In the early hours of April 13th, the Washington Legislature adjourned the 2010 first special session.
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Senate Passes 2010 Supplemental Capital Budget, Bill Goes to the Governor’s Desk
In the early hours of the 30th and final day of the first special session of 2010, the House concurred on the Senate’s amended version of the 2010 supplemental capital budget (HB 2836) with a vote of 61 to 36.
House Bill 2836 now goes to the Governor for her signature.
House Concurs on Alternative Public Works Bill…Now Heads to the Governor
In the late hours of the final day of special session the House concurred on the Senate’s amended version of House Bill 1690 .
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.
House Bill 1690 now goes to the Governor for her signature.
House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler Announces She Will Not Run Again
As the Washington Legislature entered the early hours of the 30th day of the first special session of 2010, Representative Lynn Kessler, the House Majority Leader, announced that she would not run again for her House seat this fall.
Representative Kessler ends her legislative career after 18 years of service to the citizens of Washington. She has been a strong advocate for women’s rights and access to an open and transparent government.
She will be greatly missed for her leadership, strength, and kindness.
House Passes Lottery Marketing Legislation
Late in the evening the House passed Senate Bill 6409, which re-brands and markets the state lottery to recognize the expanded use of lottery revenues (established in the bill) to benefit higher education financial aid programs, early learning, and economic development.
Senate Bill 6409 creates the Washington Opportunity Pathways Account. Beginning in state fiscal year 2011, all net revenues from in-state lottery games that are not otherwise dedicated to debt service on the Safeco Stadium and Qwest Field and Exhibition Center are dedicated to the new account. All net income from the multi-state lottery games, other than those dedicated to the Problem Gambling Account, are deposited into the Washington Opportunity Pathways Account rather than into the General Fund.
The Washington Opportunity Pathways Account may only be used for the following programs: recruitment of entrepreneurial researchers, innovation partnership zones, and research teams; the early childhood education and assistance program (ECEAP); the State Need Grant; the State Work Study program; College Bound Scholarships; Washington Promise Scholarships; Washington Scholars; the Washington Award for Vocational Excellence (WAVE); the Passport to College Promise; the Educational Opportunity Grant; and GET Ready for Math & Science Scholarships.
Senate Bill 6409 is also expected to provide another $15 million in lottery revenues, from re-branding and market efforts, to help offset the $2.8 billion state budget deficit.
Senate Bill 6409 now goes to the Governor for her signature.
House Concurs on Jobs Creation Act, Bill Heads to Governor
Around 11:00 pm this evening, the House concurred on the Senate’s amended version of House Bill 2561 with a vote of 59 to 38.
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 to the Governor for her signature.
Senate Passes 2010 Supplemental Capital Budget
Around 10:30 pm this evening, the Senate passed the 2010 supplemental capital budget (HB 2836) with a vote of 33 to 13.
The 2010 supplemental capital budget provides funding for some new projects as a result of savings achieved through bid savings and the recognition that some projects would not be possible this biennium allowing their appropriations to be used elsewhere.
The budget includes an additional $100 million to add to the $505 million in the Jobs Creation Act (HB 2561) passed earlier this evening.
The 2010 supplemental capital budget passed this evening is a mixed bag for Evergreen. The upside is that the budget provides $125,000 for a feasibility study of the College’s Biomass Gasification Project. This investment makes the state a partner along with Evergreen students and the College who also provided $125,000 each to the study through energy-related fees and energy-cost savings.
The capital budget also reflects the shift from the operating to the capital budget ($3.247 million) of facility maintenance and operations costs.
Finally, the capital budget places greater reliance on Evergreen’s local funds, including the school trust and a portion of student tuition.
House Bill 2836 now goes to the House for concurrence.
Senate Concurs on 2010 Operating Supplemental Budget…Budget Heads to Governor
Just after 10:00 pm the Senate concurred on the House amended version of the 2010 supplemental operating budget (SB 6444) with a vote of 25-21.
The 2010 supplemental operating budget implements a multi-pronged approach to remedying the $2.8 billion state budget shortfall this biennium. The Legislature reduced funding for state programs and services by $755 million and incorporated approximately $618 million of approved/anticipated additional federal relief to Washington State.
The budget transfers $461 million from various funds to increase General Fund-State resources. The Legislature is also expected to pass legislation that will raise $794 million in new revenues.
The impact of the 2010 supplemental budget passed by the House on Evergreen is both positive and negative. The budget secures funding for student aid while at the same time reduces the College’s budget by over $1.2 million and makes further cuts through compensation reduction related-actions.
The 2010 supplemental operating budget bill now goes to the Governor for her signature.
House Concurred on Cigarette Tax Legislation, Bill Heads to Governor
Late this evening the House concurred on the Senate amended version of House Bill 2493 – the tax increase on cigarettes and other tobacco products. The House concurred with a vote of 54-43.
House Bill 2493 raises state cigarette taxes by $1 per pack and increases taxes on other tobacco products.
House Bill 2493 now goes to the Governor for her signature.
Senate Moves Capital Related Jobs Bill and Public Works Bill
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.