Y = Yes

N = No

NV = Not Voting

Alternatives to the WASL

By a vote of 33 to 10 on Feb. 10, the Senate approved SB 6475. The bill would establish three alternative ways of assessing student performance and aptitude. 1) a comparison of the student's grades to the grades of a group of students in the same school who took the same courses, but who met or slightly exceeded the state standard on the high school WASL; 2) an evaluation of a collection of work samples or collection of evidence; 3) a collection of work samples submitted by students in an state-approved career and technical program. The bill would also instruct the Superintendent of Public Instruction to explore other means of evaluation. The bill is now under consideration in the House, where it must be reconciled with the House's plan for WASL alternatives.

Sen. Erik Poulsen D-West Seattle - NV

Requiring gasoline and diesel sales to have minimum "renewable" fuel content

By a vote of 27 to 20 on Feb. 13, the Senate approved SB 6508. The bill would require all gasoline in sold in Washington to contain at least 2percent ethanol by December 1, 2008. After November 20, 2008, all people licensed to sell diesel in the state must prove to the state that at least 2percent of their sales were biodiesel. When the state determines that crops grown in Washington can sustain a 3percent biodiesel mandate, the minimum would be raised to 5percent. The bill is now under consideration in the House.

Sen. Erik Poulsen D-West Seattle - Y

2006 supplemental budget (Senate Democrat version)

By a vote of 26 to 19 on Feb. 17, the Senate approved SB 6386, which would make supplemental changes to the 2005-07 state general operating budget. This version adds $600 million in new spending to the $26 billion budget, and places $950 million in reserves for future use. This represents a $100 million spending increase over the governor's proposal. The Senate proposal must now be reconciled with the House budget proposal.

Sen. Erik Poulsen D-West Seattle - Y

Amendment of Interest: Prohibiting state funds for sex-change operations

By a vote of 32 to 12, the Senate approved an amendment to the supplemental budget (SB 6386) that prohibits the use of state or federal medical assistance funds for sex-change operations.

Sen. Erik Poulsen D-West Seattle - N

Eliminating $5 state parks fee

By a vote of 94 to 2 on Feb. 13, the House approved HB 2416, which would eliminate the $5 fee charged for accessing state parks. The bill would expressly prohibit the State Parks Commission from charging a fee for accessing or parking in state parks. The bill is now under consideration in the Senate.

Rep. Eileen Cody D-West Seattle - Y

Rep. Joe McDermott D-West Seattle - Y

Assistance for non-English speaking voters

By a party-line vote of 55 to 43 on Feb. 13, the House approved HB 2594. The bill would require the state and political subdivisions to provide voting registration paperwork and assistance, or other materials relating to the election process, including ballots, in the language of an applicable minority group as well as in English. The bill would also allow voters in need of language interpretation assistance to designate a person to enter the voting machine booth at poll sites to assist with interpretation. The interpreter may not be the voter's employer or be associated with the voter's union. The bill is now under consideration in the Senate.

Rep. Eileen Cody D-West Seattle - Y

Rep. Joe McDermott D-West Seattle - Y

Puget Sound Regional Transportation Commission

By a vote of 71 to 26 on Jan. 21, the House approved HB 2871. The bill would create a Puget Sound Regional Transportation Commission for Snohomish, King and Pierce Counties. The commission would develop a regional transportation plan for approval by the legislature in 2007, and would develop a funding package to be submitted to voters for approval or rejection. Subject to the approval of voters within the city and region, Seattle will assume the Monorail's taxing authority, to fund non-monorail transit within Seattle city limits. The bill also modifies several laws governing the Regional Transportation Improvement District (RTID), and prohibits both RTID and Sound Transit from submitting a new ballot measure to the voters before the 2007 election. The bill is under consideration in the Senate.

Rep. Eileen Cody D-West Seattle - Y

Rep. Joe McDermott D-West Seattle - Y

2006 supplemental budget

By a party-line vote of 53 to 43 on Feb. 24, the House approved SB 6386. Originally introduced to the Senate as the governor's budget proposal, then amended to reflect the Senate Democrats' budget plan, the bill is now amended to reflect House Democrats' budget plan. The House bill would increase state spending by $626 million (primarily in medical assistance and education) and set aside approximately $1 billion for future spending. The governor, Senate and House must now agree on a plan.

Rep. Eileen Cody D-West Seattle - Y

Rep. Joe McDermott D-West Seattle - Y

Amendment of Interest: To prohibit state funds for sex-change operations

By a vote of 64 to 32, the House approved an amendment to the budget (SB 6386) that would prohibit the use of state medical assistance funds for sex-change operations.

Rep. Eileen Cody D-West Seattle - N

Rep. Joe McDermott D-West Seattle - N

Examining tax preferences and exemptions

By a vote of 61 to 34 on Feb. 11, the House approved HB 1069. The bill would establish a commission to evaluate tax preferences and exemptions to determine whether or not they should be continued or halted based on: the persons or entities affected by the tax preference; the policy objective of the preference; any persons receiving unintended benefits from the tax preference; the effect of terminating the preference; possible modifications of the preference; and fiscal impact of the preference. Constitutionally required tax preferences, exemptions for machinery and equipment for manufacturing, research, and development, B&O tax credits for small business, sales and use tax exemptions for food and prescription drugs, retired persons property tax relief, and current use property tax valuations are exempt from review. The bill is now under consideration in the Senate.

Rep. Eileen Cody D-West Seattle - Y

Rep. Joe McDermott D-West Seattle - Y

Medical malpractice

By a vote of 48 to 0 on Feb. 22, the Senate approved HB 2292. The bill takes a number of approaches to the medical malpractice issue. A medical provider's apology or statement of fault will not be admissible as evidence. A civil action for injury from health care must be commenced within 3 years of the act causing injury or within 1 year of the time that the patient discovered the injury. This cannot be more than 8 years after the original act causing the injury. The bill establishes a system of voluntary arbitration for solving claims, and any awards resulting from arbitration cannot exceed $1 million. The bill also imposes penalties on attorneys who file frivolous claims. Since the bill now differs from the one passed by the House, it must go back to the House for agreement on changes.

Sen. Erik Poulsen D-West Seattle - Y

Animal trapping

By a vote of 35 to 11 on Feb. 22, the Senate approved SB 5319. The bill would prohibit trapping any wild animals with body-gripping traps, unless the person has a permit from the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Nuisance animals, such as squirrels, moles, rats, beavers, etc., are exempt from the prohibitions. The bill would also make it illegal to sell any part of a wild animal or wild bird, other than a nuisance species, trapped with any type of trap if the animal or bird was not taken under a trapping permit. The bill is now under consideration in the House.

Sen. Erik Poulsen D-West Seattle - Y

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