1. CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Norm Childress called the study session to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall.

Present were: Mayor Childress and Councilmembers Helen Darr, Bill Flory, Pam Horner, Jan McDonald and Joan Souders. Councilmembers Robert Morales and Javier Rodriguez were absent.

Staff present were: City Administrator Scott D. Staples, City Attorney Jack Maxwell and City Clerk Anita Palacios.

2. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

City Administrator Staples updated Council on the following legislation:

Transportation Benefit Districts (ESHB 1858) – This bill passed the Legislature on April 11^th and was signed by the Governor on May 4^th. This bill was an important tool for local transportation purposes. The bill becomes effective July 22, 2007 and would generate $180,000 per year for transportation improvements should a benefit district be established.

Offender Supervision (SHB 1669) – Established a gross negligence standard of liability for offender supervision. This bill was signed by the Governor on April 21^st.

Offender Medical Costs (E2SSB 5930) – Allocated medical costs to the prosecuting agency. This bill was signed by the Governor on May 2^nd with a partial veto.

Emergency Volunteer Worker Immunity (HB 1073) – The House refused to concur in the Senate amendment to the bill and the Senate receded from its amendment to approve the House version of the bill. The final-passed version was the one that AWC preferred. The bill was signed by the Governor on May 2^nd.

Auto Theft (E3SHB 1001) – The House concurred in the Senate-passed version of the bill on April 17^th, and the bill was signed by the Governor on April 27^th. The bill increased penalties for auto theft related offenses and created an auto theft authority to be funded with an additional $10 surcharge on traffic infractions. It would be convened by the Washington State Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs to provide regional efforts and resources to combat auto theft.

Gang-Related Offenses (SSB 5987) – This bill provided for a work group to evaluate gang-related crimes and potential strategies to address them in communities. It received Senate concurrence in the House amendments and has been sent to the Governor for signature.

Revising Voter-Approved Funding Sources (ESB 5498) – While ESB 5498 did not eliminate non-supplanting language in the voter-approved multi-year levy lid lift and three-tenths per sales tax, it would allow cities to supplant certain funds or loss of funds due to events impacting expenditures. This bill passed the House on April 13^th and was delivered to the Governor for review.

Family and Medical Leave Insurance (E2SSB 5659) – The last bill to pass the House before the April 13^th cutoff was a scaled-down version of the family & medical leave insurance bill. The House version was substantially different than the version that passed the Senate, and the Senate refused to concur in the House amendments. The bill was then sent to a conference committee of three senators and three representatives to work out the differences. Listed below are the major components of the conference committee’s revised bill, which passed the House and Senate, and has been delivered to the Governor for signature:

The bill outlines a basic framework for a family leave insurance program, which would go into effect on October 1, 2009. It would provide $250 per week for a maximum of five weeks of leave taken by a parent following birth or adoption of a child, and would mandate job protection for employees taking leave if they work for an employer with more than 25 employees.

It establishes a 13-member joint legislative task force to study the establishment of a family and medical leave program and report its findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation, to the Legislature by January 1, 2008.

It does not specify the state agency responsible for administering the family leave insurance program, nor does it establish premiums to finance the benefits, instead directing the task force to make recommendations on both issues.

It states that leave under the bill must be taken concurrently with leave taken under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act or the state Family Leave Law, and permits employers to require that leave under the bill be taken concurrently or otherwise coordinated with leave allowed under collective bargaining agreements or employer policies.

Six-Year Collective Bargaining Agreements (SSB 5251) – The Governor signed SSB 5251 on April 18^th and becomes effective July 22, 2007. This legislation allows local government and their employees to agree to contract terms of up to six years, instead of the current three-year maximum term.

3. ADJOURNMENT

The study session adjourned at 7:30 p.m.

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Mayor Norm Childress Anita Palacios, City Clerk