Week of March 3, 2008
These are the archived Hot Lists for the week of March 3, 2008. Please check this week's Hot List for the most up-to-date information.
HOUSE
HOUSE COMMITTEE ACTION
ESSB 6580: Addressing the impacts of climate change through the growth management act (a.k.a. Local Solutions to Global Warming).
Appropriations: Public Hearing & Possible Executive Session
POSITION: SUPPORT w/o anymore weakening amendments
- One of the four environmental community priorities for 2008, this bill is now supported by the Association of Washington Cities and Washington State Association of Counties. The bill has three components: directs CTED to develop a tool to inventory, measure and estimate land use related greenhouse gas emissions; creates a competitive grants program for cities and counties that choose to take immediate action; and convenes an interim taskforce to report back to the legislature on any necessary policy actions to better enable local governments to address climate change.
- By focusing on developing the necessary tools, this bill supports those municipalities that are taking action now while simultaneously laying the groundwork for the future.
- If the legislation gets further weakened, it will become nothing more than a simple study bill.
SB 6777: Clarifying interests in state lands.
Finance: Executive Session
POSITION: SUPPORT
- Requires that, until a judgment is entered by a Washington appellate court that determines title to the sand, gravel, and rock resources in specified lands, the department shall not lease any portion of the state-owned aquatic lands that comprise the Maury Island aquatic reserve for industrial uses -Expires January 1, 2011.
- Does not prevent existing mining from continuing.
POSSIBLE HOUSE FLOOR ACTION
2SSB 6227: Relating to strengthening Washington's outer coast marine resources committees.
POSITION: SUPPORT
- Marine resources committees are a bottom-up approach to addressing coastal issues, and are effective at creating local collaboration to better protect our marine resources.
- This bill will create an outer coast marine resource program that will support the work of the committees and improve our ability to collaboratively identify and address critical issues facing Washington's coastal areas.
SSB 6307: Regarding Marine Managed Areas. POSITION: SUPPORT
- Develops a coordinated plan for the state’s several aquatic protection programs, under the aegis of the Puget Sound partnership.
- Calls for a strategic network of marine managed areas to help achieve the Partnership’s goal to recover the Sound to health by 2020.
2SSB 6483: Enacting the local farms-healthy kids act (a.k.a. Local Farms-Healthy Kids). POSITION: SUPPORT
- This environmental community priority will help to improve kids' nutrition and create new markets for Washington grown food by revising low-cost bidding restrictions, creating a Farm to School Program, and promoting local purchasing.
- The bill is nearly identical to the House companion which passed previously 95 to 1. An additional amendment should be supported on the floor to make minor technical changes that will facilitate successful bill implementation within the dollars appropriated in the House budget.
E2SSB 6502: Relating to mercury reduction.
POSITION: SUPPORT
- Requires Ecology to consult with stakeholders and provide recommendations to the legislature for implementing and financing a convenient recycling program for mercury-added lights.
- Requires recycling of mercury-added lights by state-funded public agency facilities by 2010 and by commercial, industrial and retail facilities and office buildings by 2011.
SENATE
SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION
HB 1773: Regarding the imposition of tolls.
Transportation: Possible Executive Session
POSITION: SUPPORT
- HB 1773 would set statewide direction for tolling policy.
- Tolls remain a sensitive issue, and must be implemented with great care and concern for social and environmental impacts. It is imperative that the language from the House be maintained, particularly the consideration of relevant social equity, environmental, and economic issues, and the state's greenhouse gas reduction goals.
HB 2564: Adding bicyclist and pedestrian safety information to drivers' education curriculum.
Transportation: Possible Executive Session
POSITION: SUPPORT
- This bill would add pedestrian safety and bicycle safety to the basic minimum curriculum for driver training. This safety legislation is named for Matthew “Tatsuo” Nakata, a former legislative assistant, who was tragically struck and killed in a marked crosswalk in 2006.
- HB 2564 was one of the priority issues for Transportation Advocacy Day 2008, held on January 29th, presented by a coalition of eleven organizations promoting transportation solutions for healthier communities.
E2SHB 2647: The children's safe products act.
