LEGISLATURE 2023-24: Legislative Newsletter (Mar. 5, 2023/LWVWA)

Editor’s Note: The League of Women Voters (LWV) of Washington uploaded this legislative newsletter to their website on Mar. 5, 2023. Our mission at the Voter Interests Project is to monitor elected officials and ballot measures; we generally do not report on the activities of non-profit organizations. However, the LWV Whidbey Island chapter conducts candidate forums during most election cycles, and are therefore of particular interest to voters. The LWV of Washington’s website states, “The League is a Nonpartisan Source You Can Trust”; however, the LWV does take positions on public policy. Our observation is that their policy positions inform their management of voter forums. Therefore, we believe it to be of interest to our readers to know the positions for which the LWV advocates.

Action Alerts

Click on the links below to learn more about bills currently being reviewed in the state legislature. You can “take action” on these most pressing bills by sending a suggested, editable email to legislators, encouraging them to vote to promote the League issue in question.

Help Pass the Wealth Tax

In Washington State, the lowest income people pay far more in share of their income than the wealthiest do. This state has the most regressive tax structure in the US. And, additional revenue is needed to support the many needs that are still unfunded, including health care, housing, education, disability services, and more. So the only way to raise money for these services is to put a new tax on the wealthiest people in this state. The wealth tax (SB 5486) would put a 1% tax on the financial property of people who have more than $250 million in stocks, bonds, and similar investments. This would make the tax system more fair while also raising needed revenue. Please help get the wealth tax passed by letting the Senate Ways & Means Committee know you want them to pass SB 5486.

Click here to ask the Senate Ways & Means Committee to PASS SB 5486

Click here to sign-in PRO for SB 5486

Take Action to Regulate Acquisitions and Mergers in our Healthcare Systems

Currently large Healthcare Monopolies which are often affiliated with religious institutions are buying up hospitals and medical practices in Washington and go largely unregulated. This practice limits the control we have and the choices we can make about our healthcare. More than 50% of hospitals in Washington are owned by religious institutions. Whether it be having a choice about reproductive care or end of life care; those choices should not be limited by who owns the hospital or medical practice you seek your care in. SB 5241 (KOCA) (The keep our care act) will limit and regulate Mergers and Acquisitions of healthcare institutions.

Click here to ask your representatives to vote YES on SB 5241.

Pass the WRAP Act to Modernize our Recycling System

Pass the WRAP Act to modernize our entire recycling system here in Washington.
We can stop throwing away $104 million worth of materials that could be recycled.
We can support Washington’s economy by building new, green jobs.
We can make recycling easier for all residents of Washington.
We can join other nations of the world and 4 states in the US by implementing Extended Producer
Responsibility.

Click here to ask your representative to bring HB 1131 up for a floor vote and to vote YES.

Support Conservation of Washington State’s Unique Public Lands

HB 1460 has passed through its house of origin and now needs support in its journey through the Senate. You can make a difference by supporting this bill at its first public hearing in the Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks committee.

Click here to sign in PRO on HB 1460

Tell Your Representatives to Reduce Embodied Carbon in New Buildings

In construction and in operation, buildings in Washington produce 25% of our greenhouse gases. Over their lifetimes construction represents over half of that. We have a big opportunity to reduce our greenhouse gases by installing the most efficient, clean building systems and by constructing with the cleanest possible materials. We won’t know how clean our construction is unless we make good plans and have accurate information on materials. HB 1282 begins the next steps on those objectives.

Click here to ask your representatives to vote YES on HB 1282

This Week in the Legislature

ANOTHER IMPORTANT CUTOFF

We are about halfway through this legislative session. Things are moving so fast! Two important cutoffs have passed, and we are approaching a third.

February 17 was the last day a non-fiscal bill could be considered and passed out of its respective policy committee in the house of origin; February 24 (fiscal cutoff) was the last day a bill from House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees could be passed out of those committees in the house of origin. Some bills “died” as a result of missing these cutoffs.

There has been quite a flurry of voting on the house and senate floors on bills that survived the last two cutoffs, and voting will continue until March 8. To get a vote, a bill must both move out of the Rules committees and be put onto the floor agenda. This March 8 cutoff is the last day a bill can pass out of its house of origin and move on to the second chamber.

The biennium budget is one of the next big tasks, and work on that will probably ramp up next week and continue until the end of the session.

On March 9, hearings begin on bills that have passed into the other chamber. So be sure to check this week’s updates in this Legislative Newsletter for action you can take to support or oppose a bill.

There are several other ways you can follow the hearings and legislative process:

Via TVW (Washington State’s public affairs TV network), and
On the Washington State Legislature website.

Check out the weekly updates for each issue (below) for information on how to testify, and how to sign on PRO or CON to proposed legislation.

The 2023 Legislative Issues

LWVWA Legislative Issues From the 2023 Washington State Legislative Session

Click on an issue to learn more about session results on bills the League supported and “This Week’s Updates” to read the issue chair’s report on this past week.

Democracy

Elections | Issue Overview | Read this week’s update

Money in Politics | Issue Overview | Read this week’s update

Education | Issue Overview | Read this week’s update

Redistricting | Issue Overview | New task force underway – see updates

Environment

Climate Crisis and Energy | Issue Overview | Read this week’s update

Forests | Issue Overview | Read this week’s update

Growth Management | Issue Overview | Read this week’s update

Solid Waste Management | Issue Overview | Read this week’s update

Transportation | Issue Overview | Read this week’s update

Social and Economic Policy