Legislative Flavor for April 22: Governor Rules
As the legislature burns the midnight oil racing towards April 25th and Sunday’s scheduled sine die (a parliamentary term used for the final adjournment of a legislative session), attention begins to split between the Capitol Building and the Washington Governor’s Mansion as Governor Jay Inslee receives bills for his signature or veto.
Washington State has an unusual timeline for gubernatorial action on legislation, where the time limit changes depending on if the Legislature is in the final five days of the session. Before the last five calendar days, the Governor has five days to sign a bill, partially veto parts of a bill, completely veto legislation, or let a bill become law without signature. It is important to note the clock only starts once the bill is officially delivered to the Governor, having been signed by both the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House (and that step can take days). Once in the final days, the deadline is lengthened to 20 days. It is important to keep track of what is subject to the five-day limit and what is subject to the twenty-day limit.
Among the bills WACD is tracking this session, here is the breakdown:
5 Day Limit
- HB 1143 – Authorizing the placement of water rights banked pursuant to RCW 90.92.070 into the trust water rights program. (Delivered to the Governor April 16, signed April 21)
- HB 1382 – Streamlining the environmental permitting process for salmon recovery projects. (Delivered to the Governor April 13, signed April 16)
- SB 5220 – Concern the taxation of salmon recovery grants. (Delivered to the Governor April 20)
20 Day Limit
- HB 1168 – Concerning long-term forest health and the reduction of wildfire dangers. (House adopted Senate version on April 22)
- HB 1216 – Concerning urban and community forestry. (Delivered to the Governor April 22)
- HB 1443 – Concerning social equity within the cannabis industry. (Delivered to the Governor April 22)
- SB 5141 – Implementing the recommendations of the environmental justice task force. (Senate adopted House version April 20)
- SB 5172 – Concerning the retroactivity of overtime claims in exceptional cases. (Senate adopted House version April 15)
- SB 5159 – Concerning payments in lieu of real property taxes by the department of the fish and wildlife. (House adopted Senate version April 10)
- SB 5253 – Implementing the recommendations of the pollinator health task force. (Senate adopted House version April 14)
- SB 5273 – Concerning the replacement of shoreline armoring. (Senate adopted House version April 21)
- SB 5362 – Ensuring the funding of agricultural fairs. (Senate adopted House version April 21)