Crunch time – Six days remain in this regular legislative session

Today at 5 pm is the last day to consider opposite house bills – except for the budgets and matters necessary to implement the budgets. Thursday, March 11, is the last day of the regular session. There is still much to do in the waning days as we head down to the wire.

Please ask your legislators to support the following:

• Fiscal flexibility – ESHB 3179and ESSB 6424provides cities and counties flexibility in raising and spending money. ESSB 6424 eliminates non-supplant language and expands purposes for gambling taxes. ESHB 3179 also eliminates non-supplant language, addresses brokered natural gas use tax, city sales tax authority and gambling taxes.
• Local stormwater funding – SHB 3181and SB 6851, helping cities meet hugely expensive stormwater obligations, remains “in play.” AWC and other bill proponents, including the Gregoire administration, are engaged in discussions with legislators in both the House and Senate to craft a bill that can pass this session. Phase I and II NPDES cities are urged to make direct contact with your legislators urging them to pass a dedicated funding source this year.
• Abatement of nuisances involving criminal street gang activity – SHB 2414would provide another tool for cities to address growing gang problems.
• Funding for E-911 - HB 2351& SB 6846provide increased funding for needed 911 modernization and extends the E-911 excise tax to voice over internet protocol (VOIP) lines.

More details on these bills can be found in their respective sections of this Bulletin.

Because of today’s 5:00 pm deadline, we will be updating the Bulletin the morning of Monday, March 8. Please check our website by noon to see the status of bills still in play and what you can do to help.

As we approach March 11, calls and emails from home become even more important. Thank you for continuing to contact your legislators on critical city issues.

[ return to top ] [ next article ]