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Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
WA Gov. Ferguson advocates for proposal limiting governor's emergency powers
The Brief Governor Ferguson stepped in last week to advance a bill to give the legislature more say in a state of emergency. Limiting a governor's emergency powers has been a topic of debate over the past few years in light of the coronavirus pandemic, but no recent proposals have made it into law. OLYMPIA, Wash. - A bill to put legislative oversight on the governor's emergency powers is slated for a vote out of a Senate committee on Friday, and the man who the bill aims to limit recently stepped up to give it a boost. The backstory -Under current law, the governor is the only person who can declare and terminate a state of emergency. An emergency declaration enables the governor to prohibit activities like gatherings and the sale of alcohol in order to preserve public safety. The governor can also waive statutory obligations or limitations like inspection fees for the Department of Labor and Industries, and penalties around tax collection. Those waivers end after 30 days unless the legislature extends them. Senate Bill 5434 would allow the legislature to terminate a governor's declared state of emergency by a majority vote of the House and Senate. If the legislature is not in session, the Senate majority and minority leaders plus the House speaker and minority leader can end an emergency if it has gone on for over 90 days. The bipartisan bill would also put a 30-day limit on emergency prohibitions of activities unless the legislature extends them. What they're saying Prime sponsor state Senator Keith Wagoner (R-Sedro-Woolley) said the governor should have strong authority to immediately handle an emergency, but the legislature should be able to check that power. He said emergency powers were last changed in 2019, with crucial legislative oversight left out. "The piece we missed was, how does the legislature during a declared emergency get on-ramped back into the process and exercise our dutiful role for the people of Washington state," Wagoner said. Numerous proposals to change the governor's emergency powers were introduced during former Governor Jay Inslee's time in office. The Democratic governor's declared state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic lasted over two years and drew a lot of criticism from Republican lawmakers. Attempts to limit the governor's powers in response, including one proposal pushed by Democrats, never made it into law. "Looking back on COVID, you can either agree that the governor did everything right or maybe he could've done better. Those kinds of things are what's sort of firing this," Wagoner said. "But I want to emphasize, this bill doesn't change any of the powers available to the governor. It kind of just sets a time limit for when the legislature gets to come back into play." The senator said things this time around are different, as the state is not actively in the middle of an emergency, and there is a governor "who's willing to work" on the subject. For his part, Governor Bob Ferguson highlighted emergency powers reform as a priority during his inaugural address last month. As first reported by the Washington State Standard, Ferguson even made a call to the chair of the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs and Elections to hold a hearing on the bill. "We weren't sure the bill was gonna get a hearing," Wagoner said. "I don't know that, but it was important enough to me to reach out after hearing the governor's willingness to work with us. It was also kind of a test – is this real? Because it was unexpected." The governor's office, business groups and others testified in support of the legislation at the February 14 committee hearing. But some individuals argued the bill does not go far enough to let the legislature limit the governor's powers. "It's like when I get a big box for my birthday, I open it and inside is a really small toy," testified Jeff Pack with Washington Citizens Against Unfair Taxes. "That's what this bill is. It's a small tidbit that we actually get out of it." Wagoner said he has gotten feedback from the governor's office and other legislators and is working to refine some details, but he is overall optimistic about the bill's odds. "Make sure that we get the best policy, regardless of which governor is in power, which party has a majority," he said. "We want a solution that's good for every situation, the best we can make it." The bill is slated for a committee vote on Friday. All legislation not necessary to implement the budget has to pass out of committee by that day. The Source Information in this story is from Albert James, a television reporter covering state government as part of the Murrow News Fellowship program – a collaborative effort between news outlets statewide and Washington State University. Politics: Lawmakers propose pay-by-mile charge for WA drivers Food: Starbucks phasing out plastic cups for cold drinks in WA, other states Local: IRS tax refund schedule 2025: What you need to know To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
WA bill would create rules for grocery store self-checkout
Do you use the self-checkout at the grocery store? A new bill in Washington could change your shopping habits. House Bill 1739 by Representative Mary Fosse (D-Everett) would create rules for when customers could use the automated checkout systems. If passed: · At least one manual checkout station would need to be operating at any time a self-service checkout is open · Self-service checkouts would be for customers with 15 items or less · Signage would be required near the self-service checkout indicating this limit · Employees monitoring self-service checkout would be relieved of all other duties and required to monitor no more than two self-service checkout stations simultaneously The regulations would apply to grocery stores over 15,000 thousand square feet in size, but not to any bulk goods stores with memberships such as Costco. The Department of Labor and Industries would be responsible for investigating and enforcing violations and employee complaints. An employer that operates a self-service checkout without meeting these conditions is subject to a civil penalty of $100 per day not to exceed an aggregate penalty of $10,000. The Attorney General's Office may also institute an action for violation of these conditions, including for injunctive relief. The proposed regulations have yet to be scheduled for a vote out of committee. KIRO 7′s Madeline Ottilie is looking closer at this bill and will have a full report in the 5 p.m. newscast.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Washington lawmaker proposes regulations for self-checkout machines
