How They Voted: A Take a look at Latest Selections by 19th, 20th District Lawmakers

By WashingtonVotes.org

State lawmakers last week continued to focus on committee action, as a key cutoff deadline for this session approaches. March 26 is the last day for policy committees to pass bills sent to them by the opposite chamber. Fiscal and transportation committees have until April 2 to move bills onto the floor for consideration by the full House and Senate. In floor action last week, only one bill was debated and voted on by the House, HB 1477 to implement and expand a crisis and suicide hotline system to be paid for by a new tax on internet voice services.

Also included below are votes from the week before last.

 

House Bill 1477, implementing the national 988 system to enhance and expand behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention services, passed the House on March 17 by a vote of 78-18, with two members excused.

In October 2020, Congress passed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020. The act designates the number 988 as the universal telephone number within the United States for accessing the National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Hotline system maintained by Lifeline and the Veterans Crisis Line. HB 1477 would require the state Department of Health and state Health Care Authority to establish state crisis call center hubs and an enhanced crisis response system to implement the national 988 system in this state. It would create a 988 Implementation Team and Crisis Response Improvement Strategy Committee to plan for crisis response system enhancements. The bill would impose new taxes and fees on commercial mobile services or internet protocol-enabled voice services to pay for activities related to an enhanced crisis response.

 

Rep. Joel McEntire, R-Cathlamet — No

Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen — No

Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia — No

Rep Ed. Orcutt, R-Kalama — No

 

Senate Bill 5096, concerning an excise tax on gains from the sale or exchange of certain capital assets, passed the Senate on March 6 by a vote of 25-24.

As passed by the Senate, this bill would impose a 7% tax on income derived from the capital gains resulting from the sale of long-term assets. The tax would exempt some assets, such as real estate, and would be levied on income over $250,000 for all taxpayers required to file for the tax. The tax would be calculated on the basis of a taxpayer’s federal income tax return, which would be required to be included in the state filing. The bill is controversial, because Washington’s state constitution prohibits the kind of graduated tax on income the bill would impose, according to opponents. Proponents have maintained that the tax would not be on income but would be an excise, or “transaction” tax. Much of the debate and some of the proposed amendments centered on this issue, with some Senators questioning, for example, why taxpayers would have to submit a federal income tax return to file a state capital gains tax return if it is not, in fact, an income tax. Opponents, including some Democrats, also argued that the new tax is not needed right now, because revenue projections anticipate a greater than expected increase in state tax collections for this biennium. The bill was sent to the House Finance Committee, which has scheduled a public hearing on the bill for March 15.

 

Sen. Jeff Wilson, R-Longview — No

Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia — No

 

House Bill 1236, limiting the reasons for eviction, refusal to continue and termination of a tenant’s lease by a landlord, passed the House on March 7 by a vote of 54-44.

This bill would revise the state’s Residential Landlord Tenant Act to require landlords to provide valid reasons for evicting a tenant as specified in the bill, including failure to pay rent, unlawful activity and nuisance issues, Current law allows landlords to end month-to-month leases after 20-days notice without providing a reason. If tenants don’t leave, landlords could evict them. The bill provides that tenants could not be evicted for failure to pay rent during the COVID-19 pandemic, extending the moratorium on evictions Gov. Jay Inslee imposed last year until the end of the public health emergency is declared by federal and state authorities. Supporters said the proposal would cut down on arbitrary or biased lease terminations and evictions even after the public health emergency ends. Opponents said the bill would force rental property owners to renew a tenant’s expiring lease and allow occupants to stay on the property even if they damage the property. This would increase burdens on landlords struggling to cover their costs during the pandemic and make it harder to remove problem tenants, they said. The bill was sent to the Senate Housing and Local Government Committee for further consideration.

 

Rep. Joel McEntire, R-Cathlamet — No

Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen — No

Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia — No

Rep Ed. Orcutt, R-Kalama — No

 

Senate Bill 5237, expanding accessible, affordable child care and early childhood development programs, passed the Senate on March 6 by a vote of 28-21.

Called the “Fair Start for Kids Act” by its sponsors, the bill would increase subsidies for licensed child care providers, reduce co-pays and expand eligibility for programs like the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program. The cost for this expansion would be about $720 million over the next four years. Supporters said much of this cost could be covered by federal funds to be made available to the state by the COVID relief bill passed by Congress. Opponents argued against the expanded mandates and entitlements proposed by the bill, saying they would result in new taxes. The best way to expand access to child care, they said, would be to reduce regulations on child care providers. The bill was sent to the House Committee on Children, Youth and Families.

 

Sen. Jeff Wilson, R-Longview — No

Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia — No

 

House Bill 1213, expanding accessible, affordable child care and early childhood development programs, passed the House on March 9 by a vote of 58-38, with two members excused.

This is the companion measure to SB 5237 with essentially the same provisions. It would increase eligibility and decrease copayments in the Working Connections Child Care Program and expand eligibility in the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program. It would also provide for increased rates, training, grants, and services for child care and early learning providers. The bill was sent to the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee for further consideration.

 

Rep. Joel McEntire, R-Cathlamet — No

Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen — No

Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia — No

Rep Ed. Orcutt, R-Kalama — No

 

House Bill 1310, concerning permissible uses of force by law enforcement and correctional officers, passed the House on March 6 by a vote of 55-42, with one member excused.

This bill would establish a statewide standard for the permissible use of force by law enforcement and corrections officers. Under the bill, a peace officer may use physical force against another person when necessary to effect an arrest, prevent an escape, or otherwise protect against an imminent threat of bodily injury to the peace officer or another person. A peace officer may use deadly force against another person only when necessary to protect against an imminent threat of serious physical injury or death to the officer or another person. The bill was sent to the Senate Law and Justice Committee.

 

Rep. Joel McEntire, R-Cathlamet — No

Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen — No

Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia — No

Rep Ed. Orcutt, R-Kalama — No