The commission is authorized to perform the duties required by sections 5 and 9 of this act."

       Correct the title., and the same are herewith transmitted.

CYNTHIA ZEHNDER, Co-Chief Clerk

TIMOTHY A. MARTIN, Co-Chief Clerk

MOTION

      Senator Brown moved that the Senate concur in the House amendment to Substitute Senate Bill No. 6675.

POINT OF INQUIRY

      Senator Long: “Senator Brown, I see that the House amendment says, ‘Clarification is added that the injunctive relief available through the WUTC remedial procedures are not exclusive remedies.’ What does that mean?”

      Senator Brown: “Thank you, Senator. That is a good question. Included in this bill is a limited amount of authority for the WUTC. If there is some concern about rates being charged that are preferential or discriminatory, an individual having that complaint must first go to their PUD Commission with the complaint. The complaint cannot be resolved at that level. They are allowed to take the complaint further to the WUTC.”

      Senator Long: “Thank you, Senator Brown.”

      Further debate ensued.

POINT OF INQUIRY

      Senator Snyder: “Senator Brown, Public Utility Districts have historically used telecommunications as part of operating their electrical, water and sewer utilities, and for some time have made excess capacity in and on their facilities available to others for telecommunications purposes. Many PUDs have existing telecommunications projects which they undertook pursuant to authorities recognized at the time these activities were undertaken. Does this bill affect their authority to continue these projects?”

      Senator Brown: “Thank you, Senator Snyder. No, this bill intends to preserve the existing authority of PUDs and ports, which is defined both in current statutes and through a long history of interpretive court decisions. Current law makes very clear that PUDs’ authorities are to be construed broadly. The bill does not limit any current authorities, but clarifies new ones with regard to new wholesale telecommunications services.

      “Neither the procedural requirements nor operational parameters nor UTC oversight in this bill are intended to apply to telecommunications or other services provided pursuant to any existing authority. For example, the authority for the NOA Net project is not dependent on this legislation. Rather, this bill applies only to new wholesale telecommunications services that a PUD or rural port district may provide after the effective date of the act.”

      Further debate ensued.

      The President declared the question before the Senate to be the motion by Senator Brown to concur in the House amendment to Substitute Senate Bill No. 6675.

      The motion by Senator Brown carried and the Senate concurred in the House amendment to Substitute Senate Bill No. 6675.      The President declared the question before the Senate to be the roll call on the final passage of Substitute Senate Bill No. 6675, as amended by the House

ROLL CALL

      The Secretary called the roll on the final passage of Substitute Senate Bill No. 6675, as amended by the House, and the bill passed the Senate by the following vote: Yeas, 46; Nays, 1; Absent, 0; Excused, 2.

     Voting yea: Senators Bauer, Benton, Brown, Costa, Deccio, Eide, Fairley, Finkbeiner, Franklin, Fraser, Gardner, Goings, Hale, Hargrove, Haugen, Heavey, Hochstatter, Honeyford, Horn, Jacobsen, Johnson, Kline, Kohl-Welles, Loveland, McAuliffe, McCaslin, McDonald, Morton, Oke, Patterson, Rasmussen, Roach, Rossi, Sheahan, Sheldon, B., Sheldon, T., Shin, Snyder, Spanel, Stevens, Swecker, Thibaudeau, West, Winsley, Wojahn and Zarelli - 46.

     Voting nay: Senator Long - 1.

     Excused: Senators Prentice and Sellar - 2.

      SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 6675, as amended by the House, having received the constitutional majority, was declared passed. There being no objection, the title of the bill will stand as the title of the act.

INTRODUCTION OF SPECIAL GUESTS

      The President welcomed and introduced PUD Commissioners from around the state visiting the state capital today. The guests were seated in the gallery.

MOTION

      On motion of Senator Betti Sheldon, Senator Loveland was excused.

MOTION

      On motion of Senator Goings, the Senate advanced to the sixth order of business.

SECOND READING

CONFIRMATION OF GUBERNATORIAL APPOINTMENTS

MOTION

      On motion of Senator Jacobsen, Gubernatorial Appointment No. 9278, Robert L. Parlette, as a member of the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation, was confirmed.

