WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE
Legislative Digest No. 44

SIXTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE
Friday, March 13, 201561st Day - 2015 Regular Session

SENATE
SB 5048-SSB 5153SB 5282-SSB 5407-SSB 5843-SSB 5854SB 5857-S
SB 5874SB 5884-SSB 5915-SSB 5921SB 5954-SSB 6081
HOUSE
HB 1211-SHB 1472-S2HB 1695-S

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=2015.


House Bills

HB 1211-S

by House Committee on Labor (originally sponsored by Representatives G. Hunt, Reykdal, Sawyer, Manweller, Vick, S. Hunt, and Buys)


Addressing fees and costs related to methods of wage payment.


(AS OF HOUSE 2ND READING 3/11/15)


Requires an employer to: (1) Offer a method of wage payment that allows an employee to obtain his or her wages in legal tender of the United States without fees or costs for the transaction; and

(2) Offer an employee at least one other method of receiving wages that does not require the employee to maintain or open an account for purposes of direct deposit if the employer credits employee wages to a payroll card account.
-- 2015 REGULAR SESSION --
Feb 10LAB - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Feb 12Referred to Rules 2 Review.
Mar 3Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
Mar 111st substitute bill substituted.
Floor amendment(s) adopted.
Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
Third reading, passed; yeas, 98; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.

HB 1472-S2

by House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Fitzgibbon, Peterson, Goodman, McBride, Springer, Fey, Farrell, Hudgins, Kagi, Walkinshaw, Gregerson, S. Hunt, Jinkins, Tharinger, and Pollet; by request of Governor Inslee)


Concerning using chemical action plans to require safer chemicals in Washington.


(AS OF HOUSE 2ND READING 3/11/15)


Establishes the toxics reduction act.

Requires the department of ecology to: (1) In consultation with the department of health, select up to four chemicals for the development of chemical action plans; and

(2) When developing a chemical action plan, convene an external advisory committee to provide stakeholder input, expertise, and additional information.

Requires the department of enterprise services to establish purchasing and procurement policies that provide a preference for products and products in packaging that do not contain: (1) Persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals as defined in chapter 173-333 WAC (persistent bioaccumulative toxins); and

(2) Chemicals that have been addressed by a completed chemical action plan that has included a recommendation that the state adopt a purchasing and procurement policy for products and products in packaging that do not contain the chemical.

Prohibits an agency from knowingly purchasing products or products in packaging containing the aforementioned chemicals.

Provides for termination and review, under the sunset act, of the authority of the department of ecology to do the following with regard to this act: (1) Require manufacturers to provide information on chemicals and conduct alternatives assessments;

(2) Prepare summary reports on alternatives assessments;

(3) Prohibit the use of chemicals and the sale, offer for sale, or distribution of a product containing a prohibited chemical; and

(4) Assess penalties.

Provides that this act is null and void if appropriations are not approved.
-- 2015 REGULAR SESSION --
Feb 27APP - Majority; 2nd substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Minority; do not pass.
Minority; without recommendation.
Referred to Rules 2 Review.
Mar 5Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.
Mar 112nd substitute bill substituted.
Floor amendment(s) adopted.
Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
Third reading, passed; yeas, 63; nays, 35; absent, 0; excused, 0.

HB 1695-S

by House Committee on Environment (originally sponsored by Representatives Clibborn, Hayes, Ryu, Kochmar, Senn, Zeiger, Tarleton, Fey, Farrell, Harmsworth, Van Werven, Stanford, Fitzgibbon, Stokesbary, Wylie, Tharinger, Moscoso, Riccelli, and Santos)


Establishing a priority for the use, reuse, and recycling of construction aggregate and recycled concrete materials in Washington.


(AS OF HOUSE 2ND READING 3/11/15)


Requires the department of transportation and its implementation partners to collaboratively develop and establish objectives and strategies for the reuse and recycling of construction aggregate and recycled concrete materials which must include the development of criteria for the successful and sustainable long-term recycling of construction aggregate and recycled concrete materials in transportation, roadway, street, highway, and other transportation infrastructure projects.

