor. As each deadline passes, fewer and fewer bills make the “cut” and the number of bills considered by legislators begins to dramatically decrease.
===Apprenticeship Bills=== HB 1013 and HB 1525
State-Sponsored Apprenticeship Program – HB 1013 – Sponsors: Rep Maycumber and Rep Santos
Update: HB 1013 was heard in the House Committee on Education on January 16th. Executive action was taken on January 26th. [SHB 1013 committee vote 15/0] The bill was heard in Appropriations on February 8.
Working Connection Child Care – HB 1525 – Sponsor: Rep Fosse
Update: This bill was heard in the House Committee on Human Services, Youth, & Early Learning on January 31. [SHB 1525 committee vote 11/0] Executive action was taken on February 7 and HB 1525 was referred to Appropriations on February 9.
===Economic Security=== HB 1075/SB 5249 and HB 1106
Expanding the Working Family Tax Credit – HB 1075/SB 5249 – Sponsors: Rep Thai and Sen Shewmake
Update: HB 1075 was heard in the House Committee on Finance on January 31 and moved out of committee on February 9. [SHB 1075 committee vote 11/1/1]
Unemployment insurance qualification – HB 1106 – Sponsors: Rep Fosse and Rep Reeves
Update: SHB 1106 was heard in the House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards on January 10. Executive action was taken on January 20 [committee vote 6/3] and the bill was then referred to Rules on January 24.
Keep Our Care Act – SB 5241/HB 1263 – Sponsors: Senator Randall and Rep Simmons
Update: SB 5241 was heard in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice on January 26. This bill is scheduled for executive session on February 16.
My Health My Data – HB 1155/SB 5351 – Sponsor: Slatter/Dhingra, at request of Attorney General
Update: HB 1155 moved out of the House Committee on Civil Rights & Judiciary on February 3, with a number of modifications, including the tightening of definitions. [SHB 1155 committee vote 7/2/2] This bill was referred to Rules for review and was placed on second reading on February 8.
===Sexual Assault, Gender-Related Violence, Harassment and Discrimination === HB 1028 and HB 1207
Supporting Crime Victims – HB 1028 – Sponsors: Rep Orwall
Update: Executive action was taken on HB 1028 on January 19 [SHB 1028 committee vote 9/0] and it was then referred to Appropriations on the 23. SHB 1028 was heard in House Appropriations on February 6.
Preventing and Responding to Harassment – HB 1207 – Sponsors: Rep Senn
Update: HB 1207 was heard in the House Committee on Education on January 19. Executive action was taken on this bill on January 26 [SHB 1207 committee vote 12/2/1], and it was then referred to Rules on January 30.
=========WEEK 4 – Feb. 3, 2023 Report from AAUW WA Lobbyist Nancy Sapiro
===Apprenticeship Bills=== HB 1013 and HB 1525
State-Sponsored Apprenticeship Program – HB 1013 – Sponsors: Rep Maycumber and Rep Santos
Update: HB 1013 was heard in the House Committee on Education on January 16th. Executive action was taken on HB 1013 on January 26th and was then referred to Appropriations on January 30th. This bill is now scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations on February 8th. Click here to follow along with the public hearing on the 8th.
Working Connection Child Care – HB 1525 – Sponsor: Rep Fosse
Update: This bill was heard in the House Committee on Human Services, Youth, & Early Learning on January 31st. HB 1525 is scheduled for executive session on February 7th. Click here to follow along with the executive session on the 7th.
===Economic Security=== HB 1106 and HB 1075/SB 5249
Unemployment insurance qualification – HB 1106 – Sponsors: Rep Fosse and Rep Reeves
Update: HB 1106 was heard in the House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards on January 10th. Executive action was taken on January 20th and was then referred to Rules on January 24th. No further action has been taken since January 24th.
Expanding the Working Family Tax Credit – HB 1075/SB 5249 – Sponsors: Rep Thai and Sen Shewmake
Click here to check out an article discussing more about the proposed WA state low-income tax credit.
