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Derek Kilmer |
Phil Rockefeller |
Christine Rolfes |
This year’s 60-day legislative session is considered a supplementary one, with no major new initiatives expected. Nonetheless, several bills are being introduced that will impact local businesses. Although local legislators were interviewed by KPBJ before the Jan. 18 bill filing deadline, they offered insights into some of the upcoming issues.
Sen. Derek Kilmer, whose committees include Economic Trade and Management (vice chair), said he’s focused on efforts to grow jobs and state competitiveness, and is working on legislation to help business startups receive technical assistance through small business development centers, provide incentives that would encourage corporate and regional headquarters to be located in the state, and to support veteran-owned businesses (by encouraging state government agencies to purchase from military and veteran-owned businesses). He also plans to sponsor a bill to establish and evaluate pilot projects for colleges and companies to work together and offer “workplace-based college programs” for entry level and semi-skilled workers.
“Many adults are working two and three jobs in order to make ends meet. Often, they need additional skills if they are to move up the wage ladder and secure family wage jobs. It is difficult to access education and training opportunities provided at college campuses due to busy schedules of work and raising families,” he said. “…It is imperative from both the worker and employer perspective that Washington find ways to make post-secondary education and training accessible to working adults.”
Rep. Christine Rolfes said she’s working on a green building initiative that will make it easier for the building industry to use green building practices throughout the state, and added that she is also focused on tax relief for small businesses that are starting out.
Rolfes is the co-sponsor of HB 2560, which will expand small business’ access to the small group health insurance market. The bill deletes the requirements that employees must work 30 hours or more a week and the majority of company employees have to be in Washington, and also deletes the current requirement that sole proprietors have to derive a set percentage of income from a trade or business to be eligible for the insurance programs.
Sen. Phil Rockefeller said this session’s efforts will include building a healthy balance in the rainy day fund, which will help stabilize the state’s economy while there are signs that a recession is growing nationwide. He also noted legislation to help solve the current state ferry crisis, with efforts to allocate funding for quicker acquisition of new boats.
Rep. Pat Lantz said one of the bills in the Judiciary Committee, advocated by the state Bar Association, will allow publicly owned companies to post their proxy statements online, and sending out paper notices about the proxy’s availability, making the rule consistent with those of the FCC. “We’re about to enter a world of paperless communication with shareholder information. It’s outstanding to see the technology has reached that point,” she said. She also noted a new bill, HB 1542, that would help restaurants creating a business and occupation tax credit against state and federal payroll taxes paid by restaurateurs on employee tips.
Rockefeller noted, “This is the year in which adjustments are made based on the budget — not a year in which major new initiatives are introduced.”
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