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To: Yakima City Council Members p ater
From: Communications $z Public Affairs Director Randy Beehler
Subject: State Legislature Session Update
Date: Tuesday, February 18 2013
Council Members,
The Washington State Legislatur! is about three weeks away from adjourning its 2014 session.
With the assistance of lobbyist Jim Justin, the City has been very engaged in the session and
has weighed in on numerous pieces of legislation important to the City. Today is the deadline for
non - budget - related bills to make it out of their house of origin. If they do not, those bills are dead
for this session.
Here is a brief update on several bills the City has been actively working for or against:
- HB 2144 - Specifying Marijuana Excise Tax Revenues - City Opposes
HB 2144 would allocate 20% of revenues generated by retail marijuana excise taxes to local
jurisdictions (10% to cities, 10 % to counties). The bill would also preempt the ability of local
jurisdictions to ban the production, processing, and sale of retail marijuana. The City opposes
this legislation. HB 2144 currently sits in the House Appropriations Committee. Since it is a
budget - related bill, it is not affected by today's house of origin cut off.
- HB 2229 - Creating Funding for State Tourism Marketing Program - City Supports
HB 2229 would generate $7.5 million annually for a state tourism marketing program through
voluntary contributions from the lodging, entertainment, food service, retail, and transportation
industries. The City supports this legislation. HB 2229 passed the House 88 -8 earlier today
and now moves to the Senate.
- HB 2287 - SB 6249 - Implementing Court Fees for Indigent Defense - City Supports
HB 2287 and SB 6249 would establish new court fees that would be used to pay increased
costs related to a State Supreme Court decision that set caseload limits for public defenders.
The City anticipates its costs will increase from about $500,000 in 2012 to more than $1 million
in 2015 as a result of the decision. The City supports this legislation. HB 2497 currently sits
in the House Appropriations Committee. SB 6249, which appears to have a greater chance of
passage, sits in the Senate Was and Means Committee. Since both are budget - related bills,
they are not affected by today's house of origin cut off.
- HB 2154 - Establishin • S • ecial Li • uor License for Fairs - City Supports
HB 2154 would establish a special liquor license for fairs (as defined in state statute) that would
allow the sale and consumption of alcohol throughout fairgrounds, as opposed to only in
designated "beer gardens" as is the case today. The Central Washington State Fair
Association supports this legislation and has actively worked for its passage. The City
supports this legislation. HB 2154 is currently awaiting action by the full House. Since it is a
non - budget - related bill, it is affe by today's house of origin cut off and if not acted on by the
House will be dead for this session.
- HB 2622 - Naming the Central Washington State Fair as the Official Washington State
Fair - City Supports
HB 2622 would designate the Central Washington State Fair as the Official Washington State
Fair. This bill came about because the Puyallup Fair unilaterally assumed the name
"Washington State Fair" in 2013. The Central Washington State Fair was the original
Washington State Fair until 1936 when state funding for the event ceased. The Central
Washington State Fair Association supports this legislation and has actively worked for its
passage. The City supports this legislation. HB 2144 currently sits in the House
Government Operations and El Committee. Since it is a non - budget - related bill, it is
affected by today's house of origin cut off and if not acted on by the House will be dead for this
session.
- HB 2117 — Preventing Breed - Specific Dog Regulations — City Opposes
HB 2177 would prevent local ju iisdictions for enacting breed - specific dog regulations and would
nullify existing breed - specific dog regulations, such as those in effect in the City of Yakima.
The City opposes this legislation. HB 2117 currently sits in the House Judiciary Committee.
Since it is a non - budget - related bill, it is affected by today's house of origin cut off and if not
acted on by the House will be dead for this session.
- HB 2239 — Exempting Certain Information Gathered through 911 Calls from Public
Disclosure — City Supports
HB 2239 would exempt certain information gathered by local jurisdictions through 911 calls
from being disclosed through a Public Records Act request. Information that would be
exempted from disclosure includes data related to children, personal and financial data, data
identifying the identity of a 911 caller, etc. The City supports this legislation. HB 2239 is
currently sitting in the House Government Operations and Elections Committee. Since it is a
non - budget - related bill, it is affected by today's house of origin cut off and if not acted on by the
House will be dead for this session.
Additionally, a state transportati n revenue package proposed by 14 District Senator Curtis
King and supported by the City has gained no traction during this session and is unlikely to be
acted on by the legislature.
Also, it is expected that the state will release its latest revenue forecast as early as tomorrow.
The forecast is anticipated to indicate either flat or slightly improved revenues.
Finally, supplemental budgets are expected to be released by both the House and the Senate
sometime next week. The Senate is likely to release its supplemental budget first. Passage of
any supplemental budget is in question this session.
Please let me know if you have questions regarding this memorandum or any issue related to the
ongoing legislative session.