TOP STORIES U.S. Senate committee approves Obama health-care plan with individual, employer mandates
On a strictly party-line basis with no Republican support, the Senate Health Care Committee approved a $615 billion measure last week that would require all individuals and employers to purchase health care. The legislation calls for the federal government to provide financial assistance with premiums for individuals and families making up to four times the federal poverty level, or approximately $88,000 for a family of four. Meanwhile, the House Democrats also unveiled their health care plan, at the same time the Congressional Budget Office warned neither measure would meet the president’s goal of slowing the rise of medical costs. Employers will pay about $500 billion in additional taxes to cover roughly half of the proposed program costs over the next 10 years. President Obama has been pushing Congress to pass major health care reform before the Aug. 7 recess. AWB continues to urge members of the Washington Congressional delegation to slow down and make the kind of changes to health care that will curb costs, improve access and retain quality of care without expanding government or deepening federal spending. Click here to read the letter urging Congress to use caution in reforming the health care system. Contact AWB’s Donna Steward this week to add your name or your business’ name to this important and timely letter.


Share your health care story with Sen. Murray
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who serves on the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee, is asking constituents to share their thoughts on health care reform. This is a prime opportunity for AWB members to give Sen. Murray real-world examples of how the health care proposals in Congress could affect your business and the individuals and families you employ. To submit your health care comments to Sen. Murray, click here.


Washington's unemployment rate inched up in June
The state unemployment rate rose slightly in June to 9.3 percent, up from the revised May rate of 9.1 percent, the Washington State Employment Security Department announced last Tuesday. The state lost 10,500 non-farm jobs, seasonally adjusted, officials reported. Washington's unemployment rate is slightly lower than the 9.5 percent reported nationwide in June. "We are beginning to see signs that our economy may be stabilizing and recovering efforts are working, but it will take time," Gregoire said in a statement. Read more on AWB’s blog, Olympia Business Watch.


Boeing plans to cut 1,000 defense jobs
Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing's Integrated Defense Systems, told workers in an internal message last week that his unit will slash 1,000 jobs due to Pentagon budget cuts. He did not release the number of workers that will lose their jobs in Washington state. Jim McNerney, Boeing’s CEO, said in January that 10,000 jobs would be cut throughout the company, in 2009, through layoffs and attrition, including 4,500 from the commercial airplanes unit. The company did not say, however, if the 1,000 jobs are in addition to the projected 10,000 job losses. Read more from the Puget Sound Business Journal.


Eyman’s anti-tax initiative will appear on November ballot
Tim Eyman’s Initiative 1033 has qualified to appear on the Nov. 3 ballot according to Secretary of State Sam Reed. It will be the only citizen initiative on the General Election ballot. Initiative 1033 would cap the money flowing into state, county and city general funds. Yearly increases would be linked to inflation plus population growth. Revenue over the cap would go to lowering property taxes. Read more at the Seattle Times.


General Administration to rule on capitol holiday displays
The Department of General Administration is starting the formal rulemaking process regarding displays on the capitol campus in Olympia.A draft set of rules will be announced in the next few weeks and there will be formal hearings in August; the draft rules are not public as yet.The rulemaking is in response to the flap last holiday season over displays in the rotunda of the state capitol, including an atheist sign. The final rule is anticipated later this fall. Regardless of the final outcome, the AWB Capitol Holiday Kids’ Tree program will continue this year. Last year’s project alone raised $20,000 for needy families in Grays Harbor and Thurston counties. We look forward to partnering with AWB members and the rural fire departments in those counties to continue this holiday tradition.


KEY HEARINGS, MEETINGS
Inslee and McMorris Rodgers meeting with AWB Health Care Committee tomorrow
U.S. Reps. Jay Inslee, D-Bainbridge Island, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Spokane,will join the AWB Health Care Committee via conference call on Tuesday, July 21. Both members of Congress will provide an overview of federal health care legislation and listen to comments and concerns from AWB members about the proposals. All committee members are encouraged to attend this very important meeting to learn about the current health care reform proposal in the House of Representatives and provide comments.The meeting will be held at AWB from 10 a.m.- noon. For more information, contact AWB’s Donna Steward.


