AWB Fights for Tax Relief for Employers
Gov. Gregoire’s requested legislation, HB 2671, was signed into law today to partially rollback changes made in the 2003 legislative session that created an automatic 5 percent penalty and shortened the time period for paying taxes. The bill, as signed into law, moves the reporting date from the 20th to the 25th and requires the penalty to be waived unless it is “substantially underpaid.” This is defined as “less than eighty percent of the amount of tax determined by the department to be due for all of the types of taxes included in, and for the entire period of time covered by, the department’s examination, and the amount of underpayment is at least one thousand dollars.” AWB strongly supports HB 2671, which provides $11 million savings to all employers. Contact AWB’s Amber Carter at (360) 943-1600 or AmberC@awb.org.

EPA Disapproves State Water Quality Standards
Ecology received official notice last week that EPA Region 10 has disapproved parts of the department’s 2003 adopted water quality standards for surface waters of the state. EPA stated that the standards did not satisfy the requirements of the federal Clean Water Act and the federal Endangered Species Act by not adequately protecting salmon and bull trout in certain streams and rivers of the state. Ecology will begin formal rulemaking on a new set of standards in early April aimed at addressing the deficiencies identified by EPA. Ecology will redesignate a number of stream and reach segments to more stringent temperature and dissolved oxygen standards. Contact AWB’s Grant Nelson at (360) 943-1600 or GrantN@awb.org.

Baby Steps Toward Workers’ Comp Reform – Employer Reporting Signed Into Law!
Gov. Gregoire signed AWB-supported L&I request legislation to set up a pilot program for workers in participating companies to report injuries directly to their employers, who report to L&I. This is in addition to the current system, the only one like it in the nation, where workers must report injuries to L&I through their physician.  AWB believes this pilot program will show that employer reporting is the most efficient, cost-effective, and reasonable way to handle reporting of claims, and hopes it will provide the basis for a permanent reform in the law. Contact AWB’s Kris Tefft at (360) 943-1600 or KrisT@awb.org.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposing Large Territory as Lynx Habitat – Your Comments Needed
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is proposing that 27,000 square miles of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Minnesota and Maine to be designated as critical habitat for the Canada lynx. This proposal affects you if you snowmobiles or ORVs, or if might ever want to do any mining, logging, thinning, or real estate development on your land if it is designated as part of this critical habitat. For more information, see http://mountain-prairie.fws.gov/species/mammals/lynx. Send written comments by Feb. 7 to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Montana Division, 100 N. Park Ave, Ste. 320, Helena, MT 59601. E-mail comments to FW6_lynx@fws.gov. Contact AWB’s Chris McCabe at (360) 943-1600 or ChrisM@awb.org.

L&I Director Gary Weeks to Meet with AWB’s Workers’ Comp Committee!
AWB’s Workers’ Comp Committee is meeting Wed., Mar. 29, 9:30 a.m.-12 noon at AWB. L&I Director Gary Weeks and his Workers’ Comp team will discuss L&I’s 2007 legislative package. Contact Kris Tefft at (360) 943-1600 or KrisT@awb.org.

AWB’s Brunell to Meet With Gov. Gregoire
On April 7, AWB President Don Brunell will meet one-on-one with Gov. Gregoire. He intends to bring up the issue of the confidentiality of employer information.  If you have items for me to discuss with her, please e-mail them to DonB@awb.org. 

Focus on Wage Payment and Non-Tribal Casinos on Next Washington Business Weekly
Attorney Douglas Smith will talk about HB 3185, which clarifies state wage payment laws, and Dolores A. Chiechi, executive director of the Recreational Gaming Association will discuss disadvantages of non-tribal casinos and what they need to stay in business on the next Washington Business Weekly, 11 a.m.-12 noon, Thursday on Tacoma’s KLAY 1180 AM and at www.awb.org.

CompWise OSHA Recordkeeping & Workers’ Comp Administration Seminar – Register Now!  
Learn all you need to know about OSHA recordkeeping and workers’ comp administration, Mar. 28, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., at AWB. Visit www.awb.org/events/seminars/osharecordkeeping.asp. Contact Alisha Boggs at (360) 943-1600 or AlishaB@awb.org.