Dear Friends,
Welcome to the seventh week of the legislative session. Monday, February 15th was the first cutoff deadline – policy cutoff. Bills that didn’t get out of policy committee by that date are now considered dead. Between both chambers, 463 bills passed out of policy committees before last Monday’s cutoff. House policy committees passed 216 total bills and Senate committees passed 247 total bills. The focus of the remainder of the past week was primarily on fiscal committees as the legislature worked toward the second cutoff deadline, house of origin fiscal cutoff, which is today. Bills with the coveted designation of necessary to implement the budget (NTIB) are exempt from the cutoff calendar. To keep track of where we are in the session, consult the 2021 Session Cutoff Calendar.
During executive sessions in both the House Appropriations and Senate Ways & Means Committees last week, most bills were amended to include a ‘Null and Void’ or ‘Subject to Appropriation’ clause. When a bill has this language added, depending on where it is placed it means either a section or subsection of a bill or the bill in its entirety is invalid unless funding is provided in the budget by a specified date. The intention behind these clauses is to prevent a bill, or a component of a bill, from being enacted that doesn’t end up getting the money needed to implement it. Both Democrats and Republicans will propose null and void clauses. It is standard practice in the fiscal committees for these to be added to most bills and they are often done by a verbal amendment.
This coming week both chambers are on the floor all day, every day, and sometimes into the evening and weekends. This means there will be just a couple of committee meetings and most attention will be turned to the Rules committee and floor activity. All bills except those deemed necessary to Implement the Budget (NTIB) must pass off the floor in their House of Origin by 5 p.m. on March 9th. There is usually short public notice for when a bill is going to come up on either floor. Notice is given to the public via the order of consideration. You can sign up to receive these notices by clicking here – you will put in your e-mail address and then you can select which e-mail lists you want to be on. Warning - there are a lot! Specifically, for the orders of consideration, make sure you select the boxes for ‘House Order of Consideration’ and ‘Senate Order of Consideration.’ It is worth noting that sometimes the e-mail does not come out until after they have already started running bills.
To make it to the floor for debate, potential amending, and final vote, it must first make it through the respective Rules Committees. Because of this, the Rules Committee is often referred to as “The Gatekeeper.” The process for getting a bill out of the Rules Committee can be confusing, especially since the House and Senate use different terminology. Click here to learn more about the House and Senate Rules Committee processes.
It is a stressful time for legislators, staff, lobbyists and advocates trying to move legislation through the process. In honor of all the bills moving forward in Olympia, here is a classic from Schoolhouse Rock: “I’m Just a Bill.”
Governor Inslee named Karen A. Johnson, PhD, director of the newly created state Office of Equity. The Office of Equity, established by the Legislature, was signed into law by Inslee in April of 2020. The office will work with agencies to increase access to equitable opportunities in order to bridge opportunity gaps and reduce disparities. The office will also work with communities to develop the state’s five-year equity plan. Johnson is currently the equity and inclusion administrator for the Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC), where she works to incorporate equity, diversity, inclusion and respect (EDI-R) into DOC policy and practices. She also represents DOC on the statewide Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council. The appointment is effective March 8.
Friday afternoon, Governor Inslee signed HB 1368 an “early action” budget bill. HB 1368 provides $2.2 billion of federal funding for COVID-19 relief. As Governor Inslee signed the bill, he highlighted some of the bill’s funding:
- $714 million of assistance to K-12 schools
- $618 million to the public health response to the pandemic
- $365 million for emergency eviction and utility assistance
- $240 million for business assistance grants
- $50 million for childcare
- $26 million for food banks and other programs
- $91 million for income assistance
The bill has an emergency clause so funds will be allocated now, not at the end of the legislative session.
On President’s Day I was honored to attend Prevention Policy Day. Prevention Policy Day is organized and hosted by the Washington Association for Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention (WASAVP). The event hosts youth and youth advisors from around the state at our state’s capital to talk about the importance of prevention in their communities and schools with their state legislators. Substance use prevention funding was at the top issue for this year’s youth attendees and their advisors. Attendees heard from Representative Paul Harris (R-Vancouver) about key bills of interest and what it is like to be a member of the legislature working in the virtual environment. At the end of each Prevention Policy Day, I am inspired and full of hope for the future with these bright and talented youth using their voice and advocacy skills to advance policy issues. I am grateful for the advisors and organizations that provide support for these youth.
In photos this week, we have a throwback photo from Prevention Policy Day 2020 and one of my favorites from last session.
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We will continue to keep you updated with future status updates. If you have bill or policy questions, please feel free to direct them to Julie Peterson at juliep@healthygen.org or my Twitter handle, @HealthyGenJulie.
Ever forward,
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Julie Peterson, Executive Director
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Throwback! Students from Yakima Valley meet with Governor Inslee during Prevention Policy Day 2020.
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Throwback! Erin and Julie meet with Madame Speaker Jinkins.
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Please note, this status is as of Saturday, February 13th. Please check www.leg.wa.gov for further status updates. Check for new bill additions each week.
