Bill recap at Legislative sessions' end

A number of bills were reviewed by legislators in Washington and Idaho's 2018 legislative sessions. Guns, health care, education, and the environment seemed to top the list in both states. Here's a look at how nearby Washington lawmakers - State Reps. Mary Dye, Joe Schmick and Senator Mark Schoesler - and Idaho lawmakers - Senator Dan Foreman, State Rep. Caroline Nilsson Troy, State Rep. and now gubernatorial candidate Paulette Jordan as well as her replacement Margie Gannon. - cast their votes.

Many of Washington and Idaho's controversial bills died simply because they failed to see a vote.

In Idaho, departing Gov. "Butch" Otter's health care plan sought to minimize requirements for what insurers must cover in the interest of lowering rates and attempting to cover a swathe of those who fall in Idaho's "Medicaid gap." Otter's plan cleared committee twice but eventually died without a vote.

Another health bill seeking to legalize the medical use of CBD oil - a non-intoxicating extract from cannabis plants - in Idaho seemed to have momentum, passing the House 59-11, but failed to receive a committee hearing when Senate Health and Welfare Committee Chairman Lee Heider, R-Twin Falls, declined to schedule one. State Rep. Nilsson Troy voted yes on that bill.

A so-called "Anti-Sharia Law" bill also foundered in the Idaho Senate after passing the House 44-24. The bill would have prohibited Idaho courts from considering foreign or religious laws in their rulings, but it also failed to receive a hearing in committee. Critics of the bill said it was unnecessary. Nilsson-Troy voted no on that bill.

Next door in Washington, Gov. Jay Inslee's proposed carbon tax bill survived Policy and Fiscal committees but failed to come to a vote before the Senate due to a lack of support.

Efforts to abolish the death penalty also faltered in the Washington Legislature. After passing committee consideration, the bill, which would remove capital punishment as a sentencing option for aggravated murder, was never brought to vote before the full House.

Here are how legislators representing the Palouse voted on other bills from the Legislative session.

Idaho

Senate Bill 1243 required information about the right to observe heartbeat monitoring of an unborn child, information concerning chemical abortions, including any interventions that may affect their effectiveness or result in abortion reversal, to be placed on the Department of Health and Welfare website and to require physicians to inform patients about the availability of an ultrasound to observe the unborn child's heartbeat monitoring. The bill passed through the House 55-11 and through the Senate 29-6.

Foreman: Yes

Gannon: No

Troy: Yes

Senate Bill 1275 called for wolf collaring to be continued as a management tool for certain packs; it passed through the House 67-1 and through the Senate 35-0.

Foreman: Yes

Jordan: Yes

Troy: Yes

Senate Bill 1361 appropriated about $175 million for the Welfare Division in the Department of Health and Welfare for fiscal year 2019. The bill - which passed through the House 48-20 and through the Senate 23-10 - limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions to 619.50 for fiscal year 2019.

Foreman: No

Jordan: Yes

Troy: Yes

Senate Bill 1212 approved middle grade career technical school programs in grades seven and eight. These programs would be eligible for added-cost funds. Currently, added-cost funds may only be used for approved career technical education programs beginning in grade nine. It passed through the House 42-25 and through the Senate 29-5.

Foreman: No

Jordan: Yes

Troy: No

Senate Bill 1260 amended existing law to provide the authority to designate representatives to participate in proceedings regarding the Columbia River Basin, and to provide that money in the commission fund to be used to provide for participation in proceedings regarding the Columbia River Basin. The bill passed through the House 68-0 and through the Senate 33-1.

Foreman: No

Jordan: Yes

Troy: Yes

Senate Bill 1244 provides certain immunity from civil and criminal liability for a person rendering certain aid to a pet locked in a vehicle. The bill failed 17-18. The House did not vote on the bill.

Foreman: No

Washington

A controversial public records bill, SB6617, looked to make some legislative records public starting July 1, but shielded those records that already exist prior to that date. The bill passed the House 83-14 and in the Senate 41-7, but Governor Jay Inslee vetoed the bill following a wave of public outcry.

Schoesler: Yes

Schmick: Yes

Dye: Yes

SB6298 adds "harassment" to a list of misdemeanor domestic violence convictions that would prohibit a person from owning a firearm in Washington. The measure passed in the House 94-4 and in Senate 39-10. Idaho lawmakers considered a similar measure, HB595, which would have affected those convicted of misdemeanor domestic assault or battery, but it failed in the House 31-39. Nilsson Troy voted no on the bill.

Schoesler: No

Schmick: Yes

Dye: Yes

SB5992, a bill banning bump stocks in the state, passed in the House 56-41 and in the Senate 31-18.

Schoesler: No

Schmick: No

Dye: No

A bill prohibiting licensed therapists from attempting to convert an adolescent patient's sexual identity, SB5722, passed 66-32 in the House and

33-16 in the Senate.

Schoesler: No

Schmick: No

Dye: No

SB6199 restructures how the state contracts with home health care workers, known as individual providers. In the state of Washington, unions can charge representation fees to non-members in place of membership dues, arguing that union collective-bargaining efforts benefit all workers. Individual providers were initially shielded from this practice since they are technically state employees, but the bill moves contracting responsibilities to a private third party, forcing in-home care providers to pay union fees. The measure passed the Senate 26-21 and, in a dramatic turn, passed the House 50-0 with almost all Republican members abstaining in protest.

Schoesler: No

Schmick: Abstained

Dye: Abstained

For more information on bills from Washington's 2018 Legislative session, visit this shortened link: goo.gl/4mDzVA.

For information on Idaho's, visit: goo.gl/yh8o1N.

Scott Jackson can be reached at (208) 883-4636, or by email to sjackson@dnews.com.