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SECOND DAY
MORNING SESSION
House Chamber, Olympia, Tuesday, January 11, 2000
The House was called to order at 9:55 a.m. by Speaker Pro Tempore Pennington.
Reading of the Journal of the previous day was dispensed with and it was ordered to stand approved.
MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE
January 10, 2000
Mr. Speaker:
The Senate has adopted HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 4424, and the same is herewith transmitted.
Tony M. Cook, Secretary
INTRODUCTIONS AND FIRST READING
HB 2345 by Representatives O'Brien, Ballasiotes, Ruderman, Hurst and Lovick; by request of Department of Social and Health Services
AN ACT Relating to rule-making authority for the special commitment center; and adding a new section to chapter 71.09 RCW.
Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice & Corrections.
HB 2346 by Representatives Clements, Conway, Kenney and Hurst; by request of Lieutenant Governor, Department of Labor & Industries and Department of Social and Health Services
AN ACT Relating to industrial insurance premiums for employers with drug-free workplace programs; amending RCW 49.82.901; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.
Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.
HB 2347 by Representatives Thomas and Van Luven
AN ACT Relating to extending to Indian housing authorities the exemption from state and local tax currently applicable to other housing authorities; amending RCW 35.82.210; creating a new section; and providing an effective date.
Referred to Committee on Economic Development, Housing & Trade.
HB 2348 by Representatives G. Chandler and Linville; by request of Conservation Commission
AN ACT Relating to conservation districts; amending RCW 89.08.210; and adding a new section to chapter 89.08 RCW.
Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Ecology.
HB 2349 by Representatives Sullivan, O'Brien, McDonald, Kastama, Carrell, Miloscia, Lantz, Kenney, Edmonds, Clements, Wolfe, Conway, Hurst, Kessler and Santos
AN ACT Relating to check cashers and sellers; and amending RCW 31.45.073.
Referred to Committee on Financial Institutions & Insurance.
HB 2350 by Representatives Sullivan, O'Brien, Miloscia, D. Sommers, Conway and Ogden
AN ACT Relating to health insurance for individuals and families; amending RCW 48.14.0201; adding new sections to chapter 70.47 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 48.14 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an effective date.
Referred to Committee on Health Care.
HB 2351 by Representatives Sullivan, Kastama, Reardon, O'Brien, Miloscia, Lantz, Edmonds, Conway and Ruderman
AN ACT Relating to the use of credit reports by insurers; adding a new section to chapter 48.05 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 48.03 RCW; and providing an effective date.
Referred to Committee on Financial Institutions & Insurance.
HB 2352 by Representatives Sullivan, Conway and Kessler
AN ACT Relating to the financial responsibility of certain persons who serve liquor; and adding a new section to chapter 66.08 RCW.
Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.
HB 2353 by Representatives Wood, Carrell and Hurst; by request of Gambling Commission
AN ACT Relating to the dissemination of criminal history records to the Washington state gambling commission; and amending RCW 9.46.210.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
HB 2354 by Representatives McDonald, Ruderman, Carrell, Mielke, Sullivan and Conway
AN ACT Relating to driving or physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug; amending RCW 9.94A.185, 9.94A.230, 46.20.720, 46.61.502, 46.61.504, and 46.61.5151; reenacting and amending RCW 9.94A.030, 9.94A.320, 9.94A.360, and 46.61.5055; and prescribing penalties.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
HB 2355 by Representatives McDonald, Lantz, Mielke, Sullivan and Dunn
AN ACT Relating to the definition of the term "drugs" as used in the motor vehicle laws; adding a new section to chapter 46.04 RCW; and repealing RCW 46.61.540.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
HB 2356 by Representatives McDonald, Lantz, Mielke, Miloscia, Sullivan, Dunn and Talcott
AN ACT Relating to excused absences from school for search and rescue activities; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.225 RCW.
Referred to Committee on Education.
HB 2357 by Representatives Dickerson, Stensen, Huff, Gombosky, Clements, Kenney, Conway, Hurst, Van Luven and Edmonds
AN ACT Relating to establishing a cancer task force; creating new sections; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.
Referred to Committee on Health Care.
HB 2358 by Representatives Wood, Morris, Clements, Conway and Radcliff
AN ACT Relating to fund raising events; and amending RCW 9.46.0233.
Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.
HB 2359 by Representatives Parlette, Cody, Edmonds, Rockefeller, B. Chandler, Schoesler, Kenney, Conway, McDonald and Van Luven
AN ACT Relating to the nursing facility payment system; amending RCW 74.46.020, 74.46.370, 74.46.421, and 74.46.431; reenacting and amending RCW 74.46.506; and repealing RCW 74.46.908.
Referred to Committee on Health Care.
