WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE
Legislative Digest No. 12

SIXTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE
Monday, January 30, 201222nd Day - 2012 Regular Session

SENATE
SB 5575-SSB 6005-SSB 6049-SSB 6100-SSB 6112-SSB 6517SB 6518
SB 6519SB 6520SB 6521SB 6522SB 6523SB 6524SB 6525
SB 6526SB 6527SB 6528SB 6529SB 6530SB 6531SB 6532
HOUSE
HB 2150-SHB 2201-SHB 2297-SHB 2416-SHB 2422-SHB 2724HB 2725
HB 2726HB 2727HB 2728HB 2729HB 2730HB 2731HB 2732
HB 2733HB 2734HB 2735HB 2736HCR 4409

This publication includes digest and history for bills, joint memorials, joint resolutions, concurrent resolutions, initiatives, and substitutes. Engrossed measures may be republished if the amendment makes a substantive change.

Electronic versions of Legislative Digests are available at http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/digests.aspx?year=2012.


House Bills

HB 2150-S

by House Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Representatives Pettigrew, Hunter, and Kenney; by request of Department of Social and Health Services)


Generating revenue from community residential service businesses.


(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 1ST SUBSTITUTE)


Imposes taxes on community residential service businesses.

Requires the joint legislative audit and review committee, in consultation with the department of social and health services and the department of revenue, to conduct a review of the taxes imposed on community residential service businesses.

Creates the developmental disabilities community residential investment account.

Provides a contingent expiration date.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 11Public hearing in the House Committee on Ways & Means at 3:30 PM.
Jan 25WAYS - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Minority; do not pass.
Executive action taken in the House Committee on Ways & Means at 3:30 PM.

HB 2201-S

by House Committee on Local Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Fitzgibbon, Springer, and Upthegrove)


Addressing the use and governance of hearing examiners.


(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 1ST SUBSTITUTE)


Directs certain cities to consider assigning certain quasi-judicial permit applications and appeals of administrative decisions to professional hearing examiners.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 10Public hearing in the House Committee on Local Government at 12:00 PM.
Jan 25LG - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Minority; do not pass.
Executive action taken in the House Committee on Local Government at 1:30 PM.

HB 2297-S

by House Committee on Technology, Energy & Communications (originally sponsored by Representatives Morris, McCoy, Eddy, Hudgins, Ormsby, and Fitzgibbon)


Authorizing the establishment of an energy efficiency improvement loan fund.


(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 1ST SUBSTITUTE)


Authorizes electric utilities to: (1) Establish an energy efficiency improvement loan fund;

(2) Receive voluntary contributions from customers that must be deposited into the fund; and

(3) Provide loans to customers for financing the acquisition and installation of energy efficiency improvements.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 18Public hearing in the House Committee on Technology and Energy & Communications at 1:30 PM.
Jan 25TEC - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Executive action taken in the House Committee on Technology and Energy & Communications at 1:30 PM.

HB 2416-S

by House Committee on Local Government (originally sponsored by Representative Takko)


Concerning equitable allocation of auditor costs.


(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 1ST SUBSTITUTE)


Allows county auditors and recording officers to charge, for searching records per hour, up to the actual cost as established and conspicuously posted by the auditor.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 20Public hearing in the House Committee on Local Government at 10:00 AM.
Jan 25LG - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Executive action taken in the House Committee on Local Government at 1:30 PM.

HB 2422-S

by House Committee on Technology, Energy & Communications (originally sponsored by Representatives Billig, Haler, Stanford, McCoy, Maxwell, Eddy, Nealey, Crouse, Probst, Liias, Parker, Van De Wege, Upthegrove, Ormsby, Kenney, Morris, and Moscoso)


Supporting the development of aviation biofuels production.


(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 1ST SUBSTITUTE)


Supports the development of commercial-scale aviation biofuels production facilities in the state by facilitating and streamlining the permitting process for new facilities and the expansion of existing facilities and providing access to low-cost financing through the issuance of revenue bonds.

Requires the housing finance commission to: (1) Issue bonds for financing project costs of facilities;

(2) Make or purchase loans for financing the facilities; or

(3) Enter into financing documents relating to the repayment of those loans or the provision of, or security for, debt service on the bonds.

Requires Innovate Washington to convene a sustainable aviation biofuels work group.

Terminates the work group on June 30, 2015.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 20Public hearing in the House Committee on Technology and Energy & Communications at 10:00 AM.
Jan 25TEC - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Minority; do not pass.
Executive action taken in the House Committee on Technology and Energy & Communications at 1:30 PM.

HB 2724

by Representatives Eddy, Alexander, Dammeier, Finn, Takko, Morris, Haler, Kagi, Buys, Wylie, Dahlquist, Hurst, Clibborn, Fagan, Seaquist, and Reykdal


Establishing a consolidating purchasing system for public school employees.


