This is the Federation Hotline updated Feb. 21.
House, Senate supplemental budgets lauded, but some adjustments called for
In concurrent House and Senate hearings late Tuesday afternoon (Feb. 20), AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) praised each plan for helping vulnerable people.
But we supported the House budget provisos on Department of Corrections and funding of our health benefits.
The House Appropriations Committee took up its supplemental budget proposal, HB 2299. The committee is scheduled to vote on HB 2299 later today.
The Senate Ways and Means Committee held a hearing on its supplemental budget plan, SB 6032. The committee is scheduled to vote on SB 6032 later today.
Both are similar, especially helping vulnerable people.
Funding for federal compliance requirements in mental health and developmental disabilities gained praise.
“The investments you made in FTEs (staff positions) and infrastructure in our state hospitals and RHCs as well as a myriad other things are going to make these places a safer place to work and provide better treatment,” AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) Lobbyist Matt Zuvich testified on the Senate budget.
A funding staffing model will “go a long way to getting us out of trouble in the future,” AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) Legislative and Political Action Director Dennis Eagle testified on the House budget.
Expanding the State Operated Living Alternatives (SOLA) program for residents of state residential habilitation centers (RHCs) who want to move there is a “smart operation,” Eagle said.
The House budget’s one-time backfill for three Veterans Administration institutions “will go a long way to help people who have served this country,” Eagle said.
He also praised the House plan for including “badly needed records staff” in the Department of Corrections.
But in a few key areas, Eagle and Zuvich urged the Senate committee to incorporate language in the House budget.
- They urged the Senate to adopt the House’s higher funding rate for our Public Employees Benefits Board benefits. The House proposes $926 per employee per month. That would allow a new virtual diabetes prevention program and lower the waiting period for dental crown replacements from seven to five years in the Uniform Dental Program. The Senate funding rate is $906 a month.
- The House includes but the Senate does not a vendor rate increase for chemical dependency providers in DOC. An increase is “long overdue,” Eagle told the House committee.
- The House plan also does not assume concurrent sentencing in DOC for supervision violations. The Senate has a provision to move away from consecutive sentences, which could translate to staff cuts and public safety issues.
- The House plan also includes funding for our priority bill (SHB 1558) to add institutions workers in high-risk jobs to the Public Safety Employees Retirement System (PSERS). The bill passed the House 89-9 and is now in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
Two calls to action as we approach the next committee cut-off
This Friday, Feb. 23, is the next committee deadline.
That’s when most House bills must pass Senate committees, and most Senate bills must pass House committees. The exceptions are bills in House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees; they have until Monday, Feb. 26 to pass out bills.
Two of our priority bills that have gained corporate opposition need calls to get them out of committee.
- CALL TO ACTION on date-of-birth privacy bill – SB 6079. Dial 1-206-693-2926: Share your concern and ask your two House members to protect your privacy, safety and security by SUPPORTING SB 6079!
- CALL TO ACTION on outsourcing transparency bill - 2SHB 1851. Dial 1-800-562-6000: Share your experience with outsourcing gone wrong and ask your Senator to SUPPORT 2SHB 1851, the Taxpayer Protection Act!
Note: The Senate State Government Committee is set to vote on 2SHB 1851 this morning.
Victim privacy bill gets Senate hearing
AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) this morning (Feb. 21) again registered its support for SHB 2778 to protect the privacy of state employees who blow the whistle on sexual harassment.
It passed the House 98-0. It had no opposition today before the Senate State Government Committee.
SHB 2778 would prohibit state agencies from disclosing any personal information about any state employee who makes a sexual harassment claim.
The bill aims to stop use of that information to “harass, stalk, threaten or intimidate” those who blow the whistle on sexual harassment.
That’s it for now.
###