AWB members are responding to our fundraising request on competitiveness. Thank you. More letters are going out this week. The focus is simple: “Our State’s Economy is Fragile---Keep the Recovery Going!” and “Costs Matter---Don’t Pile On!” Bottom line: We don’t want a repeat of 1993 which business taxes and costs went up by $1.3 billion. Contact AWB’s Don Brunell at (360) 943-1600 or DonB@awb.org. Thank you!

 

The disastrous Health Care Responsibility Act (HB 1702), which would force employers to either provide employee health care or pay a tax to enroll employees in the state’s Basic Health Care Plan, has been passed out of the House Health Care Committee to the Rules Committee, which controls which bills will receive a floor vote. AWB testified in opposition to this costly and ineffective mandate, but we can’t stop this bill alone. Help us by contacting House Rules Committee members and urging them not to let this bill go to the House floor. Contact AWB’s Mellani Hughes McAleenan at (360) 943-1600 or MellaniM@awb.org.

 

HB 1059 which requires utilities to purchase specific amounts of renewable energy and do mandatory conservation investments is set to be voted on in the House Technology, Energy and Communications Committee on Tuesday, March 1.AWB continues to fight against this legislation which will increase energy costs for business, hitting the manufacturing sector particularly hard.Contact members of the Committee and ask them to vote no on HB 1059. Contact AWB’s Kristen Sawin at (230) 943-1600 or KristenS@awb.org.

 

SB 5823, a "prompt payment" bill for final paychecks, was heard today in the Senate Commerce & Labor Committee.AWB is opposing this extreme measure, which requires a final paycheck to be tendered within 24 hours of a termination or a voluntary quit and imposes liquidated damages of $100 per day for each day the check is not paid, "in addition to other legal remedies."This proposal would put Washington among the most extreme prompt payment states.This bill would make it impossible for most employers, particularly small businesses, to comply, particularly in the case of voluntary quits.It would likely end terminations on the spot.The bill also has numerous other legal deficiencies. Get the details at www.awb.org/cgi-bin/absolutenm/templates/?a=901&z=16. Contact AWB’s Kris Tefft at (360) 943-1600 or KrisT@awb.org.

 

California Vehicle Emissions Bill Moves Out of Committee – This Bill is a JobKiller!The environmental community’s attempt to force California’s overly stringent and unnecessary auto emissions standards on Washington - HB 1397 – has passed out of the House Transportation Committee and is now in House Rules Committee. This bill is on a fast track and most likely will be eligible for a vote on the House floor very soon. This bill will damage Washington’s economy by raising the cost of automobiles and encouraging Washington residents to buy cars in Oregon or Idaho, where automobiles would be cheaper since those states are not saddled with these standards. Urge members of the House Rules Committee not to pass this bill to the House floor. Contact AWB’s Grant Nelson at (360) 943-1600 or GrantN@awb.org.

 

SB 5842, which would severely damage the Retro Program, was heard in committee. Associations like AWB are going to be hurt by this bill, which was originally meant as political “payback” to some associations who used Retro Refunds for political purposes. This bill is poorly drafted and impacts even those Retro Programs, like AWB, which give all of their refunds back to their members. AWB testified against this bill and is keeping the pressure on the legislators. Go to http://www.awb.org/ and tell your legislators you oppose this terrible bill. Contact AWB’s Amber Carter at (360) 943-1600 or AmberC@awb.org.

 

Governor Gregoire has asked the Dept. of Ecology to suspend rulemaking on the Columbia River Initiative (CRI). AWB worked with Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside, and Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, on an advisory opinion from Attorney General Rob McKenna on whether or not Ecology could pursue rulemaking before the policy bill granting the authority was passed. The governor asked the agency to pull back before the AG weighed in. All the parties in the Legislature signaled to the governor that there was no willingness to advance this extremely flawed policy.AWB will continue to advocate for funding the agreements signed by the Bureau of Reclamation and the Colville Tribe.These agreements will help facilitate storage and better management in the future.Contact Kristen Sawin at (360) 943-1600 or KristenS@awb.org.

 The mental health parity bill (HB 1154) has been passed by the House and is now in the Senate where it has been passed from the Health Committee and is now in Rules, waiting to go to the floor for a vote. AWB has opposed this legislation from the start and will continue to fight it in the Senate. You can help, too, by going to http://www.awb.org/ and telling your senator that you oppose expensive health care mandates like this one. Contact Mellani Hughes McAleenan at (360) 943-1600 or MellaniM@awb.org.

 

 AWB has testified against HB 2203 – a bill that would include the cost of health insurance when calculating wages. This is another expensive bill for employers, and it must be opposed. Contact Amber Carter at (360) 943-1600 or AmberC@awb.org.

 

AWB is continuing our fight to preserve the hard won unemployment insurance reforms of 2003. You will need to weigh in! Look for the Action Alert early next week. Meanwhile, an excellent unemployment insurance competitiveness brief by the Washington Research Council is posted on our Web site. Download it—it is a quick read. The updated study is part of our 2005 legislative strategy to get the facts out. Go to http://www.awb.org/ and click on to your legislators. Tell them to “Leave the UI Reforms Alone—Let Them Work!” Contact Mellani Hughes McAleenan at (360) 943-1600 or MellaniM@awb.org.

 

Laurie Dolan, Gov. Gregoire’s policy director, spoke to AWB at last week’s Lobby Lunch. Dolan explained her role of advising the governor on bills in the Legislature and policy questions in general. She urged the business community to get to know her and her policy team, so they can have an input in policy development.

 

The legislative session is moving along at a rapid clip. This Wednesday, March 2, is the date after which no new bills that are not necessary for implementation of the budget may be introduced. AWB is closely monitoring all bills that will be introduced over the next two days for their impacts on business and the economy.

 

Two legislators with strikingly different viewpoints – Rep. Steve Conway, D-Auburn, and Rep. Cary Condotta, R-East Wenatchee, will enliven the next Lobby Lunch (Thursday, Mar. 3, 12 noon). Conway is the chair of the House Commerce & Labor Committee. Condotta is the ranking minority member on the same committee. Contact AWB’s Alisha Boggs at (360) 943-1600 or AlishaB@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), and 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:/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/OLK13/2005.02.07/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, 12 noon-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. Dept. of Ecology Director Jay Manning will be meeting with members at the 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.

 

AWB is cosponsoring a Biotech Conference on April 7 in Seattle at the downtown Red Lion. It is free of charge. For more information, contact Don Brunell at (360) 943-1600 or DonB@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 AWB’s Amy Johnson at AmyJ@awb.org.

 

Overwhelmed by Shipping Costs? Start Saving Today!
AWB Freight Savings Program gives small and mid-sized companies the same savings on shipping as larger companies. Participants receive a 62 percent discount on all less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments between 200 to 20,000 pounds in the U.S. and Canada. Members can attend free educational seminars. Contact AWB's Jennifer Davis at (360) 943-1600 or mailto:KandiceJ@awb.org.

Check Out http://www.jobmakers.com/ - Track Your Legislators on How They Are Doing to Keep Our Economic Recovery Moving!
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/.