OLYMPIA — State senators are eyeing a bill that is aimed at helping the homeless population across the state, including on the North Olympic Peninsula.
“The issue that has been raised is that homelessness in general in the state is expanding rapidly, and it is hard to figure out because our economy has been generally improving,” state Sen. Jim Hargrove said.
Hargrove, a Democrat from Hoquiam, represents the 24th District, which covers Clallam and Jefferson counties and part of Grays Harbor County, along with state Reps. Steve Tharinger and Kevin Van De Wege.
Senate Bill 6647, known as the “Bring Washington Home Act,” would provide nearly $300 million for services and housing for homeless people in the state.
“We are looking at something that is going to affect the entire state. Clallam County has got a pretty good plan, and they have still talked to me about getting some additional resources.”
SB 6647 is sponsored by Senate Democratic Minority Leader Sharon Nelson and 21 other Democratic co-sponsors not including Hargrove.
Rainy day fund
The bill earmarks $281 million, of which $186 million would come from the Budget Stabilization Account — commonly referred to as the state’s “rainy day fund,” according to The Capitol Record.
The account was created to help the state get through emergencies and recessions.
The fund is expected to reach $700 million by June 2017, according to The Capitol Record.
Hargrove said there is plenty of money in the rainy day fund to allow some monies to be allocated to funding homelessness programs.
“It seems like there are people getting lost at the bottom of the system here, and we need to invest something to help fix that problem,” he said.
Hargrove said he anticipates something will be done this session to provide additional funding, but that he does not know “whether the amount of money” called for in SB 6647 will be available.
It takes a three-fifths vote to use funds from the rainy day account, which would require another seven votes to get out of the Senate, according to The Capitol Record.
Then, the House would also have to approve it by a three-fifths vote.
Over in the House, representatives passed a bill Wednesday proponents said will make it easier for coworkers to share information about their salaries and is intended to prevent wage discrimination in the workplace.
House Bill 1646 modifies the state’s Equal Pay Act so that employers cannot retaliate against workers for wage discussions in the workplace, according to The Capitol Record.
It also prohibits employers from assigning people “less favorable” jobs because of their gender.
The bill is sponsored by Rep. Tana Senn, D-Mercer Island, who said paying separate genders different wages for the same job is “unfair, unbelievable and frankly un-American.”
Tharinger, a Sequim democrat, agrees.
“Women do as much as men, and they should be paid the same,” he said. “It has been a long time coming.”
Toxic flame retardants
A bill sponsored by Van De Wege, D-Sequim, is expected to make its way to the floor next week for a vote.
“I expect it to make it through the house,” Van De Wege said. “I don’t know if it is going to make it through the Senate though.”
HB 2545, known as the Toxic-Free Kids and Families Act, bans toxic flame retardants from children’s products and furniture and gives the state health department the authority to ban other cancer-causing and harmful chemicals “so that our children aren’t exposed to them in the future,” Van De Wege said.
“As a firefighter, I’m opposed to the toxic flame retardants commonly used in children’s products and in our homes,” he said.
“There are much safer alternatives companies can use, and many businesses are already phasing these out.
“But, currently our state law prevents the health agency from prohibiting these toxic chemicals while other states, like Oregon, California and Minnesota, can.”
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Reporter Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.
