Bills scheduled for Jan. 12-13th in Olympia

by Sue | Jan 12, 2023 | 2023 Olympia Bills to Watch

We will try to bring you the bills introduced each day, so you can stay informed about what’s in the works.

In the WA State House of Representatives:

Bills introduced on Jan. 12, 2023 – Click here

In the WA State Senate:

Bills to be introduced on Jan. 12, 2023 – Click here

NOTE from Editor:  Apparently, the bills only show up one day at a time, so those from Jan. 13th won’t be sent out until tomorrow.

To recap:

Bill Status Report (this reflects the bill #, brief description, status, date and original sponsor – along with any companion bills.

https://app.leg.wa.gov/bi/report/billstatus/?biennium=2023-24&allBills=true&startBillNumber=&endBillNumber=

So far, 979 bills have been introduced.

You can easily track the bills and watch testimonies here: https://leg.wa.gov/

This in from Influencing Olympia:

And one more thing… This is why we need to replace the governor!  https://www.washingtonpolicy.org/publications/detail/heres-motivation-for-the-wa-legislative-session

Until next time,

Sue
____________
Sue Forde, Blog Post Editor
CCRP Newsletter Editor

Where you can see titles of newly introduced bills for 2023

by Sue | Jan 12, 2023 | 2023 Olympia Bills to Watch

Bills in Olympia, WA – many of which will affect your lives –  are being introduced quickly, and then move to a committee as the next step.  You can follow the newly introduced bills at this link:

In the WA State House of Representatives:

https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2023-24/Pdf/Workroom%20Reports/House%20Introduction%20Report/INTRO%202023-003.pdf

In the WA State Senate:

https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2023-24/Pdf/Workroom%20Reports/Senate%20Introduction%20Report/INTRODUCTIONS%202023-01-11.pdf

 Bill Status Report (this reflects the bill #, brief description, status, date and original sponsor – along with any companion bills.

https://app.leg.wa.gov/bi/report/billstatus/?biennium=2023-24&allBills=true&startBillNumber=&endBillNumber=

So far, 979 bills have been introduced.

You can easily track the bills and watch testimonies here: https://leg.wa.gov/

Two other excellent resources:

www.influencingolympia.com – Learn how the state legislature works, keep up to speed on bills as they go through committees – with links available on the bills to instantly let your voice be heard to the elected representatives

Washington Policy Center – covers current issues and weighs in on the effect of bills passed and currently in the legislative session.

On Housing Affordability:

With the topic of housing affordability one of the top issues, it’s interesting to note that the already-restrictive Growth Management Act (GMA) keeps getting more layers of regulations added on.  Here’s the latest:  CLICK HERE .

From the Daily Briefing at Shift WA: 

“The latest example of the Democrat insanity is liberal lawmakers seeking to add “climate change” as a “priority” of Washington State’s Growth Management Act. This addition would mean there would now be 15 priorities for the state’s GMA.  This means that in order for a developer to build a new home, 15 different sets of liberal priorities need to be met.  From “historical preservation” and “open space and recreation” to “sprawl reduction” and “environmental production” (see complete list of priorities here), builders have to meet the conditions of each priority before they can begin to build.”

Adding more bureaucratic rules and regulations (and thus further increasing costs to build), is not the answer!  Let your voice be heard on this and other issues!!

Pick a topic.  Follow some of the bills.  If you see one that needs attention, please let us know.

Posted by Sue Forde

Legislature in Olympia: Education Bill removes more authority from parents

by Sue | Jan 11, 2023 | 2023 Olympia Bills to Watch

Please take a few minutes to OPPOSE  this BAD bill by January 11, 12:30 pm!  It is being heard by the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education. 

You may also sign up to testify via zoom or in writing, by January 11, 12:30 pm. Links below.

NAME/NUMBER OF BILL:  SB 5020  “Concerning elementary education starting at 6 years of age.” SEE BELOW FOR A SUMMARY OF THE BILL. Click HERE to state your OPPOSITION .  This link will take you to a Committee Sign In page. This will not sign you up to testify.

On the pull down menu, enter your position as CON. Put in your first name, last name and email address. You are not required to write in anything under “Organization,” unless you are testifying on behalf of a group. Putting in your address is optional, but you must include your city, state, zip and phone number. Click the box to prove you’re not a robot, then “Submit Registration.” And you’re done.