HB 2360 by Representatives Parlette, Buck, Pflug, D. Sommers, Mulliken, Schindler, G. Chandler and McMorris
AN ACT Relating to individual health insurance coverage; amending RCW 48.04.010, 48.20.028, 48.41.030, 48.41.060, 48.41.100, 48.41.110, 48.41.120, 48.41.200, 48.43.015, 48.43.025, 48.43.035, 48.44.020, 48.18.110, 48.44.022, 48.44.130, 48.46.060, 48.46.064, 48.46.300, 70.47.010, 70.47.020, and 70.47.100; reenacting and amending RCW 48.43.005 and 70.47.060; adding a new section to chapter 48.41 RCW; adding new sections to chapter 48.43 RCW; adding new sections to chapter 48.46 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 48.20 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 48.44 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 48.01 RCW; repealing RCW 48.41.180; and providing an effective date.
Referred to Committee on Health Care.
HB 2361 by Representatives Cody, Kastama, Edwards, Edmonds, Conway, Kagi, Schual-Berke, Rockefeller, Tokuda, Murray, Wolfe, Ogden, Morris, Ruderman, Stensen, Hurst, Lovick, Veloria, Poulsen, Wood, Kessler, Regala, Linville, Cooper, Scott, Anderson and Santos
AN ACT Relating to reducing the cost of prescription drugs to qualifying residents of the state; reenacting and amending RCW 43.84.092, 43.84.092, and 43.84.092; adding new sections to chapter 74.09 RCW; providing effective dates; and providing an expiration date.
Referred to Committee on Health Care.
HB 2362 by Representatives Cody, Kastama, Edwards, Edmonds, Schual-Berke, Conway, Kagi, Rockefeller, Kenney, Tokuda, Murray, Wolfe, Fisher, Ogden, Morris, Ruderman, Stensen, Lovick, Veloria, Wood, Kessler, Regala, Reardon, Cooper, Scott and Santos
AN ACT Relating to access to individual and small group health insurance coverage; amending RCW 48.41.020, 48.41.030, 48.41.040, 48.41.060, 48.41.080, 48.41.090, 48.41.100, 48.41.110, 48.41.120, 48.41.130, 48.41.140, 48.41.200, 48.43.015, 48.43.025, 48.43.035, 48.20.028, 48.21.045, 48.44.022, 48.44.023, 48.46.064, 48.46.066, 48.44.020, 48.46.060, 70.47.010, 70.47.020, 70.47.100, 41.05.140, 48.44.130, 48.46.300, 48.21.047, 48.44.024, and 48.46.068; reenacting and amending RCW 48.43.005, 70.47.060, 43.79A.040, 43.84.092, 43.84.092, and 43.84.092; adding new sections to chapter 48.41 RCW; adding new sections to chapter 48.43 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 48.44 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 48.46 RCW; creating new sections; repealing RCW 48.41.180; providing effective dates; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.
Referred to Committee on Health Care.
HB 2363 by Representatives Cody, Edwards, Edmonds, Conway, Kenney and Ruderman
AN ACT Relating to health; requiring registration of a school health aide; and adding a new chapter to Title 18 RCW.
Referred to Committee on Health Care.
HB 2364 by Representatives Cody, Carlson, Edmonds, Parlette, Edwards, Kastama, Conway, Schual-Berke, Kagi, Kenney, Tokuda, Murray, Ogden, Ruderman, McDonald, Stensen, Van Luven, Lovick, Veloria, Poulsen, Wood, Kessler, Regala, Reardon, Cooper, Anderson and Santos
AN ACT Relating to eliminating employment barriers for individuals with disabilities; adding a new section to chapter 74.09 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 74.29 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an effective date.
Referred to Committee on Health Care.
HB 2365 by Representatives Haigh, Pennington, Eickmeyer, Dunshee and Hurst
AN ACT Relating to ad valorem taxation of certain property that would otherwise be subject to leasehold excise tax; amending RCW 84.36.451; adding a new section to chapter 82.29A RCW; adding a new section to chapter 84.40 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 84.55 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an effective date.
Referred to Committee on Finance.
HB 2366 by Representatives Lantz, Skinner, Ogden, Carlson and Anderson
AN ACT Relating to liability of volunteers; and adding new sections to chapter 4.24 RCW.
Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
HB 2367 by Representatives Kenney, Carlson, Tokuda, Edmonds, Lovick, Stensen, Lantz, Veloria, Doumit, Dickerson, Kagi, Murray, Wolfe, Ogden, Schual-Berke, Kessler, Regala and Santos
AN ACT Relating to public assistance recipients participating in higher education programs; and amending RCW 74.08A.250.
Referred to Committee on Children & Family Services.
HB 2368 by Representatives Rockefeller, Woods, Fisher, Eickmeyer, Lantz, Haigh, O'Brien and Lovick
AN ACT Relating to ferry operation requirements under the State Environmental Policy Act; and adding a new section to chapter 43.21C RCW.
Referred to Committee on Transportation.
HB 2369 by Representatives Conway and Clements
AN ACT Relating to occupational safety and health impact grants; and adding new sections to chapter 49.17 RCW.
Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.
