STATE GOVERNMENT
WSLC publishes 2017 Legislative Report and Voting Record
Their work still unfinished, here’s what happened in their first four sessions
Download the full 8-page PDF or just the 2017 Voting Record.
This report summarizes the action — or inaction — on legislation affecting Washington’s working families and how each legislator voted on these issues. Printed copies of the WSLC’s 2017 Legislative Report have been mailed to all affiliated unions. Officers, staff, and rank-and-file members of WSLC-affiliated unions can request additional copies or call 206-281-8901 to order multiple copies.
The Stand has posted some of the publication’s key stories, including:
2017 operating budget: Crisis created, then averted — At the 11th hour—literally—before a state government shutdown, Gov. Jay Inslee signed a budget that funded contracts, made modest investments in anti-poverty programs, injected significant funds into our behavioral health system, and added billions of dollars to our public schools. Democrats secured billions of dollars for these priorities, but did so with Republican taxes: higher state property taxes from communities in the central Puget Sound area.
This is no way to govern (President’s Column by Jeff Johnson) — Twice in three years, the Senate Republicans have taken us to within hours of shutting down government to avoid agreeing to any significant progressive revenue reform and in an attempt to extract unpopular partisan policy changes written by ALEC and funded by the Koch brothers. This has go to stop.
I-1433 set stage for historic family leave victory (Secretary Treasurer’s Column by Lynne Dodson) — The law was negotiated with labor, community organizations, business, and legislators from both sides of the aisle. But the table was set last year when we passed Initiative 1433, raising the minimum wage and providing paid sick leave. We knew that paid family and medical leave are popular policies, and so did the business community. The specter of an initiative led by labor and community organizations to secure paid family leave motivated business groups to come to the table to help shape the policy. The leverage we had during the negotiations and in securing passage was profound. We learned from I-1433 that when the Legislature fails to pass policies that benefit working people, we can do so through the initiative process.
Senate GOP leaders are anti-labor extremists — Sens. Michael Baumgartner (R-Spokane) and John Braun (R-Centralia) were the sole sponsors of 2017 legislation to make Washington a “Right-to-Work” state. These guys, who added “Sports” to the labor committee’s name this year, are making sport of antagonizing unions… They both hail from safe Republican districts, but they are doing real harm to their party’s standing among unions and working people across the state.
For the 5th time, GOP kills Washington Voting Rights Act — For the fifth straight year, Republicans in the Legislature shot down the Washington Voting Rights Act, a bipartisan compromise proposal that would provide local governments an opportunity to create equitable, accountable election systems. It passed the House 51-46, but was killed without a vote in the GOP-controlled Senate. HB 1800, sponsored by Rep. Mia Gregerson (D-SeaTac), would enable cities and counties to fix unfair, undemocratic voting systems and avoid costly litigation. It addresses polarized voting, a method of voter suppression that excludes the voices of the communities of color and low-income families.
Senate hears right-wing bills attacking public employee unions — It’s no secret that right-wing billionaires like the Koch brothers bankroll foundations that are targeting unions for extinction. Millions of those dollars have found their way into Washington state at “think tanks” like the Freedom Foundation and the Washington Policy Center. So in 2017, the thinkin’ fellers from these groups showed up in Olympia to testify in favor of a series of Senate bills with familiar attacks on public employee unions and the freedom to negotiate for better wages and benefits.
Voters approve ST3, GOP disapproves — Conservatives in Olympia say every tax increase should be put to voters. And yet, even when that happens and voters say “yes,” those same politicians often seek to undermine the will of the voters. Such was the case after voters in the Puget Sound region approved Sound Transit Phase 3 to advance critical plans expanding light rail, commuter rail, and bus rapid transit connecting Tacoma, Everett, Seattle, Redmond, Bellevue, and Federal Way.
Clean energy bill gets a hearing — The Clean Energy Transition Act (HB 1646), sponsored by Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon (D-Burien), represents an innovative and comprehensive climate solution based on the principles of the Alliance for Jobs and Clean Energy, a coalition of environmental groups, unions, businesses, organizations and individuals. The bill was heard in the House Environment Committee, but did not advance. This effort cannot wait and, amid reflexive opposition from polluting industries and their advocates in Olympia, it may have to be taken directly to voters in 2018.
This Washington works to expand health care — Amid threats from the Republican Congress and Trump administration to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO and the Healthy Washington Coalition continued to prioritize affordable, accessible health coverage for all Washingtonians. The coalition made important headway in improving the health-care landscape during the 2017 session.
There are plenty of other articles in the WSLC’s 2017 Legislative Report on issues ranging from workers’ compensation to app-based drivers’ rights, from nurse staffing to building trades issues. Download the full 8-page PDF to read them all, or request the printed edition or call 206-281-8901 to order multiple copies.