APPOINTMENT OF ROBERT L. PARLETTE

      The Secretary called the roll. The appointment was confirmed by the following vote: Yeas, 44; Nays, 0; Absent, 2; Excused, 3. Voting yea: Senators Bauer, Benton, Brown, Costa, Deccio, Eide, Fairley, Finkbeiner, Franklin, Fraser, Gardner, Goings, Hale, Hargrove, Haugen, Heavey, Hochstatter, Honeyford, Horn, Jacobsen, Johnson, Kohl-Welles, Long, McAuliffe, McCaslin, McDonald, Morton, Oke, Patterson, Rasmussen, Roach, Rossi, Sheahan, Sheldon, B., Sheldon, T., Shin, Spanel, Stevens, Swecker, Thibaudeau, West, Winsley, Wojahn and Zarelli - 44.

     Absent: Senators Kline and Snyder - 2.

     Excused: Senators Loveland, Prentice and Sellar - 3.

MOTION

      On motion of Senator Kohl-Welles, Gubernatorial Appointment No. 9212, Jay Reich, as a member of the Board of Trustees for Central Washington University, was confirmed.

APPOINTMENT OF JAY REICH

      The Secretary called the roll. The appointment was confirmed by the following vote: Yeas, 47; Nays, 0; Absent, 0; Excused, 2.

     Voting yea: Senators Bauer, Benton, Brown, Costa, Deccio, Eide, Fairley, Finkbeiner, Franklin, Fraser, Gardner, Goings, Hale, Hargrove, Haugen, Heavey, Hochstatter, Honeyford, Horn, Jacobsen, Johnson, Kohl-Welles, Long, Loveland, McAuliffe, McCaslin, McDonald, Morton, Oke, Patterson, Prentice, Rasmussen, Roach, Rossi, Sheahan, Sheldon, B., Sheldon, T., Shin, Snyder, Spanel, Stevens, Swecker, Thibaudeau, West, Winsley, Wojahn and Zarelli - 47.

     Excused: Senators Kline and Sellar - 2.

MOTION

      On motion of Senator Goings, the Senate reverted to the first order of business.

REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES

March 8, 2000

SB 5802             Prime Sponsor, Senator Fairley: Regulating telecommunications contractors and installations. Reported by Committee on Ways and Means

      MAJORITY Recommendation: That Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 5802 be substituted therefor and the second substitute bill do pass. Signed by Senators Loveland, Chair; Bauer, Vice Chair; Brown, Vice Chair; Fairley, Fraser, Honeyford, Kline, Kohl-Welles, Rasmussen, B. Sheldon, Snyder, Spanel, Thibaudeau, Winsley and Wojahn.

      Passed to Committee on Rules for second reading.

March 8, 2000

SHB 2460          Prime Sponsor, House Committee on Economic Development, Housing and Trade: Addressing economic revitalization. Reported by Committee on Ways and Means

      MAJORITY Recommendation: Do pass as amended. Signed by Senators Loveland, Chair; Brown, Vice Chair; Fairley, Fraser, Kline, Kohl-Welles, Rasmussen, B. Sheldon, Spanel, Thibaudeau, Winsley and Wojahn.

      Passed to Committee on Rules for second reading.

March 8, 2000

SHB 2850          Prime Sponsor, House Committee on Finance: Modifying the tax treatment of line and uniform supply services. Reported by Committee on Ways and Means

      MAJORITY Recommendation: Do pass as amended. Signed by Senators Loveland, Chair; Brown, Vice Chair; Fairley, Fraser, Honeyford, Kline, Kohl-Welles, Long, McDonald, Rasmussen, Rossi, B. Sheldon, Spanel, Thibaudeau, Winsley, Wojahn and Zarelli.

      Passed to Committee on Rules for second reading.

MOTION

      At 2:17 p.m., on motion of Senator Goings, the Senate was declared to be at ease.

      The Senate was called to order at 2:27 p.m. by President Owen.

