From Paben

The state Senate’s Judiciary Committee this afternoon will hold a hearing on a bill that would allow judges to impose exceptionally long sentences to people who victimize homeless people because they’re homeless.

Under current law, sentence ranges are established based on the seriousness of the current offense, as well as a score derived from other offenses the person has committed. But in some situations the case is so heinous a judge may impose an exceptionally long prison term that’s longer than the maximum under the sentencing guidelines. State law has a list of 27 “aggravating factors” that can justify a longer sentence.

This bill, SB 5011, would add another one: If the offense was intentionally committed because the defendent perceived the victim to be homeless. A jury must determine beyond a reasonable doubt the person was guilty of the aggravating factor.

Click here to see the bill report.

From Jared Paben

The top Republican on the state House’s Ways and Means Committee has introduced a bill that would require elected officials’ salaries to be cut at the same rate state employees’ salaries are cut.

The bill calls for a constitutional amendment, which means even if it passes the legislature and is signed by the governor it would still need voter approval at the next general election.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Gary Alexander, R-Olympia, is HJR 4201.

The constitutional amendment would require the Washington Citizens’ Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials to reduce pay for elected officials in all three branches at the same rate and during the same time as pay is cut for state employees. The state Constitution currently requires it to set their pay.

Following is from the House Republicans: (more…)

From Jared Paben

The State Senate today held public heaings on bills concerning open government.

One is a bill that would prohibit the financial penalty against governments found by courts to have wrongly denied access to public records when the requester is an inmate.

Another bill would exempt from public disclosure of the home address (as written on a voter registration application) of employees in the criminal justice realm.

A third one deals with trying to make campaign financing at the state level more open and visible to the public.

Here’s a wrap up on some of them:

SB 5025: Concerning making requests by or on behalf of an inmate under the public records act ineligible for penalties. Click here to see the bill report.

SB 5007 - Making an exemption regarding the public inspection and copying of voter registration information of criminal justice agency employees or workers. (Hearing will be on Proposed Substitute Senate Bill.) Copies of Proposed Substitute will be provided by committee staff when available. Click here to see the bill report.

SB 5021 - Enhancing election campaign disclosure requirements to promote greater transparency for the public.Click here to see the bill report.

What do you think of these?

From Jared Paben

The State Productivity Board is looking for nominations for state employees who go above and beyond during their work.

It’s for the awarding of the Extra Mile Awards. Following is from Secretary of State Sam Reed’s office (Reed chairs the board):

Toby Black with the Department of Fish and Wildlife assisted in the rescue of a drowning woman.

The Department of Transportation’s Frank Curry and Tony Ybarra led the effort to evaluate the causes of, and solutions to, the catastrophic landslide on State Route 410 between Chinook Pass and Yakima.

The Department of Corrections’ Mike Tupper and Chris Idso spearheaded several cost-saving initiatives that saved DOC and the taxpayers of Washington thousands of dollars.

What do these people have in common? They are all Washington State employees who have been honored with the Extra Mile Award.

The State Productivity Board is asking the public and state workers to nominate public employees who have gone the extra mile.

Each year, the Extra Mile Award is given to individuals or groups of public employees who surpass expectations for exemplary public service by demonstrating at least one of the following attributes:

• Execute an innovative solution.
• Improve efficiency.
• Exhibit visionary thinking.
• Overcome great odds or disadvantages.
• Demonstrate personal valor or bravery.

“Washington has many state employees who go beyond the call of duty in performing their jobs,” said Secretary of State Sam Reed, chair of the State Productivity Board. “This is an excellent opportunity to honor exceptional state employees for the service they provide.”

Click here to see nomination forms.

From Stark:

Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson tells the Tacoma News-Tribune’s Peter Callaghan that one feature of U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour’s ruling in the top-two primary case is welcome news to her.

On Tuesday, Jan. 11, Coughenour upheld the centerpiece of the state’s voter-approved primary system, in which the top two vote-getters in the primary appear on the fall general election ballot, regardless of party.

But Coughenour also ruled that the state should not be playing a role in the election of partisan precinct officers by listing them on the ballot. Pierce County’s Anderson said that’s great news, because counties will no longer have to print hundreds of different ballots for hundreds of precincts. The parties will have to develop their own methods of chosing these officers.

I’ll be calling Whatcom County Auditor Shirley Forslof for her take on all this later today.

From Jared Paben

A state representative has introduced a bill that would split up each of the state’s legislative districts.

Currently, a senator and two representatives share each of the state’s 49 legislative districts. A bill from Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, would direct the redistricting commission to divide each of the 49 districts into two, with a representative coming from each one.

Click here to see on this in the The Daily (Everett) Herald.

What do you think?

By John Stark

Political parties hate it, but voters approved it, and so has U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour in Seattle.

David Ammons, blogging on the Washington Secretary of State’s website, reports here.

update: The state GOP seems to be ready to fight another round:

Bellevue – Washington State Republican Party Chairman Luke Esser issued the following statement regarding Judge Coughenour’s ruling on the Top Two primary:
“We are pleased the court ruled in our favor on the PCO election issue, but we believe the judge erred in not recognizing the confusion created by the Top Two primary infringes on our constitutional rights. We remain convinced that our constitutional rights will ultimately be vindicated and protected, and we will be considering our next steps in the coming weeks.”

From Jared Paben

The state Senate today changes a nearly century-old rule that the Senate have a supermajority to approve amendments to an operating budget bill when the changes are being offered on the Senate floor.

