Inslee signs, vetoes 2020 legislation
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Here’s a recap of recent bill signed into law (with veto messaged attached) or vetoed outright by Gov. Jay Inslee following the 2020 legislative session:
• House Bill 1293 — Concerning the distribution of monetary penalties to local courts and state agencies paid for failure to comply with discover pass requirements
Introduced by Rep. Steve Tharinger (D-Port Townsend) on Jan. 18, 2019
Signed on April 2
• House Bill 1521 — Providing for accountability and transparency in government contracting
Introduced by Rep. Laurie Dolan (D-Olympia) on Jan. 23, 2019
Signed on April 2
• House Bill 1590 — Allowing the local sales and use tax for affordable housing to be imposed by a councilmanic authority
Introduced by Rep. Beth Doglio (D-Olympia) on Jan. 24, 2019
Signed on March 31
• House Bill 1783 — Creating the Washington state office of equity
Introduced by Rep. Mia Gregerson (D-SeaTac) on Jan. 30, 2019
Signed with partial veto on April 3
Veto message: Section 6 creates a community advisory board, which is given certain duties. Section 7 directs each state agency to, among other things, develop plans and policies and provide data and information pursuant to the bill. Circumstances have changed dramatically since the 2020 supplemental operating budget was approved by the Legislature last month. The COVID-19 pandemic is having catastrophic effects on the health and welfare of Washingtonians. It will also have a major impact on the economic health of our state. I have conferred with leaders in the House of Representatives and Senate, and we agree that we must prepare for the effects of the lost revenue that will result from this pandemic. For these reasons I have vetoed Sections 6 and 7 of Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill No. 1783.
• House Bill 2230 — Subjecting federally recognized Indian tribes to the same conditions as state and local governments for property owned exclusively by the tribe
Introduced by Rep. Mia Gregerson (D-SeaTac) on Jan. 13, 2020
Signed on April 2
• House Bill 2322 — Making supplemental transportation appropriations for the 2019-2021 fiscal biennium
Introduced by Rep. Jake Fey (D-Tacoma) on Jan. 13, 2020
Signed with partial veto on March 31
Veto message: In light of the economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it may be necessary to delay or eliminate projects.
• House Bill 2380 — Changing the home care agency vendor rate and repealing electronic timekeeping
Introduced by Rep. Steve Tharinger (D-Port Townsend) on Jan. 13, 2020
Signed on April 3
• House Bill 2728 — Implementing a sustainable funding model for the services provided through the children’s mental health services consultation program and the telebehavioral health video call center
Introduced by Rep. Vandana Slatter (D-Kirkland) Jan. 20, 2020
Signed on April 2
• House Bill 2758 — Recognizing posttraumatic stress disorders of 911 emergency dispatch personnel
Introduced by Rep. Chris Corry (R-Yakima) (R) on Jan. 21, 2020
Signed on March 31
• House Bill 2919 — Adjusting the amount and use of county fees on the real estate excise tax
Introduced by Rep. Frank Chopp (D-Seattle) (D) on Feb. 3, 2020
Vetoed on April 3
Veto message: Circumstances have changed dramatically since the 2020 supplemental operating budget was approved by the Legislature last month. The COVID-19 pandemic is having catastrophic effects on the health and welfare of Washingtonians. It will also have a major impact on the economic health of our state. I have conferred with leaders in the House of Representatives and Senate, and we agree that we must prepare for the effects of the lost revenue that will result from this pandemic.
• House Bill 2926 — Expanding access to critical incident stress management programs
Introduced by Rep. Jacquelin Maycumber (R-Republic) on Feb. 4, 2020
Signed on April 2
Introduced by Sen. Judy Warnick (R-Grant) on Jan. 22, 2019
Signed on April 2
Senate Bill 5613 — Concerning the authority of counties to vacate a county road that abuts on a body of water if the county road is hazardous or creates a significant risk to public safety
Introduced by Sen. Ann Rivers (R-Vancouver) on Jan. 25, 2019
Signed on April 2
Senate Bill 6040 — Concerning the budgeting process for certain state waiver services for individuals with developmental disabilities
Introduced by Sen. John Braun (R-Centralia) on Jan. 13, 2020
Signed on April 3
Senate Bill 6088 — Establishing a prescription drug affordability board
Introduced by Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Kent) on Jan. 13, 2020
Vetoed on April 3
Veto message: Circumstances have changed dramatically since the 2020 supplemental operating budget was approved by the Legislature last month. The COVID-19 pandemic is having catastrophic effects on the health and welfare of Washingtonians. It will also have a major impact on the economic health of our state. I have conferred with leaders in the House of Representatives and Senate, and we agree that we must prepare for the effects of the lost revenue that will result from this pandemic.
• Senate Bill 6123 — Allowing state employee leave for organ donation
Introduced by Sen. Sam Hunt (D-Olympia) on Jan. 13, 2020
Signed on April 2
• Senate Bill 6142 — Creating the Washington common application
Introduced by Sen. Marko Liias (D-Lynnwood) on Jan. 13, 2020
Vetoed on April 3
Veto message: Circumstances have changed dramatically since the 2020 supplemental operating budget was approved by the Legislature last month. The COVID-19 pandemic is having catastrophic effects on the health and welfare of Washingtonians. It will also have a major impact on the economic health of our state. I have conferred with leaders in the House of Representatives and Senate, and we agree that we must prepare for the effects of the lost revenue that will result from this pandemic.
• Senate Bill 6143 — Concerning the podiatric medical board
Introduced by Sen. Annette Cleveland (D-Vancouver) on Jan. 13, 2020
Signed on March 31
• Senate Bill 6280 — Concerning the use of facial recognition services
Introduced by Sen. Joe Nguyen (D-West Seattle) on Jan. 14, 2020
Signed with partial veto on March 31
Veto message: Section 10 establishes a legislative task force on facial recognition services with the purpose of: providing recommendations addressing the potential abuses and threats posed by the use of facial recognition services, while also addressing how to facilitate and encourage the continued development of these services; providing recommendations regarding the adequacy and effectiveness of applicable Washington state laws; and conducting a study on the quality, accuracy, and efficacy of a service. While the purpose of this task force is very important, it was not funded in the budget. I recommend that the Legislature engage the Ruckelshaus Center in preparing a situation assessment that would inform policy recommendations on facial recognition technologies. Such an assessment would answer many questions about how best to proceed, and could better inform the creation of a task force in a subsequent legislative session. For these reasons I have vetoed Section 10 of Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 6280.
• Senate Bill 6499 — Concerning the confidentiality of retirement system files and records relating to health information
Introduced by Sen. Mark Schoesler (R-Ritzville) on Jan. 20, 2020
Signed on April 2
• Senate Bill 6570 — Concerning law enforcement officer mental health and wellness
Introduced by Sen. Curtis King (R-Yakima) (R) on Jan. 23, 2020
Signed with partial veto on April 2
Veto message: Section 3 of this bill directs the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs to establish three pilot projects, subject to amounts appropriated for this purpose, to support behavioral health and other improvement efforts for law enforcement officers. With the rapidly changing environment related to the state’s response to COVID-19 and the new economic realities the state faces, I made the difficult choice to veto the funding provided to support this pilot project in Sec 218 (17) and Sec 221 (65) of Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6168.
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