Passing of Legislative Deadline Narrows Number of Bills

NFIB focusing its lobbying efforts on 18 measures

State Director Patrick Connor reports from Olympia on the small-business agenda for the political and legislative week ending March 10

Small Business Day, March 16

NFIB’s annual Small Business Day Capitol will be held Thursday, March 16. Click here for additional information or to register. Sponsorships are still available. Contact Stacy Jenkins at (360) 870-7749 or [email protected] for details.

Guest speakers include:

Sen. Shelly Short – Senate Republican Floor Leader
Rep. Jacquelin Maycumber – House Republican Floor Leader
Sen. Karen Keiser – Senate Labor & Commerce Committee chair
Sen. Curtis King – Senate Labor & Commerce Committee ranking member

The Legislature

We’ve passed the midpoint of the session. Friday, March 10, was Day 61 of 105 allowed for this year’s regular session.

As expected, Wednesday’s House of Origin Cut-Off further winnowed the number of bills NFIB is tracking to about a dozen and a half. Legislative activities have returned to committee hearings, this time focused on bills from the opposite chamber. The final policy committee cut-off of the session is March 29.

Many of the priority bills we’re watching have been scheduled for public hearing next week, including several during the 8 a.m. Senate Labor & Commerce Committee meeting on Thursday, March 16, our Small Business Day.

In response to the significant number of anti-small-business, pro-Labor or trial lawyer, bills approved with Republican votes, much of the state’s business community is stepping up efforts to kill these bills or at least hold lawmakers accountable for their votes. NFIB has added a few to our oppose list or moved from “monitor” or “concerns” to “oppose.” We will be signing-in or testifying on several next week, including some business community priorities that may not have been covered in previous reports.

How Small Businesses Can Help

Join NFIB on the record by signing-in your position on bills scheduled for hearings next week. Here’s a summary of the committee and bill information. NFIB’s recommended position is also listed. You can sign-in (select “I would like my position noted for the legislative record”) without testifying using the “testify” link from the committee agenda page. All sign-ins must be complete at least an hour before the committee hearing begins. For “organization,” either use your business name or leave this optional field blank. Hyperlinks to the committee agendas, which also link to bills being considered that day, are provided below.

Monday, March 13 at 10:30 a.m. – Senate Labor & Commerce Committee (agenda / sign-in here)

ESHB 1050, Apprenticeship utilization, CON
SHB 1458, Unemployment benefits for apprentices during “waiting week,” CON
HB 1301, License review, PRO
HB 1017, Cosmetologists licensure, PRO

Tuesday, March 14 at 10:30 a.m. – House Labor Committee (agenda / sign-in here)

ESSB 5123, Prohibiting pre-employment screening for cannabis, CON
ESSB 5217, Ergonomics, CON

Tuesday, March 14 at 10:30 a.m. – Senate Labor & Commerce Committee (agenda / sign-in here)

SHB 1068, Independent Medical Exams for Workers Comp Claims, CON
SHB 1521, Regulating self-insured employers and their third-party administrators, CON

Wednesday, March 15 at 8 a.m. – House Labor Committee (agenda / sign-in here)

SSB 5110, Authorizing workers to sue employers for alleged violations of several workplace laws and rules, CON

Thursday, March 16 at 8 a.m. – Senate Labor & Commerce Committee (agenda / sign-in here)

E2SHB 1320, Authorizing workers to sue employers over personnel files, CON
2SHB 1491, Preventing unnecessary searches of worker vehicles on jobsites, PRO
2SHB 1762, Regulating warehouses, CON
SHB 1217, Wage complaints, CON
ESHB 1106, Providing unemployment benefits for workers voluntarily quitting due to loss of child care or reasons covered under PFML, CON

Past Weekly Reports and Related Information