Washington state's legislature will reconvene on Monday, January 9. This will be a 60-day session. Short -- but extremely important.
Governor Gregoire's proposed budget and priorities are available. And so is the growing list of prefiled legislation
There are some interesting bills here, indeed -- a number dealing with energy issues. Several by Democrat Jeff Morris from the 40th legislative district have caught my eye:HB 2347: Promoting the growth of research in the science and technology fields
HB 2348: Extending tax relief for aluminum smelters.
HB 2349: Providing new renewable energy standards.
HB 2350: Limiting the disclosure of energy infrastructure information.
HB 2351: Concerning energy resource planning and renewable energy standards.
Representative Morris is Chair of the Technology, Energy, and Communications committee. At first glance, some of this legislation looks worthy. But some looks fishy.
HB 2350 contains a mix of new privacy protections, some of which would seem to encourage secrecy in an industry known for repeatedly cheating the public. This bill contains an odd mix of privacy protections that seem wholesome (for library patrons and students, for example) -- and others that go outside energy infrastructure to limit disclosure requirements in a number of sectors.
HB 2348, which provides "tax relief" for our state's aluminum smelters, also raises suspicions. Perhaps there is a solid public policy reason for this law. If so, I'd like to hear what it is. Aluminum smelters that I know about in Washington State are associated with the underregulated release of toxics into our environment -- not only aluminum, but also cyanide and other chemicals.
Kaiser Aluminim in Spokane County is a Superfund site. Clearly, it is the public that needs relief -- from taxes we pay to subsidize this corporate irresponsibility, and from the poison these corporations force into our bodies and the bodies of our children. Let's not forget that both these substances are suspected neurotoxicants and reproductive toxicants.
Who's watching Rep. Morris and our other legislators, I wonder? These dense, technical public policy proposals can't be judged quickly. They need serious, in-depth legislative analysis by public interest groups that have the capacity to keep up with them as they are generated.