Keep Our Care Act – SB 5241/HB 1263 – Sponsors: Senator Randall and Rep Simmons
Update: SB 5241 was heard in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice on January 26th. No further action has been taken since the 26th.
My Health My Data – HB 1155/SB 5351 – Sponsor: Slatter/Dhingra, at request of Attorney General
Update: HB 1155 moved out of the House Committee on Civil Rights & Judiciary on February 3rd, with a number of modifications, including the tightening of definitions. Advocates are comfortable with the changes. For a discussion on the bill and the proposed changes, click here to watch the Executive Session.
===Sexual Assault, Gender-Related Violence, Harassment and Discrimination === HB 1028 and HB 1207
Supporting Crime Victims – HB 1028 – Sponsors: Rep Orwall
Update: Executive action was taken on HB 1028 on January 19th, and it was then referred to Appropriations on the 23rd. HB 1028 is now scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations on February 6th. Click here to follow along with the hearing on the 6th.
Preventing and Responding to Harassment – HB 1207 – Sponsors: Rep Senn
Update: HB 1207 was heard in the House Committee on Education on January 19th. Executive action was taken on this bill on January 26th and was then referred to Rules on January 30th.
======== WEEK 3 Jan. 27, 2023 Report from AAUW WA Lobbyist Nancy Sapiro =====
Week three was a busy one!
- Tuesday was “Reproductive Freedom” day here in Olympia, as legislators considered a package of reproductive health bills all designed to protect access to reproductive health. Five Senate bills and three House bills had public hearings on Tuesday including SJR 8202, SB 5242, SB 5241, SB 5489, SB 5260, HB 1340, HB 1155, and HB 1469! On the same day, reproductive health supporters from Pro-Choice WA, ACLU, Cedar River Clinics, and Planned Parenthood, gathered on the Capitol steps to show their support for abortion access.
- If Tuesday was all about reproductive rights, then Thursday was all about taxes, as the WA State Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the capital gains tax case. In 2021, the legislature enacted a capital gains tax; the tax was then challenged by opponents on the basis that it violates the state constitution’s uniformity provision. A decision from the Supreme Court is anticipated in the next several months. In the event that the capital gains tax is found to be unconstitutional, legislative budget writers will have to look elsewhere in the state coffers to fund their education and childcare priorities.
===Apprenticeship Bills=== HB 1013 and HB 1525
State-Sponsored Apprenticeship Program – HB 1013 – Sponsors: Rep Maycumber and Rep Santos
Update: This bill was heard in the House Committee on Education on January 16. Executive action was taken on HB 1013 on January 26.
Working Connection Child Care – HB 1525 – Sponsor: Rep Fosse
Update: CALL TO ACTION – HB 1525 will be heard in the House Committee on Human Services on January 31. Register your support by clicking here…
===Economic Security=== HB 1106 and HB 1075/SB 5249
Unemployment insurance qualification – HB 1106 – Sponsors: Rep Fosse and Rep Reeves
Update: This bill had a public hearing in the House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards on January 10. CLICK HERE to view the public hearing. HB 1106 moved out of committee on January 20 and is now in Rules.
Expanding the Working Family Tax Credit – HB 1075/SB 5249 – Sponsors: Rep Thai and Sen Shewmake
Update: CALL TO ACTION – The Senate bill was heard on Jan.19 and HB 1075 will be heard on January 31 in House Finance. CLICK HERE to register your support for the bill.
Keep Our Care Act – SB 5241/HB 1263 – Sponsors: Senator Randall and Rep Simmons
Update: SB 5241 was heard in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice on January 24 and had an additional public hearing on January 26. No further action has been taken since January 26.
My Health My Data – HB 1155/SB 5351 – Sponsor: Slatter/Dhingra, at request of Attorney General
Update: A public hearing was held on January 24, along with other reproductive health care bills, in the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee. The bill is now scheduled to move out of committee on February 1.
