AMONG THE 2,185 bills introduced in the first 37 days of the State Legislature’s 105-day session, several are of interest to Council 2 members.

“Members should contact their legislators and ask them to support the measures,” says Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson.
Details:

• Paid family medical leave

These bills establish a fund to allow workers who fall under the provisions of the Family Medical and Leave Act to receive $250 a week to care for family members who need medical attention.

The money would be paid in addition to any compensated time to which employees may otherwise be entitled, such as sick leave, vacation compensation time and disability pay. The bills are similar to a law passed recently in California. The payouts would be funded by a 2-cents-an-hour increase in the employer-paid payroll tax on employees, amounting to about $40 a year for full-time workers.

Part-time employees would receive a pro-rated rate and those working fewer than 680 hours a year would not be covered.
Members are encouraged to ask their legislators to support the measure, HB 1658.

• Public health funding

Public health funding has been slashed to dangerously low levels since the passage in 1999 of Initiative 695.
At a time when West Nile virus, bird flu and several other threats exist, Washington state’s investment in public health has lagged.

Two bills would provide $100 million in new funding by redistributing part of the cigarette tax. Members are encouraged to ask their legislators to support HB 1825 and SB 5729.

• Initiative accountability

Two bills would increase the accountability in the initiative process by requiring that signature gatherers register with the Department of Licensing and sign the petition sheets they submit.

A panel of representatives from labor, business and the environmental communities supported the bills.
The measures have been opposed by Tim Eyman, who used paid signature gatherers to garner support for several initiatives aimed at cutting state and local government income. Nearly $4.5 million has been spent on paid signature gatherers since 2002.

“It’s about time the state finds out who is operating this industry that Eyman is profiting from,” says Thompson. Members are encouraged to ask their legislators to support HB 2019 and SB 2020.