VETO MESSAGE ON HB 3219

April 23, 2010

To the Honorable Speaker and Members,
The House of Representatives of the State of Washington

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am returning herewith, without my approval as to Section 11, House Bill 3219 entitled:

"AN ACT Relating technical corrections to the Revised Code of Washington."

This bill implements several changes recommended by the Statute Law Committee which were not enacted during the regular session. It also updates effective dates for the elimination of boards and commissions and for a campaign law provision.

Section 11 is not a technical change, but reinstates the Pesticide Incident Reporting and Tracking (PIRT) Review Panel which was eliminated in Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2617 which I signed on March 29, 2010. Section 11 requires the Department of Health to support the PIRT Review Panel activities, but the operating budget passed by the Legislature does not provide funding for such support. The Department of Health would have to decrease support for pesticide investigation and exposure response activities to fund this panel. In a time of difficult choices, I am vetoing this section so that the Department of Health can focus its limited funding on front line services instead of support to operate the PIRT Review Panel.

For these reasons, I have vetoed Section 11 of House Bill 3219.

With the exception of Section 11, House Bill 3219 is approved.

Respectfully submitted,
Christine Gregoire
Governor