By Tom Callis
Peninsula Daily News
OLYMPIA — North Olympic Peninsula lawmakers say they are disappointed the state Legislature has to move into special session to formulate the next two-year budget.
But they aren’t surprised.
“I think we all would have liked to get out of here on time, but just the size of the problem makes that difficult,” said freshman Rep. Steve Tharinger, D-Sequim.
The Legislature is faced with filling a $5.3 billion deficit for the 2011-2013 budget.
The House and Senate passed differing budgets a few weeks before the regular session ended Friday but neither chamber could overcome its few key differences in time.
The special session, which can last up to 30 days, starts Tuesday.
$400 million difference
The budgets differ by about $400 million, with the Senate making deeper cuts.
The Senate’s plan cuts deeper into education and the Disability Lifeline program.
The House avoids some of the cuts by expecting $300 million in revenue by privatizing liquor distribution.
Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam, said he’s hesitant to support such a move.
Hargrove said he questions whether the state would receive as much money as it’s projecting.
“I don’t think that’s real money,” he said. “Even if we try to put up our distribution system and sell our long-term profit for short-term gain, I don’t think we will get $300 million.”
Tharinger, Hargrove and the Peninsula’s other lawmaker in Olympia, Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, said they are hopeful the session won’t last the entire 30 days.
“It might take all 30 days; it might take a couple of weeks,” Van De Wege said.
“At the bare minimum it will take a least a week, but probably longer than that.”
Hargrove said the Senate will spend the next week voting on about 30 budget-related bills.
Tharinger and Van De Wege said the House will have less on its plate.
“I’m sure we’ll be busy Tuesday on the [governor’s] briefing,” Tharinger said of Gov. Chris Gregoire, who called the special session.
“I’m not sure what Wednesday, Thursday or Friday will be like.
“It’s kind of a rolling session.”
Hargrove bills
Last week, five of Hargrove’s bills became a governor’s signature away from becoming law last week.
They are:
■ SB 5452, expedites Medicaid benefits for people with mental health or chemical dependencies in state institutions.
The bill passed the Senate 48-0 April 18.
■ SB 5485, requires the state Building Code Council to make code amendments that promote the greater use of wood and wood products.
The bill passed the Senate 47-0 April 18.
■ SB 5656, creates the Indian Child Welfare Act to prevent “out-of-home” placement of Native American children.
The bill passed the Senate 44-3 Thursday.
■ SB 5691, eliminates benefits for permanent partial disability for victims of criminal acts.
The bill passed the Senate 47-0 Thursday.
■ SB 5722, authorizes the use of local sales taxes to support chemical dependency or mental health programs.
The bill passed the Senate 32-14 Thursday.
House-passed bills
Bills the House passed last week include:
■ HB 1267, clarifies and expands the rights of domestic partners.
The bill passed 57-40 Thursday; Van De Wege and Tharinger voted yes.
■ HB 1599, establishes a program that pays schools for reducing their dropout rates.
The bill passed 56-41 Thursday; Van De Wege and Tharinger voted yes.
■ HB 1547, allows for the deportation of criminal aliens without approval from the state Department of Corrections secretary.
The bill passed 56-41 Thursday; Van De Wege and Tharinger voted yes.
■ HB 1874, permits law enforcement to record a communication with one person’s consent if there is probable cause to believe it involves sexual abuse of a minor.
The bill passed 82-15 Thursday; Van De Wege voted no and Tharinger voted yes.
Van De Wege said he voted against the bill because it allows conversations to be taped without a warrant.
■ SB 5622, requires a $10 day-use pass or $30 annual pass for admission to state parks.
The bill passed 55-42 Thursday; Van De Wege and Tharinger voted yes.
Senate-passed bills
Bills the Senate passed last week include:
■ HB 2021, limiting the annual increase in the public employees’ and teachers’ retirement plans.
The bill passed 28-17 Friday; Hargrove voted yes.
■ HB 1547, allows for the deportation of criminal aliens without approval from the state Department of Corrections secretary.
The bill passed the Senate 47-0 Thursday; Hargrove voted yes.
■ HB 1899, changes the penalty that may be assessed against a public entity under the Public Records Act to between $0 to $100 for each day it unlawfully fails to provide requested records. Currently, the minimum penalty is $5 a day.
The bill passed 47-0 Thursday; Hargrove voted yes.
■ SB 5023, ends immigration-related legal services performed by non-lawyers.
The bill passed 42-4 Thursday; Hargrove voted yes.
■ SB 5073, expands protections under the medical marijuana law.
The bill passed 27-21 Thursday; Hargrove voted no.
■ SB 5326, requires a driver who causes harm to a pedestrian, bicyclist and other “vulnerable users of the public way” to pay a fine of between $1,000 and $5,000 if cited for second-degree negligent driving.
The bill passed 44-2 April 18; Hargrove voted no.
■ HB 2019, eliminates cigarette tax contributions to education. Instead, the 60-cents-per-pack tax will go into the general fund.
The bill passed 40-8 Wednesday; Hargrove voted yes.
Hargrove said the intent of the bill is to increase the size of the general fund to allow the capital projects fund to be larger.
He said the money is still supposed to be spent on education through the general fund.
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Reporter Tom Callis, whose “Eye on Olympia” column appears Mondays while the Legislature is in session, can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
