Unemployment Insurance Reforms Pass As Second Special Session Ends – Thanks For Your Help!
A major win for AWB and employers across the state, the Legislature rejected a union-backed unemployment bill offered by Speaker Frank Chopp and the House Democrat leadership. Instead, a more comprehensive measure agreed to by a coalition of employers, Boeing unions, agriculture and fishing interests, Gov. Locke and House and Senate Republicans passed. With the passage of SB 6097, the Legislature also adjourned for the year. "This was a very important bill to employers of Washington for our future competitiveness," said AWB President Don Brunell. "Hopefully, we have a good start toward making the system more efficient, cost effective and targeted to those who unemployment insurance was set up to serve. The issue came down to creating jobs through lower UI taxes or increasing unemployment lines. In the end, lawmakers rightly chose jobs." For copies of the complete provisions of SB 6097, go to AWB’s website: www.awb.org, or click here.

 

Go to www.awb.org. Thank Gov. Locke and Legislators Supporting Our UI Bill
AWB has posted a list of the Senators and Representatives voting for SB 6097. Please use our website to send them a thank you e-mail. Gov. Locke and our legislative supporters really deserve our thanks. Go to www.awb.org (or click here) and find your representatives to send them your note. It’ll only take a minute.

 

Here Are the Highlights of the UI
- The maximum duration of unemployment benefits will be reduced to 26 weeks, as opposed to 30 weeks.
- UI benefit amounts will no longer be based on the average of what a worker earns in the two highest earning quarters. Instead, benefits will be based on the average annual salary (beginning in 2005); then would only qualify during designated seasons (starts in 2009).
- The maximum weekly benefit will be frozen at $496 for the next five to eight years. Additionally, the maximum weekly benefit will be cut to 63 percent of average wages (currently at 70 percent).
Passage of the UI reform legislation would not have been possible without the help of AWB members and partners who contacted legislators and negotiated the compromise.

 

Injured Workers' Compensation Reform -- Hearing Loss Claims Limited to Two-Years!
Last night, the Legislature passed SB 5271, which limits the filing of job-related hearing-loss claims at two years. Currently employees can come in, even forty years after they worked for an employer, to hold the employer liable for any hearing loss. This bill returns some balance to the system by continuing to provide hearing aids and medical assistance to all workers but limiting cash permanent partial disability payments to workers who file within a reasonable time (two years). The bill also saves the state’s workers’ compensation fund $200 million in future claims. For more information, contact AWB’s Amber Carter at (360) 943-1600 or amberc@awb.org.
 

Critical Tax Incentives Package for the Aerospace Industry Passed
The Legislature has also agreed on a package that gives Boeing and its contractors $3.2 billion in tax breaks over a 20-year period. House Bill 2294 was passed on the condition that the company chooses Washington state as the location for its 7E7 assembly. For more information on the bill, go to www.awb.org or contact AWB’s Tom Dooley at (360) 943-1600 or TomD@awb.org.

 

Water Legislation Passes House and Heads to Governor
Senate Bill 5028, which prevents the state from using water quality laws while increasing fines for violations, was passed earlier this week. Other water-related bills that are headed to the Governor’s office are House Bill 1336, which deals with watershed planning, and House Bill 1338, which provides for certainty and flexibility of municipal water rights. For more information, contact AWB’s Kristen Sawin at (360) 943-1600 or KristenS@awb.org.

 

Charter Schools Bill Dies in House---Tell Your Legislators That is Unacceptable
Legislation authorizing charter schools in Washington was not allowed to come up during both special sessions by Speaker Chopp even though it passed the Senate 27-19 and had enough votes to pass the House. Gov. Locke also supported the bill.

 

Medical Malpractice Insurance Reform Fails---Can Doctors and Hospitals Wait?
The Liability Reform Coalition (LRC) tort reform legislation also failed despite protests by doctors across Washington. For some rural hospitals and doctors, waiting another year may be too late. Contact your legislators and let them know tort reform has to happen soon!

 

Class Action Reform Victory—Tell Dunn, Hastings, Larsen and Nethercutt Thanks!
Class Action Reform legislation just passed the House today by a vote of 253 to 170. AWB has been coordinating efforts in Washington State with former Gov. Booth Gardner to pass the bill. H.R. 1115 now goes to the Senate. E-mail Senators Cantwell and Murray to urge them to vote for Class Action Reform legislation. Even though 9th District Congressman Adam Smith told folks back home he would vote for the bill, he ended up not voting at all when the bill came to the House floor. Please send thank you e-mails to the following Washington Congressional members: Rick Larsen, Jennifer Dunn, Doc Hastings and George Nethercutt. This is a victory for legal reform. Click here to find their e-mail addresses.

 

Northwest Governors Reject Breaching of Snake River Dams—Tell Gov. Locke Thanks!
Governors of Idaho, Washington, Montana and Oregon rejected dam breaching as an option to promote salmon recovery in the Columbia River System. That sets aside an addendum to the salmon recovery plan pushed by former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber. That move helps take the steam out of federal legislation offered by Congressman Jim McDermott (D-Seattle) who sponsored a bill which begins the dam breaching process on the four lower Snake River dams. Contact AWB’s Don Brunell at 360-943-1600 or DonB@awb.org.