April 12th - 2013 Regular Legislative Session Day 89

After spending the morning in Caucus discussing a number of bills, we broke for lunch and then considered several bills for passage.

Engrossed Senate Bill 5236 passed 53 to 42 with 3 excused.
Senate Bill 5797 passed 94 to 1 with 3 excused.
Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5082 passed 95 to 0 with 3 excused.
Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5110 passed 57 to 37 with 4 excused.
Senate Bill 5302 passed 94 to 0 with 4 excused.
Substitute Senate Bill 5316 passed 94 to 0 with 4 excused.
Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5324 passed 94 to 0 with 4 excused.
Substitute Senate Bill 5332 passed 54 to 40 with 4 excused.
Substitute Senate Bill 5568 passed 94 to 4 with 4 excused.
Substitute Senate Bill 5615 passed 73 to 21 with 4 excused.
Second Substitute Senate Bill 5624 passed 57 to 38 with 3 excused.
Senate Bill 5692 passed 95 to 0 with 3 excused.
Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5723 passed 94 to 2 with 2 excused.
Substitute Senate Bill 5767 passed 96 to 0 with 2 excused.
Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5849 passed 84 to 12 with 2 excused.
Engrossed Substitute Senate Concurrent Resolution 8401 passed 84 to 11 with 1 absent and 2 excused.

After debating and passing these bills, we returned to Caucus to discuss all the proposed amendments to the Democrat Operating Budget. There were 27 proposed amendments to the budget, with 10 of the proposed amendments ultimately withdrawn from consideration. The Democrat’s House Operating Budget is predicated on a $1.3 billion tax increase and $2.1 billion in growth, totaling a $3.445 Billion increase over the 2011-13 Biennium. Many of our citizens would enjoy a 1% increase to their personal budgets, yet the State Operating Budget is growing by approximately 11%.

The House Republicans put forth a series of amendments aimed at reducing regulations and increasing economic development, yet each and every one of those amendments were defeated. These amendments included 90-day permitting by state agencies and a rule-writing moratorium. I guess a rule-writing moratorium was acceptable to former Governor Gregoire (yes, she issued an Executive Order requiring as much), but not to the House Democrats.

I am saddened to report the House Democrat Operating Budget, tax increases and all, passed 54 to 43 with 1 excused. Folks the no votes on the budget represent a bipartisan"no” vote, while the"yes” vote was 100% Democrat.