MOTION

      On motion of Senator Goings, the Senate advanced to the sixth order of business.

SECOND READING

CONFIRMATION OF GUBERNATORIAL APPOINTMENTS

MOTION

      On motion of Senator Kohl-Welles, Gubernatorial Appointment No. 9213, Reverend Stephen V. Sundborg, as a member of the Higher Education Facilities Authority, was confirmed.

      Senators Kohl-Welles and Deccio spoke to the confirmation of Reverend Stephen V. Sundborg as a member of the Higher Education Facilities Authority.

APPOINTMENT OF REVEREND STEPHEN V. SUNDBORG

      The Secretary called the roll. The appointment was confirmed by the following vote: Yeas, 46; Nays, 0; Absent, 2; Excused, 1.

     Voting yea: Senators Bauer, Benton, Brown, Costa, Deccio, Eide, Fairley, Franklin, Fraser, Gardner, Goings, Hale, Hargrove, Haugen, Heavey, Hochstatter, Honeyford, Horn, Jacobsen, Johnson, Kline, Kohl-Welles, Long, Loveland, McAuliffe, McCaslin, McDonald, Morton, Oke, Patterson, Prentice, Rasmussen, Roach, Rossi, Sheahan, Sheldon, B., Sheldon, T., Shin, Snyder, Spanel, Swecker, Thibaudeau, West, Winsley, Wojahn and Zarelli - 46.

     Absent: Senators Finkbeiner and Stevens - 2.

     Excused: Senator Sellar - 1.

MOTION

      On motion of Senator Costa, Gubernatorial Appointment No. 9218, Bob Bavasi, as a member of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, was confirmed.

      Senators Costa and Shin spoke to the confirmation of Bob Bavasi as a member of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

APPOINTMENT OF BOB BAVASI

      The Secretary called the roll. The appointment was confirmed by the following vote: Yeas, 45; Nays, 0; Absent, 3; Excused, 1.

     Voting yea: Senators Bauer, Benton, Brown, Costa, Deccio, Eide, Fairley, Franklin, Fraser, Gardner, Goings, Hale, Haugen, Heavey, Hochstatter, Honeyford, Horn, Jacobsen, Johnson, Kline, Kohl-Welles, Long, Loveland, McCaslin, McDonald, Morton, Oke, Patterson, Prentice, Rasmussen, Roach, Rossi, Sheahan, Sheldon, B., Sheldon, T., Shin, Snyder, Spanel, Stevens, Swecker, Thibaudeau, West, Winsley, Wojahn and Zarelli - 45.

     Absent: Senators Finkbeiner, Hargrove and McAuliffe - 3.

     Excused: Senator Sellar - 1.

MOTION

      On motion of Senator Betti Sheldon, the Senate advanced to the eighth order of business.

APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEE

      The President appointed a Committee of Honor composed of Senators Snyder and West to escort Senator Lorraine Wojahn to the rostrum.

MOTION

      On motion of Senator Snyder, the following resolution was adopted:

SENATE RESOLUTION 2000-8766

By Senators Snyder, Bauer, Benton, Brown, Costa, Deccio, Eide, Fairley, Finkbeiner, Franklin, Fraser, Gardner, Goings, Hale, Hargrove, Haugen, Heavey, Hochstatter, Honeyford, Horn, Jacobsen, Johnson, Kline, Kohl-Welles, Long, Loveland, McAuliffe, McCaslin, McDonald, Morton, Oke, Patterson, Prentice, Rasmussen, Roach, Rossi, Sellar, Sheahan, Sheldon, B., Sheldon, T., Shin, Spanel, Stevens, Swecker, Thibaudeau, West, Winsley and Zarelli

      WHEREAS, Lorraine Wojahn has served the Twenty-seventh District faithfully and well for thirty-two years by providing a strong voice in the Legislature for her constituents; and

      WHEREAS, Lorraine Wojahn often spoke loudest for those least able to speak for themselves, especially the poor, the troubled and the disabled; and

      WHEREAS, Her vigorous advocacy in behalf of these groups before her colleagues in the Legislature was a hallmark of her long career in public service; and

