HOTLINE 2/22/18

This is the Federation Hotline updated Feb. 22.


Quick update: Interpreters, part-timers bills move out of committees

  • Our priority Interpreters services bill 2SSB 6245 was voted out of the House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee as amended 4-3 Thursday morning (Feb. 22). It now goes to the House Appropriations Committee where it has until Monday, Feb. 26, to pass. It earlier passed the Senate 31-16.
  • The Senate Labor and Commerce Committee on Wednesday (Feb. 21) passed the bill to leave no doubt and add part-time state employees to civil service. HB 2669 is now scheduled to go to the Senate Rules Committee. HB 2669 earlier passed the House 50-47.


What’s on tap for next week:

Friday, Feb. 23

Tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 23, is the next committee deadline.

That’s when most House bills must pass Senate committees, and most Senate bills must pass House committees. The exceptions are bills in House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees; they have until Monday, Feb. 26, to pass out bills.

Two of our priority bills that have gained corporate opposition need calls to get them out of committee.

  • CALL TO ACTION on date-of-birth privacy bill – SB 6079 Dial 1-800-562-6000: Share your concern and ask your two House members to protect your privacy, safety and security by SUPPORTING SB 6079!
  • CALL TO ACTION on outsourcing transparency bill - 2SHB 1851: Dial 1-800-562-6000: Share your experience with outsourcing gone wrong and ask your Senator to SUPPORT 2SHB 1851, the Taxpayer Protection Act!

Saturday, Feb. 24

The Senate Ways and Means Committee and House Appropriations Committee meet to work on bills that need to clear fiscal committees by Monday.

Monday, Feb. 26

Today is the day bills in House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees must pass out of committee.


Tuesday, Feb. 27 – Friday, March 2

Starting Tuesday, we enter the home stretch in this 60-day session that ends March 8. Action shifts to the full House and Senate because next Friday, March 2, is the deadline for most House bills to pass the Senate and most Senate bills to pass the House. Exceptions: budgets and matters necessary to implement budgets, and differences in bills between the House and Senate; those bills have until the last day of session, March 8.

Most committee action will be in fiscal committees. Other committees may take up certain topics in work sessions and do interim planning.

Saturday, March 3 – Sunday, March 4

The full Senate and House may be in session this last weekend before the session adjourns March 8.


Scholarship opportunity for Pierce County students – Deadline March 15

The Jerry Beckendorf Community Service Scholarship encourages future generations of union activists by recognizing student community service.

Applications are now open. Candidates must be a high school student in Pierce County with at least one parent a member of a labor union. Candidates must be a graduating senior pledged to attend a college or trade school in the fall of 2018.

The application deadline is March 15.

The scholarship is a one-time award. On average, seven scholarships are granted each year, totaling $7,000.

The scholarship is named after retired Pierce County Local 53 member Jerry Beckendorf who worked for 15 years as the United Way and Pierce County Labor Council’s labor liaison.


WSU student journalist exposes critical deferred maintenance issue we should all care about

From the Washington State University Daily Evergreen campus newspaper in Pullman.

Note: Our Local 1066 members there have also raised the alarm on this issue because they take their job seriously -- keeping the WSU Pullman community safe and sound and a good place to learn and work.

Here’s some of what WSU journalist Luke Hudson wrote Feb. 20:

“Practically speaking, this reduction in funds for maintaining university facilities results in greater deterioration of academic buildings, electrical systems and water distribution. All of these projects fall under the category of deferred maintenance, representing the total amount of money needed to bring those facilities into good condition….

“We deserve to learn in spaces that aren’t going to fall apart around us.”

See the whole column at: https://dailyevergreen.com/27223/opinion/state-must-budget-for-better-maintenance/

That’s it for now.

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