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Grading the 2009 legislative
session
As high
schools hold their graduations, I began thinking about what grade I
would give the 2009 legislative session that concluded in April. I’ve
settled on a “C,” with “needs improvement.
Let me start with a
fact that sometimes surprises people. A vast majority of bills that pass
the Legislature do so with strong, bipartisan support. It’s the 10
percent or so that don’t we often hear about. Let’s look at some of this
legislation.
The Legislature passed a few good measures that
will help employers. House Bill 2204 establishes unemployment insurance
conformity and employer tax corrections. And House Bill 1730 helps small
businesses understand and comply with state agency rules and regulations
through the office of regulatory assistance. I sponsored legislation
that would have reduced regulatory burdens on Washington businesses, but
it died.
In health care, there’s room for improvement. I
supported measures that would have provided access to out-of-state
health carriers, allowed health carriers to design plans for young
adults ages 19 to 34, and reformed the state's Basic Health Plan.
Unfortunately, they were not allowed to move forward. One measure I
prime sponsored, however, did pass. House Bill 1869 requires the
disclosure of all charges for care services by health care providers and
licensed facilities, at the request of the patient. This provides
transparency and better information on the cost and quality of health
care.
For the two-year operating budget, state lawmakers needed
to bridge a $9 billion gap. As assistant ranking Republican on the House
Ways and Means Committee, I advocated for prioritizing state government,
budget reform, and no tax increases. The good news is proposals to
increase the state sales tax and establish a new state income tax were
defeated. The bad news is the state did not make any significant changes
in the way it delivers services or enact necessary budget reforms. The
final budget is reliant on one-time federal dollars, raids accounts
dedicated to community development and school construction, and borrows
against our future. This ensures our state will face serious budget
problems down the road.
If Washington is going to reach its full
potential, it will need to align spending with revenue, restructure some
of its services, and create a business climate that allows employers to
grow. While a lot of work remains to be done, I’m hopeful I can give the
2010 legislative session an “A” next year.
Representative Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor, serves the 10th Legislative
District. She is the ranking Republican on the House Financial
Institutions and Insurance Committee, and former ranking Republican on
the House Community and Economic Development and Trade Committee.
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For more information, contact:
John
Handy, Assistant Director: (360) 786-5758
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