The heat is picking up in Olympia for bad bills being pushed by the majority party, especially SB 6346 Tax on Millionaires and SB 5974 that could be used against elected sheriffs.

Income taxes have been turned down by voters 11 times in history, and this action against an elected office is the latest of many attempts to find ways to harass and unseat elected sheriffs under a label of reasonable-sounding policies.

If you haven’t already done so, please add your name to these CON registrations (Only do this once per bill per public hearing), and consider sending in written comments or testifying.

• SB 5974 supposedly “modernizes and strengthens” laws on sheriffs, but would result in constant investigations into elected officials, and lead to more sheriffs being appointed. It also would require elected Sheriff’s to undergo a background check performed by Governor-run agencies. If this bill passes, then all elected officials should also go through a background check and be subject to administrative recall. Action Deadline 12:30 pm Monday Feb. 23  Register CON and/or Testify.
• SB 6346 Millionaires Tax. We don’t know how this is constitutional, but they keep pushing this income tax that will eventually become a tax for all. Action Deadline 7 am Tuesday Feb. 24. Register CON and/or Testify.

Without Fail, make sure you register (just once) against the above bills.

Other bills in committee this week that also need your attention:

• HB 1710, 1750, 1916, all related to making our elections less secure, are in executive session Tuesday Feb. 24 1:30 pm in the State Government committee. You can send legislators comments or watch on TVW. This committee hearing should be full of fireworks and Democrats will have particularly weak arguments that need to be exposed.
• SB 6321 Action Deadline 9:30 am Monday. Register CON.
  Creating a new $6 billion WA Institute of Scientific Advancement, to avoid reliance on Trump’s NIH, DARPA, FDA, CDC. This would cost taxpayers approx. another $6 billion in interest payments on the bonds, while creating a redundant agency that will need a large bureaucracy to run.  

Finally for this week - What??? Two bills to support? This is strange as we go further into the second half of session. Please register PRO:

• HB 2203 Action Deadline 9:30 am Monday. Register PRO
  Creates a new offense for drivers who knowingly ignore official road closures put in place for hazardous conditions and thereby interfere with emergency operations. Sends a strong deterrent message without criminalizing ordinary mistakes, focusing instead on knowing and reckless conduct. (FPIW analysis)
• HB 2303 Action Deadline 9:30 am Monday. Register PRO
  Protects workers’ bodily autonomy and personal privacy by prohibiting employers from requesting, requiring, or coercing employees or job applicants to have microchips implanted in their bodies.