AWB has asked U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell to resist amendments by New Mexico Senator Jeff Bingaman, D-New Mexico, and support the new Class Action Fairness Act (Senate Bill 5) as written. The new legislation, expected to be considered by the full U.S. Senate this week, will correct lawsuit abuses in the current state court class action system. Bingaman’s “choice of law” amendment would allow personal injury lawyers to keep their class action lawsuits in state courts by adding fundamentally irrelevant local businesses as defendants. The amendment would also perpetuate “copycat” lawsuits by allowing class actions to remain in state court as long as no other class action is pending in any other federal district court. In contrast, S. 5, as written, will stop duplicative class actions in state courts. “The Bingaman amendment defeats the whole purpose of class action legislation,” AWB President Don Brunell said. “Senators Murray and Cantwell should tell him to withdraw it!” Contact AWB’s Don Brunell at (360) 943-1600 or DonB@awb.org.

 Senate Minority Whip Mike Hewitt, R-Walla Walla, and House Minority Leader Bruce Chandler, R-Granger, spoke at last week’s Lobby Lunch. Hewitt expressed a strong commitment to preventing business from bearing tax burdens to fill the state’s budget gap. He also suggested that it would be a good idea to take the B&O tax off small business for one year. “It’s time for a shot in the arm for small business,” Hewitt said. Chandler outlined his caucus’s priorities, including a no new taxes budget, consumer-driven health care reform, regulatory reform, clear accounting of the workers’ comp fund, and absolute commitment to preserving the 2003 unemployment insurance reforms. “The more the business community speaks with a unified voice, the better it is for us,” Chandler observed.

 

Washington State Supreme Court Kills State Death Tax –Refund in the Works!Washington state’s Supreme Court unanimously decided that "when an estate has no federal estate tax, there is no obligation to pay any state estate tax." It ordered a refund of estate taxes collected by the Department of Revenue since Jan. 1, 2002. The refund could be as high as $150 million, This decision upholds a 1981 voter initiative that tied the state death tax to the federal death tax. Washington's estate tax used to be defined as the amount of a credit calculated at the federal level. Federal legislation passed in 2001 provided for phasing out the state death tax credit over three years, beginning in 2002. Washington, however, did not conform with that change, and the state continued to collect its tax based on the old tax code. All federal death taxes will end in 2010. Contact AWB’s Tom McBride at (360) 943-1600 or TomM@awb.org.

 

Two companion bills (SB 5637 and HB 1702), dubbed the “Health Care Responsibility Act,” have been introduced in the Legislature. AWB opposes this legislation because it would require employers to provide health care insurance or pay a tax to enroll employees in the state’s Basic Health Care Plan. Go to http://www.awb.org/ and e-mail your legislators and them not to support these bills. There are better ways to provide health care for employees than issuing state mandates. Contact AWB’s Mellani Hughes McAleenan at (360) 943-1600 or MellaniM@awb.org.

 

Two outsourcing bills have emerged in the state House of Representatives. HB 1724 would require disclosure of offshore outsourcing, HB 1725 would prohibit the offshoring of work under state contracts, and HCR would create a task force to study offshore outsourcing. AWB is opposing these bills, but we need your help, too. Contact your legislators and insist that they reject these misguided bills. Contact AWB’s Kris Tefft at (360) 943-1600 or KrisT@awb.org.

 

HB 1627 – an attempt to resurrect the old ergonomics requirements on nurses – has been introduced. This bill is a violation of the spirit of 2003’s Initiative 841, which finally ended these burdensome regulations. Urge your legislators to say “No!” to HB 1627. Contact AWB’s Amber Carter at (360) 943-1600 or AmberC@awb.org.

 

Don’t miss the next Lobby Lunch on Thursday, Feb. 10, at 12 noon. The state budget will be the focus with House Appropriations Chair Rep. Helen Sommers, D-Seattle; Senate Ways & Means Chair Sen. Margarita Prentice, D-Renton; and Senate Ways and Means Vice Chair Sen. Mark Doumit, D-Cathlamet, as the featured speakers. Contact AWB’s Shannon Garland at (360) 943-1600 or ShannonG@awb.org.

