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Feb. 27, 2009
Dear friends and neighbors,
Since session began Jan. 12, more than one thousand
bills have been introduced in the House of
Representatives and nearly an equal number in the
Senate. For the past seven weeks, our focus has been in
the committee process where public hearings have been
held on many of these bills, followed by a vote.
Earlier this week, on Feb. 25, we reached the first major
deadline of the 2009 session -- "committee cutoff." That
was the last day for committees to consider policy bills
from their house of origin. Policy bills
that had not passed their respective House committees by
this past Wednesday are considered "dead" for the
session.
The same deadline applied to the Senate.
Fiscal bills those measures that involve money are
given five extra days for consideration in fiscal and
transportation committees. That cutoff is this coming
Monday, March 2.
So this is the week where hundreds of bills that have
failed to win committee approval are dead or dying.
In the legislative process, however, dead bills may find
new life by being amended to legislation with a similar
title that did survive cutoff.
Beginning next Tuesday, our focus will shift to the
House floor where we will be debating, amending,
approving or rejecting legislation from early morning to
late at night.
The reason for that hectic schedule is that after
Thursday, March 12, House bills not passed out of the
House, and Senate bills not passed out of the Senate, are
dead for the session. The exception to that are budget
bills which remain alive throughout the process.
In this e-newsletter, I've provided a status
report of bills I have prime-sponsored. As always, I
invite your comments and questions.
Also, please feel free to share this e-newsletter
with your friends and family. If any of them would like
to receive regular e-newsletter updates from my office,
have them go to this link and sign up:
Click here.
Thank you for the honor of allowing me
to serve you!
Sincerely,
ARMSTRONG BILL
STATUS REPORT
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House Bill 1025 COLLEGE BOOKS: |
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| This bill would require
college- and university-affiliated bookstores to
provide a four-week advance notification of
course material requirements. The measure would
give students time to find the best prices of
the books and instructional materials they need.
They may be able to order the books online and
get a price break by buying used books.
STATUS:
The House Higher Education Committee passed the
bill last Friday, Feb. 20. The measure was sent
to the House Education Committee on
Appropriations. That committee approved the bill
yesterday (Feb. 26). The measure will now be
sent to the Rules Committee and then to the
House floor for a vote.
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House Bill 1028 METHOW COMMUNICATIONS
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This bill would allow an
existing fee collected in the Methow Valley to
be used to support local police, fire, ambulance
and other emergency services.
I first introduced this bill last year at the
request of the
Methow Valley Communications
District. The measure would allow the district
to use fees they already collect to construct,
maintain and operate public safety emergency
communications for the benefit of the Methow
Valley. An annual, voluntary fee of $35 is
billed by the county to support broadcast
signals in the Methow Valley. That fee would not
increase under this bill.
STATUS:
This measure was unanimously approved by the
House of Representatives on Feb. 13. It has now
been referred to the Senate Government
Operations and Elections Committee.
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House Bill 1371 - INTERMEDIATE VEHICLE
LICENSES |
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| This measure would create
fairness for young drivers who hold intermediate
driver's licenses. Current law allows the
Department of Licensing to send an
intermediate driver's license holder a
warning letter if the person was involved in an
accident, but not at fault. Subsequent warning
letters carry license suspensions and
revocation. This bill clarifies the law so
the restrictions are limited to those who
committed a traffic infraction related to the
accident. STATUS:
The bill passed the House unanimously this past
Monday. It has been referred to the Senate
Transportation Committee. For more information
on this measure,
read my
news release.
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House Bill 1785 CHIEF FOR A DAY: |
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This measure would allow
the Washington State Patrol to partner with local law
enforcement agencies and hospitals to name chronically
ill children chief for a day.
STATUS: The bill passed
the House unanimously on Monday, and has been referred to
the Senate Transportation Committee for further
consideration.
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House Bill 1996 UNDERGROUND UTILITIES |
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| Contractors who are working on
a project want to make sure they dont hit any
underground utilities when theyre digging. So
they call before they dig and the owner of the
utilities is supposed to check to make sure the
area is clear. However, the utility owner does not always
notify the contractor. This bill simply says
they must notify the contractor when the
location of the underground facilities has been
marked.
STATUS:
The bill passed the House Technology, Energy and
Communications Committee, and is in the Rules
Committee waiting to be sent to the House
floor for a vote.
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House Bill 2197 ABOLISHING DSHS |
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This measure would
eliminate the Department of Social and Health
Services by July 1, 2011 and replace it with
four smaller departments.
DSHS has become
too big and unresponsive to the public's needs.
The state has tried to put too many governmental
functions into one super agency, and it has not
worked. The agency is difficult to administer,
costly, and it's very hard to measure whether
the department is actually meeting its goals and
responsibilities.
Although the measure has bipartisan support
with 16 Democrat and 17 Republican co-sponsors,
the governor is trying to kill the bill.
Read the Seattle Post-Intelligencer article.
STATUS: The House State Government and Tribal
Affairs Committee held a hearing and passed the
bill last Friday, Feb. 20. The bill has been
referred to the Health and Human Services
Appropriations Committee.
For more information,
read my
news release. |
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