Establishes a consolidated system for purchasing insurance benefits for school employees and their dependents.

Creates the school employees' benefits board within the state health care authority to design and approve insurance benefit plans for school employees and to establish eligibility criteria for participation in insurance benefit plans.

Creates the school employees' insurance account, the school employees' insurance administrative account, the school employees' benefits board medical benefits administration account, and the self-insured dental plan benefits administration account.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Ways & Means.

HB 2725

by Representative Ryu


Concerning the agency council on coordinated transportation.


Changes the composition and duties of the agency council on coordinated transportation.

Removes the June 30, 2012, repeal of certain provisions found in RCW 47.06B.901.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Transportation.

HB 2726

by Representatives Ahern and McCune


Criminalizing the failure to report the death or disappearance of a child within a specified time by certain persons responsible for the care of the child.


Criminalizes the failure to report the death or disappearance of a child within a specified time.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness.

HB 2727

by Representatives Ahern, Klippert, Kretz, and Johnson


Concerning disbursements from the skilled nursing facility safety net trust fund.


Prohibits the legislature from: (1) Transferring or appropriating funds in the skilled nursing facility safety net trust fund inconsistent with chapter 74.48 RCW (skilled nursing facility safety net assessments); and

(2) Increasing the assessment solely for purposes of supplanting state general fund payments to skilled nursing facilities.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Ways & Means.

HB 2728

by Representative Hunt


Increasing flexibility and diversity of local government revenue.


Modifies the authority for counties and cities imposing sales and use taxes.

Allows transportation benefit districts to increase certain vehicle fees.

Authorizes counties to impose an excise tax on the privilege of engaging in business as a utility.

Allows local governments to collect certain fees to cover the cost of proportionate staffing, administrative, and facility costs associated with the processing of applications.

Provides options for making payments of any kind to cities and code cities.

Revises the definition of "limit factor," for purposes of chapter 84.55 RCW (limitations upon regular property taxes), to include, for taxing districts other than the state, the greater of one hundred one percent or one hundred percent plus inflation.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Ways & Means.

HB 2729

by Representatives Fitzgibbon, Liias, Clibborn, Reykdal, Jinkins, and Billig


Eliminating the handling loss deduction for the motor vehicle fuel tax.


Eliminates the handling loss deduction for the motor vehicle fuel tax.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Transportation.

HB 2730

by Representative Appleton


Addressing certain annual reviews of commitment.


Requires the department of social and health services, with regard to sexually violent predators, to allow a record of a committed person's annual review interview to be preserved either by audio recording or the presence of the person's attorney.

Modifies procedures for petitions for conditional release to less restrictive alternative or unconditional discharge.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness.

HB 2731

by Representatives Condotta, Overstreet, Shea, and McCune


Establishing the 2012 gold and silver legal tender act of Washington state.


Establishes the gold and silver legal tender act of Washington state.

Provides that gold and silver used as legal tender are treated in the same manner as United States currency for taxation purposes.

Declares an intent to provide a choice of United States constitutional currency of gold and silver.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Ways & Means.

HB 2732

by Representative Takko


Creating a sentence for treatment program for juvenile offenders.


Requires the department of social and health services to: (1) Maintain a medium security youth camp to fulfill the department's obligation to provide education, treatment, and job training to juvenile offenders in the least restrictive continuum of care; and

(2) Develop and maintain a database to measure recidivism rates specific to the sentence for treatment program.

-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Early Learning & Human Services.

HB 2733

by Representatives Jinkins, Upthegrove, and Clibborn


Concerning rates and charges for storm water control facilities.


Modifies provisions relating to rates and charges for the construction, operation, and maintenance of storm water control facilities.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Transportation.

HB 2734

by Representatives Sullivan, Chandler, and Takko


Concerning taxation of heavy equipment.


Exempts from property taxes, heavy equipment owned by a heavy equipment rental business for the purpose of leasing or renting at retail.

Authorizes counties to impose a tax on persons leasing or renting heavy equipment at retail from a heavy equipment rental business.

Creates the county heavy equipment tax account.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Ways & Means.

HB 2735

by Representatives Wylie, Zeiger, and Dunshee


Regarding intermediate capital projects and minor works.


Provides an exception to the predesign stage review, by the office of financial management, for major capital construction projects at institutions of higher education.

Allows minor works projects for institutions of higher education to be valued up to five million dollars.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Capital Budget.
Jan 31Scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Capital Budget at 8:00 AM. (Subject to change)

HB 2736

by Representative Hansen; by request of Department of Licensing


Concerning commercial vehicle regulations for texting while driving and projecting loads.


Modifies texting laws relating to commercial and noncommercial vehicles.

Addresses warning lamps, flags, and reflectors for projecting loads on vehicles.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Transportation.