 

After more than a decade of service to AWB members, Kris Holm of Water Resources Northwest is stepping down from her role as chair of AWB’s Water Quality Committee. “I’ve really enjoyed working with the members and staff of AWB for all these years, and I look forward to my continued involvement on the committee on behalf of my clients,” said Kris. Succeeding Kris is Ken Johnson, Washington regulatory affairs manager for Weyerhaeuser. Ken brings 26 years of experience on water quality related issues. “I have worked with AWB members on water quality issues for many years, and I’m looking forward to serving in my new role,” said Ken. Contact Grant Nelson at (360) 943-1600 or GrantN@awb.org.

 

2005 Legislative Reception to Be Held This Week – Last Chance to Register Online! AWB’s 2005 Legislative Briefing & Reception will be held this Wednesday, Feb. 9 at Olympia’s Red Lion Hotel. This year’s reception is especially important since we will have a new governor and many new legislators. The election results have presented new challenges and opportunities for business. Your newly-elected senators and representatives will have a lot of pressure from all sides on many issues. Your personal contact is the most successful way to influence legislators to make business issues a priority. An improved business climate is good for all citizens of Washington state as it means more jobs and a healthy economic future. The Legislative Briefing & Reception is one of the best places to meet legislators, state elected officials and agency directors face-to-face to discuss concerns and priorities. As part of this event, Gov. Gregoire will address the members lunch. Each year, more than 80 percent of the legislators and state officials attend our reception, which draws more than 500 attendees. Don't miss this important event! To register online, go to www.awb.org/events/legreception.asp. Contact Bonnie Bollig at (360) 943-1600 or BonnieB@awb.org.

 

AWB’s 2005 Legislative Briefing & Reception will be held this Wednesday, Feb. 9 at Olympia’s Red Lion Hotel. If you would like to sponsor this great event, there is still time. Contact AWB’s Bonnie Bollig at (360) 943-1600 or mailto:DebraB@awb.org.

 The Department of Ecology (Ecology) is sponsoring a series of public meetings across the state to help people learn about its efforts to update Washington's plan to control polluted runoff. The public will have the opportunity to hear more about the draft plan and offer comments on the actions and strategies. The meetings are scheduled for March 8, 6:30 p.m. (Ecology Headquarters Auditorium, 300 Desmond Dr, Lacey), March 9, 6:30 p.m. (Commissioners Hearing Room, Spokane County Courthouse, 1116 W. Broadway Ave, Spokane), March 10, 6:30 p.m. (Hal Holmes Community Center, 201 N. Ruby St, Ellensburg), March 16, 6:30 p.m. (Conference Rooms A,B,C, Parks Bldg, Everett Community College, 2000 Tower St, Everett). Public comment on the plan will end March 18. Mail comments to Bill Hashim, Dept. of Ecology, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600. Comments can also be e-mailed to bhas461@ecy.wa.gov or faxed to (360) 407-6426. To review the plan on the Web and get more information, go to file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/bonnieb/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/OLKAA/www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/nonpoint/nps_plan.html. Contact Grant Nelson at (360) 943-1600 or GrantN@awb.org.

 

AWB’s Executive Committee will meet Friday, March 11, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. in Olympia. You are invited to attend the Executive Luncheon (12 noon-1:30 p.m.). Dr. Mark Emmert, president of the University of Washington will be the luncheon speaker. Executive Meeting, 1:30-4:30 p.m. For more information, please contact AWB’s Bonnie Millikan at (360) 943-1600 or BonnieM@awb.org.

 

 Former Michigan Governor John Engler, the new president of the National Association of Manufacturers, will be our keynote speaker on May 24 at the AWB Annual Spring Board meeting in Spokane.We will meet at the Davenport this time.Mark your calendars and make your reservations. For more information, please contact Amy Johnson at mailto:BonnieM@awb.org.

 AWB’s JobMaker’s Web site is up and running. Other states are adopting it as a prototype. JobMakers is a cooperative partnership between AWB and the Washington Roundtable. Check it out and see how your legislators are doing! Then e-mail them by connecting to our Web site http://www.awb.org/.

 

As a service to our small business members, AWB HealthChoice was formed in 1996 as a purchasing co-op with multiple carriers. Since then, the market has evolved to few carriers and less interest in managed care. In response, we’ve consolidated our offering into a single insurance pool underwritten by Premera Blue Cross. The program is for companies with 2-50 employees. The partnership between the AWB and Premera Blue Cross brings Washington companies one of the most outstanding values available in employee benefits today. The program is open to businesses with two or more employees (husband and wife can qualify if both work in the business). Contact Helen Siggins at (800) 681-7177.