Washington Votes Roll Call Report
Published on Fri, Feb 17, 2012 by WashingtonVotes.orgRead More County & State
This past Tuesday marked the cutoff for all non-budget-impacting bills to pass out of their house of origin. Bills related to teacher evaluations, regulations of two-truck operators/owners, taxing authority of transporation districts, collective bargaining rights of post-doctoral researchers, and a four-year balanced budget requirement all made the cut.
Y = Yes, N = No, E = Excused, X = Not Voting
Senate Joint Resolution 8222, Engrossed Senate Joint Resolution 8222, requiring four-year balanced budgets, passed 36-12 in the Senate on February 13, 2012.
This act prohibits the Legislature from enacting and the Governor from signing a budget in which General Fund appropriations exceed revenues, beginning with Fiscal Year 2014. In addition, the Legislature may not enact, nor may the Governor sign into law, a budget bill that would require appropriations from the state General Fund to maintain current program and service levels and statutory mandates in any of the three subsequent fiscal years in an amount that exceeds state General Fund Revenues for that fiscal year. This requirement does not apply in any year in which money is withdrawn from the Budget Stabilization Account, also known as the Rainy Day Fund. This act was delivered to the House and referred to the Ways and Means committee on February 15, 2012.
44 Sen. Steve Hobbs, (D-Lake Stevens) Y
Senate Bill 5895, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5895, regarding certificated employee evaluations, passed 46 to 3 in the Senate on February 14, 2012.
This act establishes a four-level teacher and principal evaluation rating system. The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) must adopt rules that describe the ratings and set a common method for calculating the comprehensive and focused summative evaluation ratings. Beginning with the 2015-16 school year, evaluation results for certificated classroom teachers and principals are used as one of multiple factors in making human resource and personnel decisions. This act alters the probationary period requirements for certificated classroom support personnel and teachers. All teachers and principals must be evaluated each year. Every four years, the evaluation must be comprehensive and use all eight criteria. In the intervening years, evaluations are focused, zeroing in on a specific evaluation criterion for professional development. Annual, comprehensive evaluations must be given in certain cases. Principals and administrators who are evaluators must engage in professional development to implement the revised evaluation system before evaluating teachers. Subject to funds appropriated, OSPI must develop a professional development program to support implementation of the revised evaluation systems. After August 31, 2013, residency principal candidates must show knowledge of evaluation research and have practiced evaluation skills. Beginning in September, 2016, the Professional Educator Standards Board must incorporate evaluation training as a requirement for continued certification. This act was delivered to the House and referred to the Education Committee on February 16, 2012.
44 Sen. Steve Hobbs, (D-Lake Stevens) Y
Senate Bill 6582, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6582, concerning local transportation revenue options, passed 25-24 in the Senate on February 13, 2012.
This act authorizes a Transportation Benefit District (TBD) to impose: a vehicle fee of up to $40 with a majority vote of the district's governing board; or a motor vehicle excise tax (MVET) of up to 1 percent of the value of the vehicle with a vote of the people. A TBD may impose a vehicle fee or a MVET and may not impose both. The existing county wide fuel tax authority of 10 percent of the statewide fuel tax rate is changed to $0.01, $0.02, or $0.03 per gallon of fuel. A county may only impose the tax with a vote of the people. This act was delivered to the House and referred to the Transportation committee on February 15, 2012.
44 Sen. Steve Hobbs, (D-Lake Stevens) Y
Senate Bill 6486, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6486, granting collective bargaining rights for post-doctoral researchers at certain state universities, passed 26-23 in the Senate on February 13, 2012.
This act provides that postdoctoral researchers employed as senior fellows or senior fellow trainees at UW may participate in collective bargaining under the provisions of the Public Employees Collective Bargaining Act. Postdoctoral researchers at UW and WSU who are classified as research associates or research associate trainees are designated as eligible to participate in collective bargaining as faculty members. This act was delivered to the House and referred to the Labor & Workforce Development committee on February 14, 2012.
44 Sen. Steve Hobbs, (D-Lake Stevens) Y
House Bill 2372, Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2372, concerning fees and rates for two truck services and vehicle storage, passed 55-43 in the House on February 13, 2012.
This act establishes maximum rates for private impounds conducted by registered tow truck operators using certain classes of tow trucks. Requires owners, officers, and employees of all registered tow truck businesses to receive criminal background checks in the same manner as those operators authorized to perform impounds for the Washington State Patrol. This act was delivered to the Senate and referred to the Transportation committee on February 15, 2012.