HB 2370 by Representatives Lovick, Ballasiotes, O'Brien, Kenney, Dunshee, Tokuda, Reardon, Edwards, Sullivan, Stensen, Kagi, Conway, Kastama and Scott
AN ACT Relating to a law enforcement study; adding a new section to chapter 39.34 RCW; creating a new section; making an appropriation; and providing an expiration date.
Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice & Corrections.
HB 2371 by Representatives Lovick, Ballasiotes, O'Brien, Kenney, Dunshee, Tokuda, Rockefeller, Reardon, Stensen, Conway, Regala, Edwards, Thomas, Ruderman, Hurst and Scott
AN ACT Relating to mail theft and destruction; amending RCW 13.40.0357; reenacting and amending RCW 9.94A.320; adding a new chapter to Title 9A RCW; prescribing penalties; and providing an effective date.
Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice & Corrections.
HB 2372 by Representatives Kagi, D. Sommers, Carrell, Cody, Edwards, Kenney, Wolfe, Lovick and Schual-Berke
AN ACT Relating to detention of children in secure facilities; and amending RCW 13.32A.060, 13.32A.065, and 13.32A.130.
Referred to Committee on Children & Family Services.
HB 2373 by Representatives Kagi, D. Sommers, Tokuda, Cody, Edwards, Kenney, Murray, Wolfe, Ogden, Morris, Stensen, Veloria, Schual-Berke, Wood, Edmonds, Kessler, Regala, Cooper, Scott, Anderson, Dickerson, Santos and Lovick
AN ACT Relating to creating the office of child care and early education; amending RCW 28B.135.010, 28B.135.030, 28B.135.040, 41.04.380, 41.04.385, 43.20A.750, 43.31.504, 74.13.085, 74.13.090, 74.13.0901, 74.13.0902, 74.13.0903, 74.13.095, 74.14B.040, 28A.215.110, 28A.215.120, 28A.215.130, 28A.215.140, 28A.215.150, 28A.215.160, 28A.215.170, 28A.215.180, 28A.215.190, 28A.215.200, and 43.63A.066; adding a new section to chapter 41.06 RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 43 RCW; creating new sections; and providing an effective date.
Referred to Committee on Children & Family Services.
There being no objection, the bills listed on the day's introduction sheet under the fourth order of business were referred to the committees so designated.
There being no objection, the House advanced to the eighth order of business.
There being no objection, the Rules Committee was relieved of the following bills and the bills were referred to the committees so designated.
HB 1070 by Representatives Romero and D. Schmidt; by request of Alternative Public Works Methods Oversight Committee
Authorizing the general contractor/construction manager contracting procedure for school district capital projects.
Referred to Committee on State Government.
HB 1071 by Representatives Romero and D. Schmidt; by request of Alternative Public Works Methods Oversight Committee
Creating a limited public works process.
Referred to Committee on State Government.
SHB 1072 by Committee on State Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Romero and D. Schmidt; by request of Alternative Public Works Methods Oversight Committee)
Changing provisions relating to the alternative works process.
Referred to Committee on State Government.
SHB 1074 by Committee on State Government (originally sponsored by Representatives D. Schmidt, Romero and Santos; by request of Alternative Public Works Methods Oversight Committee)
Regulating job order contracting for public works.
Referred to Committee on State Government.
2E2SHB 1147 by Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives K. Schmidt, Fisher, Hatfield, Radcliff, Kenney, Keiser, Hurst, Lovick, Ogden, Murray, Wood, Ruderman, Rockefeller and McIntire)
Enhancing novice driver traffic safety.
Referred to Committee on Transportation.
ESHB 1274 by Committee on Criminal Justice & Corrections (originally sponsored by Representatives Cairnes, O'Brien, Ballasiotes, Lovick, Koster and Haigh)
Changing provisions relating to jails.
Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice & Corrections.
SHB 1733 by Committee on Local Government (originally Representatives Romero, Campbell, Scott, Wolfe, Hatfield, Dickerson, Gombosky, Tokuda, Boldt, Mielke, D. Schmidt, Mitchell, Talcott, Ogden, Kenney, Wood, Santos and McIntire)
Limiting restrictions on residential day-care facilities.
Referred to Committee on Local Government.
ESHB 1817 by Committee on Agriculture & Ecology (originally sponsored by Representatives Grant and Clements)
Funding horticultural pest and disease boards.
Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Ecology.
SHB 2036 by Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives H. Sommers, Buck, Lantz, Regala, Anderson, Ogden and Rockefeller; by request of Commissioner of Public Lands and Superintendent of Public Instruction)
Funding management of the common school trust lands.
Referred to Committee on Appropriations.
