The following is a recap of how Kirkland legislators from the 45th and 48th Districts recently voted on several bills (according to washingtonvotes.org):

Senate Bill 6892, SSB 6892

SSB 6892, which passed the Senate by a vote of 38 to 0 and the House by a vote of 93 to 0, provides a temporary waiver on the penalty and interest for certain unpaid taxes due prior to Feb. 1.

This waiver allows the Department of Revenue to waive most penalties and interest related to unpaid state business and occupation tax, state utility tax or state and local sales and use taxes.

In order to be eligible for the temporary waiver, a taxpayer must complete a waiver application and file outstanding tax returns or amended tax returns no later than April 18 and pay all owed taxes by May 1. The waiver is only available to taxpayers that have never been defendants in a criminal prosecution for prior delinquent taxes or taxpayers that are current on tax compliance. SSB 6892 was signed into law by the Governor.

Yes: 45th District Sen. Eric Oemig, Rep. Roger Goodman, Rep. Larry Springer and 48th District Rep. Deborah Eddy and Rep Ross Hunter; Excused: 48th District Sen. Rodney Tom.

Senate Bill 6893, SSB 6893

SSB 6893 suspends the child support pass-through payments to families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits. Families eligible to receive pass-through payments are those families that are at or below 83 percent of the federal poverty level.

SSB 6893, which passed the Senate by a vote of 28 to 11 and the House by a vote of 86–7, is estimated to save the state approximately $1.5 million in the current general fund budget and $18.7 million in the 2011 biennium.

SSB 6893 was signed into law by the governor and goes into effect on May 1.

No: Oemig; Yes: Goodman, Springer, Eddy, Hunter; Excused: Tom.

House Bill 3225, HB 3225

HB 3225 passed the House by a vote of 86 to 6 and the Senate 30 to 9. HB 3225 reduces total state spending in the 2009-11 biennial budget by $490.4 million.

The spending reductions were accomplished by reducing spending across many state agencies and programs. The largest cuts were made to a variety of social service programs for the needy and to basic education system. HB 3225 has been delivered to the governor for her signature.

Yes: Goodman, Springer, Eddy; Hunter; No: Oemig; Excused: Tom.