King County Democrats 2015 Legislative Agenda Status Update
- Revenue & Tax Reform:
- Pass a capital gains tax on the wealthy to raise additional revenue to fund Basic Education and meet McCleary obligations (Budget—No bill #)
- Close corporate tax exemptions that lack accountable performance objectives and results in terms of living-wage jobs and other measurable community benefits
- Require the Legislature to adopt a Tax Expenditure Budget as part of the state biennial budget appropriations process (HB1249/SB5492)
- Transportation:
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Authorize sustainable local, regional and state funding for transit (HB1180, etc.)(Done) -
Move people and freight safelyand efficiently while minimizing carbon pollution (SB5087) (Part done—move to Environment)
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- Election Reform:
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Send a resolution to Congress calling for a constitutional amendment that corporations are not people and money is not speech (Senate Joint Memorial 8002)(Replaced by I-735) - Require campaign disclosure of “dark money” spending by nonprofits (SB5153)
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- Education:
- Fully fund K-12 Basic Education consistent with the McCleary order (Budget)
- Restore 70% state share of higher ed funding (2002) vs. students’ share 30%
- Support school construction in the state capital budget (Budget)
- Support funding for two free years of college or technical school (Budget)
- Environment:
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Pass a carbon pollution cap and trade system to make polluters pay (HB 1314/SB5083) - Pass the Oil Transportation Safety Act (HB 1449/SB5087)
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- Labor:
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Pass a capital budget focused on repairing infrastructure to create jobs(Budget) (Done) - Raise the minimum wage statewide towards a goal of a living wage (HB 1355/SB5285)
- Provide paid sick leave for workers statewide (HB1356)
- Pass wage theft bills (HB1354/SB5569) (Also SB 5566, 5567, 5568, 5569)
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- Housing and Human Services:
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MaintainIncrease the social safety net: Homeless, hungry, sick children can’t learn. (Budget, HB1295/SB5437, etc.) -
FundIncrease low-income housing in the capital budget, at least $100 million recommended (Capital budget) - Create a Medicaid Supportive Housing Services benefit (Done)
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- Criminal Justice:
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Pass sentencing reform and juvenile justice reform
(HB1481/SB5564) (HB1553) -
Pass a workable medical cannabis regulation that respects the needs of patients.
(SB5572) - Repeal the death penalty (HB1739/SB5639)
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Pass sentencing reform and juvenile justice reform
- Reproductive Rights:
- Pass the Reproductive Health Act
- Oppose parental notification requirements for reproductive health services (SB5289)