2EHB 2073 by Representatives Conway, Cairnes, O'Brien, McDonald, Delvin, DeBolt, Kastama, Miloscia, Campbell, Sullivan, D. Schmidt, Cooper, Mielke, Pennington, Kenney, Bush, Lovick, Hurst, Wood, Clements, Reardon, Barlean, Haigh, Linville, Fisher, Fortunato, Dunshee, Mulliken, Keiser, G. Chandler, Eickmeyer, Lantz, Hatfield, Benson, Romero, Morris, Koster, Quall, Esser, Buck, Kessler, Dickerson, Scott, Anderson, Poulsen, Rockefeller, Veloria, Cody, Constantine, K. Schmidt, Murray, Schindler, Stensen, Edmonds, Schual-Berke, Kagi, Tokuda, Ruderman, Edwards, Skinner, Santos and McIntire
Retiring under the law enforcement officers' and fire fighters' retirement system, plan 2.
Referred to Committee on Appropriations.
SHB 2099 by Committee on Agriculture & Ecology (originally sponsored by Representatives G. Chandler and Linville)
Allowing an exemption from relinquishment of a water right for nonuse resulting from the operation or pendency of legal proceedings.
Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Ecology.
SHB 2263 by Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Cox, Hurst, O'Brien, Esser, Conway, Rockefeller and Ogden)
Making any robbery within a financial institution a first degree robbery.
Referred to Committee on Appropriations.
HB 2285 by Representatives Van Luven, Veloria, Ballasiotes, Morris, Kenney, H. Sommers, Radcliff, Dunn, D. Schmidt, McDonald, O'Brien, Skinner, Hankins, Campbell and Esser; by request of Governor Locke
Creating the department of community development and the department of trade and economic development.
Referred to Committee on Economic Development, Housing & Trade.
There being no objection, the House went at ease until 4:30 p.m.
Speaker Chopp called the House to order.
The Sergeant-at-Arms announced President of the Senate Brad Owen and members of the Senate were at the door of the Chamber requesting admission. Speaker Chopp requested President Owen, President Pro Tempore Lorraine Wojahn, Majority Leader Sid Snyder and Minority Leader Jim West be escorted to the Rostrum, and invited the Senators to take seat, within the Chamber.
JOINT SESSION
Speaker Chopp called the Joint Session to order and requested the Clerk of the House to call the roll of members of the House. A quorum was present. Speaker Chopp requested the Clerk of the House to call the roll of members of the Senate. A quorum was present.
Speaker Chopp called upon President Owen to preside over the Joint Session.
President Owen stated the purpose of this joint session was to receive the State of the State address from His Excellency, Governor Gary Locke.
APPOINTMENT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES
The President appointed Representatives Campbell, Dunn, Lantz and Sullivan, and Senators Heavey, Johnson, Kline and Sheahan to escort the Supreme Court Justices from the State Reception Room to the House Chamber.
The President appointed Representatives Delvin, Linville, O'Brien and Woods, and Senators Eide, Goings, McCaslin and Roach to escort the State elected officials from the State Reception Room to the House Chamber.
The President appointed Representatives Bush and Murray and Senators Fraser and Rossi to advise His Excellency, Governor Gary Locke that the Joint Session was assembled and to escort him from his Chambers to the House Chamber.
The Sergeant-at-Arms announced the Justices of the Supreme Court had arrived. The President requested the Special Committee to escort the Justices to the front of the Chamber and introduced them to the Legislature: Chief Justice Richard P. Guy, Associate Chief Justice Charles Z. Smith, Justice Charles Johnson, Justice Barbara A. Madsen, Justice Gerry L. Alexander, Justice Richard B. Sanders, Justice Faith Ireland and Justice Bobbe Bridge.
The Sergeant-at-Arms announced the State elected officials had arrived. The President requested the Special Committee to escort the State elected officials to the front of the Chamber and introduced them to the Legislature: Secretary of State Ralph Munro, State Treasurer Mike Murphy, State Auditor Brian Sonntag, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson, Commissioner of Public Lands Jennifer M. Belcher and Insurance Commissioner Deborah Senn.
The President welcomed and introduced the Honorable Jim McDermott, Congressman from the 7th District, and Congressman Adam Smith from the 9th District and his wife, Sarah.
The President called upon Secretary of State Munro to introduce the officers and career members of the Consular Association of Washington: The Honorable Walter Weber, Treasurer and Consul General Emeritus of Austria; The Honorable Roger Simmons, P.C., Consul General of Canada; The Honorable Karsten Babig, acting Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany; The Honorable Shoji Sato, Senior Consul of Japan; The Honorable Byung Seang Oh, Consul of the Republic of Korea; Sylvia Meek, the Vice Consul for Mexico; The Honorable Andre Veklenko, Consul General of the Russian Federation; The Honorable David Broom, Her Majesty's Consul, United Kingdom; and The Honorable Frank Lew, Director General, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office Seattle.
The Sergeant-at-Arms announced His Excellency, Governor Gary Locke and his wife Mona Lee Locke had arrived. The President requested the Special Committee escort Governor and Mrs. Locke to the Rostrum where the President introduced the Governor to the Legislature.
The flags were escorted to the Rostrum by the Joint Service Color Guard. The prayer was offered by Rabbi James Mirel, Temple B'Nai Torah, Bellevue.
