SB 5404 would allow sunscreen in schools, school-related activities and summer camps. Students must currently obtain a note from a doctor or a prescription in order to use sunscreen in schools as it is categorized as a “drug product.” The bill has passed the House and will now be considered in the Senate.

SB 5438 would remove the long permit process for agencies working through the State Environmental Policy Act. The process would be required to take less than two years so that projects don’t miss their window of opportunity. The Millennium Bulk Terminals coal export project has been under review for a permit for five years and is not expected to be approved until July.

Legislation to create a Washington Tourism Marketing Authority is being considered. Washington is the only state without a tourism marketing program, but two bills in Olympia would change that by diverting 0.1 percent of retail sales tax to tourism. The tax would only come from sales taxes related to lodging, car rentals and restaurants and would have a ceiling of $5 million.

An 111-page report about Western State Hospital has been released, detailing their problems. A little over half of the staff feel safe at the hospital, with nurses and patients alike reporting assaults and injuries obtained while they have been staying in the hospital. The Department of Social and Health Services is working with the federal government to help get the hospital back on track through a 13-month improvement program.

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