My only Committee meeting today is in the House Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government where we’re hearing nine bills. House Bill 1888 authorizes the Director of the Department of Agriculture to issue licenses for the growing of industrial hemp; designates industrial hemp as an agricultural product which may be grown, produced, possessed, and commercially traded pursuant to the requirements of the act; creates an industrial hemp account in the State Treasury that is funded by licensing fees; and authorizes Washington State University to undertake research regarding industrial hemp production in this state.
Substitute Senate Bill 5369 recreates the Geothermal Account to receive and direct the distribution of all revenues related to geothermal resource extraction on federal lands located in Washington; updates the existing definition of "geothermal resources" to add specific inclusions and exemptions; and clarifies the relationship among geothermal resource wells and water wells.
Substitute Senate Bill 5289 authorizes the sale of the Discover Pass at a discounted rate for sales, bundling, and partnership opportunities and provides an exception for the Discover Pass requirements for motor vehicles operating on certain roads managed by the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Second Substitute Senate Bill 5540 allows the Insurance Commissioner to enter into reciprocal agreements to allow health insurance policies to be sold across state lines.
Engrossed Senate Bill 5603 establishes the Washington Coastal Marine Advisory Council within the Office of the Governor to serve as an advisory body and forum for communication on coastal marine waters issues and establishes the Washington Marine Resources Advisory Council within the Office of the Governor to coordinate and implement certain activities pertaining to the impacts of ocean acidification through June 2017.
House Bill 2024 provides that the Attorney General is not required to institute or prosecute actions on behalf of state officers against the state or a county in matters regarding the level or sufficiency of fiscal appropriations.
Engrossed Senate Bill 5105 requires the Department of Corrections (DOC) to create a list of approved housing providers; limits payment of vouchers for offenders to the providers on the list, if more than two voucher recipients will be residing per dwelling unit; requires that the DOC limit the concentration of approved housing providers in a single neighborhood and consider a locally created community impact statement before approving a provider; creates a process for local governments to request removal of a housing provider from the list; and requires the DOC to provide transition support to verify that offenders who are using the vouchers in a home with four or more individuals are participating in programs or services.
Substitute Senate Bill 5437 makes it a gross misdemeanor offense (instead of a misdemeanor) to operate a vessel under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, or any drug; provides that any person who operates a vessel is deemed to have given consent to a breath or blood test when an arresting officer has reasonable grounds to believe the person was operating the vessel while under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, or any drug; provides that a person, believed to have committed certain boating violations, could be issued an infraction if he or she refuses to take the breath or blood test upon the request of a police officer; and establishes specific boating safety criteria for any person who has vessels for rent, lease, charter, or use and makes a violation of such criteria a civil infraction unless it is the person's third violation, in which case it is a misdemeanor offense.
Engrossed Senate Bill 5860 provides that the Attorney General (AG) is not required to institute or prosecute actions on behalf of Superior Court judges against the state or a county with respect to fiscal issues and provides that any duty on the part of the AG to continue to prosecute an action on behalf of Superior Court judges ceases after the effective date of the act.
We may also take Executive Action on nine bills … HB 2024, ESB 5105, SSB 5369, SSB 5437, 2SSB 5540, ESB 5603, SSB 5760, and ESB 5860.
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