Draft King County Democrats 2017 Legislative Agenda

The King County Democrats Legislative Action Committee will meet Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016 from 2-4 PM at the Renton Highlands Library, 2801 NE 10th St, Renton, WA to discuss and adopt a draft 2017 Legislative Agenda (presented below) which will then be presented and voted on at the November 22, 2016 KCDCC meeting at the Renton Carpenters Hall in Renton.

DRAFT King County Democrats 2017 Legislative Agenda

1. Revenue & Tax Reform:
   • Pass a capital gains tax & other progressive new revenue to fulfill the state’s paramount duty to amply fund Basic Education in compliance with the McCleary decision (Budget)
   • Close corporate & special interest tax exemptions that lack accountable performance objectives & results
   • Require Legislature to pass a Tax Expenditure Budget as part of the biennial budget appropriation process
   • Create a new bipartisan Washington State Tax Structure Study Committee
2. Education:
   • Act quickly to eliminate the school funding “levy cliff” so school districts can hire staff
   • Increase school construction funding to lower class sizes (Capital Budget)
   • Oppose any revenue-neutral “levy swap” when much more revenue is needed
   • Support free tuition for two years of public college and technical school (Budget)
   • Eliminate high-stakes testing as a high school graduation requirement; reduce required testing to the minimum required by federal law
   • Restore a fair and accessible nonprofit GED test
3. Election Reform:
   • Pass the Voting Rights Act
   • Require campaign disclosure of “dark money” and “grey money” spending
   • Automatically register U.S. citizens to vote when they apply for a WA driver’s license or ID
4. Environment:
   • Support a meaningful price on carbon pollution in WA State, with economic & racial justice
   • Defend renewable energy standards and solar production initiatives
5. Labor:
   • Pass wage theft bills
6. Housing and Human Services:
   • Increase the social safety net, especially mental health and substance abuse treatment services
   • Increase homeless & low-income housing trust fund to $200 million (Capital Budget)
   • Disallow rental discrimination based on Sec. 8, government or other sources of income
   • Restore local authority over ability to regulate rents
7. Criminal Justice:
   • Address police lethal use of force by removing “malice” and “in good faith” criteria
   • Pass criminal and juvenile justice reform, including restorative justice, Legal Financial Obligations, Certificates of Restoration, Ban the Box and Racial Impact Statements
   • Create a civilian review board for all sentences over 15 years if safe to return to the community
   • Support earning state higher education and vocational tech credentials in prisons
   • Pass workable medical cannabis legislation that respects the needs of patients
   • Repeal the death penalty
   • Ban assault weapons
8. Health Care:
   • Pass the Reproductive Health Act
   • Pass workable medical cannabis legislation that respects the needs of patients

draft Nov. 17, 2016