2021 Washington Legislature, Day 26 of 105
Everett Herald political reporter Jerry Cornfield: jcornfield@heraldnet.com | @dospueblos
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OLYMPIA, Feb. 5, 2021 As another week concludes, the subject of reopening remains a hot topic.
Last Friday, three Democratic lawmakers declared publicly they had lost faith that Gov. Jay Inslee is on a course to safely open Washington and beat COVID-19.
They blistered the governors latest approach to reopening the state by regions. Only seven counties punched their ticket into the second stage. Since then others, including a Whatcom County public health officer, issued their own criticisms of the strategy.
On Thursday, Inslee pushed back, firmly but diplomatically noting, We always listen to these insights and critiques. But were not making changes at the moment.
He went on to say there are 10,000 legitimate criticisms of what theyve done. And, he said, be assured that any plan they put forth that did not fully open every last restaurant and gym would get criticized.
Early exit
A major criminal justice reform initiative of Democrats cleared the Senate on a party-line vote this week. Senate Bill 5121 broadens eligibility for a re-entry program allowing inmates to spend the last few months of their sentences in partial confinement on electronic home monitoring rather than behind bars.
Supporters, including the Department of Corrections, say the approach, over the past couple years, is saving state dollars without endangering public safety and that only a fraction of participants violate terms of the program while out.
Republicans arent convinced. They are worried about the public and tried to dial back some changes. A fiscal note estimates an additional 2,300 inmates could be eligible for this program in the next year if the bill becomes law.
Is it really worth the risk to our communities to take such a big, big leap? Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, said in the floor debate.
Take it down
Also Wednesday, Braun asked Inslee to remove fencing erected around the Capitol last month as a safety measure unless there is a continuing security threat justifying its presence.
Respectfully, it is time to take down the fences which are separating the public from their elected officials in the Legislature, Braun wrote in a letter to the governor. Nearly one month after being banned, the people should at least be allowed to return to the traditional public forum on the steps of the Legislative Building.
Read the full letter here.
Tick Tock
Senate Bill 5061 delaying a massive spike in unemployment insurance taxes paid by businesses and increasing the size of benefit checks for jobless workers sailed through the Legislature with strong bipartisan backing Jan. 29. It carried such importance that House leaders bypassed committee hearings and moved it straight to the floor. Thats end-of-session kind of speed.
As of Thursday evening, the bill had not made its way to the governor, who is ready to sign it. I think its a win for everyone in Washington, he said Thursday.
This story by colleagues Rachel Riley and Janice Podsada is a reminder why business owners are going to be anxious until he does.
Pay freeze
Gov. Inslee wont be getting a raise this year. Neither will state lawmakers or Supreme Court justices.
Economic uncertainty wrought by the continuing pandemic led a citizen panel on Wednesday to freeze pay for the states executives, legislative and judicial branches in 2021. But a majority of the Washington Citizens Commission on Salaries felt confident enough about the future to give them a 1.75% wage increase on July 1, 2022.
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Reopening gripes, fence frustrations and a wage freeze | HeraldNet.com - The Daily Herald
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- Will Mass Migration Breach Poland's Famous Border Fence? - The National Interest Online - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- 'The Bear': Ebon Moss-Bachrach On Whether Carmy & Richie Mend Fences In Season 3 Emmys Red Carpet - Yahoo New Zealand News - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
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- Balkan Route: Hungary Increasing Fence on Serbian Border Amid Ongoing Violence and Extended Controls, NGOs to Launch a Joint Action to Support... - November 10th, 2022 [November 10th, 2022]
- Parents devastated after autistic child kicked out of school because it doesn't have a fence - Newshub - November 10th, 2022 [November 10th, 2022]
- Fence surrounding US Capitol is expected to come down starting on July 8 - Fox News - July 2nd, 2021 [July 2nd, 2021]
- The Peruvian Pavilion in the 2021 Venice Biennale Seeks to Transform Fences into Tools for Integration - ArchDaily - July 2nd, 2021 [July 2nd, 2021]
- Galloping and Setting Up for Cross-Country Fences: A Conversation - United States Eventing Association - July 2nd, 2021 [July 2nd, 2021]