===Sexual Assault, Gender-Related Violence, Harassment and Discrimination=== HB 1028 and HB 1207
Supporting Crime Victims – HB 1028 – Sponsors: Rep Orwall
Update: A public hearing was held on the bill on January 11 and the bill moved out of its policy committee on January 19. The bill was referred to Appropriations but no hearing date is yet scheduled.
Preventing and Responding to Harassment – HB 1207 – Sponsors: Rep Senn
Update: HB 1207 was heard in the House Committee on Education on January 19 and executive action was taken on January 26. No further action has been taken since. CLICK HERE to view the hearing from January 19.
======== WEEK 2 Jan. 20, 2023 Report from AAUW WA Lobbyist Nancy Sapiro =======
It’s been a busy second week of session here in Olympia, as we are finally back in person for this 105-day legislative session. Legislators, staff and lobbyists are finally finding their “sea legs” after being away from the Capitol campus for two years. The week started off with celebrations of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on the House and Senate floors and the remainder of the week was filled with committee hearings on important policy issues. Since the first day of session, over 900 bills have been introduced and the scramble is on to get a hearing scheduled before the cut-off on February 17.
Sunday marks what would have been the 50th anniversary of Roe v Wade and in recognition of this important date Democrats in the Legislature are proposing a panoply of bills to strengthen our state protections for reproductive freedom. Nine bills will be heard on Tuesday, January 24 across three Senate and three house committees. Whew!
The bills being heard include:
- SB 5242 which seeks to ease the burden of out of pocket costs by eliminating cost sharing for patients seeking abortion care
- SJR 8202 which would amend the WA state Constitution to protect reproductive freedom; the Keep Our Care Act, (one of AAUW’s priorities described below) which impacts hospital mergers and affiliations
- SB 5489 which would shield patients and providers of reproductive and gender affirming care in WA from retribution from other states.
- Labor committees will be hearing 5260/1286 which would give WA employers that provide reproductive care benefits tools for redress against retaliation by states with anti-abortion laws.
- And, at the same time, the House will be hearing HB 1155, a data privacy bill which would strengthen protections for the privacy of health data
- And HB 1340 which would ensure that health care providers cannot be disciplined in our state for providing lawful reproductive or gender affirming care regardless of where the patient resides.
The Public Policy team may decide to move some of these bills up to the priority list during session and ask you to take action. But for now, Tuesday promises to be a busy day and you can watch all the action on TV WASHINGTON – tvw.org.
Below are updates and bill tracking of AAUW’s legislative priorities:
State-Sponsored Apprenticeship Program – HB 1013 – Sponsors: Rep Maycumber and Rep Santos
Update: This bill was heard in the House Committee on Education on January 16. Click here to view the public hearing. HB 1013 is now scheduled for executive session on January 26. Linked here is an article outlining more about HB 1013.
Unemployment insurance qualification – HB 1106 – Sponsors: Rep Fosse and Rep Reeves
Update: This bill had a public hearing in the House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards on January 10. Click here to view the public hearing. HB 1106 moved out of committee on January 20.
Keep Our Care Act – SB 5241/HB 1263 – Sponsors: Senator Randall and Rep Simmons
CALL TO ACTION! SB 5241 would ensure that health entity mergers and acquisitions improve, rather than harm, access to affordable quality care. It would give the AG’s office the tools it needs to ensure that future health system mergers and other transactions improve access to care. Specifically, the bill would prohibit a health entity consolidation that diminishes access to affordable quality care and would ensure AG oversight of all mergers. It also would allow for community input through public notification of proposed consolidations and the opportunity for public input and comment. The bill was introduced last session but did not advance after being heard in Senate Health. here A LINK to an article listing a bit more information about SB 5241.
Update: SB 5241 is scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice on January 24th. We encourage you to register your support for this bill. CLICK HERE to show your support for the Keep Our Care Act!
