What's up this week in the Legislature

It’s a busy week ahead in the Legislature with just two weeks to go before the first deadline for bills to get out of committee. 

We hope the good bills do and the bad bills don’t. More on that later. 

Before we list some of this week’s key actions, a call to action to support our members in the Special Commitment Center and Secure Community Transitional Facilities. These members watch over civilly committed sexual predators – and is therefore one of the most important jobs in this state when it comes to public safety. 

But a bill that’s passed the House Ways and Means Committee would cut staffing levels in the Secure Community Transitional Facilities, which are basically satellites of the Special Commitment Center. 

House Bill 1247 is now in the House Rules Committee waiting to be scheduled for a vote of the full House.

CALL TO ACTION ON HB 1247:  Call your two House members at 1-800-562-6000. Tell them to oppose House Bill 1247. The staff cuts in Secure Community Transitional Facilities will harm public safety.

KEY EVENTS THIS WEEK

• Federation members are in town just about every day to lobby legislators. But today members in the Basic Health Plan will concentrate their efforts to save that program and jobs. Thursday, Department of Information Services members have their concentrated lobby day.

• And don’t forget to sign up for Presidents’ Day Lobby Day and Rotunda Event, Monday, Feb. 21. That’s also the first WFSE/AFSCME Higher Education Lobby Day of the session. To register, call 1-800-562-6000 or go online to wfse.org.

MONDAY, FEB. 7:

• The House State Government and Tribal Affairs Committee takes up HB 1720, one of the governor’s agency merger bills. HB 1720 would abolish the Department of General Administration and Department of Personnel and merge theirs and other functions into a new Department of Enterprise Services.

• The House Ways and Means Committee takes up HB 1742, the governor’s bill to end the earlier or “alternative” retirement options for those hired after July 1, 2011.

• The Senate Ways and Means Committee holds a work session and public hearing on natural resources issues, perhaps including the governor’s merger plan.

TUESDAY, FEB. 8:

• The House Labor and Workforce Development Committee takes up HB 1736, the Federation’s bill granting binding arbitration rights to campus police.

• The Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee takes up SB 5513 requiring that Child Protective Services workers be licensed.

• The House General Government Appropriations Committee looks at the Department of Information Services, including the governor’s plan to create a new charter agency (Consolidated Technology Services) and chief information officer.

• The House Education Appropriations Committee looks at state four-year institutions.

• The House Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee looks at the DSHS Economic Services Administration.

• The House Ways and Means Committee takes up DSHS Mental Health programs.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 9:

• The House Labor and Workforce Development Committee holds a public hearing on HB 1291, the Federation-backed bill granting binding arbitration rights to Community Corrections and juvenile rehabilitation staffers.

• The Senate Labor, Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee holds a public hearing on SB 5368, the Federation-backed bill granting binding arbitration rights to Community Corrections and juvenile rehabilitation staffers.

• The House Judiciary Committee holds a public hearing on HB 1679, limiting government liability for supervision of offenders, a bill of keen interest to our Corrections members.

• The Senate Natural Resources and Marine Waters Committee takes up SB 5529 regarding hydraulic project approval.

• The House Ways and Means Committee looks at two key programs affecting DSHS members, the Division of Developmental Disabilities and the Special Commitment Center.

• The Senate Ways and Means Committee holds a work session and public hearing on pension and compensation issues.

THURSDAY, FEB. 10:

• The Senate Natural Resources and Marine Waters Committee holds a public hearing on SB 5669, the governor’s proposed merger of natural resource agencies.

• The Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee takes up SB 5605 limiting liability for specified state workers for errors of judgment.

• The House General Government Appropriations Committee holds a work session and public hearing on Department of Fish and Wildlife issues.

• The House Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee holds a work session developmental disabilities programs.