- On the fence about getting your children vaccinated for COVID? Here are a few reasons to consider it - Providence - July 2nd, 2021 [July 2nd, 2021]
- Fence Supply Inc. Forms Partnership with Fencing Supply Group, a Portfolio Company of The Sterling Group - PRNewswire - July 2nd, 2021 [July 2nd, 2021]
- Why You Need to Turn Around When You See A Purple Fence Post in IL - q985online.com - July 2nd, 2021 [July 2nd, 2021]
- 'The Fence is Never Coming Down,' and Other Things Urban Alchemy Told Us - Knock LA - July 2nd, 2021 [July 2nd, 2021]
- Coffee shop owners forgive teens who graffitied fence, let them paint over it - Yahoo News - July 2nd, 2021 [July 2nd, 2021]
- Is This Why Prince Harry Can't Mend Fences With The Royals - The List - July 2nd, 2021 [July 2nd, 2021]
- Why Tho? Weve been warned about you! Neighbors find theyre the Boo Radleys of the subdivision - OregonLive - July 2nd, 2021 [July 2nd, 2021]
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- Policy regime nudged fence-sitters to be first-time homebuyers: Niranjan Hiranandani - BusinessLine - July 2nd, 2021 [July 2nd, 2021]
- Baseball Mascots: Ranking the MLB Mascots - Through The Fence Baseball - July 2nd, 2021 [July 2nd, 2021]
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- Bill Press: Tear down this fence! | TheHill - The Hill - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
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- Yeh, nah, maybe. When it comes to accepting the COVID vaccine, it's Australia's fence-sitters we should pay attention to - The Conversation AU - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- New Plymouth woman goes on the fence offensive - Stuff.co.nz - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- LFR battles shed fire that spread to fence, threatened 2 homes in East Lubbock Sunday - KLBK | KAMC | EverythingLubbock.com - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- [UPDATED] Driver Hits Multiple Cars and a Fence in Early Morning Crash, Says Fortuna PD Redheaded Blackbelt - Redheaded Blackbelt - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
- Audio: Missouri fence laws topic of in-person program on February 23 and March 8, 2021 - kttn - February 9th, 2021 [February 9th, 2021]
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- Everyday Ethics: Fences and neighbors [Opinion] - Reading Eagle - February 4th, 2021 [February 4th, 2021]
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- Proposal to build permanent fence around the Capitol meets resistance - CNN - February 4th, 2021 [February 4th, 2021]
- Rep. Bob Gibbs gives thumbs up to border fence, thumbs down to Capitol Hill security fence - cleveland.com - February 4th, 2021 [February 4th, 2021]
- Watch: More Barbed Wire Fences, Spikes On Roads At Singhu Protest Site - NDTV - February 4th, 2021 [February 4th, 2021]
- Rep. Budd tells Congress to tear down its fence - Washington Times - February 4th, 2021 [February 4th, 2021]
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- Types of Fences - The Home Depot - January 30th, 2021 [January 30th, 2021]
- Fences 3.09 for Windows - Download - January 30th, 2021 [January 30th, 2021]
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- McCarthy Tries to Mend Fences With Trump - The Wall Street Journal - January 30th, 2021 [January 30th, 2021]
- Casual Friday: New Nez Perce County sheriff looks to mend fences - Lewiston Morning Tribune - January 30th, 2021 [January 30th, 2021]
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- PHOTOS: New initiative helping Wyoming landowners fix fences to protect wildlife - Oil City News - January 15th, 2021 [January 15th, 2021]
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- Emma Thompson to Hurl You Over the Fence as Miss Trunchbull in Netflixs Musical Matilda - Vulture - January 15th, 2021 [January 15th, 2021]
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- Across the Fence: and Peace on Earth - The Suburban Times - December 21st, 2020 [December 21st, 2020]
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- See Austin Condo Tower Construction Up Close With 'Beyond the Fence' Episode 2 - TOWERS Austin - December 21st, 2020 [December 21st, 2020]
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- Straddlin' the Fence: Why should I vote? - Idaho Press-Tribune - October 30th, 2020 [October 30th, 2020]
- Visalia orders church to remove Black Lives Matter signs from 'prayer fence,' citing ordinance - Visalia Times-Delta and Tulare Advance-Register - October 30th, 2020 [October 30th, 2020]
- Fence to be installed around monuments in A'ville - Sand Mountain Reporter - October 30th, 2020 [October 30th, 2020]
- Gov. Ron DeSantis swings for the fences with early voting message to Florida Republicans - Florida Politics - October 23rd, 2020 [October 23rd, 2020]
- On the fence about Ballot Measure 1? Here are some facts to consider. - Anchorage Daily News - October 23rd, 2020 [October 23rd, 2020]