March 7, 2011
The Legislature reaches the house-of-origin cutoff today, which means that all non-budget bills have to be sent to the Senate or declared dead for the year. We have been working many very late nights and were here much of the past two weekends passing key legislation.
22nd District Town Hall Meeting – March 12th
This weekend, we are holding a 22nd District Town Hall Meeting. Please join me, Rep. Reykdal and Sen. Fraser on Sat., March 12th from Noon – 2:00 pm at Garfield Elementary, 325 Plymouth St NW in Olympia. I look forward to updating you on the legislative session and answering your questions.
Washington is growing!
The 2010 census numbers are all in and Washington is officially the 13th-largest state in the nation with a population of 6,724,540. According to the official count, there are 830,000 more people living in our state now than there were a decade ago. Because of that, we have earned an additional seat in the U.S. Congress. Out of curiosity, I checked 1990 census data and found Washington’s population was 4,867,000.
Following every census, the Washington Redistricting Commission resets our legislative and congressional boundaries to keep population counts consistent between each district. That work is underway right now, and the Census just released its data from the 2010 count, along with this interactive map:
You can read more about this and interact with the map on the HDC Advance: Census Map – Where we’re growing
Washington gains thousands of jobs
Despite losing jobs in some fields like government (-600) and construction (-1500), January was the strongest month of job growth in Washington since before the recession began, adding 11,000 new jobs. Over the past year, in fact, we’ve added an estimated 20,500 jobs.
Industries that added jobs in January were professional and business services, up 5,600; education and health services, up 4,500; retail trade, up 1,500; leisure and hospitality, up 1,300; financial activities, up 1,200; transportation, warehousing and utilities, up 800; and mining and logging, up 100.
“It’s unusual to have job gains in the middle of winter, so this is another positive sign that the recovery is under way,” said Employment Security Commissioner Paul Trause.
Here’s ESD’s full report on Washington’s latest job growth.
Military higher education bill advances
Many members of our state’s National Guard, or other military reservists, are currently in the process of trying to complete higher education programs. Getting called to active duty or training interrupts their education while they serve our country both at home and abroad.
State law already provides certain protections for reservists who get called up for periods of over 30 days and must leave school to do so. Upon return, these reservists can continue and complete their coursework without penalty, or withdraw from school without penalty or fees, and return to their studies at a later date.
But the current law overlooks the fact that most of our National Guard members are called to respond to domestic natural disasters like floods, wildfires and earthquakes, and these duty periods are often under 30 days in length. These reservists should be given the same protections as those who serve for longer periods, and that’s the purpose of House Bill 1221, which passed the House unanimously and is now under consideration in the state Senate.
Three major bills protect Washington’s ‘Evergreen Legacy’
Protecting Washington’s natural resources now and into the future is the aim behind a trio of bills that cleared the House last week. From Puget Sound to Lake Whatcom to the Spokane River, these bills help reduce pollution in our waterways and place our state ahead of the curve in our oil spill response planning.
? HB 1186 incorporates lessons learned from last year’s BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico so that a similar disaster doesn’t occur here. It puts new responsibilities on oil companies for the safe travel of their oil tankers through Washington’s waters, with updated contingency plans and proper equipment in place for a swift, effective response in the event of a spill. The measure is in response to recommendations from a national report that was recently released on the BP oil spill.
? HB 1489 limits the sale of lawn fertilizer containing phosphorous in order to help prevent toxic algae blooms in lakes and streams. Algae need phosphorous to thrive, and other states that have restricted its use in fertilizer have experienced a noticeable reduction in algae blooms. There are cheaper alternatives to phosphorous that are just as effective, and the bill exempts agricultural users and instances where phosphorous is needed to establish healthy root growth.
? HB 1721 makes Washington the first state in the nation to ban coal-tar pavement sealant. The sealant contains high concentrations of toxics called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are linked to cancer and the destruction of fish and aquatic wildlife. Runoff from pavement that uses coal-tar sealant poisons streams and lakes, endangering both human and animal life. Alternative pavement sealants which are much less toxic are readily available.
Watershed-stewardship is balanced with healthy respect for farming industry
Balance.
Yes, the tumbling dice of democracy often land on the side of balance. In fact, the House of Representatives recently passed legislation emphasizing balance in the way public law:
* Protects watersheds.
* Preserves agricultural lands.
* Promotes farming.
Our balanced approach seeks to implement recommendations from the Ruckelshaus Center process, specifically upholding appropriate watershed-developments, preservation of agricultural lands, and flexibility for counties in choosing a workable approach. A Voluntary Stewardship Program would be set up, according to terms of the bill. Participating counties could then use the tools in the program to protect critical areas in regions used for agricultural activities, rather than having to plod their way through the regulatory requirements of the Growth Management Act (GMA).
Local governments, as well as farming and other environmental voices contributed in the lengthy process to develop the measure. Agriculture in each and every one of Washington’s 39 counties adds up to a $35-billion-a-year industry. More than 130,000 Washington citizens make their living on farms here in the Evergreen State.
Every year, citizens, local governments and organizations invest a lot of time and sweat – not to mention a heck of a lot of money – updating the GMA. The process never fails to spark controversy and spawn lawsuits. The point of this legislation is to get away from the lawsuits. Let’s find a way to keep the honorable, good-intentioned sides of these issues out of the courtroom.
This week’s budget brief: Protecting basic education during tough budget times
Did you know K-12 education makes up more than 40 percent of state spending? Since most of that funding is protected by our state Constitution, our schools won’t feel the same impact as other areas of state government as we cut $4.6 billion from the next budget. But it’s hard to avoid any impact at all. Learn more here about how education funding fits into the bigger budget picture and which K-12 investments are safe.
In This Issue
Town Hall
Census
Job Growth
Legislation Update
Budget Brief
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