The 2017 Washington state legislative session is officially underway and lawmakers have already introduced dozens of bills.
The first day of the session was largely occupied by swearing in lawmakers, but hefty policy proposals on education from Democrats and Republicans are expected in the first weeks.
In the meantime, here’s a couple thing lawmakers filed before session even started.
Education
Funding education is highest on the list of priorities for voters and for legislators who are under court order to devise a way to fund public education by 2018 under the Supreme Court’s McCleary decision.
Gov. Jay Inslee called for funding through steep tax increases. The highest tax hikes would be on business and operations, a carbon tax and a capital gains tax. Inslee’s proposal shows tax increases in just those areas would bring in more than $4.4 billion in tax revenue through 2019.
But, according to The Elway Poll, tax increases are not the way most voters want to see education funded. The most popular choice, according to the poll, would be through cutting funding to other government programs. And the Republican-controlled senate isn’t jumping to show support for the governor’s plan.
Sen. Michael Baumgartner, R-Pullman, prefiled a bill in December to work around the challenge by amending the state constitution. Senate Joint Resolution 8200 would make the Supreme Court’s McCleary decision ineffective by nixing the basis of the order’s argument. SJR 8200 would include charter and technical schools into the public system while putting the authority on the amount of school funding solely on the legislature. SJR 8200 made its way onto the floor Monday and was referred to the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education committee. That committee is scheduled to meet Thursday afternoon.
Health care
Several Democrats filed a bill that would enact single-payer health care in Washington. The bill, which would create an entity called the Washington Health Security Trust, has been proposed before and voted down. Reps. Sherry Appleton, D-Poulsbo; Steve Tharinger, D-Sequim; June Robinson, D-Everett; Derek Stanford, D-Bothell; Kristine Lytton, D-Anacortes; Timm Ormsby, D-Spokane; Laurie Jinkins; Sharon Wylie, D-Vancouver; Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland; Mike Sells, D-Everett; Jessyn Farrell, D-Seattle; Beth Doglio, D-Olympia; Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane; Jake Fey, D-Tacoma, and Gerry Pollet, D-Seattle have co-sponsored and prefiled the bill in December.
The bill proposes the legislature applies for a waiver from the Affordable Care Act, suspends the Washington health exchange and, in the bill’s own language:
“Enable the state to provide equitable coverage for all residents, including those covered through Medicaid and Medicare, and maximize the use of appropriate federal funding in the Washington health security trust.”
HB 1026 proposes that the governor would appoint members to the trust by the end of the year and impose a deadline of Jan. 2019 to applying for the ACA waiver. Of course, the ACA, which is now facing repeal via a GOP-controlled Congress is tied up in this proposed legislation.
The bill was sent to the Health Care & Wellness committee which first meets Tuesday at 8 a.m.
Erin Fenner: erin@washingtonstatewire.com, @erinfenner
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