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 6130, ESSB 6130

ESSB 6130, which passed the House by a vote of 51 to 47, would temporarily repeal provisions of the voter approved initiative 960 until after July 1, 2011. The House amended ESSB 6130, restoring public notification requirements and cost projections when a tax increase is proposed in the legislature. Other provisions that are being repealed include the requirement to have a two-thirds majority vote to raise taxes by the legislature and the requirement to have a tax advisory vote for any tax increase not referred to voters or otherwise blocked from public vote. The Senate concurred with the House amendments by a vote of 26 to 21 and was signed into law by the Governor.

Yes: Senators Eric Oemig and Rodney Tom

Senate Bill 6449, ESSB 6449

ESSB 6449 passed the Senate by a vote of 29 to 19 requiring that any businesses engaged in using paid signature gathers in Washington to collect signatures for state or local initiative, referendum or recall petitions, must register with the Public Disclosure Commission. This act also would require all individuals that are paid to gather signatures to register with the PDC. The bill does not require volunteer signature gatherers to register. ESSB 6449 is now before the House State Government & Tribal Affairs Committee.

Yes: Oemig, Tom

House Bill 2397, SHB 2397

SHB 2397 would prohibit signature gatherers for an initiative or referendum petition from being within fifteen feet of the entrance or exit of stand-alone stores or retail stores located in commercial retail complexes. The bill allows a property owner to give permission to signature gatherers, allowing them to be closer than fifteen feet. SHB 2397 passed the House by a vote of 82 to 12. It is now before the Senate Government Operations & Elections Committee for further consideration.

Yes: Goodman, Springer, Eddy, Hunter

Senate Bill 6444, ESSB 6444

ESSB 6444, which passed the Senate by a vote of 25 to 19, would make modifications to the state’s operating budget. The Senate’s supplemental budget proposal attempts to close a $2.8 billion budget gap by reducing spending by approximately $829 million. ESSB 6444 also incorporates the use of about $582 million of approved or anticipated additional federal relief to the state and transfers $501 million from other funds to the state general fund. In addition, the ESSB 6444 assumes collections in new revenues of $918 million from increased taxes. ESSB 6444 is now before the House for further consideration.

Yes: Oemig; No: Tom

Senate Bill 6381, ESSB 6381

ESSB 6381 modifies the state’s 2009-11 transportation budget appropriations. The Senate’s 2010 supplemental transportation budget reflects $590 million in new federal funding for high speed rail infrastructure and $35 million for the North Spokane Corridor. In addition, ESSB 6381 makes other adjustments to cover increase costs for fuel for programs such as the state ferry system and provides additional funding to the Washington State Patrol for recruitment. ESSB 6381, which passed the Senate by a vote of 41 to 3, is now before the House for further consideration.

Yes: Oemig, Tom

Senate Bill 6345, ESSB 6345

ESSB 6345 passed the House by a vote of 86 to 12. The House amended the bill making it a secondary offense for drivers over the age of 18 to talk on a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle. The bill as previously passed by the Senate, by a vote of 33 to 15, would have made it a primary offense for any driver using a hand held cell phone while driving. Currently under state law, the use of a hand-held cell phone is a secondary offense. ESSB 6345 as passed by the House retained a prohibition on persons with an instructional permit or intermediate license from using cell phones, including the use of hands-free devices, while operating a vehicle. ESSB 6345 will be returned to the Senate for concurrence with the House amendment.

Yes: Springer, Eddy, Hunter; No: Goodman

Senate Bill 6214, ESSB 6214

ESSB 6214 would consolidate the powers, duties, and functions of the three regional Growth Management Hearings Boards into a single board. ESSB 6214 reduces the number of members on the board from a total of nine to seven and stipulates that the members must be appointed by the Governor for six-year terms, with six members from three specified regions of the state. The House amended ESSB 6214, by a vote of 68 to 28, modifying the qualification provisions related to a member’s eligibility to serve on the board. ESSB 6214 will be returned to the Senate for concurrence with the House amendment.

Yes: Goodman, Springer, Eddy, Hunter

House Bill 3141, E2SHB 3141

E2SHB 3141, which passed the Senate by a vote of 27 to 20, creates a working group to develop a proposal for the Legislature to redesign the state’s use of the temporary assistance to needy families (TANF) funding in a manner that makes optimum use of all funds available to promote more families moving out of poverty to sustainable self-sufficiency. The bill requires the report to be prepared by Dec. 1, 2010. In additionb E2SHB 3141 established a 12-month authorization period for child care assistance under the Working Connections Child Care program for families with children enrolled in the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, Head Start or Early Head Start. The Senate, which amended E2SHB 3141 by a vote of 27 to 20, reduced the 12-month authorization for child care assistance to six months.

Yes: Oemig, Tom

Senate Bill 6267, E2SSB 6267

E2SSB 6267, which previously passed the Senate by a vote of 46 to 2, modifies the Department of Ecology’s water right cost-reimbursement agreement program. The cost-reimbursement program was previously adopted by the Legislature as a way to allow Ecology to receive reimbursement on large projects that took away from other tasks. Under E2SSB 6267 the certain applicants would be exempt from paying the cost-reimbursement payments because their application does not transfer, modify or diminish the water availability of other pending applicants. The House amended E2SSB 6267, which passed by a vote of 51 to 47, with technical changes to the cost-reimbursement program and use of pre-qualified consultants. E2SSB 6267, which also requires Ecology to provide notifications of a cost-reimbursement review, will be before the Senate for concurrence with the House amendments.

Yes: Goodman, Springer, Eddy, Hunter

Senate Bill 6392, ESSB 6392

ESSB 6392, which previously passed the Senate by a vote of 44 to 3, would allow bond proceeds, backed by revenue generated from tolls on the SR 520 corridor to be used for any project within the SR 520 bridge replacement and HOV program, including projects beyond just the replacement floating bridge. The bill also required that $200 million of the bond proceeds be spent only on the floating bridge and the west side of the corridor, among other things. The House amended ESSB by a vote of 78 to 19, expanding the use of the bond revenues to include projects that would improve the operation of the 520 corridor, including transit and HOV projects. ESSB 6392 will now be returned to the Senate for concurrence with the House amendment.

Yes: Goodman, Springer, Eddy, Hunter