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2009 Legislative session -
Wins and losses
By Rep. Dan
Kristiansen
The 2009 legislative
session adjourned April 26. Although the governor may call the
Legislature into special session, it's time to look back at the regular
session with my annual thumbs-up/thumbs down list.
 Thumbs
up: Eryk's Law -
HB 2279
Named after a Lake Stevens boy who was nearly beaten to death by a
family friend who was babysitting him, this measure prohibits convicted
child abusers from working with children under the age of 13 in a paid
or volunteer capacity.
 Thumbs
down: Felon voting rights -
HB 1517
Gives felons voting rights once they have been released from jail, but
before they have paid restitution and court fees.
Thumbs
up: College textbooks -
HB 1025
Requires college-affiliated bookstores to provide a four-week advance
notice of course material requirements, giving students additional time
to find the best price of the books and instructional materials they
need.
Thumbs
down: Tuition increases -
SB 5734
Removes the 7 percent annual limit in tuition increases. It's expected
the four-year universities will now hike tuition by 30 percent over the
next two years. That's an additional $601 at Western Washington
University.
Thumbs
up: Farm structures permitting -
SB 5120
Reduces permitting fees on agriculture structures
Thumbs
down: Fee increases (numerous bills)
New fees totaling $371 million were added, including a vehicle license
tab "opt-out" box if you don't want to pay an additional $5 for parks,
an increase in the costs of document recording fees from $10 to $30, and
new recreational hunting and fishing license surcharges.
Thumbs
up: Farm tax exemptions -
HB 1733
Adds horse boarding to open space property tax exemptions.
Thumbs
down: Operating budget -
HB 1244
Punts hard decisions to the future. The budget uses $4.8 billion in
one-time money for on-going programs, and spends more than the last
one. It transfers $777 million from the capital budget and adds $8
million in new programs. Consequently, this sets up Washington for
another huge deficit when the next budget is written in 2011.
Thumbs
up: Right to grow and harvest -
SB 5562
Provides protection under the state's "Right to Farm" laws for the
passive growing of timber.
Biggest
thumbs down - Levy equalization cuts -
HB 1776
The Legislature had sufficient time in 105 days to complete its
business. Now the governor is considering an $18,000 a day special
session to slash levy equalization funds for non-affluent school
districts. House Bill 1776 is a reverse Robin Hood measure that would rob from
land-poor school districts to give to rich districts. The bill would
allow schools to lift their property tax levy lids by 4 percent, helping
mostly property-rich districts. It cuts $60 million from levy
equalization, money sent from the state to local districts with too
little valuable property to tax. If this bill passes, Sedro-Woolley
schools could lose $338,922. I will be fighting hard against this bill,
to protect teaching positions and ensure the same quality education in
Sedro-Woolley as in wealthier school districts.
These are a sampling of
the bills that have passed. For a full thumbs up/thumbs down list, go to
my Web site at:
www.houserepublicans.wa.gov/Kristiansen and click on
2009 Best and
Worst Bills.
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EDITOR'S NOTE:
State Rep. Dan Kristiansen, R-Snohomish,
represents the 39th Legislative District, and also serves as chairman of
the Washington House Republican Caucus. He can be contacted at (360)
786-7967 or from his Web site at:
www.houserepublicans.wa.gov/Kristiansen.
For more information, contact:
John
Sattgast, Senior Information Officer: (360) 786-7257
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