Rabbi Mirel: "Creator and sustainer of the universe.
We lift up our hearts to You today in Thanksgiving. Under your loving protection the leaders of the State of Washington have gathered to begin their annual deliberations which will set the course for the people of this great state for the new century which lies ahead.
We humbly ask Your guidance upon them and their loved ones as they begin this difficult and noble task. Each one of them has made sacrifices to serve their fellow citizens — taking precious time and energy from other obligations, of home, of family and of livelihood. At times, there is no doubt, they may question the wisdom of their decision. And so today we ask for them, the inspiration to continue this important work and for the sense of appreciation from their community which they so richly deserve.
As we ask your guidance upon this august assembly, we also ask that each one be endowed with a renewed commitment to the sacred and eternal values which are at the heart of our society. These include the pursuit of justice, the sense of obligation to the poor and needy and the unshakeable vision of equality which informs our nation and state, and teaches that all people have been created equal — by their Creator and endowed with basic and inalienable rights — young and old, men and women, rich and poor — all races, all religions, all people equal in Your eyes and under the law.
With these values firmly before them and their own personal sense of what is best for the people of our State, lift them up, guide them, protect them and bless them. And when their day is done, may each be able to look back upon their service in this Olympia — the mountain on which heaven and earth meet — and reflect — what a great privilege it has been to have been called to serve my neighbors, my friends and my fellow citizens of the great State of Washington, Amen."
His Excellency, Governor Locke: "Mr. President, Mr. Speakers, Honorable Chief Justice, distinguished Justices of the Supreme Court, members of the Consular Association, statewide elected officials, members of the Washington State Legislature, and all of the people of Washington, welcome. Tonight we stand together at the bright dawn of a new millennium.
A wealth of possibilities stretches before us. Behind us lies a proud history to guide the choices we make for the next century. A century our grandchildren will close just as we have closed our grandparents’ century.
I have to admit, I feel time slipping away. Just the other day, I received my AARP card in the mail, and I thought, What’s this? I’m not anywhere near retirement … I hope.
In fact, I feel pretty young. I’ve still got lots of energy. I can still carry my golf clubs, walk the length of a golf course, and not be out of breath. I can even stay up past my kids’ bedtime. In fact, Mona and I have decided that since we, as a family, share everything ... why not age? So on average, she and I are really only in our early 40s. Throw Dylan and Emily’s ages into the mix, I’m still in my mid-20s. But in all seriousness, time isn’t moving backwards. It is moving forward, and fast.
When I look into the future of the state of Washington, I like what I see. I see a Washington where our kids go to outstanding schools and get individual attention. Where they pass their achievement tests with flying colors. Where 4th graders read beyond the 4th grade level, and our 10th graders are passing their tests of mastery in the subjects that we deem important. Their teachers are the best in the nation, their school buildings state of the art; where a college education is available and affordable to anyone who works hard and earns it. And where our schools are free from violence, crime and drugs.
The Washington I see is a place where our families — our children — can find family wage jobs in their own hometowns. Where our economy is vibrant, and unemployment is low and hardly anyone needs welfare.
It’s a Washington where a young family can buy a home that doesn’t force them to live paycheck to paycheck, and our senior citizens can continue to live in the family home.
Where there is affordable and accessible health care for everyone, and where medical decisions are made by doctors and their patients, not by accountants.
It is a Washington where it is safe to walk the streets alone at night; where neighbor looks out for neighbor. I see a Washington with pure air, clean water, healthy forests, and flourishing farmlands. Where there are no endangered species, where our rivers are teeming with wild salmon.
Is this an impossible dream? I don’t think so, and neither should you. President Kennedy once dreamed of putting a man on the moon, and we did it. Realizing our dreams of opportunity and success for our children should be our man on the moon. It is a dream that together, we can help make a reality.
We begin this 21st century with a strong foundation of high ideals, hard work, courage, and sacrifice. The 20th century answered Franklin Roosevelt’s call for a rendezvous with destiny. Martin Luther King, Jr. challenged each of us to judge each other not by the color of our skin, but by the strength and content of our character. We witnessed Neil Armstrong take "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
We saw our parents survive the Great Depression and fight wars to ensure our freedom. We saw the Berlin wall crash to the ground; we saw communism crumble and democracy flourish.
We saw Washington fly to worldwide prominence in the aircraft industry. And we saw Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos revolutionize technology and the way we do business.
And we saw thousands and thousands of Washingtonians, everyday Washingtonians, sacrifice everything that they had to ensure that their children would have a better life. We have with us today some of those everyday Washingtonians who shaped our nation and our state — who made choices and sacrifices that ensured the freedom and the democracy we enjoy every single day.
First, let’s pause to honor one of our heroes who isn’t with us today. On October 7th, State Trooper Jim Saunders lost his life protecting our citizens. His wife Billie is with us today. Billie, you are in our thoughts and prayers, and you can always count on our support. It is with deep sadness that we acknowledge Jim’s sacrifice today. Let’s have a moment of silence to honor Trooper Jim Saunders.
Thank you.
There are other heroes we honor today.
Jacque Long is with us today. After witnessing the Ku Klux Klan in action, Jacque went to work for Martin Luther King, Jr., marching, registering voters, putting her own safety at risk to ensure equal rights for all. Jacque Long, thank you very much.
Francis Agnes and his wife, Marlene, are also with us tonight. Francis was a Prisoner of War in World War II. He survived the Bataan Death March — a deadly 60-mile march in jungle heat. And when he returned to Washington after 21 years in the Air Force, Francis and his wife dedicated their lives to helping veterans in our great state. Francis guards the lives of our veterans like a hawk. If a veteran is sick and needs a ride to the hospital, Francis will drive him. If a widow needs help arranging funeral plans, Francis is there. Francis Agnes, thank you very much.
LeRoy Roberts is one of the great Tuskegee Airmen. He flew 42 missions against Nazi Germany and 106 missions during the Korean War. After spending his entire career in the Air Force, LeRoy continues to volunteer at air force bases, and he travels around to our schools, Elk Clubs, Rotaries, and gives slide show presentations, educating our children and our citizens about the Tuskegee Airmen. LeRoy Roberts, thank you very much.
Tosh Okamoto. Tosh and his family were placed in concentration camps at the outbreak of World War II, simply because of their Japanese ancestry, and yet Tosh stood up and asked to fight for our country. He served in the heroic 442nd regimental combat team — the most-decorated unit in the history of American warfare. When Tosh returned to Washington, he went to a nursing home to visit the father of his friend, a fellow soldier, who had died in battle.
The man’s other son was also visiting his father that day, and asked Tosh for some change. Tosh searched his pockets, and handed the son what he had. The son told Tosh that when his father rang his call button, it was more likely that someone would come and see what he wanted if he held up some money. Tosh was outraged. This man’s son had died for democracy, and that’s how he was being treated.
So Tosh formed a non-profit organization and opened the Keiro Nursing Home. Keiro, in Japanese, means "respect for the elderly." And that was the beginning of Tosh’s involvement in improving the lives of our elders. Tosh Okamoto, thank you very much.
LeRoy Roberts and Tosh Okamoto and countless thousands of others served our country even as their families faced discrimination at home because they believed in the essential goodness of America and her promise of freedom and equal opportunity for all.
We must do for our children and our children’s children as these heroes have done for us. When these soldiers went off to fight in wars, they weren’t thinking about their own well-being — they were thinking about us — and our future. When Jacque risked her safety to march for civil rights and register voters, she was thinking about a society for all of us — where everyone has equal opportunities.
And when Jim Saunders drove that patrol car night after night, he did it because he wanted our children to live in a safe community. They did it for us — to create a better future.
The choices these heroes made carved out our destiny. What kind of a destiny do we want to carve out for our children? That will depend on the choices we make — in the next 60 days.
Things have never been better in our great state of Washington — the state of our state is good. Our schools’ test scores are rising. We’ve helped more than 80,000 people move from welfare to work; we’ve retrained thousands of displaced workers into good paying jobs; and we’ve returned almost a billion tax dollars to businesses so they can reinvest, grow, and create the jobs that provide for our families and provide us with a good future. Our unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been in 33 years.
Our economy is strong. It’s our responsibility to preserve our prosperity. And we’ll do it by building trust in government, by joining as "One Washington" and sharing our economic bounty, by finding long-term solutions to our immense transportation problems, and by making a long-term all-out commitment to education.
Tonight, as we celebrate our progress, we must also adopt an agenda for the future if our prosperity is to continue. So, as we begin the new century and its first legislative session, we must do more than simply meet the challenges of Initiative 695. As we begin, let us resolve to set aside partisanship, to do what is best for our people and for our children, the children of our state. Because you know what?
Twenty years from now, fifty years from now, a hundred years from now … nobody’s going to care whether we were Democrats or Republicans. They won’t even remember our names. But what they will remember and care about is what we’ve done ... together ... to make the future a better place.
You’ve all read and digested my budget and legislative proposals. So tonight, let me just reinforce some of the most critical issues we must resolve.
First, health care should be available and affordable to everyone in the state. People can’t purchase individual health coverage in this state. So let’s resolve to find a solution. And let’s also establish a Patients’ Bill of Rights so that no citizen is denied proper care.
And with our economy booming, there’s no reason for the unemployment insurance taxes to be going up. Let’s make sure they stay down. But at the same time, we need to make sure that we provide extended benefits to the workers who are engaged in job training and retraining, who want to better their lives, who want to take care of their families — we owe them that.
None of us should feel unsafe in our homes, our jobs, our schools, our own backyards. So let’s resolve once and for all to protect our families and our children from the scourge of domestic violence. And let’s do everything we can to eliminate violence in the schools! No child should be afraid to go to school, and no parents should be afraid to send their children to school. Schools are for learning. Let our teachers teach and let our children learn. Let’s eliminate violence from our schools. And let’s protect our air and our water from pollution. And let’s make sure that every inch of every pipeline in Washington is safe and secure.
None of us should have to fear neglect in our aging years. Let’s pay greater respect to our elders — let’s make sure they have secure long-term health-care options, and are never taxed out of the family home.
In fact, we have with us today two of our citizens whose lives have spanned three centuries.
Kikuno Kimura and Madame Kodama are both over 100 years old — and both have truly enriched our lives. These citizens have witnessed the evolution of travel from horse and buggy to space exploration. They’ve seen communication go from telegraphs to global cellular communications.
We owe so much to our seniors — our elders — for the legacy they’ve left us. So, thank you Kikuno and Hosoe.
The most important item on our agenda is sitting right up there. There! Wave to us. There is our future. Do you see them? Those children with us today, and every child in every city and town. They are Washington’s future.
Those children will soon fill the seats you’re sitting in today. They will be the doctors and dentists who take care of us. They will be the farmers, the scientists, the grocery store managers, the artists, the teachers, and the engineers. And one of them will stand here, some day, delivering the State of the State Address.
The key to their future, and the key to our future, is education. Education is the sword of democracy, the Excalibur of opportunity, and yes, the great equalizer. Our children deserve our best. So we need the best teachers in our classrooms. Our new teachers need to be properly prepared and tested. And we need to provide training and professional development so that all of our teachers can continue to excel.
Our children need small classes and individual attention to reach the high standards we’ve set for them.
We don’t need to go to the moon. We need to bring the universe to our children.
Our goal is 100% literacy; 100% high school graduation. We’ve initiated Promise Scholarships, so hard-working high school graduates can get the college education they need to get good-paying jobs. But now we must make the Promise Scholarship Program more than just a promise. We need to guarentee that it will continue as a permanent program in our state. And we need an education system that provides a lifetime of learning opportunities, because the need for new knowledge and new skills is moving at light-speed.
We’ve got to provide the training and retraining our workers need for the jobs of the future. Every working person knows the truth about the workplace of the 21st century: If you don’t keep up to date, you’ll be left behind.
I say to you tonight, it does not make sense that our state, with one of the highest per capita income levels in America, has the third most crowded classrooms in our nation. And I say to you tonight, it does not make sense that Washington is one of only five states that doesn't require new teachers to take tests to prove their mastery. This is simply unacceptable, and it must end now.
Every day, our hard-working, dedicated teachers have to make an impossible choice: focus on the struggling students, or focus on the majority of students, or focus on the gifted students. Whatever choice they make, every day they are forced to choose to leave some children behind ... and that’s not right.
In my three years as governor, I’ve traveled to schools throughout our state. I’ve seen classrooms with 30 kids to a teacher. I’ve met 18-year-old high school graduates who can barely read. That’s not right; it has to stop. If we commit to eliminating crowded classrooms, our teachers will have the chance to teach and our children will have a better chance to learn.
So, I propose that we make a down payment on eliminating crowded classrooms by using savings in the state education budget to hire 1,000 effective teachers in the next school year.
We’ve laid the foundation for the best education system in the nation by setting tough standards for students and holding schools accountable for results.
Add teacher testing, on-going training, and professional standards to this equation, and we’ve got a rock-solid foundation for what comes next — smaller class sizes and unparalleled academic achievement. We cannot leave this session without fulfilling our duty to the future.
Let us resolve here tonight to do the right thing for our children.
Washingtonians have proven over and over again that if we give communities more power, they will use that power for the greater good — for our children. So let’s allow local school boards to keep more of the taxes generated in their own communities — to invest in their schools. Local schools will benefit without any tax increase, and this way we can invest more than a billion dollars in schools over the next six years.
They can eliminate crowded classrooms, and they can provide after-school and weekend programs for children who need extra time or extra attention. And we can be sure that we won’t leave a single child behind. If we can let local governments keep money for economic development — for convention centers, for baseball and football stadiums — we can surely let local school districts keep money for our kids! Because if even one child goes through our school system without gaining an education, we fail. And we will all be held accountable for that failure.
I propose we take yet another big step for schools — and taxpayers — by settling once and for all how we invest our surplus revenue. Initiative 601 spending limits are here to stay, but when we have a surplus, why not share that money — fifty-fifty between schools and taxpayers. Schools will improve, and taxpayers will see surplus tax dollars going back into their pockets where they belong.
I know that many of you out there are wondering how we can afford to take this leap forward in education after the passage of Initiative 695. But I ask you, how can we not?
I heard the voters on Initiative 695. I heard them loud and clear. I respect the initiative process our state holds so dear. And I regard the voters as both the customers and the shareholders of the state of Washington.
And our shareholders said their tax burden was too much, and that they want effective, efficient government.
Make no mistake — responding to I-695 will require sacrifices and tough decisions. But I stand here tonight to say that together we can meet this challenge without sacrificing a single child’s future.
