January 17, 2009
Latest Bills from Olympia, Part VI

If a legislature can't sell booze, what good is it?

House Bill 1236 (classifying ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and phenylpropanolamine as schedule III controlled substances)
Introduced by Rep. Deb Wallace, (D-Vancouver) (D) on January 15, 2009, to modify rules that would the classifying of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and phenylpropanolamine as a schedule III controlled substances by January 1, 2010. This bill allows the board to adjust this classification in consultation with law enforcement officials if it is determined that this act does not reduce the manufacturing of methamphetamine. This act also establish standards for defense for having one of these substances.

House Bill 1249 (internet and mail order sales of tobacco products)
Introduced by Rep. Eileen Cody, (D-West Seattle) (D) on January 15, 2009, to prohibit the sale and delivery of tobacco products that are purchased through the mail or internet. Wholesale operations are exempted in this act. The penalty for participating in the purchase of tobacco products through the mail is no more than five years in prison or a fine of no more than five thousand dollars.

Senate Bill 5139 (ergonomic requirements for the solicitation of air travel)
Introduced by Sen. Ken Jacobsen, (D-Seattle) (D) on January 15, 2009, to require the general administration to seek out ergonomic seating for state employees when the travel. This would require airlines to supply ergonomic seating.

Senate Bill 5143 (increase to property tax limits for emergency medical care services)
Introduced by Sen. Debbie Regala (D) on January 15, 2009, to increase the property tax limit from one percent to six percent for the purpose of emergency medical care and services. This act must be approved by a vote of the people.

Senate Bill 5158 (beer and wine sales at the legislative gift center)
Introduced by Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, (D-Seattle) (D) on January 15, 2009, to allow the retail sale of beer and wine at the legislative gift center for off-site consumption.

Senate Bill 5163 (Removing the requirement to purchase art for public buildings from 2009-2011 )
Introduced by Sen. Steve Hobbs, (D-Lake Stevens) (D) on January 15, 2009, temporarily removes the requirement that one-half of one percent of appropriations for construction of public buildings be expended by the arts commission for the acquisition of works of art. During the 2009-2011 biennium, one hundred percent of moneys for construction of any public building may be used for the original construction.

Senate Bill 5172 (Establishing a University of Washington center for human rights)
Introduced by Sen. Paull Shin, (D-Edmonds) (D) on January 15, 2009, establishes theUniversity of Washington center for human rights to expand opportunities for Washington residents to receive a world-class education in human rights, generate research data and expert knowledge to enhance public and private policymaking, and become an academic center for human rights teaching and research in the nation.

House Bill 1292 (waivers from a one-hundred eighty day school year)
Introduced by Rep. Dan Newhouse, (R-Sunnyside) (R) on January 16, 2009, to encourage and support school districts in providing innovative ways to reduce operating cost through the approval of waivers that would reduce a school week to four days per week. This bill would allow a school district to receive a waiver from the requirement of one-hundred eighty school days. Sections are dealing with the application of waiver are repealed.

House Bill 1305 (access to unemployment benefits based on absence from work because of incarceration)
Introduced by Rep. Joel Kretz, (R-Wauconda) (R) on January 16, 2009, to limit the allowance of unemployment benefits. This bill would not allow an employee that is dismissed from work because of absence due to incarceration to collect benefits.

Senate Bill 5193 (allow nonresidents to carry a weapon when hunting with a licensed resident)
Introduced by Sen. Jerome Delvin, (R-Richland) (R) on January 16, 2009, to allow an nonimmigrant alien to carry a firearm for the purpose of hunting game in Washington, when accompanied by a licensed resident of the state. However, the alien must acquire the appropriate nonresident license for the purpose of the hunt.

Senate Bill 5204 (electing the United State President by popular vote)
Introduced by Sen. Joe McDermott, (D-West Seattle) (D) on January 16, 2009, to join with other states and elect the President of the United States by popular vote. This act only goes into effective if a majority of other states choose to elect the President by popular vote.

