Two weeks have now passed in the 2008 legislative session and I think we feel in State Relations like we are finally getting caught up with what seems to be another record batch of bills introduced so far. By next week, I hope to have a list of “UW High Priority Bills” posted to the Spotlight section of the website and it will be our intention to keep that updated every couple of days or so.
In the meantime, let’s go over a few bills of significant interest to the University of Washington so far this session.
SB 6848 — Financing the renovation of university stadium facilities
I guess you had to have been out of the country the past week or so to miss the considerable attention heaped upon this measure. This is one of two University request bills. As you have probably already read, this bill would provide financing for a portion of the cost of renovating Husky Stadium. In brief, the bill “re-purposes” several King County-only taxes (rental car, food and beverage and hotel/motel) which will be finished paying for Safeco Field, the Kingdome repairs and Qwest Field over the next several years. These revenue sources would then be used to finance 50% of the debt on a planned $300 million renovation of the stadium. The other half of the project would be paid by the UW from new revenues from premium seating and donations from Husky supporters. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Margarita Prentice (D-Renton), the chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
SB 6637/HB 2825 — Allowing certain alcohol permit holders to obtain alcohol in nonbeverage form directly from suppliers
This is the University’s other request bill for the 2008 session and is probably as non-controversial as it’s stadium cousin is controversial. The bill would allow the UW to purchase ethanol (industrial alcohol) directly from national suppliers instead of going through the State Liquor Board. The University uses 8,000 gallons of ethanol per year for medical and research purposes. Due to the closure of our Central Stores operation at the end of 2007, purchasing must be done by individual campus units using the ProCard system. Because the Liquor Board does not take credit cards, we worked with the Board to draft this legislation which would permit us to buy ethanol directly instead of having to go through the Board system. We’ve had public hearings on both the Senate and House versions of the measure. The House bill passed easily out of the House Commerce and Labor committee on Friday and the Senate bill is expected to pass out of committee early next week.
SB 6391/HB 2548 — Authorizing an additional University of Washington branch campus
These bills sponsored by Sen. Paull Shin and Rep. Hans Dunshee would establish a third UW branch campus in Everett at the downtown Pacific Station site. There are two other measures (SB 6352 abd HB 2814) sponsored by Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen and Rep. Dave Quall which would establish certain priority criteria for establishing a new branch campus including whether the site is “centrally” located within the Snohomish, Island and Skagit county areas. A third bill, SB 6490 sponsored by Sen. Steve Hobbs, would establish a new UW branch campus in Lake Stevens at the Cavalero site. Sen. Shin’s measure has passed out of the Senate Higher Education Committee and referred to the Senate Ways and Means Committee. The other Senate bills have been heard but not acted upon. Both House measures will have a public hearing on Monday January 28 in the House Higher Education Committee.
SB 6328/HB 2648 — Enhancing campus safety and security
These measures sponsored by Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles and Rep. Deb Wallace were introduced at the request of the Governor. The measures are designed to improve the safety of all university and college campuses by improving campus safety planning and dissemination and provides for regular review of campus safety planning and procedures and new state reporting requirements. Both bills were heard in their respective higher education committees last week. The UW, along with other institutions support the measures but have recommended several changes designed to clarify certain requirements and avoid some unintentional consequences.
HB 2582 — Regarding child care at institutions of higher education
This bill sponsored by Rep. Mary Helen Roberts is the 2008 priority legislation for the Washington Student Lobby. The meausure replace an existing HECB childcare competitive grant program with a program that awards both competitive and matching grants to higher edcuation institutions for student child care. Funding which would be included in the state operating budget would be matched dollar for dollar with student fees from each school. Sen. Derek Kilmer has also introduced SB 6730 which is also designed to improve and enhance child care services and resources for state institutions of higher education.
More on other legislation in the days to come.