Dear Neighbors,
The Legislature adjourned just after midnight Thursday, the end of the scheduled 60-day session. I’m sorry to say that there are still a few things left unfinished and we will have to return again on Monday to complete our work.
The major duty yet to finish is the 2012 supplemental operating budget. Here in the House, two different budgets were passed over to the Senate, but that body was unable to get to an agreement and approve either. I was very proud of the last budget we sent to them. It:
- Makes no cuts to K-12 education, including no reductions in levy equalization.
- Makes no cuts to our higher education system or student financial aid.
- Preserves medical coverage for poor and temporarily disabled patients who aren’t covered by federal funding.
- Maintains adult day health services and day care assistance for parents moving from welfare to work.
- Assumes the closure of a tax loophole for large, out-of-state banks.
I’m really disappointed the Senate wasn’t able to approve this budget that passed the House 53-45. But we will get right back at it again next week and work towards an agreement.
My commitment is to have a budget that will meet the needs of our citizens, the most vulnerable and to keep access and quality of education at all levels.
District information:
We are in the process of moving back to district. Please feel free contact me at:
13500 Lake City Way, Suite 211 Seattle, WA 98125 206-368-4491 Email: Phyllis.kenney@leg.wa.gov
Getting kids on the learning track early
Back in December, early learning advocates cheered when it was announced that Washington state was the recipient of a $60 million federal Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge grant.
This week, legislators gave final approval to an important measure that enables tens of thousands of our state’s incoming kindergarteners to reap the benefits of this grant. House Bill 2586 speeds up statewide implementation of a valuable skills inventory for children transitioning from preschool into kindergarten.
Called the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills, or WAKids, it allows a child’s teacher and parents to be better informed of that child’s strengths and weaknesses. Any weaknesses can then be addressed sooner rather than later, and teachers can be aware of each child’s particular learning style. Perhaps most importantly, the inclusion of parents in this process ensures the best possible support network for each child in his or her educational journey.
Our state is already considered at the forefront of innovative early learning initiatives, and implementing WAKids statewide sets us up as a model for the rest of the nation.
Fighting electronic harassment
Victims of malicious impersonation attacks on Facebook, Craigslist and other electronic media now have another means of holding the culprits accountable, thanks to a bill signed March 7 by Gov. Gregoire.
House bill 1652 , Sponsored by Representative Frockt (Now Senator Frockt and co-sponsored by me) was passed by the House in 2011 but died in the Senate when the session ended. This session, it made it through both houses on unanimous votes.
The measure specifies that under Washington state law, a person may sue someone who intentionally impersonates the victim on a social networking site or online bulletin board to harass, threaten, defraud or humiliate the victim so that the victim suffers financial or physical harm.
Supporters of the bill cited cases from Washington and around the country in which electronic impersonators posted phony Craigslist ads that led to sexual assaults and thefts or created a humiliating fake Facebook page in the name of the victim.
The bill excludes impersonation that would be protected as political, artistic or satirical expression, or that is performed by law enforcement personnel in a criminal investigation.
For more on “e-personation,” click here to read a January article in the Tacoma News Tribune.
These have not been the easiest of times, but working together we will continue to turn our economy around and help our state prosper and grow.
Thank you again for taking your time to read my e-memos. Please feel free to contact my office anytime.
Best Wishes,
Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney State Representative 46th Legislative District