February 15th - 2013 Regular Legislative Session Day 33

We’re working on the House Floor this morning. The first item of business is consideration of House Resolution 4617, Recognizing Japanese-American WWII Veterans and Internees. This is one of the many reasons Rep. Jason Overstreet sponsored HB 1581, creating the Washington state preservation of liberty act condemning the unlawful detention of United States citizens and lawful resident aliens under the national defense authorization act. We cannot let this happen again.

We’re also voting on a series of bills this morning. House Bill 1043 removes the authority for public baccalaureate institutions to set differential tuition rates for resident, undergraduate programs and removes the authority for the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges to pilot or institute differential tuition models for resident, undergraduate programs. The vote was 95 to 1 with two excused.

Senate Bill 5147 requires unlicensed youth shelters or runaway programs must provide locating information for the youth to parents, law enforcement, or the department within eight hours of becoming aware that a youth is away from a lawful prescribed residence or home without permission. For licensed overnight shelters or programs with a stated mission to provide services to homeless or runaway youth and their families, must notify parents, the DSHS, or law enforcement within 72 hours of becoming aware that a youth is away from a lawful prescribed residence or home without permission. It is preferred that the notification occur within 24 hours. The vote was 89 to 7 with 2 excused.

#WA #House #Floor #HB #1043 #SB #5147 #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District
https://chumly.com/n/1a351f0

2012 Regular Legislative Session Day 46

We were able to get a lot done in yesterday’s General Government Appropriations and Oversight Committee meeting, so today’s meeting should be pretty short. We have six bills in the General Government Appropriations and Oversight Committee to take Executive Action on and then we’re done. I have a meeting at noon with Rep’s Overstreet and Shea to discuss a bill and an HROC Meeting at 2:30 PM. Should be a fairly straight forward day for me.

We’re still sitting in the Committee waiting for the Democrats to decide what they want to do on the six bills on the Executive Calendar. Senate Bill 6120 has two proposed amendments that would appear to have the Democrats split and with our no votes the amendments will fail. I love when a plan comes together.

#SB #6120 #General #Government #Appropriations #Oversight #HROC #Overstreet #Shea #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District
http://chumly.com/n/10f600c

2012 Regular Legislative Session Day 40

Another day and more committee meetings ... My day started with an 8:00 AM Labor and Workforce Development Committee meeting. There are a couple of really bad bills on the agenda today like SB 6486 which grants collective bargaining rights for postdoctoral and clinical employees at UW and WSU ... god heavens, seriously? We need less not more collective bargaining in Washington State. At least there’s one good bill on the agenda, SB 6392 which expands a farm internship program.

We have a Floor Session scheduled this morning for Remembrance Day and we’ll probably have a brief caucus session. The House Republican Caucus is releasing its proposed budget today with a press conference at noon to give the details. Here are the highlights ... our budget maintains 100% of levy equalization, maintains the 180-day school year, maintains the current all-day kindergarten funding, funds education reform and accountability, and amounts to $580 million more education funding then the Governor’s proposed budget.

I also have an Environment Committee meeting at 1:30 this afternoon. The bills on the agenda include SB 5575 related to biomass energy facilities, SB 4343 related to anaerobic digester emissions, SB 6027 related to industrial wastewater facilities, and SB 6120 children’s safe products. The big stinker bill is SB 6120 which places very high standards on what is used to make children’s products ... it’s also known as the toxic toys bill.

Molly and Tiffany will be here tonight and then we’re going to the Great Wolf Lodge tomorrow with Charles and his family. I also want to thank everyone who’s wished me a happy birthday today.

#SB #6484 #6392 #6120 #Remembrance #Day #Olympia #House #Republican #Caucus #Budget #15th #District #Rep #David #Taylor
http://chumly.com/n/10c242a

2012 Regular Legislative Session Day 39

My day started with an Environment Committee meeting. Senate Bill 6082 is among the bills being heard this morning. The bill mandates the addition of several questions to the SEPA Checklist related to potential impacts to agricultural lands. Although many in the agricultural community like the idea, I do not. All the bill will do is create new appeal opportunities for individuals or organizations opposed to any development ... ever heard of Futurewise or Sierra Club? With all due respect to my Republican friends in the Senate supporting the bill, you do not know what you’re dealing with. This is a bad idea so we’ll have to try and amend or kill the bill.

I have a 10:00 AM State Government and Tribal Affairs Committee meeting. Rep. Sam Hunt is the chairman of the Committee and he keeps changing the dang agenda. He’s been doing this all year ... guess it’s time to jerk his chain a little bit. Hmm, this could be fun.