44 Rep. Hans Dunshee, (D-Snohomish) Y
44 Rep. Mike Hope, (R-Lake Stevens) N
SOURCE: WashingtonVotes.org, a free, non-partisan website to find plain-English explanations of bills and a record of each legislator’s votes. Do you want to know more about your government? Visit www.WashingtonVotes.org today.
Y = Yes, N = No, E = Excused, X = Not Voting
Senate Joint Resolution 8222, Engrossed Senate Joint Resolution 8222, requiring four-year balanced budgets, passed 36-12 in the Senate on February 13, 2012.
This act prohibits the Legislature from enacting and the Governor from signing a budget in which General Fund appropriations exceed revenues, beginning with Fiscal Year 2014. In addition, the Legislature may not enact, nor may the Governor sign into law, a budget bill that would require appropriations from the state General Fund to maintain current program and service levels and statutory mandates in any of the three subsequent fiscal years in an amount that exceeds state General Fund Revenues for that fiscal year. This requirement does not apply in any year in which money is withdrawn from the Budget Stabilization Account, also known as the Rainy Day Fund. This act was delivered to the House and referred to the Ways and Means committee on February 15, 2012.
44 Sen. Steve Hobbs, (D-Lake Stevens) Y
Senate Bill 5895, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5895, regarding certificated employee evaluations, passed 46 to 3 in the Senate on February 14, 2012.
This act establishes a four-level teacher and principal evaluation rating system. The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) must adopt rules that describe the ratings and set a common method for calculating the comprehensive and focused summative evaluation ratings. Beginning with the 2015-16 school year, evaluation results for certificated classroom teachers and principals are used as one of multiple factors in making human resource and personnel decisions. This act alters the probationary period requirements for certificated classroom support personnel and teachers. All teachers and principals must be evaluated each year. Every four years, the evaluation must be comprehensive and use all eight criteria. In the intervening years, evaluations are focused, zeroing in on a specific evaluation criterion for professional development. Annual, comprehensive evaluations must be given in certain cases. Principals and administrators who are evaluators must engage in professional development to implement the revised evaluation system before evaluating teachers. Subject to funds appropriated, OSPI must develop a professional development program to support implementation of the revised evaluation systems. After August 31, 2013, residency principal candidates must show knowledge of evaluation research and have practiced evaluation skills. Beginning in September, 2016, the Professional Educator Standards Board must incorporate evaluation training as a requirement for continued certification. This act was delivered to the House and referred to the Education Committee on February 16, 2012.
44 Sen. Steve Hobbs, (D-Lake Stevens) Y
Senate Bill 6582, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6582, concerning local transportation revenue options, passed 25-24 in the Senate on February 13, 2012.
This act authorizes a Transportation Benefit District (TBD) to impose: a vehicle fee of up to $40 with a majority vote of the district's governing board; or a motor vehicle excise tax (MVET) of up to 1 percent of the value of the vehicle with a vote of the people. A TBD may impose a vehicle fee or a MVET and may not impose both. The existing county wide fuel tax authority of 10 percent of the statewide fuel tax rate is changed to $0.01, $0.02, or $0.03 per gallon of fuel. A county may only impose the tax with a vote of the people. This act was delivered to the House and referred to the Transportation committee on February 15, 2012.
44 Sen. Steve Hobbs, (D-Lake Stevens) Y
Senate Bill 6486, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6486, granting collective bargaining rights for post-doctoral researchers at certain state universities, passed 26-23 in the Senate on February 13, 2012.
This act provides that postdoctoral researchers employed as senior fellows or senior fellow trainees at UW may participate in collective bargaining under the provisions of the Public Employees Collective Bargaining Act. Postdoctoral researchers at UW and WSU who are classified as research associates or research associate trainees are designated as eligible to participate in collective bargaining as faculty members. This act was delivered to the House and referred to the Labor & Workforce Development committee on February 14, 2012.
44 Sen. Steve Hobbs, (D-Lake Stevens) Y
House Bill 2372, Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2372, concerning fees and rates for two truck services and vehicle storage, passed 55-43 in the House on February 13, 2012.
This act establishes maximum rates for private impounds conducted by registered tow truck operators using certain classes of tow trucks. Requires owners, officers, and employees of all registered tow truck businesses to receive criminal background checks in the same manner as those operators authorized to perform impounds for the Washington State Patrol. This act was delivered to the Senate and referred to the Transportation committee on February 15, 2012.
44 Rep. Hans Dunshee, (D-Snohomish) Y
44 Rep. Mike Hope, (R-Lake Stevens) N
SOURCE: WashingtonVotes.org, a free, non-partisan website to find plain-English explanations of bills and a record of each legislator’s votes. Do you want to know more about your government? Visit www.WashingtonVotes.org today.