Senate Ways and Means: Public Hearing & Possible Executive Session
POSITION: SUPPORT with no weakening amendments
- The Toy Industry Association (TIA), a trade association for the largest toy manufactures in the United States, has now suddenly appeared on the scene, hiring usual suspect Washington lobbyists, and attempting to weaken the bill that passed the House 95-0. Proponents have made numerous changes in the bill to address concerns of electronics manufacturers, retailers, and other business interests. Please support the bill in its current form.
- At this point of session, and given the support this bill has had to date, let’s make sure we as a state take a stand against this type of activity. By taking this very moderate step to protect our children and educate consumers, we will be sending a strong positive signal about the importance of protecting the safety of our children.
E2SHB 2815: Relating to creating a framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the Washington economy (a.k.a. Climate Action and Green Jobs).
Ways and Means Committee: Executive Session
POSITION: SUPPORT
- We support this bill in its current form. It calls for mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions; accountability for reaching the pollution reduction goals adopted in last year’s SB 6001; design of a market-based emissions reduction system to be brought back to the Legislature in 2009; and a program to prepare Washington workers for new jobs in the clean energy economy.
- The bill declares that the state will look out for Washington’s interests in designing the market-based system, including requiring the state to recommend how forestry and agriculture may receive benefits for storing carbon.
E2SHB 2844: Preventing air and water pollution through urban forestry partnerships (a.k.a. Evergreen Cities Act).
Senate Ways & Means: Public Hearing & Possible Executive Action
POSITION: SUPPORT Technical Striking Amendment
- The Evergreen Cities Act is supported by cities, counties, developers, utilities, other businesses and agencies. This negotiated approach establishes a voluntary program with the tools, resources and incentives necessary to help the 90% of Washington communities that lack urban forest inventories and management plans. This bill will maximize urban forests’ economic and environmental benefits.
- This environmental community priority is still worth fighting for, but any additional weakening amendments would gut the purpose of bringing this legislation forward in the first place.
ESHB 2847: Creating a sales and use tax exemption of materials and services used in the low-income weatherization assistance program.
Ways and Means: Possible Executive session
POSITION: SUPPORT
- Increases the potential use of weatherization services that decreases energy use and lowers energy bills by exempting property and services used in delivering the weatherization assistance program.
HB 3096: Financing the state route number 520 bridge replacement project.
Transportation: Possible Public Hearing & Executive Session
POSITION: SUPPORT w/request for future changes to the Floor Amendment
- We appreciate and support many changes reflected by the House floor amendments. However, we have one important and specific concern in the House version of the bill: it needs to be clarified so that the bridge is designed for HOV travel and high-capacity transportation. “Transit” alone is a step backward from 2007’s SB 6099 (which the Legislature passed and the Governor signed into law just last year). The bridge design language should include high-capacity transportation, just as it did in SB 6099. Efficient HCT options must be incorporated on the 4+2 bridge as we plan for population growth and provide mobility choices that support our state’s climate change goals.
- We will be working closely with the House and Senate Transportation Chairs, and other key members on these changes as the bill works its way through the process.
HB 3362: Providing tax incentives to encourage businesses to purchase highly energy efficient equipment.
Ways and Means: Possible Executive session
POSITION: SUPPORT
- Creates a credit against state B&O tax for small businesses that purchase certain state of the art high efficiency appliances and equipment.
POSSIBLE SENATE FLOOR ACTION
HB 2263: Regarding the phosphorus content in dishwashing detergent.
POSITION: OPPOSE
- HB 2263 would delay implementation of the limit on phosphorus in automatic dish detergent in Clark and Whatcom counties until the limit goes into effect statewide in 2010, leaving only Spokane County as the only place it goes into effect in 2008. In WA, the phosphorus problem is most acute in Lake Whatcom and the Spokane River. In order to meet water quality standards, the limit cannot be delayed in Whatcom or Spokane Counties.
- Proponents of the legislation claimed that an adequate supply of phosphate-free dish detergent is not available; however new information from key manufacturers indicates that there is in fact plenty of supply to meet the demand, and by way of background, two years ago WA became the first state in the country to limit the phosphorus content in automatic dishwashing detergent. Now, five other states have followed suit.
ESHB 2758: Adding products to the energy efficiency code.
POSITION: SUPPORT
- Takes California’s lead and adds minimum efficiency standards for certain products that are sold, offered for sale, or installed in Washington. These products are not currently covered by federal or other Washington standards.