Supporting Crime Victims – HB 1028 – Sponsors: Rep Orwall
Update: A public hearing was held on the bill on January 11. Click here to hear the public hearing. Executive action was taken on HB 1028 on January 19.
======== WEEK 1 Jan. 15, 2023 Report =======
After two years of conducting their work virtually, members of the WA state Legislature, advocates, and staff returned to Olympia, on January 9th to begin the in-person 105-day Legislative session. While in some respects it feels as if we never left, there are significant changes. New this year: masks are encouraged, if not required, in most offices and access to legislative offices is restricted by security. The Legislature has also moved to a hybrid model, meaning that members of the public may continue to testify on bills remotely and hold meetings with their elected officials virtually.
As far as the makeup of the 2023 Legislature, Democrats held onto their majority in both chambers, resulting in a 29D/20R split in the Senate and a 58D/40R split in the House. There are 21 brand new legislators and 9 members who have served previously or are moving from the house to the senate. With all these new members, and the fact that those members who were elected in 2021 have never experienced an in-person session, there is a steep learning curve for many in the Legislature!
As the session began, the Governor and legislative leaders laid out a bold agenda for the 2023 session including:
- Drug Possession – After the Washington State Supreme Court struck down the state’s felony drug-possession law, lawmakers must now decide if they should decriminalize drug possession, provide treatment for those people with substance abuse issues, or reinstate stiff criminal penalties.
- Housing and Homelessness – Governor Inslee has proposed the state raise $4 billion to build affordable housing by issuing bonds outside the state’s debt limit, which will require legislative and voter approval. Additionally, there are proposals to allow more units on residential lots, intensify transit-oriented development, eliminate design review boards on residential construction, and cap the amount landlords can raise rent each year.
- Workforce Issues – Republicans and Democrats agree there is a workforce crisis, given nearly every sector is experiencing staffing shortages due to baby boom retirements and the covid-era resignations.
- Abortion – The fall of Roe v Wade has had devastating and far-reaching impacts throughout our country. While WA remains a state that protects abortion access, the number of abortion bans in other states continues to grow. In response, Senate and House Democrats are introducing a panoply of bills to ensure and expand access to abortion care, to support providers and patients, and to protect them from the hostile actions of states with abortion bans.
Bills continue to be “dropped” (introduced) daily – and many bills that we are expecting to see in 2023 have yet to be introduced. Below are few of AAUW’s legislative priorities.
Keep Our Care Act – SB 5241/HB 1263
Sponsors: Senator Randall and Rep Simmons
SB 5241 would ensure that health entity mergers and acquisitions improve, rather than harm, access to affordable quality care. It would give the AG’s office the tools it needs to ensure that future health system mergers and other transactions improve access to care. Specifically, the bill would prohibit a health entity consolidation that diminishes access to affordable quality care and would ensure AG oversight of all mergers. It also would allow for community input through public notification of proposed consolidations and the opportunity for public input and comment. The bill was introduced last session but did not advance after being heard in Senate Health.
Supporting Crime Victims – HB 1028
Sponsors: Rep Orwall
HB 1028 has several important provisions that support crime victims by promoting a victim-centered, trauma informed response by the legal system. Some of these provisions include: requiring law enforcement agencies to investigate a reported sexual assault within 90 days, when the testing of a sexual assault kit (SAK) results in a hit in the Combined DNA Indexing System (CODIS); requiring law enforcement agencies and prosecuting attorneys to provide case updates to the AG’s office for any case with a SAK that generates a CODIS hit regardless of when the SAK was collected; and specifying that hospitals and emergency medical facilities located in WA cannot charge for the examination of a victim of sexual assault. The bill was heard on the first day of session and is scheduled for executive action on January 19th.
The 2024 Legislative Session was a short session, only 60 days, starting on January 8 and ending on March 7.
2023 Legislator Scoring website link
