Author: Scott

Legislative Update – June 3, 2017

/ Scott

Last week marked the end of the 1st Special Session of 2017, and Gov. Jay Inslee called the Legislature back into session for a second 30-day term. The Regular Session adjourned on April 23. These special sessions come as no surprise, as over the past several years the divided Legislature has typically needed special sessions to resolve its business.

Legislators have not come to agreement yet on an education plan to meet the Supreme Court’s McCleary mandate, whether to increase taxes, or the 2017-19 operating and capital budgets. However, they reached bipartisan agreement on a biennial transportation budget during the Regular Session. The end of the state’s fiscal year is June 30, so legislators will face increased pressure to reach a budget agreement by then.

During the past month, the governor has taken action on bills passed during the regular session. A full list of the governor’s actions can be found here.

Below is a list of issues that we worked on or were following during the legislative session, as well as updates on where those issues stand now. Some of the unresolved issues may again surface as the Legislature gets closer to a final go-home budget deal, presumably in late June.

WSU Plant Sciences/WADDL

/ Scott

Legislators are still considering a proposal to fund two agricultural science buildings on the WSU Pullman campus. The House Capital Budget provides $38.1 million for the first stage of the Global Animal Health Phase II project — the new home of the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (WADDL). However, no funding was provided for the new Plant Sciences Building in the House budget. The Senate version of the Capital Budget provides $52 million for Plant Sciences and $23 million for Global Animal Health building. Both buildings are essential to Washington agriculture, and we support the funding of both projects.

Voluntary Stewardship Program Projects

/ Scott

Legislators are still considering some funding for certain VSP projects. Eligible cost-share funding in the Senate budget is $4 million for shellfish growing areas and $5 million for other parts of state. The House has $4 million for shellfish areas and $7 million available cost share in non-shellfish areas of state.

Real ID

/ Scott

Washington state driver’s licenses are currently out of compliance with the standards in the federal Real ID Act. SB 5008 solves this issue by creating a two-tier licensing system — a traditional driver’s license and an Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL). The requirements to obtain a traditional driver’s licenses will not change, but beginning in July 2018, the Department of Licensing will be required to mark those licenses as not complaint for federal purposes. Once the federal government begins enforcing Real ID, Washington residents will not be able to use a traditional license to fly or enter a federal facility like a military base. Instead, Washingtonians will need to use an EDL or other form of federally accepted identification.