Posted by pudge at January 17, 2009 01:32 PM | Email This
Comments
1. Attaboy, Rep. Kretz !!... and does anybody else find it absolutely astounding and outrageous that without this bill becoming part of the RCW, that a violent criminal could be in jail for committing a serious felony but could still draw unemployment ?!?!... ARRGGGHHHH !!!!!

Posted by: Methow Ken on January 17, 2009 02:28 PM
2. This senator Joe McDermott is not too bright. I am opposed to direct election of the president anyhow so his error is to my benifit but why does he require a majority of states rather than a majority of electoral votes as indicated by states that have approved to elect the president by popular vote?

The waiving of 180 days school year is a good start.

the gun one should not be necessary. Instead they should just kill whatever law is restricting this to begin with, not increase regulations.

I am realy glad to see the one to remove the requirement that the state dedicate .5% of projects to public art. That is ridicoulous. WHy does it take a democrat to propose elliminating that?

Posted by: Lysander on January 17, 2009 03:03 PM
3. Some people read legislation before they criticize it based merely on the summary. "This agreement shall take effect when states cumulatively possessing a majority of the electoral votes have enacted this agreement in substantially the same form and the enactments by such states have taken effect in each state."

Posted by: pudge on January 17, 2009 03:08 PM
4. Some people write summaries so that others who do not care or do not have time to read entire pieces of legislation can still see what they are about.

I am curious... do you go out of your way to write comments to me in a rude tone or is that just how you naturally come across?

Posted by: Lysander on January 17, 2009 03:33 PM
5. SB-5204 is a stupid bill designed to circumvent the Constitutional Amendment process.

The title of this bill should be "Select Washington Presidential Electors based on the vote results from outside the State of Washington".

IMHO, electors should ONLY be allocted based upon the election results within the State of Washington. PERIOD.

According to this law, our State's citizens votes would count only if we voted with the majority or in case of a tie:

In event of a tie for the national popular vote winner, the presidential elector certifying official of each member state shall certify the appointment of the elector slate nominated in association with the presidential slate receiving the largest number of popular votes within that official's own state.

In the last century, only once has the popular vote been at odds with the electoral college - Bush v. Gore. With this law, ALL of the Washington citizens that voted for John Kerry would have had their votes nullified and Washington would have been forced to send electors for George Bush, since he won the national popular vote.

Under the Constitution, the States have the right to decide how to allocate presidential electors. My argument is that the states should base this allocation only upon the votes of their citizens, not the votes of other states.

Posted by: SouthernRoots on January 17, 2009 04:21 PM
6. Senate Bill 5204 (electing the United State President by popular vote)
Introduced by Sen. Joe McDermott, (D-West Seattle) (D)

...this dumbass must be related to Baghdad Jim. He too, hates the U.S. Constitution apparently.

Posted by: Rick D. on January 17, 2009 05:04 PM
7. These legislators have come up with all these crazy bills, at least a good portion of them reinforces the Nanny State, but in the recent past, they have had the audacity to try to limit the initiative process. They want only themselves to have all the fun.

Posted by: C.G. on January 17, 2009 10:46 PM
8. 5158 Don't we have a Drug free/ Gun Free zone on the Capital Campus? Why would they want it allowed for sale on site and then say "For Off Site Consumption." Do they have a hard time getting to Safeway or QFC ? Do they need to take a few sips on the way home? Or are they sneaking a hit or two from the open container in paper sack while they are in the caucus room. Hey maybe the State could sell liquor wholesale to the Highschools in the area and let them open some carryout stores to help fund education. That would be for off site consumption only of course.

Posted by: Smokie on January 18, 2009 09:11 AM
9. 5139 - Are you kidding me? This bill would require airlines to provide an UNSPECIFIED DISCOUNT if the airline can not provide seats that meet an UNSPECIFIED ERGONOMIC STANDARD on any flight over 2 hours.

Give me a freaking break. How about those bus seats? Since it takes over an hour to go anyplace on the crappy bus with crappy (some time literally) seats, how about a discount?

This is about getting something below what the company [airline] is willing to provide. Ethical business is a mutually agreeable transaction/trade, not an edict by one party.

Posted by: ducttape2 on January 20, 2009 08:56 AM
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