Requires the department of transportation, unless construction aggregate and recycled concrete materials are not readily available and cost-effective, to specify and annually use a minimum of twenty-five percent construction aggregate and recycled concrete materials on their cumulative transportation, roadway, street, highway, and other transportation infrastructure projects.

Requires certain local governmental entities, as part of their contracting process, to request and accept bids that include the use of construction aggregate and recycled concrete materials for each transportation, roadway, street, highway, or other transportation infrastructure project.
-- 2015 REGULAR SESSION --
Feb 19ENVI - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Feb 20Referred to Transportation.
Feb 26TR - Majority; do pass 1st substitute bill proposed by Environment.
Minority; without recommendation.
Feb 27Referred to Rules 2 Review.
Mar 4Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
Mar 111st substitute bill substituted.
Floor amendment(s) adopted.
Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
Third reading, passed; yeas, 98; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.


Senate Bills

SB 5048-S

by Senate Committee on Government Operations & Security (originally sponsored by Senators Chase, Roach, Hatfield, and Miloscia)


Subjecting a resolution or ordinance adopted by the legislative body of a city or town to assume a water-sewer district to a referendum.


(AS OF SENATE 2ND READING 3/11/15)


Subjects to a referendum, a resolution or ordinance adopted by the legislative body of a city to assume jurisdiction of all or part of a water-sewer district.

Exempts a city legislative authority from the referendum requirement if it assumes jurisdiction of all or part of a water-sewer district through a contract with a water-sewer district or through an interlocal agreement with a water-sewer district.
-- 2015 REGULAR SESSION --
Feb 10GOS - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Feb 11Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
Feb 23Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
Mar 111st substitute bill substituted.
Floor amendment(s) adopted.
Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
Third reading, passed; yeas, 28; nays, 21; absent, 0; excused, 0.

SB 5153

by Senators Billig, Roach, Sheldon, Fain, Liias, Mullet, Fraser, Dansel, McCoy, Rolfes, Cleveland, Darneille, Habib, Padden, Nelson, Benton, Chase, Keiser, Jayapal, Hasegawa, and Frockt


Increasing transparency of campaign contributions.


(AS OF SENATE 2ND READING 3/11/15)


Establishes the dark money elimination act.

Increases transparency and accountability in the election process and requires the disclosure of contributions and expenditures by nonprofit organizations that participate significantly in Washington state elections.
-- 2015 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 14First reading, referred to Government Operations & State Security.
Jan 27GOSS - Majority; do pass.
Jan 28Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
Mar 6Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
Mar 11Floor amendment(s) adopted.
Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.

SB 5282-S

by Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor (originally sponsored by Senators Braun, Baumgartner, and Warnick)


Concerning residential security system installations.


(AS OF SENATE 2ND READING 3/11/15)


Expands the definition of "class A basic electrical work," for purposes of chapter 19.28 RCW (electricians and electrical installations).
-- 2015 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 30CL - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Minority; do not pass.
Feb 2Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
Mar 6Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
Mar 111st substitute bill substituted.
Floor amendment(s) adopted.
Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
Third reading, passed; yeas, 32; nays, 16; absent, 1; excused, 0.

SB 5407-S

by Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water & Rural Economic Development (originally sponsored by Senators Pearson, Bailey, and Benton)


Concerning the effects of instream flow rules on water use.


(AS OF SENATE 2ND READING 3/11/15)


Addresses the effects of instream flow rules on water use.

Requires the department of ecology to review the Skagit river basin instream resources protection program rule to determine whether the rule has set aside sufficient water reservations to satisfy year-round human domestic needs in designated water resource inventory areas 3 and 4.
-- 2015 REGULAR SESSION --
Feb 12AWRD - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Feb 13Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
Feb 23Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
Mar 111st substitute bill substituted.
Floor amendment(s) adopted.
Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
Third reading, passed; yeas, 26; nays, 23; absent, 0; excused, 0.