Immigration Works Washington meeting tomorrow at AWB
Immigration Works Washington, our state’s employer-side immigration reform coalition, will meet Tuesday, July 21, 10 a.m. – noon at AWB. The agenda includes a review of recent federal legislative, regulatory and judicial activity as well as an assessment of coalition-building opportunities in this Washington — and the other one. For more information, contact AWB’s Kris Tefft.


Reinmuth, Fromhold at AWB Transportation Committee meeting on Thursday
AWB’s Transportation Committee will meet this Thursday, July 23, 10 a.m. – noon, at Davis Wright Tremaine. Steve Reinmuth, chief of staff for the state Department of Transportation, will provide an update on transportation stimulus dollars and the progress of the Nickel and Transportation Partnership Act projects. Former Vancouver-area Rep. Bill Fromhold will also have an update on the Columbia River Crossing project. Other discussion topics include the recent transportation partnership advisory group formed by the Washington Transportation Commission and a preliminary preparation for the 2010 session. For more information, contact AWB’s Amber Carter.


Land Use Committee meeting Friday
AWB’s Land Use Committee is meeting Friday, July 24, 9:30 –11:30 a.m. at Perkins Coie. Among the items on the agenda is the beginning of discussions of AWB 2010 land use legislative agenda. For more information, contact AWB’s Chris McCabe.


AWB Energy Committee meeting, Aug. 10
AWB’s Energy Committee will meet on Monday, Aug. 10, 10 a.m. – noon at AWB to discuss AWB’s energy legislative objectives for the 2010 Legislature, including continuing discussions on possible modifications to I-937’s renewable energy portfolio mandate. For more information, contact AWB’s Chris McCabe.


Save the Date: AWB Human Resource Council to meet Aug. 13
AWB’s Human Resource Council will hold its first 2009 meeting on Thursday, Aug. 13, 1:30 – ­­­3:30 p.m. at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront. The agenda will include important state and federal updates affecting HR as well as a report and planning for the 2010 legislative session. For more information, contact AWB’s Kris Tefft.


OTHER NEWS
DOR holds stakeholder meetings on draft digital goods rule
The Department of Revenue is gearing up for stakeholder meetings on the draft digital goods rule. The goal of the digital goods law is to provide clarity as to what digital or electronically delivered items are subject to retail sales tax.AWB is working closely on the implementation of this new law and is collecting comments to submit to DOR for their consideration; a revised draft rule is expected in August.For copies of the draft rule, or for more information, contact AWB’s Amber Carter.


DOR grants 800 waivers for e-filers
According to the Department of Revenue, 800 waivers were granted for mandatory monthly e-filers.AWB exclusively negotiated the language change on the legislation that enacted mandatory monthly e-filing in order to give the department the ability to issue waivers to businesses that would have difficulty in complying.The majority of the waivers have been granted due to the lack of broadband internet capacity in parts of our state. For more information, contact AWB’s Amber Carter.


Ecology issues final report and begins rulemaking on Children’s Safe Products Act
The Department of Ecology released its final report last week on the Children’s Safe Products Act. Ecology has created a Web site that will be used to help keep interested parties informed of the rulemaking, which is first being promulgated as a pilot rule under RCW 34.05.313, which exempts manufacturers volunteering to participate in the pilot rule from enforcement and penalties. The Web site also includes background on the legislation, names of advisory committee members — including six representatives that are members of AWB, and a timeline of next steps and opportunities for public comment. An earlier effort to develop rules was withdrawn in Nov. 2008 due to the passage of HR 4040 in Congress last year, which preempted certain actions by individual states on children products. AWB members that manufacture children’s products who would like to volunteer to participate in Ecology’s pilot rulemaking should contact Ecology’s John Williams at 360.407. 6940 or contact AWB’s Grant Nelson.


