King County Democrats 2016 Legislative Agenda

11/24/15 Rev. 2.0 (PDF)

1. Revenue & Tax Reform:
   • Progressive new revenue, including capital gains tax, to fulfill the state’s paramount duty to amply fund Basic Education in compliance with the McCleary decision (Budget)
   • Close corporate tax exemptions that lack accountable performance objectives and results
   • Require the Legislature to adopt a Tax Expenditure Budget (HB1239/SB5492)
   • Support Washington Investment Trust (i.e., state bank) (SB5553)
2. Education:
   • Increase school construction funding as required by McCleary (Capital Budget)
   • Eliminate high stakes testing as a high school graduation requirement; reduce required testing to the minimum required by federal law
   • Restore a fair and accessible nonprofit GED test (SB5676;HB1743)
   • Significantly increase the state’s share of higher education costs
   • Support free tuition for two years of public college and technical school (Budget)
3. Election Reform:
   • Support I-735 requesting the legislature to ask Congress to amend the U.S. Constitution to affirm that corporations are not people and money is not speech
   • Require campaign disclosure of “dark money” spending by nonprofits (SB5153)
   • Automatically register U.S. citizens to vote when they apply for a driver’s license or ID
4. Environment:
   • Support the introduction of a meaningful price on carbon in WA State
   • Defend renewable energy standards & solar production initiatives
5. Labor:
   • 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 ( e.g., HB1354/SB5569)
6. Housing and Human Services:
   • Increase the social safety net, especially for homeless children and families
   • Increase low-income housing in the capital budget
   • Reform and effectively fund the public mental health delivery system with a focus on preventive and supportive services (study bill)
   • Pass the Fair Tenant Screening Act—accurate, portable background checks (HB1257, SB5123)
   • Disallow rental discrimination based on Sec. 8, government or other sources of income (HB1565, SB5378)
   • Restore local authority over the ability to regulate rents
7. Criminal Justice:
   • Pass criminal and juvenile justice reform, including Legal Financial Obligations (HB1390), Certificates of Restoration (HB1553), Ban the Box (HB1701) and Racial Impact Statements (SB5752)
   • Re-institute parole and support ex-prisoner re-entry programs
   • Pass a workable medical cannabis regulation that respects the needs of patients
   • Repeal the death penalty (HB1739/SB5639)
8. Health Care:
   • Pass the Reproductive Health Act
   • Oppose parental notification requirements for reproductive health services (SB5289)
   • Support health care for all Washingtonians by 2020 (HB 1025/SB 5132 and HB 1321/SB5305)