“It just seems like a very weird choice…to say that the only way to see property tax relief at a time when we’ve got billions in additional revenue is if we raise more taxes,” Sen. Joe Fain (R-Auburn) said to John Carlson on 570 KVI yesterday. Fain was hitting back at a Democratic proposal that would lower property taxes in the future but enact a capital gains income tax now. Fain also reminded listeners, “The urgent need is now – and the only plan that’s out there that provides [property tax] relief in 2018 is the Senate Republican plan, which would be the full amount of the spike this year.” Listen to the full interview for a breakdown of property tax relief proposals in Olympia. (570 KVI)

Rep. David Sawyer (D-Parkland) is under review for engaging in inappropriate behavior, which a spokesperson for the Democratic House Caucus confirmed involved a woman. House officials are reviewing the allegation and House Majority Leader Pat Sullivan (D-Covington) said he has “restricted [Sawyer’s] contact with staff” but said his “understanding of the allegation is that it is not sexual in nature.” (The News Tribune)

The former foster son of resigned Seattle mayor Ed Murray filed a $1 million claim against the city. Jeff Simpson is alleging negligence and defamation in his suit “to help me with closure and to vindicate my name.” The city is on the hook, his lawyer asserts, because Seattle enabled Murray and his associates “to use and abuse the full might and power of Murray’s position to wage a full-fledged campaign of disparagement and slander against Mr. Simpson and other survivors who came forward.” (The Seattle Times)

The reward for information regarding the murder of federal prosecutor Tom Wales in Seattle is now $1.5 million. “Any attack on a law-enforcement officer is an attack on the entire justice system…We will not rest until it is completely solved,” said Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein from the U.S. Justice Department at a press conference in Seattle. (The Seattle Times)

Retooling the paper mill in Port Angeles has been put on hold by McKinley Paper Co., which bought the mill almost a year ago. The vice president of the company said they are “taking it a day at a time” and that they “don’t have anything specific” in mind for a start date. (Peninsula Daily News)

The City of Everett is appealing after a federal judge ruled in favor of bikini barista stands. The judge granted an injunction that prevents the city from enforcing a new dress code ordinance that restricts bare skin. (The Spokesman-Review)

State officials are seeking a settlement in the federal court case that has fined Washington nearly $50 million for not providing more timely care to mentally ill defendants. Advocacy director for Disability Rights Washington, David Carlson, said that the settlement may bring bigger change. “This is the most significant opportunity to transform our mental health system that we have had, and that I can foresee.” (The News Tribune)

A Lewis County District Court judge denied a no-contact order against members of a group calling themselves Citizens for Honest Government, who are allegedly harassing former Centralia City Councilmember John Elmore. “That doesn’t draw the line in the sand and say everything going forward is free game now…If you have contact in the future with Mr. Elmore, he can refile a petition,” Judge R.W. Buzzard said. (The Centralia Chronicle)

Radioactive contamination was found in cars at Hanford that had previously been declared clean. “Even if the radioactive dust particles we’ve found are microscopic, they could still affect people’s health,” said Tom Carpenter, executive director of Hanford Challenge. (The Seattle Times)

WSU’s administration has yet to find a solution to the university’s $30-million deficit. “We’re working very diligently to help colleges and organizations make this turn around to be more fiscally healthy, but it is going to take time,” Stacy Pearson, vice president for finance and administration said. (The Daily Evergreen)

The Chelan City Council put a moratorium on new Bitcoin mining for the next six months. Chelan Mayor Mike Cooney said, “I stated [cryptocurrency mining] was a grand misuse of [electrical] power.” (Wenatchee World)

Enacting a capital gains tax | HB 2967 | passed through House Finance Committee | “I strongly disagree with the House’s plan to raise taxes when the state just received the largest revenue forecast increase in a decade,” said Braun (R-Centralia). (The Seattle Times)

Concerning records disclosure obligations of the legislative branch | SB 6617 | Responding to a court ruling that legislators’ records are subject to the Public Disclosure Act, this bill from Sens. Sharon Nelson (D-Maury Island) and Mark Schoesler (R-Ritzville) “seeks to make some of their records public but would retroactively prohibit the release of other records being sought by a coalition of news organizations.” (Associated Press)

Labor & Workplace Standards (House)