SB 5843-S

by Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Ranker, Parlette, Pearson, Rolfes, Hewitt, Litzow, Conway, Hasegawa, and McAuliffe)


Concerning outdoor recreation.


(AS OF SENATE 2ND READING 3/11/15)


Requires the director of the parks and recreation commission, when setting priorities and developing criteria for the awarding of grants to outdoor environmental, ecological, agricultural, or other natural resource-based education and recreation programs, to consider programs that use veterans for at least fifty percent of program implementation or administration.

Requires the governor to appoint and maintain a senior policy advisor to the governor on outdoor recreation to focus on promoting, increasing participation in, and increasing opportunities for outdoor recreation in the state, with a particular focus on achieving economic development and job growth through outdoor recreation.
-- 2015 REGULAR SESSION --
Feb 27WM - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Minority; without recommendation.
Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
Mar 3Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
Mar 111st substitute bill substituted.
Floor amendment(s) adopted.
Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
Third reading, passed; yeas, 46; nays, 3; absent, 0; excused, 0.

SB 5854

by Senators Braun, Baumgartner, and Dammeier


Requiring employee organizations to submit digital copies of their collective bargaining agreements to the public employment relations commission. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Requiring public employers to submit digital copies of collective bargaining agreements to the public employment relations commission. )


(AS OF SENATE 2ND READING 3/11/15)


Requires digital copies of collective bargaining agreements to be submitted by public employers to the public employment relations commission.
-- 2015 REGULAR SESSION --
Feb 5First reading, referred to Commerce & Labor.
Feb 19CL - Majority; do pass.
Minority; do not pass.
Minority; without recommendation.
Feb 20Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
Mar 6Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
Mar 11Floor amendment(s) adopted.
Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
Third reading, passed; yeas, 30; nays, 19; absent, 0; excused, 0.

SB 5857-S

by Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Parlette, Conway, Becker, and Pearson)


Addressing registration and regulation of pharmacy benefit managers.


(AS OF SENATE 2ND READING 3/11/15)


Changes the registration and regulation of pharmacy benefit managers from the department of revenue's business licensing service to the office of the insurance commissioner.

Requires the joint select committee on health care oversight to convene a stakeholder work group comprised of participants in the prescription drug delivery chain.

Provides that the work group assignments may include the following: (1) Review the entire drug supply chain;

(2) Discuss suggestions that recognize the unique nature of small retail pharmacies and possible options that support a viable business model that do not increase the cost of pharmacy products;

(3) Review the availability of drugs on the list and list prices for community retail pharmacies;

(4) Review phone contacts and standards for response times and availability; and

(5) Review the pharmacy acquisition cost from national or regional wholesalers that serve community retail pharmacies in this state and consider when or whether to make an adjustment and under what standards.
-- 2015 REGULAR SESSION --
Feb 27WM - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Minority; without recommendation.
Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
Mar 6Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
Mar 111st substitute bill substituted.
Floor amendment(s) adopted.
Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.

SB 5874

by Senators Ericksen and Ranker


Concerning regulatory and financial mechanisms and means to promote the retirement of coal-fired electric generation facilities. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Requiring the department of commerce, in consultation with the appropriate committees of the legislature, to study the costs and benefits of retiring an eligible coal plant. )


(AS OF SENATE 2ND READING 3/11/15)


Requires the energy division of the department of commerce, in consultation with the appropriate committees of the senate and house of representatives, to study the costs and benefits of retiring an eligible coal plant.
-- 2015 REGULAR SESSION --
Feb 6First reading, referred to Energy, Environment & Telecommunications.
Feb 20EET - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
Mar 6Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
Mar 111st substitute bill not substituted.
Floor amendment(s) adopted.
Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
Third reading, passed; yeas, 46; nays, 3; absent, 0; excused, 0.

SB 5884-S

by Senate Committee on Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Senators Kohl-Welles, Darneille, Padden, Keiser, Conway, Chase, and Hasegawa)


Concerning the trafficking of persons.


