RepWatch | Steele in the spotlight on TVW

March 19--Legislative livestream: Well, not "live" exactly ... but 12th District Rep. Mike Steele joined host Austin Jenkins for TVW's "Inside Olympia" on Wednesday, discussing Capitol business from a freshman legislator's point of view. The segment is viewable in the archives at tvw.org.

Steele and fellow GOP Rep. Cary Condotta parted ways last week on a bill to create a new state agency. A "department of children, youth, and families" would take on some early learning and child welfare programs from other state offices including the Department of Social and Health Services, starting in July 2018. Condotta voted no on the bill Wednesday; Steele voted yes, adding his voice to the 77-19 majority. The proposal heads for the Senate's Human Services, Mental Health and Housing Committee.

The climate of Congress: U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert (R-8th District) joined 15 fellow Republican House members Monday on a resolution "calling for American innovation to be used to improve environmental stewardship." While non-binding, House Resolution 195 acknowledges "a marked increase in extreme weather events across the United States" that can lead to, among other disasters, "increased wildfire risk." It asks Congress to commit to creating programs to study and mitigate climate change consequences.

The resolution, which makes no mention of the agreed human-related contributions to climate change, now goes to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Its fate is in doubt; an identical resolution introduced in 2015 went to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power, where it gasped and expired, not unlike a migrating salmon in a drought-diminished stream.

Put to the test: As Congress and President Donald Trump work to revoke regulatory rules imposed during the Obama administration, Washington's two U.S. senators, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, voted Tuesday against a measure that Reichert and fellow U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-4th District) favored in the House. Joint Resolution 42, broadening the categories of unemployment applicants who may be tested for drug use before receiving benefits, nonetheless passed the Senate 51-48 (the House passed it 236-189 back in February), and heads to Trump's desk for signature.

Infrastructure fighters: Murray and Newhouse both heard last week from the state's water and sewer managers, campaigning to preserve two significant funding sources for water and sewer infrastructure improvements: Washington's Public Works Assistance Account and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. East Wenatchee Water District Vice President Brian Egan was among those making the junket to D.C.

PWAA funding provides loans for six different types of infrastructure systems -- a majority of them involving water and sewer -- while the EPA provides loans and revolving funds for clean water programs. Washington state legislators are considering eliminating the PWAA and diverting the money to school funding, while the EPA is under threat by Trump's budget-slashing proposals. Congress is expected to take up such infrastructure matters later this year.

WashingtonVotes.org roll call: Here's some other state legislative votes as tallied by WashingtonVotes, a project of the Washington Policy Center. All were taken March 7:

* Senate Bill 5312, prohibiting employers from obtaining criminal background information from job applicants until after the employer determines they are otherwise qualified, passed the Senate 25-24. Sen. Brad Hawkins (R-12th District): No.

* Senate Bill 5433, concerning informed decision making for death with dignity decisions, passed Senate 26-23. Hawkins: Yes.

* Senate Bill 5339, accommodating the civil rights of religious objectors regarding mandatory payments to labor organizations, passed the Senate 25-24. Hawkins: Yes.

Reach Jefferson Robbins at 509-664-7123 or robbins@wenatcheeworld.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JRobbinsWW. Contact him securely by PGP key.

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