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2004 session ends with mixed
results
The 2004 Legislature took
steps toward improving the state’s business climate and addressing
important education and public safety issues, but missed a critical
opportunity to make health insurance more affordable,
Rep. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor, said today. The 2004 legislative session ended at
midnight Thursday.
Bailey outlined the
Legislature’s major accomplishments, including passing tax incentives to
entice high-tech businesses to locate and expand in Washington and
toughening penalties for sex offenders who prey on children. She also
praised lawmakers for passing legislation that will curb fraud in the
state’s workers’ compensation program and help kids struggling to pass
the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) test.
“We did accomplish some things this session that will help create jobs,
bolster our struggling economy and improve our schools,” said Bailey.
“But we should have been even bolder when it came to reforms that would
make our state more attractive to employers and make health insurance
more affordable. Those critical areas were nothing but disappointments.”
The ranking Republican on
the House Health Care Committee, Bailey was a strong advocate for
legislation that added the flexibility to state health care regulations
necessary to create health insurance plans that are affordable for small
employers to offer their employees.
Bailey was discouraged that on the session’s final day, Democrat leaders
in the House refused to agree with reforms approved by the Senate, and
instead insisted on watering down the legislation to the point where it
will do little to improve the health insurance market.
“We had a real chance to pass meaningful reforms that would create
affordable insurance for the 75,000 Washingtonians who work for small
employers and can’t afford coverage,” explained Bailey. “But in the end,
the bill that passed won’t provide the flexibility necessary to create
health plans that are affordable for small employers and their
employees.”
Bailey was also disappointed that lawmakers couldn’t reach agreement on
reforms for Washington’s civil justice system.
“Rising malpractice insurance rates are forcing doctors in our area to
leave the state, retire or close their doors, and we did virtually
nothing to address that major problem,” Bailey said. “We need to address
this growing crisis soon.
“Overall, for a 60-day session, we got some good things done,” Bailey
concluded. “But it was within our reach to accomplish so much more. It
was mixed results. Hopefully, we can come back next year and address
these other important issues effectively.”
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For more information, contact:
John
Handy, Assistant Director: (360) 786-5758
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