Legislature Entering Final Week—Look for the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly List
The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn on Sunday, April 24. They need to adopt a budget and transportation spending plan. AWB is pushing to have the two-year budget live within the state’s means and not borrow from the future. Senate Republicans, led by Sen. Joe Zarelli, R-Ridgefield, presented the Legislature with that option, but so far it has been rejected. AWB will be publishing a list of the good, the bad, and the ugly bills which either died or are still alive. Look for it this week.

Lots of Transportation Discussions and Plans Floating Around Olympia
AWB is pushing the Legislature to adopt a transportation spending plan which will keep projects moving while addressing key major projects like Spokane’s North-South Freeway, Seattle’s Alaskan Way Viaduct, and the 520 floating bridge across Lake Washington. Contact AWB’s Tom McBride at (360) 943-1600 or TomM@awb.org.

Governor’s Signature Bill Dies – Gregoire Passes on Good Accountability Measure!
HB 1276, the bill that would have required the governor’s signature on significant agency rules is dead. While AWB supported the original version of this bill, the bill that died was watered down at the governor’s request to only require her signature if there were 50 “non form-like” objections in the rule record. Is this a signal of what’s to come from the governor on how she sees her agencies regulating? In contrast, the original bill would have applied to all significant rules. Contact AWB’s Amber Carter at (360) 943-1600 or AmberC@awb.org.

Final State Budget to be Released This Week – AWB Urges Restraint in Spending!
Finally, we will get to see the 2005-2007 budget later this week. The Governor’s, the House’s and the Senate’s proposed budgets all featured aspects of which we don’t approve – resurrecting the death tax, raising cigarette and liquor taxes, and vastly increasing state spending. In contrast, the Senate Republicans have outlined how a no-new taxes $25.58 billion operating budget with a reserve fund of $520 million could work, avoids skipping a pension payment, fully funds I-728 and I-732 while increasing higher education enrollment funds and cutting wasteful programs. We urge the Legislature’s budget writers to give serious consideration to this type of no-new-taxes budget. Now more than ever, government needs to live within its means. Contact AWB’s Tom McBride at (360) 943-1600 or TomM@awb.org.

California Emissions Bill Passes Senate – Gregoire Expected to Sign!
HB 1397, which would bring California’s strict vehicle emissions standards to Washington state, was passed by the Senate. Unfortunately, Gov. Gregoire has indicated she will sign the bill. Adopting California’s emissions standards will increase the cost of new cars by $3,000 while offering no measurable improvement to Washington’s air quality. Rather than our state's citizens and elected leaders deciding what policies are best for Washington state, under this legislation, we would be required to adopt whatever changes to vehicle emission standards the California Air Resources Board implements in the future. Contact Gov. Gregoire and tell her to veto HB 1397. Contact AWB’s Grant Nelson at (360) 943-1600 or GrantN@awb.org.

AWB Files Amicus Brief in Hanford Case – Validity of Initiative 297 in Question!
AWB has filed an amicus (“friend-of-the-court”) brief in the challenge by the U.S. Dept. of Energy to the validity of “Hanford cleanup” I-297. AWB joins the Tri-City Industrial Development Council, Tri-City Chamber of Commerce, and Fluor Hanford in intervening on the side of the U.S. Government. The case is in federal court, but the federal court “certified” that is, asked the Washington Supreme Court for its interpretation on a number of state law questions, most notably what constitutes “mixed waste” for purposes of the initiative. That is the provision affecting companies that work with radioactive material but are not creating or participating in cleanup activities – such as work with medical isotopes, etc. AWB’s Board opposed I-297 last fall, and our Environmental Affairs Council (EAC) has opposed the related legislation this session. Contact AWB’s Kris Tefft at (360) 943-1600 or KrisT@awb.org.

Victor Moore of OFM at Last Week’s Lobby Lunch – Talks About the Budget!
At last week’s Lobby Lunch, Victor Moore, director of the state’s Office of Financial Management, spoke on issues related to the state’s budget. He insisted that Gov. Gregoire’s budget was a good proposal that followed the POG process and made major cuts.