Businesses weigh in strongly against stormwater permit
AWB and other members of the business community came out strongly against the Department of Ecology’s draft Industrial Stormwater General Permit during the comment period, which ended last week. The proposed permit signals the department’s intent to adopt the most stringent industrial stormwater permit on the planet. If adopted, the permit will be especially onerous and costly for small businesses, requiring expensive and untested stormwater control technology to meet standards that cannot be achieved. AWB will continue to advocate for the adoption of an efficient and effective permit that is simple to understand and protective of water quality. As proposed, the draft falls considerably short of these goals and imposes enormous and unnecessary costs on businesses that will have little environmental benefit. Additionally, because of the complexities added to the permit, the risk of citizen lawsuits increases dramatically. Ecology intends to issue the final permit on Oct. 21. For more information, contact AWB’s Grant Nelson.


Focus group meetings on worker training in transportation, distribution and warehousing industries
Focus group meetings are being held to get employer input in developing worker training programs for warehousing, distribution and transportation at Tacoma Community College, Yakima Valley Community College and Lower Columbia Community College. Meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, July 28 (Tacoma); Wednesday, July 29 (Yakima); and Thursday, July 30 (Longview/Kelso). For more information, contact Mike Hudson with the AWB Institute.


AWB EVENTS & RESOURCES
Remember: Federal minimum wage rate increases on July 24
The current federal rate of $6.55 per hour will increase to $7.25 per hour on Friday, July 24. All covered employers, regardless of size, are required to post the most recent minimum wage poster. To purchase an updated federal poster, contact AWB’s Jennifer Costello.


New business tax e-filing law: Are you in compliance?
Businesses who report taxes monthly must now file and pay their returns electronically, beginning with the July 2009 return due on Tuesday, Aug. 25. Join us on Tuesday, July 28 for a 60-minute Webinar to learn the benefits of e-filing. Register online or contact AWB’s Jennifer Costello.


Don’t miss out on AWB’s July publications sale
Right now, AWB members can take 20 percent off their purchase of all H.R. guides and handbooks. These publications are useful tools to help employers prevent problems in the H.R. area. All guides are Washington specific (covering state and federal laws), written in plain English, include checklists, sample policies or forms and fully indexed so you can find the answers you’re seeking quickly and easily. For a complete listing of publications and prices, click here. To order, contact AWB’s Jennifer Costello and mention the Fast Facts discount!


Employment Concerns in a Challenging Economy Webinar — Aug. 6
Today’s tough economy poses unique challenges for employers of all sizes and types. Join us for a 90-minute Webinar, on Thursday, Aug. 6, that will cover topics including properly handling terminations and layoffs, severance packages and agreements, unemployment insurance issues, and changes to COBRA continuation of health coverage. Register online or contact AWB’s Jennifer Costello.


Successfully Navigating Leaves of Absence Laws Webinar — Aug. 19
A widening gap between state and federal leave requirements has further complicated the already cumbersome legal requirements for employers. This 90-minute Webinar, on Wednesday, Aug. 19, will benefit small businesses owners, HR professionals and managers of all kinds by providing a look at the latest developments in state and federal leave laws as well as potential strategies for dealing with them effectively. For additional information or to register, click here or contact AWB’s Jennifer Costello.


AWB’s 20^th Annual Policy Summit Sept. 22-24 at Suncadia Resort in Cle Elum
The 2009 AWB Policy Summit is designed to help reduce the uncertainty of today’s tumultuous economic times. We've assembled a team of national and local experts to chart a course through the turbulence, including pollster John Zogby and former presidential adviser David Gergen. To register, contact AWB’s Jennifer Costello.


THEY SAID IT
"In the legislation that has been reported, we do not see the sort of fundamental changes that would be necessary to reduce the trajectory of federal health spending by a significant amount. And on the contrary, the legislation significantly expands the federal responsibility for health care costs." Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Elmendorf, in testimony last week before the Senate Budget Committee.


This Week's President's Perspective: School Vouchers for All