We're Now 2/3Rd of the Way Through the 2020 Session of The
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We’re now 2/3rd of the way through the 2020 Session of the Washington Legislature, and the 1,500+ bills introduced have been whittled down considerably as Senators and Representatives pass key cutoff deadlines. We’re now starting to see Operating, Capital, and Transportation budgets roll out as the Session gets closer to the finish line. Below is the “state of play” for our RBAW priority areas: Tuesday, Jan. 21 Legislative Day for RBAW and the Northwest Marine Trade Association (NMTA): We had a good day on ‘the Hill’ meeting with Legislators. RBAW Officers, Directors and many others were in the State Capital for well over a dozen meetings with lawmakers during the day, and our evening reception that night. Senators such as Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle/36th Dist.), Jim Honeyford (R- Sunnyside/15th Dist.), Doug Ericksen (R-Ferbdale/42nd) and Dean Takko (D-Longview/19th Dist.) joined us, as did Representatives such as Mike Chapman (D-Port Angeles/24th), Jesse Young (R-Gig Harbor/26th), Chris Gildon (R-Puyallup/25th), etc. Lakebay Marina: We have dealt with two conflicting issues this Session as we advance our Lakebay request: 1) a very well-received request; and 2) an off-year Capital Budget with only a tiny fraction of the capacity that legislators have when they develop 2-year budgets in odd-numbered years. So, although the state’s Operating Budget revenue is trending way up, the Supplemental Capital Budget is such that most “local project” requests are receiving no more than $200,000 at the very most. We are receiving $100,000 for Lakebay in the House version of the 2020 Capital Budget (HB 2324). Combined with the $250,000 pledge we have received from Pierce County and early fund-raising, we now have about $400,000 toward the $1.25 million price in the purchase-and-sale agreement. Great progress, but lots of work ahead! PFD and Boater Education Card Bills (HB 2443, HB 2444): We’re doing well on these and I want to give thanks to Board Member Steve Greaves for his testimony (HB 2444) and other Board Members such as our Treasurer Loyd Walker and Kevin Haistings for their careful review of these bills. See more details below: The HB 2443 bill on Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) wear initially mandated that life jackets would have to be worn in open waters at all times by all under-19-foot “vessel” operators (motorized and human- powered) no matter the conditions, or the age(s) of the on-board users (current law = below age 13). The House-passed version ESHB 2443 would require all operators of “human-powered” vessels age 18 and under to wear a PFD when their kayaks, rafts, stand-up paddleboards, etc., are underway. The fate of this bill in the State Senate is very uncertain. Click the link below for the most recent information on the bill status. http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2019-20/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/2443- S.E.pdf?q=20200222120836 As for HB 2444, which would have changed the Boater Education Card into a 10-year recurring license with recurring fees, the RBAW’s vocal objections to that bill helped ensure it will not go forward. Bill sponsor and House Housing, Community Development and Veterans Committee Chair Cindy Ryu (D-Shoreline/32nd Dist.) Cindy Ryu (D-Shoreline/32nd) is conducting talks with stakeholders to see if there’s a way to extend education/training requirements to human-powered vessels. Click the link below for the most recent information on the bill’s status. https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2444&Initiative=false&Year=2019 Issue with mobile pump-out services provided by Mr. Terry Durfee of Terry & Sons: RBAW has had conference calls and multiple conversations with State Parks on this issue and has made a Public Disclosure request through President Wise, particularly for information on an audit that was done. We’ve just received a mountain of documentation that RBAW is working through. In the meantime, we’ve urged State Parks Boating Program Administrator Rob Sendak to work with us on ensuring that there are viable pump-out solutions both for Opening Day and the upcoming busy summer season. We know numerous boaters continue to be very upset and frustrated about the pending plug-pull (Feb. 29) on the Terry and Sons Clean Vessel Act grant agreement – and many of those folks are taking their complaints to the Governor’s Office. Derelict Vessel Removal Program Bill SB 6528: This Department of Natural Resources (DNR) request bill has now passed unanimously out of the Senate. RBAW has been actively testifying in support after many hours of discussion with DNR. At the same time, we’ve been urging that much more needs to happen down the road in terms of sustainable and equitable funding. The thing we like most about DNR’s bill is that it removes the cap on the Vessel Turn-In Incentive Program. We’ve gotten to an ‘OK’ place with other provisions of the bill and we’re intrigued by a proposed study of ways to recycle vessels that is also woven into SB 6528. We also met with Commissioner Hilary Franz agrees and her staff and look forward to kicking off more discussions about 2021 and beyond. Click the link below for the most recent information on the bill status. https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=6528&Initiative=false&Year=2019 No Discharge Zones: The new NDZ for all of Puget Sound is in effect, though there is still pending litigation which could change that designation. This is above and beyond the Coast Guard 3-mile regulation. Please see this educational site from BoatUS: https://boatus.org/clean-boating/sewage/ Copper Bottom Paint Bill – SB 6210: Our colleagues at Northwest Marine Trade Association are taking a leadership role on this bill. Initial versions of this bill would simply have extended by five (5) years the previously-enacted 2021 phase-out date on the use of copper bottom paint on recreational vessels. NMTA and a coalition of others successfully worked on inclusion of language that requires the Department of Ecology to review and report on “anti-fouling paints” and would prohibit the sale of copper- based paints beginning in 2026 only if Ecology determines safer and more effective alternate products are available. Click the link below for the most recent information on the bill status. https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=6210&Initiative=false&Year=2019 Technical changes to Boating Under the Influence (BUI) statute – SHB 2431: This bill by Rep. Brad Klippert (R-Kennewick/8th Dist.), who works as a law enforcement officer when he’s not serving as a legislator, would have made technical changes to the BUI statutes to standardize them with the Driving Under the Influence (DUI) laws. The bill did not pass the House Floor by the required cutoff deadline and thus SHB 2431 is not going to advance in 2020. Link to current bill status is here: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2431&Initiative=false&Year=2019 .