U.S. House Repeals Federal Death Tax– Now it is in U.S. Senate’s Court!
Last week the U.S. House voted to end the cruel federal estate tax, which hits family-owned businesses hard. Now the bill to repeal this tax will go to the U.S. Senate. Go to www.awb.org and tell Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell that you support repealing the death tax.

Kohl-Welles, Parlette, Santos & Woods at This Week’s Lobby Lunch – Last Lunch for Session!
Don’t miss the next Lobby Lunch, Thursday, April 21 at 12 noon – the last Lobby Lunch of 2005. Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle; Sen. Linda Parlette, R-Wenatchee; Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos, D-Seattle; and Rep. Beverly Woods, R-Kingston, will speak on this summer’s convention of the National Council of State Legislatures (NCSL) to be held in Seattle. Contact AWB’s Alisha Boggs at (360) 943-1600 or AlishaB@awb.org.

AWB Urging Congress to Continue R&D Tax Incentives
With federal research and development (R&D) tax incentives set to expire this year, AWB joined a national coalition led by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) to continue and enhance the credits. Contact AWB’s Don Brunell at (360) 943-1600 or DonB@awb.org for information.

Engler and Weeks to Speak at Spring Board Meeting – Register Early!
Former Michigan Governor John Engler, the new president of the NAM, will be our keynote speaker on May 24 at the AWB Annual Spring Board meeting in Spokane. We will meet at the Davenport. On May 25, the speaker will be new L&I director Gary Weeks. Mark your calendars and make your reservations. Contact AWB’s Amy Johnson at (360) 943-1600 or AmyJ@awb.org.

Do You Know Someone Who Should Be on AWB’s Board? Nominations are Being Taken!
AWB’s Annual Spring Board meeting is coming soon. At the meeting we will be choosing new members of AWB’s Board. If you know of an AWB member you think should be on our board, please send us that person’s name in nomination form. Deadline: May 24. Contact AWB’s Dick Walter at (360) 943-1600 or DickW@awb.org.

Have Your Company’s Contribution to Community Service Recognized!
AWB is presenting a series of Community Service Awards to recognize our members’ volunteerism and contributions, which make our communities better places in which to live and work. The Community Service Awards will be presented during a special dinner held in conjunction with the May 24 AWB Annual Spring Board Meeting in Spokane. Submit your applications before Friday, April 22 at www.awb.org/services/awards/csaawards.asp.

Make Your Hotel Reservations for Policy Summit – “Capitol Steps” Are Coming!
No one satirizes national politics better than the Capitol Steps, the entertaining musical parody group from Washington, D.C. AWB is proud to announce that the Capitol Steps will be the Thursday night entertainment at the Policy Summit on Sept. 22, at the Semiahmoo Resort. Make your hotel reservations now by calling (800) 770-7992 or e-mail: Hotel@semiahmoo.com.

Labor Law Posters Available – Order Now!
Agencies of both the state and federal governments require various postings be available in a common area regularly visited by employees where they have an unobstructed opportunity to read them. Recently, legislation amended the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) requiring employers to post a new notice providing information about the rights of military service personnel to job reinstatement and other benefits. Posting this information has been mandatory since March 10, 2005. Contact AWB’s Amy Johnson at (360) 943-1600 or AmyJ@awb.org to order your labor law poster. In the meantime, before you order and receive your AWB labor law poster, you may download, print and post a temporary USERRA-compliant poster from the U.S. Dept. of Labor at www.dol.gov/vets/programs/userra/poster.pdf.

AWB’s HealthChoice – A Great Health Care Alternative!
Looking for affordable, quality health insurance for you and your employees? If so, AWB HealthChoice could be the right choice. Plans offered have deductibles ranging from $250 to $1000, and three Health Savings Account (HSA) options are also available. Companies with a minimum of two employees qualify for coverage. For benefit information, contact Helen Siggins at (866) 448-9577.

Check Out www.JobMakers.com- Track Your Legislators on How They’re 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 www.awb.org. Listen for two new radio ads, produced by AWB and WashACE, that mention JobMakers.com.