Key Bills Move as Legislature Enters Last Scheduled Week of Session

Several key bills of interest to you moved in committee over the weekend as the Legislature enters its final week of the scheduled 105-day session.

Whether lawmakers can wrap up work on the crisis budget and other legislation remains to be seen. If not, they’re headed for a special session (or series of special sessions).

One bill that did not move is the measure allowing closure of all residential habilitation centers, including Yakima Valley School, Frances Haddon Morgan Center, Rainier School, Fircrest School and Lakeland Village.

The fact that SB 6182 did not move out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee may be an indication that legislative leaders of both parties are having second thoughts.

As you recall, the House budget keeps Yakima Valley School open, but the Senate budget would close it as well as fund a study closing Frances Haddon Morgan Center.

At Saturday’s hearing on SB 6182, Federation Lobbyist Matt Zuvich said giving DSHS sole discretion to keep RHCs open or not goes too far.

“We believe in the continuum of care, we believe that people need to be in the community as well as in more structured and a more helpful place and we believe that RHCs certainly have a place in that continuum of care and that if we eliminate them, we believe we’re hurting that continuum,” Zuvich testified.