2010 Washington Legislative Priorities
Senate Bill 6381: Transportation Funding
Updates the 2009-2011 transportation budgets to an overall spending level of $8.5 billion amounting to a billion dollar increase over the original biennium budget. This bill has been signed into law.
House Bill 2561: Jobs Act
A law that would create jobs by funding construction for energy cost saving improvements to public facilities by authorizing the State Finance Committee to issue $861 million in general obligation bonds and must be approved by the voters in November for work in 2011.
Senate Bill 6889: Convention Center
This bill deals with the governance and financing of the Washington State Convention and Trade Center. The Bill would allow for the creation of a public facilities district for the purpose of acquiring and operating the Center, giving them the ability to expand when financing is available.
House Bill 1614: Storm Water Clean-up
This bill’s goal is to clean up the storm drains, culverts, streams and rivers of Puget Sound and the state by imposing a fee on petroleum products that contributed to storm water pollution. This impact fee would raise approximately $100 million for the clean-up work, creating jobs.
House Bill 2805: Off-Site Prefabrication
This bill would require contractors and subcontractors on public works projects that are estimated to cost over $1 million to submit information to the Department of Labor and Industries as a part of the Affidavit of Wages Paid forms. This will give our state the ability to gather information on how much prevailing wage work contracted in-state is sent out-of-state for off-site fabrication. This bill has been signed into law.
House Bill 2789: State Agency Subpoena Authority
This bill will allow the Department of Revenue, Department of Labor and Industries, and the Employment Security Department to issue subpoenas for records related to underground economy investigations. This bill has been signed into law.
Senate Bill 5789: Data Center Tax Exemptions
A sales and use tax exemption is provided for data centers. To qualify, the center must be located in a rural county, have at least 20,000 square feet dedicated to housing servers, and construction must begin between April 1, 2010 and July 1, 2011. This bill has been signed into law.
Senate Bill 6575: Underground Economy
This bill started with good support and high hopes. As it progressed through the process, there were so many changes and amendments it became hard to support. Although it passed, it is expected that the Governor will veto the bill as it will divert money from the state’s general fund.
House Bill 1992: Prevailing Wage
This bill would extend prevailing wage requirements to construction projects that involve tax incentives, loans provided by a public entity, or public land that is sold or leased. This bill died in committee.
House Bill 2513: Credit History for Purposes of Insurance
This bill would have prevented insurance companies from using your credit history, income or education to determine eligibility for auto or homeowner’s insurance. This bill died in committee.
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