OLYMPIA — Two more days.
That’s how long legislators in Olympia have left to come to agreement on how to fill in a $5.1 billion shortfall and handful of periphery, but nonetheless problematic, issues before starting another special session.
The special session ends Wednesday.
One of the main hurdles is how to reform the state’s workers’ compensation program, which some say is heading toward insolvency.
Sen. Jim Hargrove, who represents the North Olympic Peninsula, called it the “big giant in the closet.”
As a means of saving the program, the Senate supports allowing injured workers to take a lump-sum settlement rather than receiving payments throughout their lives.
That’s a position Hargrove, D-Hoquiam, said he supports.
“My take on it is, I think we need to do some reform in the system,” he said.
“I have no problem with a voluntary settlement provided it didn’t require anybody to take it.”
The House has remained opposed to such a move.
Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, said he has been part of some of the closed-door discussions on the issue and agrees with the rest of the House leadership.
The House majority whip said he doesn’t think the program is at much of risk of insolvency as some say and criticized the Senate for making it a go-home issue when it’s not part of the operating budget.
“I’m personally somewhat frustrated that there are people demanding policy changes that don’t impact the reason we went into the special session,” Van De Wege said.
Hargrove said he agrees with Senate leadership that the program is facing a “serious problem” but added that he doesn’t think it should get in the way of passing the budget.
“I think it’s a problem that needs to be fixed,” he said. “I wouldn’t have it hold my budget up.”
Van De Wege said Friday that a compromise between the House and Senate was being reached but declined to elaborate.
Hargrove and Van De Wege said Friday they were both hopeful that the budget will be passed by the end of the special session.
“I think right now we’re getting really close to everything,” Hargrove said.
“If we don’t make this happen . . . then a lot of these agreements can start to unwind and be back to square one.
“I don’t want to see that happen.”
Hargrove and Van De Wege represent the 24th Legislative District along with Rep. Steve Tharinger, D-Sequim. The district includes Clallam and Jefferson counties and a portion of Grays Harbor County.
Despite the budget deadlock, both chambers spent some time passing legislation last week.
Hargrove offered an amendment to a bill that would require motion picture companies to employ 75 percent of their work force from the state when filming in Washington. That failed in a voice vote Thursday.
Bills that passed include:
■ SB 5960, which gives citizens the right to file a Medicaid fraud case on behalf of the government.
The bill passed the Senate 41-5 Thursday; Hargrove voted yes.
■ SB 5581, which requires the state Department of Social and Health Services to establish a skilled nursing facility safety net assessment.
The bill passed the House 54-38 Tuesday; Tharinger and Van De Wege voted yes.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