Here is what the Senate Democrats said about the change:

Today, the state Senate ended a 96-year-old requirement that amendments to the operating budget offered on the Senate floor receive a supermajority in order to pass.

“This is the most significant change the Senate has made to its own rules in 90-plus years,” said Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, chair of the budget-writing Ways & Means Committee. “A simple majority of this body should make a decision on any issue. With this rule change, all members of the Senate have the opportunity to participate in the budget process fully and equally.”

“This is the most significant thing we can do to have a bipartisan process in constructing this budget,” said Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam. “It’s a statement of good faith about working together through our current budget challenges toward a solution that works for everybody.”

“We may be saving the taxpayers at least one special session, and maybe a second special session by passing this rule change,” said Sen. Tim Sheldon, D-Potlatch. “There is an opportunity to pass a coalition budget – not a Democratic budget or a Republican budget – but a budget that truly is a reflection of the public and in the public’s best interests.”

In 1915, the Senate adopted a supermajority requirement for floor amendments to the operating budget proposed by Ways & Means Committee. A two-thirds vote was requirement for amendments, but the Senate heard amendments on the floor as a committee of the whole, which appears to have meant that votes on the amendments were not recorded.

The requirement for voting as a committee of the whole was dropped in 1983, and the threshold lowered from two-thirds to sixty percent, creating the rule as it has existed for 28 years until today.

What do you think?

From Jared Paben

A new American Association of Retired Persons survey finds that most Washington residents don’t want a ‘cuts-only’ state budget. As you know, that where the governor and legislature are headed, after voters last November overturned the taxes on pop, candy, gum and bottled water (and after they reaffirmed the two-third voting requirement for the Legislature to raise taxes).

Following is from AARP, which represents people who stand to be hurt by cuts to the state’s social safety net:

A new AARP survey of Washingtonians finds that more than three out of four of those surveyed opposed an “all-cuts” approach to balancing our state’s budget. Most people support finding some new revenue to help save state services. Only 16% of Washington voters support a cuts-only budget.

Click here to see more on the survey.

Is it just me, or is there a big disconnect between the results in November and what this survey shows?

From Jared Paben

Fine, you balance the state budget then.

From Sam Taylor

Via SeattlePI.com:

Voters should face a deadline of 8 p.m. on Election Day to get their ballots in to county election officials, Secretary of State Sam Reed said Friday, as he submitted a set of reforms to the Legislature.

The proposal would replace the current system under which ballots must be postmarked on Election Day. Oregon, which also has a mail-in ballot system, requires that ballots be in on Election Day.

“Our current postmark deadline has become antiquated,” Reed said. “We would have much more definitive results by Thursday or Friday after Election Day by changing the deadline.”

Read the full story, over here.

Q: Your thoughts?

From SeattlePI.com’s Joel Connelly:

Whenever a president or governor proposes to name a “czar,” or consolidate authority at the top, it rouses this pundit’s small-”r” republicanism and anti-royal Irish blood.

Gov. Chris Gregoire has been playing power games this week, in Janus-like, two-faced fashion.

One one front — proposing a new Department of Education — her message is: The buck stops with me. With state ferries and college money, she’s passing the buck. Money must come from sources different from the state budget, she says.

The Department of Education proposal follows a time-honored formula: Consolidate, create clear lines of authority, and put one person in charge directly responsible to the leader.

Just one problem: The governor, a former three-term Attorney General, should have scoped it out. Just turn to Article III of the Washington State Constitution

Read his much longer column, over here.

From Jared Paben

Click here to see the list of the newbies in the Legislature, sent out by the Secretary of State’s office.

From Sam Taylor

The faces of Whatcom County’s legislative delegation have changed significantly since the November election. It’s the most change to the 40th and 42nd Legislative Districts in decades.

But that won’t stop those newly-elected representatives and senators from putting their nose to the grind stone and immediately working for the people of the county, they say.

The 42nd district saw the most change in 2010, with two brand new members of the House of Representatives — Republicans Jason Overstreet and Vincent Buys — and Rep. Doug Ericksen moving to the state Senate.

In the 40th, Democratic Rep.-elect Kris Lytton will be sworn in Monday, Jan. 10, with her fellow freshman legislators as she replaces longtime Rep. Dave Quall.

All three of the new legislators say that they understand there’s a lot to take in, but they’re up to the challenge. More than any other legislator who spoke, Sen. Kevin Ranker, first elected in 2008, appears to have the most on his plate.

Chosen as the Senate’s Natural Resources Committee chairman, the newer senator is offering up a bevy of legislation that might please local property rights activists and farmers in Whatcom County.

Here’s a look at what your local legislative delegation will be working on in the new session:

(more…)

From Jared Paben

The state Department of Natural Resources says its saving lots of money each year by slashing the number of vehicles in its fleet and purchasing more fuel-efficient ones.

The DNR, which manages land on behalf of various trusts, cut $3 million in costs in 2010 by eliminating 125 vehicles from the motor pool. The agency expects to save at least $300,000 a year in operating costs from the reductions.

From DNR:

“Reducing emissions and the overall energy footprint of DNR is a top priority,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark. “By cutting the number of vehicles and driving less we are saving millions of dollars while enhancing our mission of managing the state’s lands wisely and for the public good.”

The effort to reduce the agency’s energy footprint is a major goal of the DNR Strategic Plan: 2010-2010: The Goldmark Agenda. DNR is using a combination of conservation, cleaner energy and management strategies to reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses its operations introduce into the atmosphere.

Here’s what agency fuel and mileage looked like: (more…)