      WHEREAS, Senator Wojahn was relentless in her support of issues affecting the lives of women; and

      WHEREAS, Senator Wojahn was instrumental in the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, as well as bills that allow women to obtain credit on their own and give displaced homemakers and their children a chance to start a new life; and

      WHEREAS, The tragedy of domestic violence was a continuing and abiding concern of Senator Wojahn; and

      WHEREAS, Senator Wojahn championed efforts to curb domestic violence as a member of the Pierce County Commission Against Domestic Violence and was honored by the commission in 1999, with special recognition for her dedication and courage; and

      WHEREAS, Lorraine Wojahn was a pioneer in many ways during her distinguished career in the Legislature, being, among other things, the first woman and non-attorney appointed to the Washington State Judicial Council; and

      WHEREAS, Her attention to budget matters has proved beneficial to the City of Tacoma and residents of the Twenty-seventh District, making it a better place to live and work thanks to the state’s financial support of The Pantages Center for the Performing Arts, the Washington State History Museum and the University of Washington Branch Campus in Tacoma; and

      WHEREAS, Lorraine Wojahn was vigilant in her efforts to protect public health, as evidenced by her sponsorship of the bill that created the Department of Health and her unflagging determination to raise public awareness to the preventable health threats posed by osteoporosis and fetal alcohol syndrome, as well as her efforts to highlight the need for childhood immunizations and mental health parity; and

      WHEREAS, During her tenure as President Pro Tempore, Lorraine Wojahn became the first woman Senator to preside during sine die; and

      WHEREAS, Her cat-like reflexes while presiding at the rostrum earned her the title of “Fastest Gavel in the West” among her colleagues; and

      WHEREAS, Her longtime friend and former Senate colleague Ray Moore summed it up best, when, in his Oral History Moore stated, “There can never be too many Wojahns in any legislative body;” and

      WHEREAS, It was Senator Moore who admiringly bestowed on Lorraine Wojahn the nickname for which she will best be remembered, “The Norse Goddess of Terror”;

      NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate of the state of Washington congratulate Lorraine Wojahn on a job well and faithfully done and wish her the best for the remainder of her term in the Senate and in her well deserved retirement; and

      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Secretary of the Senate immediately transmit copies of this resolution to Senator Lorraine Wojahn; her son, Mark Wojahn; her daughter-in-law, Sandra Wojahn; and her two grandsons, Rian and Grant Wojahn.

      Senators Snyder, Deccio, Thibaudeau, Hargrove, Long, McDonald, McAuliffe, Winsley, Kohl-Welles, Prentice, Hochstatter, Franklin, Jacobsen, Hale, Oke, Rasmussen, Heavey, and Bauer spoke to Senate Resolution 2000-8766.

REMARKS BY GOVERNOR GARY LOCKE

      Governor Locke: “Thank you, Mr. President, and members of the Senate. It is really an honor to be here. It is really an honor to pay tribute to Senator Wojahn, who has served thirty-two years in this great institution on behalf of the people of the state of Washington. I don’t think any of us can ever claim that we could have had such an impact on the people of the state of Washington.

      “As I heard the resolution and all the issues that you have worked on, a lot of those things are accepted as common-place now in our state of Washington. Yet, they were quite a struggle to even have them considered years and years ago.

      “For any of us to have served that many years--for any of us to have actually touched as many people as you have, would be quite a legacy in and of itself. Just think, Senator Wojahn, you have made it possible for countless of thousands of women, the disabled, the sick, the poor, to reach higher limits which never could have been possible without your work. If any of us could even come close--not even to being one quarter of the woman you are, but even one-tenth of the person that you have been--one-tenth of the accomplishments that you have made, we would all be so very proud.

      “On behalf of the great state of Washington, we just thank you for your dedicated service and we know that you will continue to be a trail blazer. We are blessed by your efforts and look forward to your continuing efforts. Thank you very much.”

REMARKS BY SENATOR WOJAHN

      Senator Wojahn: “You may wish that I am what Senator Snyder called the--the bulldog with lockjaw, because I couldn’t talk that long.

