Legislative Success
2006 Legislative Session
(see also 2005 and 2004)
March 9, 2006
(Olympia, WA) Asking congress to allow the state to make medical decisions and removing duplicative requirements in a proposed scholarship program were among the accomplishments of Evergreen Public Affairs during the recently-ended legislative session.
Committees in both the House and the Senate voted to approve a memorial to congress asking that local doctors -- not the federal Drug Enforcement Administration -- be allowed to decide if marijuana is an appropriate therapy for chemotherapy patients, people suffering from glaucoma, those with chronic pain and others. Unfortunately, time ran out in the short legislative session, and it was never brought to the floor for a vote.
Other legislation supported during the session included scholarships for mathematics and science teaching candidates, as well as scholarships for classroom aides in bilingual and special education who want to become teachers. Both were funded in the state budget -- with duplicative requirements for colleges removed from the math/science teacher scholarships.
Evergreen Public Affairs also successfully advocated that the Washington Department of Ecology change its policy on nuclear waste disposal at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. State Ecology Director Jay Manning recently implemented the "Hanford Waste First" policy in making decisions about what the state would allow to be disposed of at the site.
2005
 
Recognizing Military Service
May 3, 2005
(Olympia, WA) Governor Gregoire added her signature to the unanimous votes in the House and Senate for Substitute House Bill 1938, which allows public employees called to military service to earn retirement credit without returning to their public sector jobs. Evergreen Public Affairs shepherded this bill through the 2005 legislature where it did not receive a single "no" vote.
 
The bill was prompted by the case of Col. Michael Pierce (pictured with Governor Gregoire), a 29+ year employee of the Grant County Public Utility District, who had intended to retire soon when he was activated in the Army Reserve. When he tried to retire, the state told Col. Pierce that he would have to have an honorable discharge and go back on the payroll at the PUD.
SHB 1938 allows members of the military "actively serving honorably" to receive the service credit without going back to work, since military call-ups are routinely being extended well beyond the initial tours.
 
Increasing Access to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and WorkFirst
April 22, 2005
(Olympia, WA) The state of Washington will increase access to help for people struggling to overcome felony drug convictions with Governor Gregoire's signature on Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5213. Evergreen Public Affairs, on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, was able to garner votes of 47-2 in the Senate and 77-17 in the House to deliver the bill to the Governor's desk.
 
The new law, which goes into effect on September 1, 2005, exercises a state option in federal law to not exclude drug felons from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and associated programs.
When implemented, the law will also give people struggling to overcome a drug conviction access to the WorkFirst program, where the  motto is "A Job, A Better Job, A Better Life."
(Pictured, left to right, Bob Cooper, Evergreen Public Affairs; Sen. Dale Brandland, R-Whatcom County, prime sponsor; Rep. Bill Hinkle, R, Cle Elum; Rep. Eric Pettigrew, D- Seattle; and Governor Christine Gregoire as she signs ESSB 5213 into law.)
 
2004
March 22, 2004
(Olympia, WA)  Governor Locke today signed Engrossed Senate Bill 6411, restoring food stamp eligibility to people whose records include drug felony convictions, which will help thousands of people in recovery who are putting their lives back together. Evergreen Public Affairs pushed this bill through the legislative process on behalf of Washington Citizen Action.
The bill also
  1.   Extends transitional Food Stamp benefits to families leaving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families as they make the transition to self-sufficiency;
  2.   Simplifies reporting for families receiving food stamps while reducing the state's chances for errors that can prompt fines to be levied on the state by the federal government;
  3.   Extends the mandate that schools participate in the National School Lunch Program if 25% or more of their students qualify for free or reduced-price meals; and
  4.   Mandates schools offering academic, remedial or enrichment programs in the summer offer the federal Summer Lunch program to both students and the wider community if half or more of students in the school qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
A coalition of organizations promoted the legislation, which was crafted in partnership with Rep. Eric Pettigrew (D-Seattle) and sponsored by Sen. Dale Brandland (R-Bellingham).  Evergreen Public Affairs, representing Washington Citizen Action, helped lead the effort.
Other legislative successes for Evergreen Public Affairs, on behalf of Washington Citizen Action and in coalition with a wide variety of partners, included:
 
  1. Highlighting the subsidy provided to some employers by the state when the state pays for a company's workers' health care -- leading to an uneven playing field for responsible businesses;
  2. Moderating premiums on children's Medicaid coverage for families earning less than a living wage;
  3. Defeating a proposed limit on General Assistance Unemployable -- a cash assistance program for people suffering physical and mental health problems that prevents them from holding a job;
  4. defeat of caps on jury awards in medical malpractice and other liability cases;
  5. inclusion of the Patients' Bill of Rights in legislation authorizing Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements providing health care coverage for thousands of Washington workers; and
  6. raising the level of debate over corporate accountability for tax breaks.