AWB to file friend-of-the-court brief for Horizon Wind Farm
AWB’s Executive Committee voted unanimously on Friday to file a friend-of-the-court brief in support of Horizon Wind Energy’s new wind farm in Kittitas County. Washington’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council approved the farm, but local residents sued. The matter is before the Washington Supreme Court. In letters to Gov. Chris Gregoire, AWB President Don Brunell said our state can’t reach the I-937 goal of 15 percent renewable energy with the delay or disqualification of projects like Horizon’s. AWB’s general counsel Kris Tefft is preparing the brief. For more information, please contact AWB’s Kris Tefft at (360) 943-1600 or KrisT@awb.org.

L&I Posts Fact Sheets on New Workplace Leave Laws
We’ve reported on the passage of two new paid family leave laws during the 2008 legislative session. One of the new laws — granting a “reasonable period of leave” for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking — went into effect on April 1. The other one — granting up to 15 days of leave for spouses of armed services members called to deployment, on deployment, or on leave from deployment — goes into effect on June 12. The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries has published two useful fact sheets which can be accessed at www.lni.wa.gov/WorkplaceRights/LeaveBenefits/FamilyCare/DomViolence/default.asp (domestic violence) or here www.lni.wa.gov/WorkplaceRights/LeaveBenefits/FamilyCare/Military/default.asp (military leave). For more information, please contact Kris Tefft at KrisT@AWB.org or (360) 943-1600.

AWB acts on endorsement policy and strategic plan
At its recent annual planning meeting, AWB’s executive committee approved the framework for AWB 2013, the organization’s new strategic plan, and approved a change in their legislative endorsement process. Currently, AWB automatically endorses legislators running for re-election if they score 80 percent or higher on AWB’s annual legislative voting record. The executive committee clarified its discretionary authority to withhold endorsement if a lawmaker’s actions are deemed inappropriate. The executive committee also decided to continue endorsements in Washington Supreme Court races.

Executive committee gives green light to voting record
The executive committee has finalized AWB’s 2008 legislative voting record, which goes to press later this month to be published as a supplement to the May/June 2008 edition of Washington Business magazine. Sorry, no advanced copies are available.

AWB says goodbye to an old friend.
Former AWB general counsel and board chair Lee Coulter passed away earlier this month. Coulter and former AWB President Dave Gordon were a strong team during the 1960s and 1970s at AWB. Coulter left AWB to become general counsel for GTE Northwest before retiring to Maury Island. Coulter and Gordon were the inaugural recipients of the C. David Gordon Award for state leadership. For more information about Coulter or to send condolences to his family, please contact AWB’s Don Brunell at (360) 943-1600 or DonB@awb.org.

AWB needs to hear your comments on the Puget Sound Partnership
At our last AWB Puget Sound Partnership Subcommittee meeting on April 4, one of the issues discussed was the need for AWB members to review and comment on the draft Puget Sound Partnership Topic Forum Papers. Those papers are now available at actionagenda.psp.wa.gov/topicforum along with opportunities to comment both online and by attending a number of forums and workshops scheduled for April 22 through May 5. Please see www.psp.wa.gov/aa_meetings.php for the complete schedule. The Puget Sound Partnership is soliciting input on these topic papers to help develop an action agenda. Comments will be summarized and shared at the Sound Symposium on May 28 at the Washington Trade and Convention Center in Seattle. AWB members are requested to review the draft topic papers and submit comments at least two days prior to the scheduled topic forum on each individual draft paper. Send your comments to AWB’s Chris McCabe at ChrisM@awb.org or Grant Nelson at GrantN@awb.org. Members are encouraged to attend the Sound Symposium in person, as well.