I want to reminisce with you for a few minutes here and to lay out some hall marks in the legislative history in which I have either been a part or helped to pass. The first one done was in 1970, my second year here, which was the bacon bill. That was the bill that the meat packers reverse the bacon in the package, so that the people could see the lean content rather than all the fat. Everybody laughed at that bill. I put it in 1969, my first year here, and I didn’t get it. I went back the next year and we got it and we changed federal law with that

bill.

      “I had been back to Washington D.C., when I worked for the State AFL/CIO, lobbying for the Wholesome Meat Act and I knew that the Wholesome Meat Act said that there should be no mislabeling of packages, but it was not being enforced. That bill was a little tiny bill--about a one-half pager--and it changed federal law throughout the nation--good.

      “Don Moos, who was the Secretary of Agriculture, came to me when we started session--we gave them a year to do it, that was in 1971 that it was supposed to be in effect. He came to me and said, ‘Would you mind extending that time a little bit by law?’ He said that there were only two meat packers in the country and they can’t keep up with this demand. So, yes, we did that.

      “The next year it was the Equal Rights Amendment to the State’s Constitution, which we did pass and our Attorney General’s aide had to change one hundred thirty-two codes all at once. That was done in the next session. She almost had a nervous breakdown and she didn’t think--she worked and worked and didn’t get through until it was on the ballot and it didn’t look like it would pass, so she had relaxed because she didn’t think she was going to have to continue to work on this. Low and behold, the absentee ballots from Fort Lawton in Seattle, which was a military base, passed the Equal Rights Amendment. It was a Seattle group at Fort Lawton, of all places. So, it did pass and she didn’t have a nervous breakdown but we did get one hundred thirty-two changes to the state code at that point.

      “The next one was the ERA, the federal, which we were one of the last states to ratify. It only had thirty-five states that had never been ratified. I remember it passing here and passing by a two-thirds vote in both houses of the Legislature.

      “Then, the next one in 1974 came in sex in Education. That is when we tied into Title Nine, the federal act, to suggest that academic and sports should open to women, also. That is what the University has been doing the last twenty years adding fields for women.

      “Next was the extension of credit to women. Before that, a woman could not get--didn’t have to be notified if her husband encumbered the estate. He could charge anything or buy anything without her knowledge and he also owned all of her personal property that was acquired after the wedding. So, that got changed really fast.

      “Anyway, I hope I have opened the doors and I want to thank you for this wonderful, wonderful occasion. I will treasure this all of my life and I am sure I have a few more years left. As Pat suggested, I may be down lobbying for my one percent for health.”

      The Committee of Honor escorted Senator Wojahn to her seat in the Senate Chamber.

      The President requested the Committee of Honor composed of Senators Snyder and West to escort Senator Al Bauer to the rostrum.

MOTION

      On motion of Senator Snyder, the following resolution was adopted:

SENATE RESOLUTION 2000-8763

By Senators Snyder, Benton, Brown, Costa, Deccio, Eide, Fairley, Finkbeiner, Franklin, Fraser, Gardner, Goings, Hale, Hargrove, Haugen, Heavey, Hochstatter, Honeyford, Horn, Jacobsen, Johnson, Kline, Kohl-Welles, Long, Loveland, McAuliffe, McCaslin, McDonald, Morton, Oke, Patterson, Prentice, Rasmussen, Roach, Rossi, Sellar, Sheahan, Sheldon, B., Sheldon, T., Shin, Spanel, Stevens, Swecker, Thibaudeau, West, Winsley, Wojahn, and Zarelli

      WHEREAS, At the end of the 2000 Legislative Session, the Washington State Senate will bid farewell to a respected colleague and dear friend; and

      WHEREAS, Senator Al Bauer will retire from this body marking a near-thirty-year career of dedicated elected public service, having served in the Legislature since 1971; and

      WHEREAS, In those three decades, Al Bauer has been the Legislature’s most tireless advocate and leader on behalf of public education; and  

