 
Dear Friends,
We have less than a week to go
in this year’s 60-day legislative session. Friday was the final cut-off for the
Senate to approve bills that originated in the House of Representatives. We are
still able to vote on bills that are necessary to implement the budget at any
time, regardless of cut-off dates.
As the 2016 regular session approaches
its end, it is important to look at the remarkable progress made through the
budgeting process in recent years – and recognize what is at stake as we work
to reach final agreement on a supplemental state budget.
Since the Majority Coalition
Caucus, of which I am a member, was formed in 2012, we have been able to dramatically
reverse a 30-year trend by putting top priority on funding for our public
schools. We enacted the first cut ever in our state’s skyrocketing college
tuition, reducing what amounted to a major tax on students and parents – an
idea so popular the country has taken notice. And we’ve done all of this
without a general tax increase.
Now, unbelievably, Democrat
leaders in the House want us to walk away from these accomplishments – to
abandon the new direction we have taken the state, and return to the tired,
worn old road of the past. They want us to return to raiding education-funding
commitments in order to increase the size of government.
Never. We are focused on
building on the results we have already seen. Our emphasis on results and
accountability has restored the sense of responsibility that had been missing
from Olympia for so many years and we are not going to turn back now!
There is still much work left
to be done in these final days. I’ll keep you updated, but in the meantime,
please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
 Sharon Brown
State Senator
8th District
 Click to watch this week's video update!
On Wednesday the House of Representatives unanimously
approved Jason’s Law, our bill to allow stiffer prison sentences in
vehicular-homicide cases. The Senate had unanimously approved the bill Feb. 10,
meaning the Legislature’s work on the measure is complete – and the new law is
headed to the governor’s desk!
The new law is named after 36-year-old Kennewick father
Jason E. Smith, who was killed in a hit-and-run when his car was struck by a
reckless diver who was attempting to elude police.
Under Substitute
Senate Bill 6219 the sentencing range for vehicular homicide
while driving in a reckless manner, now 21-27 months, would increase to 78-102
months – similar to the current penalty for vehicular homicide while driving
under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Jason’s family and Franklin County Prosecutor Shawn Sant
came to the Capitol numerous times to testify on behalf of the bill, and deserve
a lot of the credit for helping tell Jason’s story and getting lawmakers in
both chambers to act to rectify this disparity in the law.
While this change in the law will not bring back victims
like Jason, I am glad that my colleagues in both the House and Senate were able
to come together to unanimously support this measure.
By doing so, we strengthen our sentencing laws and send a
clear message that we will take every action possible to prevent criminals from
getting behind the wheel and destroying another family.
The House of Representatives also
unanimously passed Senate Bill 6220 – my measure
to promote economic development by maximizing the use of federal economic-development
funding opportunities. The House vote means SB 6220, which won unanimous
support Feb. 11 from the Senate, also will become law.
This new law will require the Department
of Commerce to track the amount of federal economic-development funding
received and disbursed, along with any required matching amounts, and provide
an annual report to the economic-development committees in the Legislature.
It also encourages cooperation between our
research facilities and the state in maximizing the job-creation created by
these opportunities.
This bill is about smarter government – it
highlights the fact that we need to do more with less resources.
Its
passage is a great win for our state and for all Washingtonians looking for
work.
On Friday the House of Representatives voted 95-0 to approve the
Cyber Security Jobs Act – my measure aimed at making Washington a national leader in cyber-security.
As amended, Senate
Bill 6528 requires the Office of the Chief
Information Officer (OCIO) to implement a process for detecting and responding
to security incidents, including any accidental or deliberate events that
result in unauthorized access, loss, disruption, or destruction of
communication and information-technology resources. The OCIO is also tasked
with working with the Department of Commerce and other economic-development
stakeholders to develop a strategy that make Washington a national leader in cyber-security.
This bill is about having government work with private
industry to develop assets which will protect our industries and critical
infrastructure from cyber-attacks, and ensure that Washington continues to be
the global leader in cyber-security.
Washington is home to groundbreaking cyber-security research
and development. Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory (PNNL) in the Tri-Cities is leading the way to prevent and counter cyber-security threats. PNNL, along with private industries focused on network
security, have offered to partner with the state in our cyber-security efforts.
The Senate approved its proposed supplemental
capital budget, voting 39-10 for a collection of changes totaling $87 million.
The budget would provide funding for new classrooms, mental-health support and
environmental cleanup, without tapping the state’s rainy-day fund or relying on
a new revenue source.
Nearly 65 percent of this budget goes toward education,
with $38 million going toward reducing class size in grades K-3. Our proposed
budget also directs $20.8 million toward additional mental-health beds and temporary
housing for those in treatment. We also tackled the decline in the Model Toxics
Control Act account, which supports environmental-cleanup projects across the
state.
This budget is one of the three supplemental budgets developed
during 60-day legislative sessions – such as this year’s – to make minor
corrections to previously approved budgets.
Senate
Bill 6201 now heads to the House of Representatives for its consideration.
  Click here to watch.
Seattle’s KING-TV recently reported on the need for clean
energy and new small modular reactor nuclear technology. As the report points
out, we continued the Nuclear Energy Joint Select Task Force to examine
possible sites for an SMR facility.
While we in the Tri-Cities understand the importance of
nuclear power for our all-of-the-above energy strategy and the potential of new
nuclear to spur economic growth and job creation, our friends in Western
Washington benefit each time they learn more about modern nuclear power.
Click
here, or on the image above, to watch the KING-TV story.
Demanding accountability
Government
accountability has come under the microscope during the 2016 legislative session.
Amid controversy
surrounding the Senate refusing to confirm state transportation secretary Lynn
Peterson, the debacle at the Department of Corrections that resulted in the premature
release of prisoners, the bloated budget of the Health Care Authority, and the
gross mismanagement at Western State Hospital, legislators have been focused on
evaluating just how effective our state agencies are in serving the citizens of
Washington.
If you have seen evidence of
state government waste, fraud or abuse, you have access to a Senate majority
that is here to take action. Please contact me if you have any ideas for how to
make government more effective, efficient and accountable.
As always, it is an
honor to be your voice in Olympia, and I welcome your concerns, ideas and
comments on how we can build bridges to a better government!
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