Establishing the prevailing rate of wage based on collective bargaining agreements or other methods if collective bargaining agreements are not available | SSB 5493

Encouraging fairness in disciplinary actions of peace officers | SB 6188

 

Public Safety (House)

Creating a pilot program for the supervision of motor vehicle-related felonies | SB 5539

Concerning electronic monitoring of domestic violence perpetrators | SB 6292

 

Higher Education & Workforce Development (Senate)

Adding a faculty member to the board of regents at the research universities | HB 1437

Creating a rural county jobs program | E2SHB 2177

 

Education (House)

Preventing harassment, intimidation, bullying, and discrimination in public schools | SSB 5766

Modifying provisions on second grade reading assessments | SSB 6132

 

Law & Justice (Senate)

Making felony sex offenses a crime that may be prosecuted at any time after its commission | ESHB 1155

Concerning concealed pistol license eligibility requirements | EHB 2519

 

Energy, Environment & Technology (Senate)

Concerning the use of unmanned aerial systems near certain protected marine species | EHB 1031

Amending state greenhouse gas emission limits for consistency with the most recent assessment of climate change science | E3SHB 1144

 

Health & Long Term Care (Senate)

Concerning the licensure and certification of massage therapists and reflexologists | SHB 2291

Concerning evacuation of adult family homes | HB 2344

 

State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections (Senate)

Concerning records disclosure obligations of the legislative branch | SB 6617

 

Judiciary (House)

Concerning freedom of expression rights of students at public schools and institutions of higher education | SSB 5064

Granting relatives, including but not limited to grandparents, the right to seek visitation with a child through the courts | SB 5598

Concerning child support, but only including a parent’s obligation to provide medical support, use of electronic funds transfers, notice of noncompliance, adoption of the economic table recommended by the child support work group, and references to the federal poverty level in self-support reserve limitations | SSB 6334

Regulating body worn cameras | SB 6408

Concerning the statute of limitations for unfair labor practice complaints filed in superior court | SB 6231

Enacting the employee reproductive choice act | SSB 6102

 

Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks (Senate)

Ensuring the competitiveness of Washington state’s fishing and seafood processing industries by supporting the recapitalization of fishing fleets through certain tax preferences | SHB 1154

Reducing escape of nonnative finfish from marine finfish aquaculture facilities | EHB 2957

Exempting certain mobile food units from state and local regulations pertaining to commissaries or servicing areas | SHB 2639

 

Technology & Economic Development (House)

Enhancing consumer access, affordability, and quality of broadband and advanced telecommunications services | E2SSB 5935

Concerning net metering | ESSB 6081

 

Early Learning & K-12 Education (Senate)

Increasing the career and college readiness of public school students | E2SHB 1600

Promoting the use of expert volunteers in career and technical education courses offered in grades seven and eight | HB 2641

Concerning the Washington history day program | SHB 2288

 

Transportation (Senate)

Concerning the use of child passenger restraint systems | SHB 1188

Concerning worker safety on roadways and roadsides | HB 2087

Concerning the responsibilities for state routes in cities or towns | EHB 2948

Concerning vehicle dealer licensing | EHB 2808

 

Finance (House)

Transferring nine hundred ninety-five million eight hundred two thousand dollars from the budget stabilization account to the state general fund to offset the revenue impact of reducing the combined rate for state property tax levies to 2.365 dollars per thousand dollars of assessed value for taxes levied for collection in calendar year 2019 and to two dollars and thirty cents per thousand dollars of assessed value for taxes levied for collection in calendar year 2020 | HB 2993

Increasing tax exemption transparency and accountability | ESSB 5513

 

Ways & Means (Senate)

Concerning the age of individuals at which sale or distribution of tobacco and vapor products may be made | SSB 6048

Correcting the use tax exemption for self-produced fuel | SHB 2424

Increasing the personal needs allowance for people in residential and institutional care settings | SHB 2651

 

Human Services & Corrections (Senate)

Modernizing substance use disorder professional practice | 2ESHB 1340

Establishing the legislative-executive WorkFirst poverty reduction oversight task force | E3SHB 1482

Providing the list of foster parent rights and responsibilities to prospective and current foster parents | HB 2785

 

Judiciary (House)

Clarifying that court hearings under the involuntary commitment act may be conducted by video | SSB 6124

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