(AS OF SENATE 2ND READING 3/11/15)


Designates the office of crime victims advocacy as the single point of contact in state government regarding the trafficking of persons.

Creates the Washington state clearinghouse on human trafficking as an information portal to share and coordinate statewide efforts to combat the trafficking of persons.

Reestablishes the state task force against the trafficking of persons which will be chaired by the director of the office of crime victims advocacy.

Delays, until June 30, 2017, the expiration of the commercially sexually exploited children statewide coordinating committee.

Allows establishments that maintain restrooms for use by the public to voluntarily post, in all restrooms of the establishment, a notice which may be in a variety of languages and include toll-free telephone numbers a person may call for assistance, including numbers for the national human trafficking resource center and the office of crime victims advocacy.
-- 2015 REGULAR SESSION --
Feb 19LAW - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Feb 20Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
Feb 26Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
Mar 111st substitute bill substituted.
Floor amendment(s) adopted.
Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.

SB 5915-S

by Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Brown, Angel, Miloscia, Braun, Dansel, Schoesler, Hewitt, and Chase)


Addressing fiscal notes and fiscal impact statements.


(AS OF SENATE 2ND READING 3/11/15)


Addresses fiscal notes and dynamic fiscal impact statements.

Requires fiscal notes dealing with corrections, child welfare, and mental health issues to include an estimate of the fiscal impact of expenditure reductions or increases on other state or local program expenditures as well as any return on investment as a result of the legislation if requested by a member of a legislative fiscal committee for legislation projected to result in an increase or decrease in state expenditures exceeding five million dollars.

Requires the director of the office of financial management and the director of the state institute for public policy to convene a work group to explore the establishment of a nonpartisan agency to conduct objective, impartial fiscal analysis on behalf of the legislature.
-- 2015 REGULAR SESSION --
Feb 27WM - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
Mar 10Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
Mar 111st substitute bill substituted.
Floor amendment(s) adopted.
Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.

SB 5921

by Senators Honeyford, Hatfield, Chase, and Brown


Preserving the common law interpretation and application of the vested rights doctrine. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Increasing certainty and predictability in the land use permit process. )


(AS OF SENATE 2ND READING 3/11/15)


Increases certainty and predictability in the land use permit process.
-- 2015 REGULAR SESSION --
Feb 11First reading, referred to Law & Justice.
Feb 19LAW - Majority; do pass.
Minority; do not pass.
Feb 20Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
Mar 3Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
Mar 11Floor amendment(s) adopted.
Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
Third reading, passed; yeas, 29; nays, 20; absent, 0; excused, 0.

SB 5954-S

by Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Braun, Bailey, Hill, Becker, Fain, Miloscia, Parlette, Angel, Schoesler, Brown, Litzow, Warnick, Honeyford, Sheldon, Rivers, Roach, and Benton)


Reducing tuition.


(AS OF SENATE 2ND READING 3/11/15)


Establishes the college affordability program to reduce tuition.
-- 2015 REGULAR SESSION --
Feb 27WM - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
Minority; do not pass.
Minority; without recommendation.
Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
Mar 4Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
Mar 111st substitute bill substituted.
Floor amendment(s) adopted.
Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
Third reading, passed; yeas, 37; nays, 12; absent, 0; excused, 0.

SB 6081

by Senators Baumgartner, Hasegawa, Conway, and Braun


Creating a labor and industries ombuds within the department of commerce.


Creates the ombuds for employers in the department of commerce.

Authorizes the ombuds to: (1) Act as an advocate for employers in interactions with the department of labor and industries;

(2) Offer and provide information on department of labor and industries programs as appropriate to employers;

(3) Identify, investigate, and facilitate resolution of employer complaints relating to department of labor and industries programs; and

(4) Maintain a statewide toll-free telephone number for the receipt of complaints and inquiries.
-- 2015 REGULAR SESSION --
Mar 12First reading, referred to Commerce & Labor.