This evening the Senate took action on two capital related bills.

The Senate passed  House Bill 2561 -a.k.a. Jobs Creation Act or Dunshee’s Job Bill – with a vote of 28 to 18.

House Bill 2561 requires a ballot measure be sent to voters to authorize the issuance of $505 million in bonds to finance an array of energy efficiency improvements to public schools and buildings on public college and university campuses.

The bonds for the improvements would be funded by making permanent the proposed tax on bottled water after three years.

House Bill 2561 now goes back to the House for concurrence.

The Senate also took action on House Bill 1690 with a vote of 40-5.  House Bill 1690 clarifies that, unless otherwise specifically provided for in law, public bodies that want to use an alternative public works contracting procedure, may use only those procedures specifically authorized in chapter 39.10 RCW.

The Senate amended HB 1690 in several ways.

• Removes direction given to the University of Washington Board of Regents to receive approval from the Capital Projects Advisory Review Board (CPARB) prior to adopting new alternative public works contracting methods.
• Removes the authority of CPARB to approve demonstration projects and submit reports.
• Clarifies that all housing authorities are subject to the provisions of Chapter 39.10 RCW; except where alternative requirements or procedures of federal law or federal regulation are authorized.
• Clarifies that prevailing wage requirements (Chapter 39.12 RCW) apply to housing authority public works projects unless specifically preempted by federal law or regulation.

House Bill 1690 now goes back to the House for concurrence.