The state Capitol building in Olympia, Washington. (Photo by Albert James) Proposed legislation could change the way customers shop at grocery stores, as one Democratic lawmaker is pushing for regulations on self-checkout machines. House Bill 1739 would establish rules for when and how self-checkout stands could be used in grocery stores. If passed, self-checkouts could only be used when a regular checkout lane is open. An employee who monitors self-service lanes would have to do so exclusively, and be limited to supervising a maximum of two stands. For their part, customers would be limited to bringing just 15 items to check out. The regulations would apply to grocery stores over 15,000 thousand square feet in size, but not to any bulk goods stores with memberships. The Department of Labor and Industries would be responsible for investigating and enforcing violations with a fine. 'There has been a lot of challenges across Washington for grocery workers with unchecked automation and chronic understaffing,' said prime sponsor State Representative Mary Fosse, D-Everett. At a House Committee on Labor and Workforce Standards hearing Wednesday morning, Fosse said she wants a conversation about making sure the self-checkout technology supports clerks. 'We know it can be a convenience, but when it's used to–as a way to eliminate workers and cut labor costs, that's when it really puts workers and customers at risk,' she said. Grocery workers testified in support of the regulations, saying self-checkout makes them unsafe and overwhelmed. Clerks spoke about how they feel stretched too thin supervising multiple machines while keeping an eye out for theft, addressing malfunctioning stations, and generally helping customers 'On a particularly hard day, a woman threw a steak at me because her item did not qualify for a bogo deal we were running,' said Bellevue grocery clerk James Reed. 'I would have overridden the machine given the chance. She just didn't give it to me.' However, critics of the proposal argued stores themselves know best how to regulate self-checkout. Organizations representing grocery stores said other policies can better address theft and worker safety, and the bill is ultimately just too restrictive. 'Removing the flexibility that they have to meet staffing demands, customer demands and the other variables that come with operating stores,' said Brandon Houskeeper with the Northwest Grocery Retail Association. 'Including things like when stores are busier during holiday seasons, when stores are slower different times of the day.' The proposed regulations have yet to be scheduled for a vote out of committee. This article was produced as part of the Murrow News Fellowship program, a collaborative effort between news outlets statewide and Washington State University.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
WA bill intends to protect immigrants from coercion in the workplace
The Washington state Capitol building, Feb. 19, 2024. (Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard) When an immigrant faces threats or exploitation by their employer, they often have limited recourse. Law students from Seattle University want to change that, pushing for a state bill to strengthen protections for people facing workplace coercion based on their immigration status. 'In the last several years, we have been advocating for legislative changes that would help our clients and this is one of those,' said Elizabeth Ford, a law professor who teaches the workers' rights clinic at Seattle University. Sen. Bob Hasegawa, D-Seattle, took up this legislation and introduced Senate Bill 5104, to give workers better tools to avoid workplace threats based on their immigration status and to prevent employers from exploiting the immigration status of employees. 'It's a shame that we have to try and find every abusive situation and draft a separate bill to deal with it,' Hasegawa said. An example of workplace coercion would be if an employer notes someone's immigration status and then asks them to work unpaid overtime. The bill would require the state's Department of Labor and Industries to investigate complaints of coercion made against employers and would give the agency the authority to impose civil penalties when violations occur. When a worker files a complaint, the department will notify the employer. However, language in the bill was added to make personal information from the worker confidential to anyone other than the department and employee. 'Employers have so much more power than workers, it's the unfortunate truth,' said Yasmene Hammoud, a law student at Seattle University. 'But when you add immigration status to the mix, the power dynamic and the leverage that the employer gains is incredibly disproportionate.' Similar legislation passed in New Jersey last year with bipartisan support. Concerns came up during committee hearings that the Washington bill may be redundant with existing law. Under current law, citizens and non-citizens are both entitled to the same standards, rights, and protections in the workplace. There are laws on the books that protect any worker, regardless of their immigration status, from retaliation. Angelo Tadrous, a law student at Seattle University, said the bill is still necessary and noted that workplace coercion differs from retaliation because it happens before an employee raises an issue. Retaliation happens after the employee does so. If a worker raises an issue to their employer and the employer responds by withholding wages or rest breaks, that's retaliation. If this occurs, a worker can file a complaint with the Department of Labor and Industries. Most complaints regarding coercion don't get filed until the employee leaves their workplace. 'One of the dynamics of coercion is this, that it silences people. And so that there's a major risk of coming forward, that's why coercion works,' Ford said. The bill was heard on the Senate floor Wednesday and passed on a 40-9 vote. It now awaits action in the House. 'It's incredibly important to safeguard [immigrant] rights and well-being to really allow the labor law to do what it was designed to do, and that's to protect workers across the board, regardless of their immigration status,' Hammoud said.
