The 60-day legislative session began Jan. 11. We have many tasks ahead of us:

1. Pass a supplemental budget to the two-year budget adopted last year. With the economy still suffering, and spending exceeding what the state is bringing in, the budget deficit is currently $2.6 billion. With the unemployment rate at 10 percent, I wont vote for a budget with tax increases. We need a long-term solution in Olympia to manage taxpayer resources more responsibly.
2. Pass reforms to get people back to work and bring more opportunities to our state. More than 334,000 people are out of work in Washington state. There are several things the Legislature can do to help create job opportunities right now and in the future.
3. Pass several public safety reforms to keep our streets and families safer.

Getting Washington back to work
Employees of the Boeing Company know how important it is to restore jobs and the economy in Washington. When the company announced its decision to build a second line of 787s in South Carolina, I was disappointed our state would be missing out on such a great opportunity. Right now, there are nearly 7,000 people looking for jobs in our district.

This year, Im supporting several proposals to help new and current employers expand and create good-paying jobs. These include reducing taxes for employers, providing affordable health care benefit options for employers and employees, and privatizing our states inefficient workers compensation insurance. Read more about the plan here.

The Lakewood Officers Memorial Act
Thanks to all of you who have been following and supporting a constitutional amendment to change bail provisions in our state. I wrote you last month about restricting bail only to those charged with a third-strike felony offense. Since then, the governor has asked me to sponsor broader provisions for judges to restrict bail.

The new legislation is House Joint Resolution 4220 and it would restrict bail if a judge believes a suspects release would not reasonably assure public safety. In other words, if a judge feels that a suspect has a long criminal history and is not only a flight risk but also a danger to the public, bail may be denied. In a public hearing on the legislation, I told committee members that it is our duty to protect the public, and that our system failed these four police officers in Lakewood.

I dont take amending the state constitution lightly, and I hold every part of it in high regard. I think these changes are necessary to keep our families and streets safe. Since a constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds vote of both the House and the Senate, and a majority vote of the citizens, I look forward to an in-depth discussion about the merit of such changes.

Legislation for Heather Sweetpea Trickler
Last summer I wrote you about the hit-and-run death of 15-year-old Heather Sweetpea Trickler. Her father, Rob Trickler, and I have been working on legislation to address some of the problems he has faced.

• House Bill 2728 would expand eligibility for pedestrians, bicyclists or motorcyclists who have been injured or killed by a hit-and-run driver to receive compensation through the crime victims fund.
• House Bill 2729 would increase maximum confinement for contempt of court from seven days to 60 days. This would allow judges to hold a troubled teen in custody longer for such things as treatment or counseling. Rob Trickler expressed to me a desire that parents of troubled youth have more tools to help them.
• House Bill 2730 would expand hit-and-run provisions to differentiate between hitting and leaving the scene of a collision involving a pedestrian, bicyclist or motorcyclist, versus a collision with a vehicle.

Sincerely,

Mike Hope
122C Legislative Building
P.O. Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7892
(800) 562-6000
Hope.Mike@leg.wa.gov
www.houserepublicans.wa.gov/Hope