Less Government, Lower Taxes and More Freedom - 2014 Legislative Session Day 2

My first committee meeting of the day is in Government Operations and Elections where we’re considering three bills. House Bill 2105 requires public agencies with governing bodies to post meeting agendas online at least 24 hours in advance of a regular meeting and exempts agencies that do not have websites or that have five or fewer full-time equivalent employees from posting agendas online.

Engrossed House Bill 1279 allows 16- and 17-year-olds to preregister to vote when applying for a driver's license or identicard.

House Bill 2121 requires training for members of a governing body of a public agency on the Open Public Meetings Act; requires training for elected state and local officials and agency public records officers on the Public Records Act; and requires training for elected state and local officials and agency records retention officers on the preservation and destruction of public records.

The Governor’s State of the State Address is scheduled for 12:00 PM today. I’ll be posting a response to the Governor’s statement later today.

Less Government, Lower Taxes and More Freedom - 2014 Legislative Session Day 2

I am please to announce I will be hosting a weekly radio show on KYAK 930 AM starting this Saturday at 11:30 AM. The show will be available throughout Central Washington and is the first time I have ever hosted a radio show. My goal is to have the listeners participate in setting the content and topics discussed each week and have established an email to accept comments, topics and show tips. The email address is freedom4wa@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from everyone.

Less Government, Lower Taxes and More Freedom - 2014 Legislative Session Day 1

In today’s Appropriations Committee we’re getting briefed and hearing testimony on the Governor’s Supplemental Budget proposal … ugh!

Less Government, Lower Taxes and More Freedom - 2014 Legislative Session Day 1

My first committee meeting of the 2014 Legislative Session is the Local Government Committee where we’re hearing four bills. House Bill 2114 modifies an existing Public Records Act exemption for customer information held by a public utility to exempt from disclosure customers' telephone numbers, electronic contact information, and specific utility usage and billing information.

House Bill 1040 authorizes county assessors to combine or separately state land and improvement values on annual real property value notices that inform taxpayers of changes in real property and improvement values.

House Bill 2157 increases the per diem compensation of elected flood control zone district supervisors and requires the Office of Financial Management to adjust for inflation the per diem compensation every five years in accordance to the consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers.

House Bill 2189 modifies rules and requirements for flood control district contracts, including: (1) Authorizing installment payments for contracts for maintenance, similar to other types of district contracts; (2) creating a threshold of $50,000 over which certain contracts may only be let by contract and competitive bidding; and (3) modifying competitive bidding procedures; modifies requirements for performance bonds furnished by recipients of flood control district contracts, such as raising the threshold at which a performance bond for the full amount of the contract price is required to $50,000, and specifying that the bond must be furnished to the district, rather than to the state of Washington; and amends and consolidates provisions relating to the administration and operation of the flood control district board of directors, and specifies that the board must hold meetings in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act.

Less Government, Lower Taxes and More Freedom - 2014 Legislative Session Day 1

The 2014 Legislative Session has officially began and the first bill considered this session was Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1817 ... the Washington State Dream Act. This bill was pulled to the Floor for consideration without any hearing, debate or public discussion in this year's session. The bill passed 70 to 23 with 2 Excused from voting.

Less Government, Lower Taxes and More Freedom - 2014 Legislative Session Day 1

What a way to start the 2014 Session. In the six Opening Days of Regular Session I have been a part of, I don't recall EVER voting on a bill the first day. This year is much, much different as the House of Representatives will be voting on the Dream Act today. No public notice, no public debate and no public input. I don't believe having hearings on the bill a year ago mitigates the need to provide the public an opportunity to participate in the process of passing new laws.

Let the political games begin.

Less Government, Lower Taxes and More Freedom - 2014 Legislative Session Day 1

The 2014 Legislative Session begins today at noon, but we have a Caucus meeting at 10:00 AM to discuss issues we anticipate being big this session. I've got two committee hearings this afternoon and will be posting bill numbers and summaries again this year.

Stay tuned ....