The state Legislature ended its 60-day session Thursday. Here’s a recap of issues of local and statewide interest.
THE BIG THREE
UW BRANCH CAMPUS: Lawmakers needed to pick a location for a four-year college in order for classes to start this year. But lawmakers from Snohomish, Island and Skagit counties disagreed on a site. If they can do so by Dec. 1, the campus idea could fly in 2009.
FERRIES: Gov. Chris Gregoire proposed $100 million for three new car ferries for the Keystone-Port Townsend route. The Legislature put $85 million in its transportation budget. She is expected to agree.
CABLE BARRIERS: A $26.9 million project to replace cable barriers with concrete barriers on a stretch of I-5 near Marysville is fully funded in the transportation budget.
THE NEXT TIER
U.S. 2: Lawmakers and residents are happy with the securing of $14 million — of which $1.5 million comes from Snohomish County — for new projects plus six state troopers assigned specifically to patrol the highway.
CRIME: Tracking and monitoring convicted sex offenders will be stepped up with funding for verifying the addresses of sex offenders in person, increasing the use of electronic monitoring, adding online notice of offenders who fail to register and expanding the state database of convicted offenders’ DNA.
DUI CHECKPOINTS: Gregoire wanted to legalize roadside stops. The Legislature didn’t and torpedoed the idea.
CLOSED SESSION: Attorney General Rob McKenna and State Auditor Brian Sonntag thought executive sessions of local governments should be tape recorded. The Legislature didn’t.
CLIMATE CHANGE: Last year, lawmakers set a goal to significantly curb greenhouse gas emissions. This year they set out to start doing it. One of the major bills will compile data on the generators of the emissions.
OTHER ISSUES
BUDGET: Gregoire challenged the Legislature to put at least $1 billion in reserve. A February revenue forecast predicted less income for the state, and she lowered her target. Lawmakers set aside $836 million, of which $446 million is in the voter-approved rainy-day fund.
EDUCATION: Lawmakers didn’t slay WASL, but they did cut costs by trimming the math portion of the test taken by elementary students. They also put money toward teacher pay, school libraries, students without English proficiency and special education.
FAMILY LEAVE: Lawmakers decided last year parents should get time off from work following the birth or adoption of a child. This year they pondered how big a stipend and how to pay for the program and couldn’t agree on either. They approved $6.2 million to get the program ready to go next year if those questions are answered.
TRIBAL POLICE: Much heat was stirred up in giving tribal police the power to arrest those who are not American Indians, on and off reservations. For tribal police to gain authority equal to their local law enforcement officers, an agreement must be reached between the tribe and county sheriff.
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