      WHEREAS, His belief in its importance began as a child, as the son of German immigrants who instilled in Al a fierce pride and a deep commitment to education; and

      WHEREAS, After dropping out of high school to serve his country in the Navy, he returned from the service after six years to receive his high school diploma, go on to college, and eventually begin his long career as a public school teacher in La Center and Vancouver; and

      WHEREAS, Behind nearly every major piece of legislation that has shaped our system of public education in the last thirty years was Al Bauer. No governor, superintendent of public instruction or legislator has had more influence on the state’s “paramount duty”; and

      WHEREAS, Parents, teachers, and students alike can thank him for leading the charge on key education issues and programs such as: the Learning Assistance Program, smaller class sizes in the early grades, increasing parental involvement, bringing technology to smaller, rural communities, and defining basic education -- to name just a few; and

      WHEREAS, His constituents in Clark County will be forever grateful for the work he has done to bring the Washington State University branch campus, attract new high-tech industries that pay good wages, and advocate tax benefits important to residents of the border county; and

      WHEREAS, Bauer Hall, dedicated in 1988 at Clark College, will forever stand as a tribute to the good Senator from first the Seventeenth and then the Forty-ninth Legislative Districts; and

      WHEREAS, The members of the Senate know that when Al Bauer sets his mind to something or as Al Bauer would say, “when he puts his pick in the ground,” you had better get out of the way, for he is determined, committed, single-minded, and, more often than not, right; and

      WHEREAS, Never known to have burned a bridge, Al Bauer has built his credibility and reputation as a gentleman by his true belief in cooperation and his willingness to step across the aisle to get things done; and

      WHEREAS, He reminds us all why we’re here in the first place: not to win, but to do good; not to gloat over victories, but to share the credit; and

      WHEREAS, His humility, loyalty, integrity, and knowledge of this institution are qualities that will be truly missed upon his retirement; and

      WHEREAS, We thank Al Bauer’s wife of forty-seven years, Pat, and their three children, Sue, Jim and Nancy for sharing their husband and father for the past thirty years with the Washington State Legislature.

      NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate do hereby recognize and honor the extraordinary public service career of Senator Al Bauer, thank him on behalf of the nearly one million students in our public schools whom he has helped, and wish him the very best in his retirement; and

      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Secretary of the Senate immediately transmit a copy of this resolution to Senator Al Bauer, a good friend and an outstanding legislator.

      Senators Snyder, McCaslin, Deccio, Kohl-Welles, Hargrove and Oke spoke to Senate Resolution 2000-8763.

REMARKS BY GOVERNOR GARY LOCKE

      Governor Locke: “Thank you, Mr. President and members of the Senate. It is an equal pleasure to be here to hear the great remarks and the tributes paid to Senator Al Bauer. I think that both Senator Wojahn and Senator Bauer have engendered so many great friends all through the years and that is why we see so many former members of the State Senate here--Senator George Fleming, Senator Rick Bender, Senator Marc Gaspard and a former member of the House of Representatives from the Vancouver area, Denny Heck, now head of TVW.

      “Senator Wojahn has had a great influence on so many people throughout our state, so has Senator Bauer. In the resolution that was read, it mentioned the million children, who are in our public schools today. When you think about the fact that Senator Bauer has worked on education for some thirty years, the number of school age children may not have been a million children strong thirty years ago, but it must be fairly close, because of the kids of the baby-boomers--in fact, just the baby-boomers generation itself. Think of it Senator Bauer, your policies in terms of education, in terms of the Learning Assistance Program, reducing class sizes, emphasis on reading, scholarship programs. You really touched close to thirty million--thirty million--residents--school aged children in the state of Washington. How many of us will ever have that legacy that we can point to--thirty million kids?

      “I think, as Senator Oke indicated, you have a strong affection, an allegiance to the military of our great state, of our great country. You interrupted your high school career to join the military; then you pursued your education upon your returning from the military. I think that is why you have embraced so many policies that are akin to our version of the GI Bill, always trying to make sure that people can go back to school and finish their education--go on to college. You have first hand knowledge of the benefits of that education and what it does for our society. You just have done so much in a gentlemanly way, in such a soft-spoken way, and for that I appreciate it as a former member of the Legislature and as Governor and as a parent now.