The rest of my day should be fairly uneventful. I have a few meetings, but nothing real serious on my calendar. It’s going to be a great day to rest and recuperate.

#State #Government #Tribal #Affairs #Environment #Committee #agenda #SB #6082 #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District
http://chumly.com/n/10ba710

2011 First Special Legislative Session

Day 27 - Back on the House Floor this morning. We're running two bills right now with Speaker Chopp actually presiding over the House ... first time this year! The Workers Compensation reform bill hit a rather large snag yesterday and this morning. It seems the Governor and the Democrat Majority tried to play us and were caught red-handed ... Hehehehehehe, it's nice to be relevant. As long they continue to play games with us, things will continue to be painful for them. I want to be very clear, the proposal forwarded by the Democrats will save no money, increase the cost of administration and offers absolutely no incentive for injured workers to negotiate a lump sum settlement agreement.

As I reported yesterday, there are five major bills necessary to implement the budget; unfortunately, on Day 27 of the First Special Session we have yet to consider any of those five bills. My prediction, we will not get the work done by Wednesday and will be called back in June after the next revenue forecast. By the way, revenue is currently $30 million below the projection, which is less than the original revenue projection the 2009 budget was based upon.

We're debating SB 5912 which expands family planning services to 250% of the federal poverty level ... Yup, I'll be a no. Why are we considering a bill that expands a social service when the state is facing a $5 billion deficit? This is crazy!

We broke for lunch and are back on the House Floor getting ready to run three bills. When we're done with those three it'll bring our total for the day to five.

#Workers #comp #reform #SB #5912 #revenue #deficit #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District
https://chum.ly/n/9145f9

2011 Legislative Session

Day 96 - We're working through the Concurrence/Dispute Calendar again today. It should be another early day, with the Ways and Means Committee meeting at 3:30 PM. Another day, another stack of tax increases proposed by Democrats in Olympia. The latest, SB 5947, would increase taxes on livestock semen, propane and natural gas to heat chicken structures, and chicken bedding materials. For all of those who enjoy eating chicken, prepare for an increase in prices ... all the more reason to eat beef!

We just found out we ARE NOT WORKING THIS WEEKEND. Looks like I'll get to head home for the weekend after all. The bad news is not working this weekend almost certainly means we'll be headed to Special Session. As of right now, Special Session will begin on the Monday or Tuesday after Easter. I remain hopeful that any Special Session will be a "rolling" session which means only the budget folks will need to be here until agreements are reached; unfortunately, we heard this morning that the Governor wants to keep all of us here. UGH!

Tonight a small group of us are headed to Seattle to go to the Hinder concert ... Should be a great time.

#Hinder #Special #Session #SB #5947 #tax #increase #15th #District #Rep #David #Taylor
http://chum.ly/n/82fcbc

2011 Legislative Session

Day 92 - On the Floor again today. Right now we're debating the Medical Marijuana bill (SB 5073) and debate is "smoking". Hehe couldn't resist. The arguments being made by the Democrat Majority border on the insane. They are actually telling us that our amendment to prohibit dispensing of marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school is not needed and would limit a persons access to "needed drugs". Seriously, that is exactly our point. Update, the amendment failed. News flash ... a Democrat just acknowledged that kids can already get marijuana anytime they want it. No kidding, shocker of a discovery.

Out of about 4 hours on the House Floor today, we've passed a total of 9 bills. If today is any indication of what's in store for the last two weeks of session, it's going to be a long 2 weeks.

#SB #5073 #medical #marijuana #schools #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District
http://chum.ly/n/812920

2011 Legislative Session

Day 90 - Another day on the House Floor. My day started with a preverbal bang ... Got a call at 9:45 from Robert who said one of our bulls went for "a walk about". The age old question of "where does 1,500 pounds of animated hamburger go" ... anywhere it wants. So far it's still strolling around, but we'll find it.

We've run a few bills this morning, including SB 5171 which addresses making sure our military men and women's vote will count in an election. We also passed SB 5500 which is a nice little small business bill. Sometime after lunch we'll debate final passage of the House Operating Budget, which will be an interesting debate.

#SB #5500 #5171 #budget #WA #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District
http://chum.ly/n/807320

2011 Legislative Session

Day 75 Update - Thanks to the Democrat majority first time voters still don't have to show proof of citizenship to vote in Washington State ... My amendment to require proof of citizenship failed. Also thanks to the Democrat majority, the citizens of Pierce County will now be required to vote by mail. Congratulations, the Democrat majority in the Legislature knows better than the locally elected County Council. So much for local control, so much for the best government being the government closest to the people.

 #SB #5124 #All #Mail #Voting #Rep #David #Taylor #15th #District.
http://chum.ly/n/7b3607