Tag Archives: Senate

Governor violated confidentiality agreement with Senate and House negotiators

Senate majority sets the record straight with public release of transportation-negotiation documents.

In response to Gov. Jay Inslee’s violation of a confidentiality agreement between his office and transportation negotiators from the Senate and House of Representatives, Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, co-chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, today released the past nine months’ worth of House and Senate transportation proposals to set the record straight on the status of the state’s transportation package.

“In light of blatant and false accusations by the governor and his violation of a confidentiality agreement with the negotiating parties, we have been forced to release the negotiating positions of the House and Senate,” said King, who represents the 14th Legislative District. “In making these unprecedented disclosures, we are setting the record straight on just how far the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus moved toward the Democrats’ position and how truly close we came to an agreement during the last two weeks of the legislative session.”

“What was missing throughout the 2014 session was bipartisan leadership by the governor and commitment to reforming our broken transportation system,” King continued. “Governor Inslee failed to bring the two parties together and the Democratic co-chair of the Senate transportation committee along with leadership among the Senate’s minority Democrats, failed to allow reforms to come to a vote.” Continue reading →

King says failure to pass transportation package not due to lack of effort

At a news conference today – one day before the scheduled end of the 2014 legislative session – Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, and co-chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, lamented the fact that lawmakers did not pass an agreed-upon transportation revenue and reform package before adjourning. King added that the Majority Coalition Caucus, which leads the state Senate, repeatedly made compromises sought by the Senate minority, but to no avail.

“During the 2013 transportation feedback forum tour, we visited ten cities across Washington in five weeks. The vast majority of citizens made it clear that they wanted reforms before they’d accept any gas-tax increase, and we listened to the people.”

“From the very beginning, the MCC has prioritized reforms, and additional revenue was never off the table. But in the end, the Senate’s minority Democrats weren’t serious about making the tough reforms. They were more interested in tax increases and sound bites, despite knowing as well as I do that the state can’t win public support for a multibillion-dollar transportation package without first establishing that we are serious about fixing the waste, mismanagement and abuse that exists within the system.” Continue reading →

King supports minimal changes for second year of transportation budget

The state Senate last night approved minor adjustments to the state’s 2013-15 transportation budget that will continue maintenance and preservation of Washington roads, bridges and other infrastructure. Sen. Curtis King, co-chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, says the modest changes he supports through Senate Bill 6001 are not about adding spending for new projects but simply continue to fund existing work.

“Because of the hard work we put into the biennial transportation budget last year, there were very few areas that needed adjustment in 2014,” said King, a Yakima Republican who represents the 14th Legislative District. “Supplemental budgets are meant to address unforeseen issues, appropriations that didn’t balance right or issues that are time-sensitive. They’re not meant to be another bite at the apple.” Continue reading →

Tanning bed legislation heading for a floor vote

Senate Bill 6065, my bill to protect children under the age of eighteen from the harmful effects of exposure to ultraviolet radiation associated with tanning devices, has received a public hearing and been approved by the Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor. It is now awaiting a vote by the full Senate, after which it would be considered again by the House of Representatives. Continue reading →

King says public must be consulted before new taxes are proposed

Members of the House of Representatives Transportation Committee unveiled their 2013-15 transportation revenue package Wednesday. It calls for raising the gasoline tax by 2 cents each year for five years, increasing the commercial gross weight fee by 15 percent, raising the motor vehicle excise tax by 0.7 percent, raising the hazardous substance tax by 0.3 percent, and a new $25 sales fee on bicycles over $500. Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, and co-chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, said it’s a proposal he expected. Continue reading →

King bill will lessen burden on Washington farmers, employees

Gov. Christine Gregoire signed Senate Bill 6423 Thursday afternoon, clarifying in state law that farmers and their employees are not required to possess commercial driver’s licenses under certain conditions. The measure, sponsored by Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, received unanimous support from the Washington State Senate and passed the House of Representatives97-1.

“It’s a tough time in our state right now, and the ag community doesn’t need to bear any more of a burden than it already has,” King said after the bill’s signing. “Our state’s farmers and farm workers won’t have to worry about breaking the law any longer and can now concentrate on moving their products and equipment to continue driving our economy forward.” Continue reading →

King’s prevailing-wage bill signed into law

Gov. Christine Gregoire signed Senate Bill 6421 Thursday afternoon, a measure that will speed up the process of returning retainage to our state’s contractors and subcontractors more quickly to avoid potentially negative effects on a contractor’s bonding capacity and financial viability. Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, sponsored the bill, which received unanimous support from the Washington State Senate and House of Representatives.

“I’m very pleased the measure had so much support,” King said after the bill-signing. “The tough economy we find ourselves in hasn’t shown many signs of improvement, and this will help our state’s contractors by allowing them to have money returned to them faster so they can in turn reinvest it in their businesses.” Continue reading →

King’s prevailing-wage bill now awaiting governor’s signature

After unanimous votes in the Washington State Senate and House of Representatives, Senate Bill 6421 is ready to be signed into law by the governor. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, says he’s pleased his measure was met with so much support.

“The bill is designed to help our state’s contractors and subcontractors have their retainage returned more quickly,” King said. “The idea is to speed up the process to avoid delayed payments that could potentially have a negative effect on a contractor’s bonding capacity.” Continue reading →

King bill exempting farmers from CDL requirements to become law

The governor is soon expected to sign a measure sponsored by Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, which would clarify in state law that farmers and those who work for farmers need not have a commercial driver’s license to move products from field to storage. Senate Bill 6423 received unanimous support from the Washington State Senate and passed the House of Representatives97-1.

“I was honored to be the prime sponsor of this farm-vehicle bill because I felt it was of great benefit to our eastern and central Washington farmers,” King said. “Relieving some of the bureaucratic burdens faced by our farmers and their employees should always be a priority, considering we depend so much on their efforts.” Continue reading →