      “I thank you for what you have established in making education a paramount duty of our state. So much of what I am doing now is just trying to build on the foundation that you have established and to continue that legacy that you set forth in motion. Thank you in behalf of all the children and now the adults of our great state of Washington. Thank you very much.”

.

      Senators Rossi, McAuliffe, Shin, Hochstatter, Heavey, Winsley, Haugen, Benton, Franklin, Wojahn and Thibaudeau continued to speak to Senate Resolution 2000-8763.

REMARKS BY SENATOR BAUER

      Senator Al Bauer: “Thank you. I wonder if I could have an amendment to the resolution. My wife tells me that we have been married forty-seven years instead of forty-six. Thank you Mr. President, Governor, Senators, friends, citizens, family for the opportunity you gave me to serve you here in Olympia for thirty years. I would never have time here this evening, and you wouldn’t allow me, to express all the gratitude I have for staff, for the House of Representatives, the Governor’s office--all the people that we work with, including all those citizens that come here everyday to make the pitch that assist us in doing the right thing for them.

      “Special thanks to my family, my wife. For thirty years--I didn’t realize it until just recently that I had been gone thirty years--almost a half a year for all those thirty years away from home. In addition to that, at one time we had a little cattle ranch over in Eastern Washington, and when I left here, I would saddle up and go over there and spend all summer over there, while my family was in Vancouver. In October, we would move the cattle back to Pasco and then I would come home for a few months and then come back up here. It has been difficult for them and I apologize that I didn’t take my daughters and my son and grandchildren to the mountains to ski, the ocean to dig clams, because I always had some other kind of priority. If it wasn’t working on the farm, it was to get back here.

      “When I say special thanks to the citizens of the state of Washington, you know they elected everyone of you. Your constituents decided you were the best person for this job. No matter what your politics are and how serious you are about that, and how you conduct yourself those citizens said, ‘you are the best; we want you down there representing us.’ Really, I think sometimes I feel guilty that I have not respected that other view as much as I should. Not that I had to agree with that view, but to respect that person that has been projecting that view. I can remember being so mad at some legislator for killing my bill or whatever and we got into some real battles--all of you have had that experience. But, the next day, you were together on a bill and you were the best of buddies and you couldn’t say enough good things about that person.

      “I want to mention the staff. In 1973, Lenny Sawyer in the House developed a new staffing system where the staff would be here the year round and helped us have some institutional memory. Where before, the staff went home and there was a void there and very little interim committee work and then we would all come back and we would all be starting over again, so to speak. He created that staff and implemented it also and those staff members are so important to all of us. I can’t believe that we could all function now days without them--in the manner in the time it takes to study the issues to be prepared and all that.

      “I want to mention just one staff member and there are so many that I would like to mention. But, I have to mention just one. At one time when I was doing some strawberries out there on the farm and I ran out of strawberry flats for the cannery, so I went over to the neighbors to get some flats. Here was about a fifteen year old boy on a truck loading strawberries like a grown man and I borrowed some flats. In later years, that fifteen year old boy was a student at Columbia River High School and later that boy went to the Army Academy and came to the Legislature and was a leader in the House-- majority leader--and later was Chief of Staff for the Governor and now he has created a major improvement for the people of the state of Washington in developing TVW. That is Denny Heck--my dear friend Denny Heck.

      “With that I want to say thanks ever so much and with that I regret that I didn’t have or take enough time to come around to each and every one of you and express my appreciation for your loving spirit, your dedication to the state of Washington and to the people of the state of Washington. God Bless You!”

INTRODUCTION OF SPECIAL GUESTS

      The President introduced Mrs. Bauer, who was seated on the rostrum and the family of Senator Bauer, who were seated in gallery.

      The Committee of Honor escorted Senator Bauer to his seat in the Senate Chamber.

MOTION

      At 4:14 p.m., on motion of Senator Betti Sheldon, the Senate was declared to be at ease.

