From LWVWA 1/15/23 Newsletter
Bills needing your support this week
Please note, lots of action in the early days of the Legislature as the various bills jockey for agenda space. Way too much information to get it all here. Recommend you sign up to get the LWV Washington weekly legislative newsletter delivered to your own inbox!
ELECTION LEGISLATION
SB 5208 Enables citizens to register to vote online without a Washington State driver’s license.
Many citizens – often people of color, young people and lower income – do not have a WA License. Using the last 4 digits of their Social Security number to authenticate, they are able to register online if this bill passes.
Please sign in PRO to the Senate State Government & Elections public hearing by NOON on Tuesday, Jan. 17. Leave the Organization box blank!
SB 5047 Enhanced Washington Voting Rights Act
This bill amends sections of the Washington Voting Rights Act to clarify what constitutes a violation of the act. It seeks to protect members of classes who do not have an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice through methods that have created vote dilution or polarized voting.
Please sign in PRO to the Senate State Government & Elections public hearing by 7:00 am on Friday, Jan. 20. Leave the Organization box blank!
MONEY IN POLITICS LEGISLATION
SB 5284 Concerning Campaign Finance Disclosure.
Updates the campaign reporting deadlines to ensure voters have access to campaign financing information when ballots arrive. Requires sponsors to identify political ads to vendors when order placed. Authorizes the Public Disclosure Commission to use the public disclosure transparency account for project-based expenditures to meet increasing demand for technology and reporting improvements.
Click here and then click on the “Comment on this Bill” button to share your support of this bill.
CLIMATE CRISIS LEGISLATION
SB 5165 Improving electric power system transmission planning (companion to HB 1192).
Scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology on January 18 at 8:00 am. Please sign in Pro by 7:00 am or earlier in the week. Click here to sign in PRO. Leave organization box BLANK!
Lots more happening in the upcoming week. Read all about it in the LWV state newsletter here.
FOREST LEGISLATION
HB 1032 Mitigating the risk of wildfires through electric utility planning and identification of best management practices appropriate to each electric utility’s circumstances.
LWVWA supported the original bill – SB 5803-2022 (last year) – but the bill was met with such resistance from the electric utilities, it did not make it out of committee. Senator Rolfes considered the concerns and this year introduced SB 5039 (companion to HB 1032) which had a hearing on Jan 11, 2023. HB 1032 (sponsored by Representative Dent) was heard on Jan 13. It now appears that the electric utilities are mostly in favor.
Be involved. Legislators need to hear from you!
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