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Clinical & Community Linkages
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“Creating the state office of behavioral health consumer advocacy.”
HB 1086
Sponsor: Simmons
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Appropriations
Feb 17: Executive action taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 1:30 PM
“Expanding accessible, affordable childcare and early childhood development programs.”
HB 1213 & SB 5237
Sponsor: Senn
Sponsor: Wilson
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Appropriations
Status: Senate Ways & Means
Feb 17: Executive action taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 1:30 PM. (Committee Materials)
APP - Majority; 2nd substitute bill be substituted, do pass
Click here for the Fair Start Act Summary
“Concerning working connections childcare eligibility and unemployment benefits.”
SB 5023
Sponsor: Wilson
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Ways & Means
“Improving maternal health outcomes by extending coverage during the postpartum period.”
SB 5068
Sponsor: Stonier
Sponsor: Randall
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Health Care & Senate Rules 2
“Concerning health equity continuing education for health care professionals.”
SB 5229
Sponsor: Randall
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Passed Third
“Concerning the possession of vapor, vapor products, tobacco, and tobacco products by minors.”
SB 5129
Sponsor: Saldana
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Rules 2
See one-pager from Healthy King County Coalition here.
“Funding foundational public health services.”
HB 1201 & SB 5149
Sponsor: Riccelli
Sponsor: Robinson
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Finance & Senate Ways & Means
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“Supporting measures to create comprehensive public health districts.”
HB 1152 & SB 5173
Sponsor: Riccelli
Sponsor: Robinson
Healthy Gen’s position: Monitor
Status: House Appropriations & Senate Health
“Concerning the regulation of products sold to adults age 21 and over.”
HB 1345 & SB 5266
Sponsor: Pollett
Sponsor: Kuderer
Healthy Gen’s position: Monitor
Status: House Commerce & Labor Senate Labor
“Developing comprehensive school counseling programs.”
SB 5030
Sponsor: Mullet
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Second Reading
"Implementing the national 988 system to enhance and expand behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention services."
HB 1477
Sponsor: Orwall
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Finance
Feb 16: Scheduled for executive session in the House Committee on Finance at 8:00 AM (Subject to change)
“Concerning school-based health centers.”
HB 1225
Sponsor: Stonier
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Appropriations
Feb 17: Executive action taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 1:30 PM.
APP - Majority; do pass 1st substitute bill proposed by Health Care & Wellness
“Enhancing and expanding behavioral health and suicide prevention crisis response services.”
HB 1182 & SB 5209
Sponsor: Orwall
Sponsor: Dhingra
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Health Care & Senate Behavioral Health
“Increasing affordability of standardized plans on the individual market.”
SB 5377
Sponsor: Frockt
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Ways & Means
Feb 22: Scheduled for executive session in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 9:30 AM
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Social & Economic Conditions
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“Concerning professional learning, equity, cultural competency, and dismantling institutional racism in the public school system.”
SB 5044
Sponsor: Das
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Education
“Prohibiting the use of credit scores to determine rates for personal lines of insurance.”
SB 5010
Sponsor: Das
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Second Reading
“Prohibiting weapons in state capitol buildings and grounds and certain other governmental buildings and facilities.”
HB 1234
Sponsor: Senn
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Civil Rights
“Prohibiting the open carry of certain weapons at public demonstrations and the state capitol.”
SB 5038
Sponsor: Kuderer
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Rules 2
“Including the open carry or display of weapons within the offense of criminal mischief.”
HB 1283
Sponsor: Senn
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Rules Review
“Concerning the restoration of the right to possess a firearm.”
HB 1026
Sponsor: Walen
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Civil Rights
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“Modernizing, harmonizing, and improving the efficacy and accessibility of laws concerning civil protection orders.”
HB 1320 & SB 5297
Sponsor: Goodman
Sponsor: Dhingra
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Appropriations & Senate Law & Justice
“Eliminating lunch copays for students who qualify for reduced-price lunches.”
HB 1342
Sponsor: Berg
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate EL-K-12
“Providing for an additional revenue source for eviction prevention and housing stability services.”
HB 1277 & SB 5279
Sponsor: Ormsby
Sponsor: Robinson
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Appropriations & Senate Housing
"Funding public health services and health equity initiatives through a statewide sweetened beverage tax.
SB 5371
Sponsor: Robinson
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Health Care
Feb 22: Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Health & Long Term Care at 8:00 AM
“Concerning foster care and childcare licensing by the department of children, youth, and families.”
SB 5151
Sponsor: Wilson
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: Senate Rules 2
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“Improving the state's climate response through updates to the state's comprehensive planning framework.”
HB 1099
Sponsor: Duerr
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Appropriations
Feb 17: Executive session scheduled, but no action was taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 1:30 PM.
Click here for a one-pager from Futurewise.
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“Concerning long-term forest health and the reduction of wildfire dangers.”
HB 1168
Sponsor: Springer
Healthy Gen’s position: Support
Status: House Rules Review
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