Dear Friends and Neighbors,
This is the 54th day of the 60-day session. This week, the House and Senate passed their own versions of supplemental budget proposals – operating, transportation and capital. Budget negotiations are ongoing to work out the differences between the two chambers on each of the three budgets. The starting point for each side is much closer than in years past on the spending plans. This bodes well for the Legislature completing its work on time. 
Education
Legislation that would establish career and technical course equivalencies in science and mathematics is still moving through the legislative process. I was hoping to support this measure, but it has turned into a mandate on our school districts. The purpose of House Bill 2540 is to increase access to career and technical education (CTE) programs by increasing the number of available credit equivalencies. Students do not have access to CTE programs in all school districts, or they have access to CTE classes but do not receive equivalent credits. Unfortunately, an amendment passed in the House Education Committee requiring school districts to provide access to at least one CTE equivalent course. I opposed the amendment but supported an amendment that would remove the “requirement” provisions and allow districts with fewer than 2,000 students to seek a waiver. The bill does provide online options for CTE courses, but clearly this is not as valuable as in-classroom instruction. The bill passed the House by a vote of 70-28.
Update on legislation
House Bill 1634 would allow solar, geothermal and biomass energy facilities to be treated the same as wind power facilities for taxing purposes. This bill passed the Senate unanimously Tuesday. It is now awaiting the governor’s signature.
House Bill 1260 passed the Senate Tuesday. This legislation would restructure and modernize the Community Economic Revitalization Board. It would improve the board’s flexibility in providing loans, ensuring representation from both western and eastern Washington, and would prioritize funding based on greatest needs and largest benefit. Because the Senate has amended the bill, removing the section dealing with median wage requirements (many on our side of the aisle support the Senate changes), the bill will now have to come back to the House. It passed the Senate 48-1 and believe it could come out of the House much stronger than it did the first time.
Budgets
We have voted on the House Democrat supplemental operating budget – it passed the House on a party line vote with one Democrat voting “no” with Republicans. This budget is built on proposed tax increases. The Senate Majority Coalition Caucus (SMCC) budget has no tax increases and it seems to be more aligned with our House Republican priorities of funding education, public safety and protecting the most vulnerable. Negotiations between the two budgets are ongoing.
I supported the supplemental capital budget, which was a striking amendment to the Senate’s version, Senate Bill 6020. It makes some new general obligation bond appropriations, but leaves unused bond capacity. It provides funding for the construction and repair of public buildings, important investments in higher education, the Department of Corrections, flood relief, mental health, and storm water and water quality grants. Also noteworthy, it appropriates no money for new state land acquisitions, which is a growing concern for many Eastern Washington counties.
Bonding state lottery funds
One issue I am consistently asked about whether I am at a town hall meeting, holding a telephone town or answering e-mail in my office – is the question “why are lottery dollars not spent on education like it was intended?” House Bill 2797 is a proposal moving through the legislative process. It would bond state lottery monies to fund grants to school districts for construction of classrooms for full-day kindergarten and K-3 class-size reduction. An important piece of the legislation for rural areas is that school districts would not be required to pass a local levy to match the construction funding. In addition to helping the state take another important step toward its McCleary obligations, it would also create jobs. There are some concerns about the debt service and paying back the bonds. I supported the measure and it passed the House 90-7. It is now in the Senate for consideration.
Guests 
While we have been working long hours and voting on hundreds of bills, we also met a wide variety of guests this week, including WSU football coach Mike Leach, Taima (photo to the right) the Seattle Seahawks mascot who flies out of the tunnel before the team, and a very special constituent – Miss Rodeo Washington Audrey Ramsden. Audrey is a long-time resident of Moses Lake. Horses and rodeo are Audrey’s biggest passions, but she is also an avid piano and violin player. Audrey is a sophomore at Pacific Lutheran University earning a double major in political Science and Global Studies and minoring in Music Performance. See the photo of me, Audrey, and Miss Omak Stampede Tiffany Mannikko. It was a pleasure to introduce them in caucus.
Please continue to contact my office with questions, comments or concerns. It is an honor to serve you.
Sincerely,
Judy Warnick
13th Legislative District
E-mail: judy.warnick@leg.wa.gov
Web site: www.representativejudywarnick.com
Olympia Office (January-March)
427A Legislative Building – P.O. Box 40600 | Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7932 or Toll-free: (800) 562-6000
District Office (March-December)
326 South Cedar Street, Suite A
Moses Lake, WA 98837
(509) 766-6505
