Week 8: Let’s review

I figured I’d wait until last week ended — last night, with the Senate passing their tax package — to round-up the week. Here goes.

Monday: The House unveiled their five-part tax plan with mostly permanent taxes, Gov. Chris Gregoire said she likes the Senate spending plan and the House taxing plan, the House scheduled a hearing and vote for the plan the following day and we posted some charts with the major similarities and differences among the tax plans.

Tuesday: Employment Security Department announced that Washington added jobs for the first time in more than a year in January, House Finance held the public hearing on the tax plan and passed the bill, Victor Moore announced he’s leaving OFM to be COO for the Washington State Investment Board, the Senate voted to ban shackles on pregnant inmates who are in active labor and Washington adopted a new way of killing death-row inmates.

Wednesday: The House passed a bill banning texting and talking on the phone for teens, Olympia Newswire reported that the House budget proposal includes a provision to take student fee money from universities to fill the budget hole, the House voted to ban BPA in sippy cups and sports bottles, Rep. Bruce Dammeier shared his thoughts on government reform, taxes and session priorities, and Jessica Gao talked to Reps. Dammeier, Jeff Morris and Ross Hunter and Sens. Rosemary McAuliffe and Randy Gordon on The Impact.

Thursday: The Senate introduced a high-earners income tax bill and held a hearing on it, Rep. Jeff Morris told me he thinks it’s possible session could adjourn without a budget being passed, the Senate passed a Constitutional amendment on bail, the Department of Health reported that 36 people used Washington’s assisted suicide law in 2009 to end their lives, and House Transportation passed a bill saying the Legislature intends to address ferry system cost drivers.

Friday: Senate Ways & Means voted on their tax package, Sen. Lisa Brown said in her media availability that the Senate could take up the tax package on Saturday, in a separate media availability she discussed the high-earners income tax, the House voted on the ferry costs bill and the House passed the bill to attempt to qualify for Race to the Top funding.

Saturday: The Senate began debating their revenue bills.

Sunday: The Senate passed the loophole-and-sales tax package as well as the cigarette tax increase.

Tags: week 8