House Concurrent Resolutions

HCR 4409

by Representatives Sullivan and Kretz


Amending the redistricting plan for state legislative and congressional districts.


Amends the redistricting plan for state legislative and congressional districts.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First Reading.
Rules suspended.
Placed on second reading.
Floor amendment(s) adopted.
Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
Third reading, adopted; yeas, 95; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 3.


Senate Bills

SB 5575-S

by Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water & Rural Economic Development (originally sponsored by Senators Hatfield, Delvin, Eide, Schoesler, Haugen, Shin, Kilmer, Hobbs, Becker, Honeyford, Conway, and Sheldon)


Recognizing certain biomass energy facilities as an eligible renewable resource.


(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 1ST SUBSTITUTE)


Promotes the generation of renewable energy from biomass in economically distressed communities.

Includes qualified biomass energy in the definition of "eligible renewable resource," for purposes of the energy independence act.

Requires qualifying utilities to use qualified renewable energy credits to meet their annual targets.
-- 2011 REGULAR SESSION --
Feb 7Public hearing and executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Agriculture & Rural Economic Development at 10:00 AM.
Mar 22Public hearing in the House Committee on Environment at 1:30 PM.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 17Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Water & Rural Economic Development at 1:30 PM.
Jan 23AWRD - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Water & Rural Economic Development at 10:00 AM.
Jan 24Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

SB 6005-S

by Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce & Consumer Protection (originally sponsored by Senators Carrell, Delvin, Fain, Sheldon, Hill, and Benton)


Exempting certain vehicles from the written estimate requirement for auto repair facilities.


(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 1ST SUBSTITUTE)


Exempts from written estimate requirements for auto repair facilities, vehicles that qualify for a horseless carriage or collector vehicle license plate, or vehicles that are parts cars, street rods, or custom vehicles.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 17Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Labor and Commerce & Consumer Protection at 1:30 PM.
Jan 23Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Labor and Commerce & Consumer Protection at 10:00 AM.
Jan 24LCCP - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

SB 6049-S

by Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators Kastama and Shin)


Requiring the department of health to establish a cancer drug repository program.


(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 1ST SUBSTITUTE)


Requires the department of health to: (1) Establish a cancer drug repository program for accepting donated cancer drugs and dispensing the drugs to authorized residents; and

(2) Establish and maintain a participating practitioner or pharmacy registry for the program.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 11Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care at 8:00 AM.
Jan 23Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care at 1:30 PM.
Jan 24HEA - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
And refer to Ways & Means.
Referred to Ways & Means.

SB 6100-S

by Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections (originally sponsored by Senators Hargrove and Roach)


Updating the administration of the sexual assault grant programs.


(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 1ST SUBSTITUTE)


Clarifies and updates the administration of sexual assault grant programs by the department of commerce.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 20Public hearing and executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections at 8:30 AM.
Jan 24HSC - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

SB 6112-S

by Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Eide, King, Haugen, Fain, and Shin)


Concerning the use of alternative traction devices on tires under certain conditions.


(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 1ST SUBSTITUTE)


Allows the use of alternative traction devices on tires when required for safety because of snow, ice, or other conditions tending to cause a vehicle to skid.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 17Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Transportation at 3:30 PM.
Jan 23Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Transportation at 3:30 PM.
Jan 24TRAN - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Jan 25Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

SB 6517

by Senators Pflug and Keiser


Regarding hospital financing and tax preference eligibility.


Modifies the composition and duties of the state health care authority relating to hospital financing and tax preference eligibility.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Health & Long-Term Care.

SB 6518

by Senators Rolfes and Nelson


Concerning the executive committee of Washington state ferry users.


Expands the existing system for citizen involvement in the ferry fare rate-setting process.

Requires recommendations, relating to ferry system revenues and operating costs presented to the transportation commission by the executive committee of Washington state ferry users, to be considered before raising fares.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Transportation.
Feb 1Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Transportation at 3:30 PM. (Subject to change)

SB 6519

by Senators Frockt, Nelson, Harper, Conway, Pridemore, Keiser, Chase, Shin, Murray, and Kohl-Welles


Requiring community and technical college boards of trustees to have at least one member from labor and one member from business.


Includes members from labor and business on community college boards of trustees.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Higher Education & Workforce Development.

SB 6520

by Senator Hatfield


Creating a sentence for treatment program for juvenile offenders.


Requires the department of social and health services to maintain a medium security forestry camp at the Naselle youth camp to fulfill the department's obligation to provide education, treatment, and job training to juvenile offenders who are assessed as posing more than a minimum risk to public safety in the least restrictive continuum of care.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Human Services & Corrections.

SB 6521

by Senator Regala


Increasing flexibility and diversity of local government revenue.


Modifies the authority for counties and cities imposing sales and use taxes.

Allows transportation benefit districts to increase certain vehicle fees.