      The Senate was called to order at 4:50 p.m. by President Owen.

MOTION

      On motion of Senator Betti Sheldon, the Senate reverted to the sixth order of business.

SECOND READING

CONFIRMATION OF GUBERNATORIAL APPOINTMENTS

MOTION

      On motion of Senator Snyder, Gubernatorial Appointment No. 9324, Donna DeJarnatt, as a member of the Board of Trustees for Lower Columbia Community College District No. 13, was confirmed.

APPOINTMENT OF DONNA DeJARNATT

      The Secretary called the roll. The appointment was confirmed by the following vote: Yeas, 44; Nays, 0; Absent, 4; Excused, 1.

     Voting yea: Senators Benton, Brown, Costa, Deccio, Fairley, Finkbeiner, Franklin, Fraser, Gardner, Goings, Hale, Haugen, Heavey, Hochstatter, Honeyford, Horn, Jacobsen, Johnson, Kline, Kohl-Welles, Long, Loveland, McAuliffe, McDonald, Morton, Oke, Patterson, Prentice, Rasmussen, Roach, Rossi, Sheahan, Sheldon, B., Sheldon, T., Shin, Snyder, Spanel, Stevens, Swecker, Thibaudeau, West, Winsley, Wojahn and Zarelli - 44.

     Absent: Senators Bauer, Eide, Hargrove and McCaslin - 4.

     Excused: Senator Sellar - 1.

SECOND READING

      SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL NO. 2460, by House Committee on Economic Development, Housing and Trade (originally sponsored by: Representatives Gombosky, D. Sommers, Veloria, Lovick, Kessler, Kenney, Conway, Ogden, Murray, Schual-Berke, Stensen, Edmonds, Santos, Lantz, Linville, Wood and Benson)

Addressing economic revitalization.

      The bill was read the second time.

MOTION

      On motion of Senator Brown, the following Committee on Ways and Means striking amendment was adopted:

      Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

       "NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that:

       (a) There are geographic areas within communities that are characterized by a lack of employment opportunities, an average income level that is below the median income level for the surrounding community, a lack of affordable housing, deteriorating infrastructure, and a lack of facilities for community services, job training, and education;

       (b) Strategies to encourage reinvestment in these areas by assisting local businesses to become stronger and area residents to gain economic power involve a variety of activities and partnerships;

       (c) Reinvestment in these areas cannot be accomplished with only governmental resources and require a comprehensive approach that integrates various incentives, programs, and initiatives to meet the economic, physical, and social needs of the area;

       (d) Successful reinvestment depends on a local government's ability to coordinate public resources in a cohesive, comprehensive strategy that is designed to leverage long-term private investment in an area;

       (e) Reinvestment can strengthen the overall tax base through increased tax revenue from expanded and new business activities and physical property improvement;

       (f) Local governments, in cooperation with area residents, can provide leadership as well as planning and coordination of resources and necessary supportive services to address reinvestment in the area; and

       (g) It is in the public interest to adopt a targeted approach to revitalization and enlist the resources of all levels of government, the private sector, community-based organizations, and community residents to revitalize an area.

       (2) The legislature declares that the purposes of the community empowerment zone act are to:

       (a) Encourage reinvestment through strong partnerships and cooperation between all levels of government, community-based organizations, area residents, and the private sector;

       (b) Involve the private sector and stimulate private reinvestment through the judicious use of public resources;

       (c) Target governmental resources to those areas of greatest need; and

       (d) Include all levels of government, community individuals, organizations, and the private sector in the policy-making process.

       NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

       (1) "Area" means a geographic area within a local government that is described by a close perimeter boundary.

       (2) "Community empowerment zone" means an area meeting the requirements of RCW 43.63A.700 (as recodified by this act) and officially designated by the director.

       (3) "Department" means the department of community, trade, and economic development.

       (4) "Director" means the director of the department of community, trade, and economic development.

       (5) "Local government" means a city, code city, town, or county.

       Sec. 3. RCW 43.63A.700 and 1994 sp.s. c 7 s 702 are each amended to read as follows: