WA Secretary of State Blogs

2013 Proposed Legislation Affecting Libraries 03/15/2013

Friday, March 15th, 2013 Posted in For Libraries, For the Public, News, Updates | Comments Off on 2013 Proposed Legislation Affecting Libraries 03/15/2013


Courtesy of the Legislative Planning Committee, Washington Library Association Library Related Legislation. The Washington Library Association (WLA) tracks state legislative activity that will potentially affect Washington Libraries. Their tracker is posted to the WLA web site and we will also post it weekly on this blog.

For information on the legislative process or becoming involved, see the WLA site referenced above.

Library Tracker 3-15-2013
Bill Title Sponsor Status Date Latest Cmte Mtg Info Companion Bills
HB 1057 Operating budget 2013-2015 Hunter H Approps 1/14/2013 Jan 15 Public hearing in the House  Committee on Appropriations at 3:30 PM. SB 5034(SWays & Means)
HB 1058 Operating sup budget 2013 Hunter H Approps 1/14/2013 Jan 15 Public hearing in the House  Committee on Appropriations at 3:30 PM. SB 5033(SWays & Means)
HB 1203 Children’s personal info Farrell S HumServ/Corr 2/19/2013 Mar 14 Public hearing in the Senate  Committee on Human Services & Corrections at 10:00 AM. SB 5198(HGovt Operation)
SHB 1298 Sunshine committee Springer S Govt Ops 3/6/2013 Feb 14 Executive action taken in the House  Committee on Government Operations & Elections at 10:00 AM. SB 5169(SRules 2)
SHB 1418 Public records/hours Hunt S Govt Ops 3/6/2013 Mar 18 Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate  Committee on Governmental Operations at 10:00 AM. (Subject to change)
HB 1486 Fire protection authorities Fitzgibbon S Govt Ops 3/12/2013 Feb 28 Executive action taken in the House  Committee on Finance at 8:00 AM. SB 5331(SGovt Ops)
SHB 1654 Fire prot. service authority Riccelli S Govt Ops 3/12/2013 Feb 22 Executive action taken in the House  Committee on Local Government at 1:30 PM.
2SHB 1723 Early learning services Kagi S EL/K-12 3/8/2013 Mar 15 Public hearing in the Senate  Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 8:00 AM.
E2SHB 1828 Local govt fiscal conditions Springer S Ways & Means 3/13/2013 Feb 25 Public hearing and executive action taken in the House Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government at 1:30 PM. SB 5690(SWays & Means)
SHB 1960 Metropolitan park districts Seaquist S Govt Ops 3/15/2013 Feb 28 Executive action taken in the House  Committee on Finance at 8:00 AM.
SB 5033 Operating sup budget 2013 Hill S Ways & Means 1/15/2013 HB 1058(HApprops)
SB 5034 Operating budget 2013-2015 Hill S Ways & Means 1/15/2013 HB 1057(HApprops)
SB 5198 Children’s personal info Darneille H Govt Operations 2/26/2013 Mar 19 Scheduled for public hearing in the House  Committee on Government Operations & Elections at 8:00 AM. (Subject to change) HB 1203(SHumServ/Corr)
SSB 5332 Fire protection districts Roach H Local Govt 3/9/2013 Mar 19 Scheduled for public hearing in the House  Committee on Local Government at 1:30 PM. (Subject to change) HB 1488(HRules C)
SB 5417 Annexation within code city Mullet H Local Govt 3/15/2013 Feb 18 Executive action taken in the Senate  Committee on Governmental Operations at 6:00 PM. HB 1539(HRules C)
SSB 5705 Taxing districts/property tx Brown H Finance 3/6/2013 Feb 21 Executive action taken in the Senate  Committee on Governmental Operations at 10:00 AM. HB 1798(HFinance)

Elections – How libraries fared in 2012

Thursday, February 21st, 2013 Posted in Articles, For Libraries, For the Public, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Elections – How libraries fared in 2012


Spokane Public Library. Photo by Andrea Parrish-Geyer.

Spokane Public Library. Photo by Andrea Parrish-Geyer.

Spokane voters handily approved raising taxes for library services in a February 12, 2013 election to preserve smaller branch libraries of the Spokane Public Library from closure. Now these branches will increase their hours of service.

Generally voters made wise decisions regarding their local libraries in 2012. Other funding levy elections will keep the doors of the Ocean Shores Library open (approved 51.73% 08/07/2012) as well as in Castle Rock where the Library got approval to continue opperating (approved 62.32% 2/14/2012). Voters in Ocean Shores rejected the measure in April but changed their minds in August.  The successful levy measure in Seattle will allow the Seattle Public Library to regain losses from budget reductions (approved 64.17% 08/07/2012).

Voters approved a partial-county library district in Sedro Woolley (approved 60.14% 11/06/2012) in an area where creating a unified county-wide library district has been difficult to achieve. Voters in the City of Morton agreed to annex into the Timberland Regional Library (approved 72.75% 11/06/2012) and Lamont voters agreed to join the Whitman County Rural Library District (approved 96.88% 11/06/2012). In King County voters in Enumclaw agreed to annex into the King County Library system (approved 50.71% 04/17/2012).

An advisory vote regarding location of the Renton Library (King County Library System) indicated that the Cedar River location was preferred over the location west of the Piazza (76.4% 08/07/2012).

The success of these elections is heartwarming. It indicates that voters continue to be willing to support their libraries financially and to vote for increased library service through creation of library districts and through annexation.  That is my perspective. I’d like to hear yours.

Rand Simmons
State Librarian