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WSCFF Legislative Report
- By Jerry Taylor
- Published 02/21/2011
- Legislation
WSCFF 2011 Legislative Update FROM THE WASHINGTON STATE COUNCIL OF FIRE FIGHTERS
As Week 5 of the 2011 legislative session comes to a close, the WSCFF legislative agenda continues intact. While the official process of hearings, testimony and amendments on bills that we care about continued, we have been having very productive meetings with several of the legislators who will be key players late in the session.
The primary focus of the legislature this week has centered on balancing the current biennial budget, and passage of major changes to the unemployment system that reduced costs for employers and improved benefits for displaced workers from the existing trust fund. While those big picture items were proceeding, we have been able to either receive or schedule hearings for most of our bills.
Our most significant hearing this week was on HB 1377 (the attack on binding interest arbitration). Please see below for a brief synopsis on this and other significant bills for the WSCFF. WSCFF BILL STATUS Bills we support: HB 1444 Surviving LEOFF Plan 2 spouses: Passed out of House Committee on Labor & Workforce Development on February 1 and referred to House Ways and Means Committee; still awaiting a public hearing.
SB 5353 Surviving LEOFF Plan 2 spouses: Awaiting a public hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
HB1445 Presumptive occupational disease law enforcement officers and firefighters: Passed out of the House Committee on Labor & Workforce Development on February 1 and referred to House Ways and Means Committee; still awaiting a public hearing.
SB5354 Presumptive occupational disease law enforcement officers and firefighters: Public Hearing was conducted on January 31 in the Senate Committee on Labor and Commerce & Consumer Protection and is awaiting executive action in the committee.
HB 1476 Simple Majority for EMS Levies: Awaiting a public hearing in the House Ways and Means Committee.
SB 5381 Simple Majority for EMS Levies: A public hearing was conducted on February 10 in the Senate Committee on Government Operations and Tribal Relations & Elections. We testified in support of this bill along with our fire service partners (Washington Fire Chiefs and the Washington Fire Commissioners). The next step in the process is for the bill to be scheduled for executive session.
HB1731 Optional Commissioner Districts for Regional Fire Authorities (RFA’s): Received a hearing on February 11 in the House Local Government Committee. We are working with the committee staff in consideration of a minor technical amendment that was identified, and expect the bill to be voted out of the committee next week.
HB1854 Clarifying the process for jurisdictions to annex into Regional Fire Authorities (RFA’s): This bill is scheduled for a hearing in House Local Government Committee on Wednesday, February 16.
HB 1596/SB 5493 Allowing local governments to reduce general fund contributions to an ambulance utility: We have worked with the proponents of this bill to insure that any reduction in general fund support for an ambulance utility must be preceded with public notice and a public hearing. Our proposed amendment will be incorporated into the bill, and both the Senate and House versions are scheduled to be voted out of committee next week
Bill we oppose:
HB1377 A significant change to the Interest Arbitration RCW 41.56: A Public Hearing was conducted on February 8 in the House Committee on Labor & Workforce Development. The Association of Washington Cities, Washington State Association of Counties (who are behind this bill) along with representatives from Kitsap County, and cities of Spokane, Des Moines and Longview all testified in support of this bill. WSCFF President Kelly Fox testified along with Brian Wertz (WACOPS) in opposition to the bill. We are hopeful that this bill will not even be considered for executive session by the committee and thus will die in committee.
To date, there have been 1,969 bills submitted to the legislature this session.
As Week 5 of the 2011 legislative session comes to a close, the WSCFF legislative agenda continues intact. While the official process of hearings, testimony and amendments on bills that we care about continued, we have been having very productive meetings with several of the legislators who will be key players late in the session.
The primary focus of the legislature this week has centered on balancing the current biennial budget, and passage of major changes to the unemployment system that reduced costs for employers and improved benefits for displaced workers from the existing trust fund. While those big picture items were proceeding, we have been able to either receive or schedule hearings for most of our bills.
Our most significant hearing this week was on HB 1377 (the attack on binding interest arbitration). Please see below for a brief synopsis on this and other significant bills for the WSCFF. WSCFF BILL STATUS Bills we support: HB 1444 Surviving LEOFF Plan 2 spouses: Passed out of House Committee on Labor & Workforce Development on February 1 and referred to House Ways and Means Committee; still awaiting a public hearing.
SB 5353 Surviving LEOFF Plan 2 spouses: Awaiting a public hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
HB1445 Presumptive occupational disease law enforcement officers and firefighters: Passed out of the House Committee on Labor & Workforce Development on February 1 and referred to House Ways and Means Committee; still awaiting a public hearing.
SB5354 Presumptive occupational disease law enforcement officers and firefighters: Public Hearing was conducted on January 31 in the Senate Committee on Labor and Commerce & Consumer Protection and is awaiting executive action in the committee.
HB 1476 Simple Majority for EMS Levies: Awaiting a public hearing in the House Ways and Means Committee.
SB 5381 Simple Majority for EMS Levies: A public hearing was conducted on February 10 in the Senate Committee on Government Operations and Tribal Relations & Elections. We testified in support of this bill along with our fire service partners (Washington Fire Chiefs and the Washington Fire Commissioners). The next step in the process is for the bill to be scheduled for executive session.
HB1731 Optional Commissioner Districts for Regional Fire Authorities (RFA’s): Received a hearing on February 11 in the House Local Government Committee. We are working with the committee staff in consideration of a minor technical amendment that was identified, and expect the bill to be voted out of the committee next week.
HB1854 Clarifying the process for jurisdictions to annex into Regional Fire Authorities (RFA’s): This bill is scheduled for a hearing in House Local Government Committee on Wednesday, February 16.
HB 1596/SB 5493 Allowing local governments to reduce general fund contributions to an ambulance utility: We have worked with the proponents of this bill to insure that any reduction in general fund support for an ambulance utility must be preceded with public notice and a public hearing. Our proposed amendment will be incorporated into the bill, and both the Senate and House versions are scheduled to be voted out of committee next week
Bill we oppose:
HB1377 A significant change to the Interest Arbitration RCW 41.56: A Public Hearing was conducted on February 8 in the House Committee on Labor & Workforce Development. The Association of Washington Cities, Washington State Association of Counties (who are behind this bill) along with representatives from Kitsap County, and cities of Spokane, Des Moines and Longview all testified in support of this bill. WSCFF President Kelly Fox testified along with Brian Wertz (WACOPS) in opposition to the bill. We are hopeful that this bill will not even be considered for executive session by the committee and thus will die in committee.
To date, there have been 1,969 bills submitted to the legislature this session.
