Legislative Updates
Legislative Update
by Abbie Zulock on May 6, 2021
The historic legislative session of 2021 has come to an end! The WA State Legislature has been working remotely which has made their work much more challenging. That said - they avoided COVID-19 spreading in the people’s house, all while maintaining relatively easy access to the legislative process for the public. Given that the WA State...
Read MoreSession Wraps Up With Priority Bills on Their Way to the Governor
by Council 2 Staff on March 12, 2020The 60 day Legislative Session ended on the 12th with your Union’s priority bills being delivered to Governor Inslee for his signature.
HB 1888 – Protecting Employee Privacy
Our main...
Read MoreHB 1888 Employee Privacy Bill Moves Forward
by Council 2 Staff on March 2, 2020Your Union’s effort to prevent the disclosure of public employee birthdates and personal photos continues to advance through the Legislative process. In fact, it’s gaining strength. The bill...
Read MoreGood News on Priority Bill HB 1888 - Protecting Employee Privacy
by Council 2 Staff on February 18, 2020On Friday, February 14th, HB 1888 was passed by the House of Representation on a strong bipartisan vote, 91 Yes - 7 No. In short, the bill expands the current protections that Law Enforcement...
Read MoreFebruary 2020 Legislative Report
by Council 2 Staff on February 3, 2020The scheduled 60 day “Short” Legislative Session is off to a fast start with over 2,500 bills introduced for consideration.
Your Union has been engaged in legislation that affects your...
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Make a New Year's Resolution to Call Your Legislator
by Council 2 Staff on January 13, 2020Tell them to Help Protect Your Privacy Support HB 1888
As you may have heard, the Washington Supreme Court recently ruled that yet another piece of your private information can be released...
Read MoreBanner Year in Legislature
by Council 2 Deputy Director J. Pat Thompson on May 2, 2019As this session wrapped up this year, we are happy to report that several measures important to our members are on their way to becoming law. Nearly 100 members went to the Capital this year and...
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Spring Legislative Report
by Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson on April 3, 2019A little spring snow storm didn’t stop nearly a hundred Council 2 members from making their way to the Capital March 8th. This year all the action was on the floor in both the House and the Senate...
Read MoreThe 2019 Legislative Session is Underway
by Council 2 Deputy Director J. Pat Thompson on February 13, 2019This year’s Legislative Session began on Monday, January 14th and a slew of Bills have been introduced that affect public employees.
Among the Bills your Union is following include:
HB 1575 / SB...
Read MoreApril Legislative Report
by Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson on April 10, 2018The Governor has taken action on most bills that were passed by the Legislature. Among the bills signed into law were:
Engrossed Senate Bill 6229. New Employee Orientation: This measure requires...
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Lobby Day 2018
by Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson on February 23, 2018Nearly one hundred Council 2 members took their own time to lobby their Legislators on behalf of your Union. Armed with written material, they met with State Senators and Representatives to...
Read More60 Day “Short” Legislative Session
by Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson on January 29, 2018The 2018 60 day “Short” Legislative Session began on January 8th with a 1 seat Senate Democratic Majority, the first in 5 years. Council 2’s endorsed candidate in the 45th District (Manka Dhingra)...
Read More“House of Origin” Cutoff Halfway Point
by Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson on March 15, 2017The first major cutoff for most bills passed on March 8th. Senate Bills were supposed to be passed by the full Senate and House Bills were supposed to be passed by the full House. There are...
Read More2017 Legislative Priorities: “Home is Where the Heart Is” and Where the Work Gets Done!
by Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson on March 6, 2017Legislative Town Halls:
As we are about half way through the Legislative Session, several lawmakers are coming back home to hold Town Hall meetings with their constituents. They need to hear...
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Calls and E-Mails Needed
by Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson on February 24, 2017Two of our Union’s Priority Legislative issues need your help:1% Property Tax Cap & HB 1764
The bi partisan effort to scrap Tim Eyman’s arbitrary 1% cap on property tax had successful hearings...
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Taking It To “The Hill”
by Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson on February 3, 2017Nearly 100 Council 2 members took to “The Hill” to advocate for critical funding to address the needs of Local Government in our communities. Topping the list of priority bills is HB 1764 which...
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Special Session Ends
by Pat Thompson on April 6, 2016In yet another Special Session called on account of the House and Senate failing to reach a budget agreement in the Regular Session, a deal was finally reached on Tuesday, March 29th.
...
Read More“House of Origin” Cutoff Leaves 2 Priority Bills Behind
by Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson on February 19, 2016(Despite Strong Bi Partisan Support)
All House Bills needed to be voted out of the House and all Senate Bills need to be voted out of the Senate by 5 pm on Wednesday February 17th....
Read MorePublic Records Issue Brief
by Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson on January 1, 2016The 60 day “short” session began on January 11th under the cloud of the McCleary Decision that seeks full funding of our state’s education system. The Supreme Court has held the...
Read MoreCity Liquor Revenue Issue Brief
by Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson on January 1, 2016Ensure sufficient and flexible revenue for essential city services
HB 2438
Sponsors: Representatives Nealey, Reykdal, Wylie, Vick, Orcutt, Senn, Wilcox, Kirby, Condotta, Hudgins, Stokesbary,...
Read More“Short” Session Underway
by Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson on January 1, 2016The 60 day “short” session began on January 11th under the cloud of the McCleary Decision that seeks full funding of our state’s education system. The Supreme Court has held the...
Read MoreRegular Session Ends Early (With No Budget)
by Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson on May 1, 2015The regular session was scheduled to adjourn or “sine die” on Sunday, April 26th. But with no budget agreement in sight, lawmakers closed up shop on Friday with the Governor’s call to bring them...
Read MoreBudget Negotiations Begin
by Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson on April 7, 2015Both the House and the Senate planned on passing their respective budgets on the same day, something that’s never been done before. The Democratic controlled House finished their business and...
Read MoreFirst Major
by Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson on March 23, 2015The Legislature is designed around various cutoff dates. At a minimum all bills face at least seven hurdles before they become law. Each hurdle has a deadline attached to it. The first major...
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Legislative Session Off And Running
by Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson on February 13, 2015As the fifth week of the Legislative Session comes to a close, over 2,000 Bills have been introduced. Many of these are “Message” Bills and may not even see a hearing, others are moving through...
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Supreme Court Decision: PERS 2 Early Retirement Factors Survive
by Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson on August 18, 2014Report #5 August 18, 2014
In a much anticipated ruling, the Supreme Court has overturned the lower Court’s opinion and upheld a law passed in 2007 which repealed “Gainsharing” and lowered the...
Read MoreLEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Final Stretch
by anonymous on March 5, 2014Report #3 March 4, 2014
FINAL STRETCH
As the 60 day session draws to a close it appears that the worst threats are behind us. The list of bad bills that were featured in the last report...
Read MoreLegislative Update Winter 2014
by Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson on February 13, 2014Legislative Report
The 2014 60 day session continues to threaten the working class families of Washington State. The Majority in control of the Senate is hell bent on advancing attacks on...
Read MoreGain-sharing lawsuit threatens Early Retirement Factors (ERFs)
by Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson on August 12, 2013The final step in the year’s long battle over the repeal of gain-sharing will begin on October 24 when the Supreme Court hears oral arguments. To recap, gain-sharing was a provision (gimmick) in...
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