Working together, we can provide immediate property tax cuts, including a tax cut of more than six percent for all property owners, and we can exempt all low-income seniors from the state portion of the property tax. After working so hard and sacrificing so much for their families and our communities, our elders must not be taxed out of their homes.
We are redoubling our efforts to make government more efficient and effective. We can do more and we will. We’re eliminating at least 1,500 state positions, but let’s go farther. Let’s take state government into the 21st century by contracting out more state services, reforming our civil service system, and allowing state employees to have the same bargaining rights as city and county workers have. Let’s continue our state’s Savings Incentive Program, which has provided $143 million in cold, hard cash for school construction since I took office.
One hundred and forty-three million dollars towards school construction all because state employees have been creative and diligent in streamlining their operations. From the Department of Labor & Industries that streamlined its contractor registration renewal process from 27 days down to one, to the Department of Information Services that designed and implemented "Access Washington," the best state Web site in America, to the Department of Health that developed a DNA fingerprinting technique which can identify an E-coli outbreak within 24 hours, instead of the seven days it used to take — every agency in our state is working hard to streamline government. So let’s thank and applaud our state employees, for the great work they’re doing.
By working together we can ensure that local governments hardest hit by Initiative 695 can continue to provide vital police, fire protection, public health, and transit services. I will not turn my back when someone needs the police, a medic, a firefighter, a vaccine for their child, or a bus ride home from work. We cannot walk away from our responsibility to make our communities safe and secure.
We all know we need transportation improvements to relieve congestion, to make our highways safer, to get our products to market more swiftly, and to make our ferry system more efficient. Our Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation, created by this legislature, will find a way to fund over 20 billion dollars worth of transportation projects necessary in the decades ahead. And within a year, we will have their answer — a proposal that will go to the voters.
Yes, we could divert state revenue for short-term transportation solutions, but the result would destine our education system to mediocrity and hardly put a dent in the massive transportation problems we face. On my watch I will not see education sacrificed.
The children are our future. If we don’t educate our children — if we don’t commit to excellence in education — our children will carry the shackles of their inability to prosper, to engage, to be full active members of our society, to their graves. And we will all lose. We will all, as a society, be diminished. And that would be a tragedy that we simply can’t allow to happen.
You know, I’ve taken on a lot of titles in my life. Deputy Prosecutor, State Representative, County Executive, and now Governor. But I’ll tell you, the most important title I’ve ever had is Daddy. To Emily and Dylan I am Daddy, and I always will be. And that means more to me than anything else.
So let’s remember our true titles. The ones that last; the ones that really matter. Uncle, Aunt, Brother, Sister, Mom and Dad.
Those children up there? Our future? I asked them a couple of questions. I asked: What do you like about your lives now, and what do you want the world to be like when you grow up?
Tana said she wants to be a teacher and a trapeze artist. And some people might say the two are synonomous — one and the same.
Kathy said, "I like learning stuff, but sometimes I learn sad things like the sea turtles who eat plastic bags and get sick and die. I learned about salmon at school and am real worried that they may all be gone if we don’t clean up our rivers and creeks."
Maggie said, "I think more towns should be like my town because it is safe. I like walking to my grandma’s house."
Madeleine said, "It is great to be a kid today. I hope for good choices by presidents and other people in the government."
Citizens of Washington: Is all that too much to ask? Jim, Jacque, LeRoy, Tosh, Francis, all of our heroes, they gave us freedom, democracy, the right to sit in whichever seat on the bus we want. And now our children are asking for opportunities. Chances. Let’s give them the opportunities to make the right choices when their turn comes. And that is not too much to ask.
Last Saturday I went to the opening of a new school on Bainbridge Island. The children were singing some incredible songs, and one of the songs went like this, "The future begins with us. And every moment we live lights the way! This is our day. This is our day." Let’s help them light the way. Let’s give them their day.
A wise person once said, "A hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove ... but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child."
And today I say: A hundred years from now, it won’t matter whether we were Democrats or Republicans. But the world will be different in a hundred years, if all of us — each and every one of us — commit today to being important in the lives of our children.
Thank you, and God bless us all."
The President thanked the Governor for his moving and visionary message, and requested the Special Committee to escort the Governor and Mrs. Locke from the House Chamber.
The President requested the Special Committee to escort the State elected officials from the House Chamber.
The President requested the Special Committee to escort the Supreme Court Justices from the House Chamber.
MOTION
On motion of Representative Kessler, the Joint Session was dissolved.
Speaker Ballard assumed the chair and requested the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort the President of the Senate, leadership of the Senate and members of the Senate from the House Chamber.
There being no objection, the House advanced to the eleventh order of business.
MOTION
On motion of Representative Lisk, the House adjourned until 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, February 12, 2000, the 3rd Legislative Day.
TIMOTHY A. MARTIN, Chief Clerk CLYDE BALLARD, Speaker
CYNTHIA ZEHNDER, Chief Clerk FRANK CHOPP, Speaker