PASS THIS EMAIL ON TO FRIENDS, FAMILY, NEIGHBORS YOU KNOW WHO ARE LIKE MINDED. AND/OR GET YOUR FRIENDS’ AND RELATIVES’ PERMISSION AND RECORD THEIR POSITION AS WELL.  YOU ARE NOT LIMITED TO ONE COMMENT PER EMAIL ADDRESS!    

If you can submit written testimony or testify via zoom, that carries more weight. You must sign up by 12:30 pm January 11th to testify in writing or remotely with the committee when it meets at 1:30 pm. Sign in to submit written testimony HERE. Enter your position (CON), First and Last Name, email address, city, state, zip and phone number.  Then enter your written testimony, and click the box to show you are not a robot.  Then Submit your Registration. 

You may use the information below. Even better, sign up to testify remotely by zoom HERE. Enter your position (CON), No to testifying as a panel, enter your First and Last Name, email address, city, state, zip and phone number.  Click that you are not a robot and Submit Registration.

Summary of SB 5020: This bill will bring the mandatory age of attending school to 6 years of age.    

-it removes the parental decision of when a child should be placed into public or private school or home-based instruction    

-it is another step in allowing government to dictate decisions on raising our children     

–home schooled students 8+ years old will have to complete a standardized achievement test

Bill is sponsored by Sen. Lisa Wellman, 41st leg district

Legislature in Session: Gun Bills abound

by Sue | Jan 11, 2023 | 2023 Olympia Bills to Watch

from Ruth Peterson

If you want thorough information about how to look up and track bills, read bills, get tips on testifying before a committee, or contacting your legislators, please sign up for a class called Influencing Olympia Effectively. You do not have to step through the entire class, but you can pick and choose what you want to know. There are step by step instructions for interacting with the Legislature. Sign up and start using it today!
 
For my first update, I’ll talk about firearm bills, because this is a priority for the Governor and the Attorney General. There are likely to be a lot more bills introduced throughout session, and I will not add a lot of detail here, because it would make the post too long, but here are some of the bills that we will be seeing regarding firearms. You can click on the bill number to read the bill.

HB 1143 – Requires you to purchase a permit to buy any firearm whatsoever, including fingerprints and in-depth checks. It is also a waiver of confidentiality when it comes to your medical history (so they can check into your medical background). The fee “cannot exceed $25”, so that will be the likely cost. Your permit # will be attached to all firearms you purchase.

HB 1144 – Requires a 10-day waiting period and the proof of completion of a certified firearm safety program. This sounds like a reasonable requirement until you realize that there aren’t enough classes in the state to be able to teach that many people. It is a requirement that you take the class every five years. The criteria for the acceptable firearms class is to be developed by the WSP, so we don’t even know what a “certified class” looks like. However, there is a list of the minimum requirements in the bill.

HB 1195 = The text of the bill is not available yet, but it will prohibit open carry of certain weapons in public parks and hospitals. Almost certainly firearms but will likely contain a list or descriptions of other “weapons” similar to the bill that banned open carry at the Capitol.

SB 5078 – This bill will allow legal action against gun manufacturers and firearms
dealers for the actions of criminals. A related article is here. Companion bill is HB 1130
 
SB 5193 – Have you ever wondered what an “assault weapon” is? Me too. This bill gives the details. You can click on the link and take a look at the list. It begins on page 2

HB 1178 – This is a tough one to explain in a short paragraph. This is related to something called “preemption”. That term refers to the way laws are applied throughout the state. There are 39 counties and 281 municipalities. Are there different laws that apply to people, depending on what county you live in, or is there one law at the state level that preempts all the local laws? This bill would remove state preemption and allow all the different local governments to enact different laws.
 
This could end up causing you to be able to legally carry a firearm in Pierce County, but the minute you cross over into King, it would be illegal. Or from one city to another. If you travel from Tacoma to Enumclaw, you cross over several cities and counties. You’d have to keep track of the firearms laws in each one to know whether you are performing an illegal act by carrying a firearm.

Thank you for taking the time to know what is going on in Olympia. The Legislative Session this year runs from January 9th until April 23rd. Hang on to your wallet and your rights – it’s going to be a long one!