Dear neighbors,
It’s hard to believe we are already one month into the 2013 legislative session. Only 11 more weeks to go! The session follows a cut-off calendar, which determines the deadlines for public hearings and executive action on bills, as well as floor action in both the House and Senate. We are coming up on our first cut-off, February 22, which is the last day a policy bill can be considered in committee in its house of origin. Fiscal bills get an extra week beyond that.
Budget Picture
Despite an overall improvement in our state’s economic picture, the legislature is once again dealing with a projected revenue shortfall as we begin the budgeting process. Over the last few years we have made $12 billion in cuts to our state’s colleges, workforce, and social safety net in efforts to balance the budget.
This year we are faced with a projected shortfall of another $1.4 billion. In addition, the legislature is required to invest another $1.4 billion in our state’s education system in order to comply with the McCleary decision, the State Supreme Court’s ruling that we are not meeting our constitutional obligation to fully fund basic education. In light of the McCleary decision, education funding must be our top priority.
Our budget difficulties are compounded by the voters’ decision to impose a 2/3 legislative majority requirement on any form of tax increase, including the elimination of outdated tax preferences. This means that just 17 legislators can block any attempt to raise taxes or close tax loopholes. In addition, we have divided rule in the legislature now that the State Senate is controlled by the Republicans. These issues make balancing this year’s budget very challenging.
Despite these challenges, I will continue to support a budget that works for families and the middle class. I will do everything I can to minimize further cuts which harm our economy and the most vulnerable.
Protecting women’s reproductive health decisions
While state legislatures across the country are turning back the clock on women’s health, Washington state and House Democrats are continuing to move forward as a leader in reproductive freedom.
Last week, the House Health Care and Wellness Committee heard public testimony on the Reproductive Parity Act. The bill protects a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions by requiring insurance plans to offer full coverage for reproductive health.
Nearly every insurance plan in our state already covers both maternity and abortion services. However, with the implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act, these reproductive choices could be limited, and women could suddenly find themselves without access to abortion coverage.
Washingtonians have a long history of supporting reproductive rights that stretches back to even before the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in 1973. That support has been reaffirmed by initiative over the years, and the Reproductive Parity Act simply protects the reproductive health choices Washington women already have, enabling them to continuing making choices that are right for themselves and their families.
Some have raised concerns about possible violations of religion or conscience with the passage of this act, but Washington already has a conscience clause in statute that remains strongly intact. It offers providers and carriers the opportunity to opt out of providing abortion services or coverage. If the RPA passes, this law remains unchanged. The religious freedom of health-care providers and health plans will still be protected.
Getting rid of GET?
There’s been a lot of talk about closing the state’s Guaranteed Education Tuition program, more widely known as the “GET program.” GET is an investment program created by the Legislature in 1998 as a way for families to save for college. Parents, grandparents and others can buy GET “units” at a fixed price today that can be applied towards college tuition at a later date.
Senate Republicans are pushing to repeal the GET program. Recent reports show a projected unfunded liability of $631 million several years down the road. That’s a concern to be taken seriously, though ending the program completely could be far more devastating. If we end the program, it could cost the state anywhere from $649 million to $1.6 billion. It would also end a program that has helped over 27,000 students achieve the dream of a college education who might not have otherwise been able to afford it.
Thankfully, we have options to get the GET reserves back to healthy levels. This report from the State Actuary illustrates how holding the line on tuition increases for the next two years and increasing state support for instructional costs will quickly lead to a healthy GET reserve.
My Legislative Priorities:
Extended Foster Care (HB 1302)
In the past, when a child in foster care turned 18, the state’s obligation to provide support would end immediately. In the modern economy it is extremely difficult for an 18 year old to make it on their own with no means of support. In response to this problem, Congress passed the “Federal Fostering Connections and Increasing Adoptions Act” in 2008, a program encouraging states to implement extended foster care services for young adults aging out while drawing down matching federal dollars to the state. Over the last few years, we’ve been taking small steps toward full implementation and this year we are closer than ever. You can read more about this legislation here.
Ending Juvenile Life Without Parole (HB 1338)
The United States Supreme Court recently ruled that a mandatory sentence for a juvenile of life without the possibility of parole is not consistent with the Constitution’s prohibition on “cruel and unusual punishment.” In response to this ruling, I have proposed legislation to end this wasteful, inhumane, and unfair practice. You can read more about this legislation here.
I am the Prime Sponsor of nine additional bills that range from addressing animal cruelty to giving law enforcement more flexibility when dealing with the mentally ill. Visit my bill-sponsorship page to learn more about these bills.
Sincerely,
