State lawmakers continued their busy schedule of committee hearings on a wide range of issues last week, as they approach the first cut-off deadline for legislative action just ten days from now. Monday, Feb. 15, is the last day for policy committees to pass bills in their originating house for further consideration this legislative session.
The House and Senate also took full floor votes on more than a dozen measures last week. Most passed by unanimous — or near-unanimous votes — but in the House, a bill to spend $2.2 billion in federal COVID relief money for the state (HB 1368) passed by a split vote on Feb. 1.
The House also passed SB 5061, a measure to provide unemployment tax relief for small businesses, making it the first bill to reach the governor’s desk for signing this session.
On Feb. 3, the Senate passed SB 5121 to expand the state’s program for early release of prisoners into the community. Senators debated proposed amendments to tighten restrictions on the early-release program at length, but the amendments failed and the bill passed along strictly partisan lines by a vote of 28-21.
• Senate Bill 5061, Concerning unemployment insurance
Passed the House on Jan. 29 by a vote of 89-8 (one member excused)
This bill would provide unemployment insurance tax relief by not charging rate increases to employers for unemployment benefits during a public health emergency for high-risk individuals unable to work from home and shared work benefits paid or reimbursed by the federal government.
For workers, the bill would expand eligibility for those in high-risk households and waive the waiting period when federally reimbursed.
It would also increase the minimum benefit from 15 to 20 percent of the average weekly wage and limit benefits to a person’s weekly wage.
Rep. Mike Chapman (D-Port Angeles) Yes
Rep. Steve Tharinger (D-Port Townsend) Yes
House Bill 1368, Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic through state actions supported by federal funding
Passed the House on Feb. 1 by a vote of 61-36 (one member excused)
This bill would distribute $2.2 billion in federal COVID relief funds made available to the state. It includes $668 million for school funding, and $618 for a Public Health Response account for programs such as COVID testing and contact tracing.
A further $68 million is earmarked for vaccine distribution and administration.
The bill would also provide $365 million for housing and rental assistance, and $240 million in grants for Washington’s small businesses.
Also, $65 million would be allocated for the Washington Immigrant Relief fund, and $50 million in financial help for child care providers.
Rep. Chapman Yes
Rep. Tharinger Yes
• Senate Bill 5121, Expanding eligibility for the graduated reentry program
Passed the Senate on Feb. 3 by a vote of 28-21
The bill would expand eligibility for the Graduated Reentry Program in the Washington Department of Corrections (DOC) that allows incarcerated persons to serve part of their sentence in the community rather than in prison.
Under current law, which was created in 2018, individuals must have served at least 12 months in confinement at a state prison before becoming eligible to serve up to the last six months of their sentence in the community with electronic home monitoring under the jurisdiction of the DOC.
SB 5121 would reduce the required confinement time a person must serve in prison before eligibility for the reentry program to six months for most offenders who are not under a deportation order or civil commitment.
It would further reduce the required confinement time to four months for those who are not currently serving a sentence for a sex, violent, or crime-against-a-person offense.
The bill would also allow eligible inmates to serve the entire remaining term of their sentence at home, with electronic monitoring supervised by the DOC.
Sen. Kevin Van De Wege (D-Sequim) Yes.