Authorizes counties to impose an excise tax on the privilege of engaging in business as a utility.

Allows local governments to collect certain fees to cover the cost of proportionate staffing, administrative, and facility costs associated with the processing of applications.

Provides options for making payments of any kind to cities and code cities.

Revises the definition of "limit factor," for purposes of chapter 84.55 RCW (limitations upon regular property taxes), to include, for taxing districts other than the state, the greater of one hundred one percent or one hundred percent plus inflation.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Government Operations, Tribal Relations & Elections.

SB 6522

by Senators Kastama, Roach, and Shin


Establishing that the state archivist has the sole authority for archival and records storage, except for legislative records.


Prohibits, unless authorized by the state archivist, state agencies from establishing, operating, or leasing an archives, records center, records warehouse, or records storage facility, except for purposes of legislative records.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Government Operations, Tribal Relations & Elections.

SB 6523

by Senators Honeyford and Fraser


Concerning resident curators of state properties.


Authorizes a state agency, with statutory authority to lease state-owned properties to private parties, to negotiate a lease at a rate that is less than fair market value in consideration of the lessee's occupancy of the property and agreement to restore, maintain, rehabilitate, or otherwise improve the leased property.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Government Operations, Tribal Relations & Elections.

SB 6524

by Senators Hargrove and Shin


Delaying elimination of the family policy council and the council for children and families.


Delays the June 30, 2012, repeal of the family policy council and the council for children and families.

Requires the family policy council to develop a transition plan for the oversight of and accountability to the public of the networks as quasi-governmental entities after the council sunsets.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Human Services & Corrections.

SB 6525

by Senators Becker, Carrell, Kastama, Stevens, King, Swecker, Honeyford, and Roach


Concerning a business and occupation tax deduction for donated medical services.


Provides a business and occupation tax deduction to health care providers for medical services donated through a community-based health care system.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Ways & Means.

SB 6526

by Senators Becker, Zarelli, Holmquist Newbry, Delvin, King, Stevens, Hewitt, Parlette, and Ericksen


Concerning medicaid cost containment.


Establishes the Washington state medicaid cost containment act.

Applies premiums to certain medical assistance populations with incomes over one hundred fifty percent of the federal poverty level.

Requires eligibility renewal every six months, instead of every year, for certain populations.

Provides a contingent effective date.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Health & Long-Term Care.

SB 6527

by Senator Benton


Regulating cellular telephone use by state employees.


Requires the office of the chief information officer to: (1) Contract with a private optimization specialist to develop a strategy to match the state's actual cell phone use with the most cost-effective delivery of those services; and

(2) Assist state agencies in developing and implementing agency-wide cell phone use policies.

Prohibits state agencies from issuing cell phones to state employees, other than elected officials, unless certain conditions are met.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Government Operations, Tribal Relations & Elections.

SB 6528

by Senators Kilmer, Honeyford, Harper, Ericksen, Hatfield, and Shin


Concerning taxation of heavy equipment.


Exempts from property taxes, heavy equipment owned by a heavy equipment rental business for the purpose of leasing or renting at retail.

Authorizes counties to impose a tax on persons leasing or renting heavy equipment at retail from a heavy equipment rental business.

Creates the county heavy equipment tax account.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Ways & Means.

SB 6529

by Senator Pridemore


Changing requirements for electioneering communications.


Addresses requirements for independent expenditure or electioneering communication transmissions through the television or other medium.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Government Operations, Tribal Relations & Elections.

SB 6530

by Senators Hobbs, Pridemore, Haugen, Hatfield, Conway, Nelson, Regala, Hill, Delvin, Kohl-Welles, Chase, Rolfes, Roach, Shin, and Harper


Expanding insurance coverage of neurodevelopmental therapies.


Expands insurance coverage of neurodevelopmental therapies.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Health & Long-Term Care.

SB 6531

by Senators Regala, Hargrove, and Shin


Concerning health care services for incarcerated offenders.


Limits the rates paid to providers for medical services for incarcerated offenders and increases the copay on medical services.

Authorizes the department of corrections, under certain circumstances, to act on behalf of an inmate for purposes of applying for medicaid eligibility.

Authorizes the secretary of the department of corrections to enter into contracts with certain parties to provide behavioral health and chemical dependency treatment care to inmates.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Human Services & Corrections.
Feb 2Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections at 10:00 AM. (Subject to change)

SB 6532

by Senators Frockt, Litzow, and Harper


Implementing a voluntary quality rating and improvement system for child care centers and early learning programs.


Finds that a two-year field test of a voluntary quality rating and improvement system, for licensed and certified child care centers and homes and other early learning programs, has prepared the state to begin statewide implementation of the system, to the extent funds are available.
-- 2012 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 27First reading, referred to Early Learning & K-12 Education.
Jan 30Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 1:30 PM. (Subject to change)