"Ensuring that investigations into police use of deadly force are truly independent. This new standard of independent investigations is a critical step toward eliminating systemic injustice faced by people of color in the judicial system."--Gov. Inslee
The assumption being according to critical race theory, that all white police officers are racist! Which Inslee promotes. Is it any wonder why many cops are walking off the job in major cities like Seattle!?
I know I made mention of this last week. What happened after I published on last Saturday, this week only strengthens my take on this subject on how ridicules this critical race theory is.
Democrats once again using race to gain power, it is Jim Crow in reverse, that is what this HB1267 is about!
Ref. http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2021-22/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/1267.pdf?q=20210428094943
Another reason I wanted to share this speech, because President Joe Biden is giving his first state of the Union this week. So, it ties in with what Inslee said on last Sunday, because we all know that Biden pushes this racially charged theory every chance he gets. Inslee just follows Biden's orders, like a good democrat!
2021 legislative session ends with historic wins for climate, COVID-19 relief
The Legislature also passed a capital gains tax and police use of deadly force legislation.
From the Governor's medium page
A historic, largely virtual, 105-day legislative session ended Sunday night with lawmakers taking action on the state’s operating budget and making final decisions on important legislation, including the Climate Commitment Act, the low carbon fuel standard, police accountability and the capital gains tax on extraordinary profits.
Inslee’s focus of the 2021 session was “relief, recovery and resilience,” and the Legislature passed a life-saving $2.2 billion COVID-19 relief bill, a Working Families Tax Credit and climate legislation that will both improve public health and increase economic opportunity while fighting the climate crisis.
The governor had 11 pieces of request legislation this year; eight bills were passed, two were incorporated into the budget and Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler instituted a rule ensuring the implementation of the focus of the remaining bill.
“It was a remarkable session with far-reaching impacts to the long-term well-being of our state,” Inslee said Sunday night. “So many of these achievements were years in the making. It took hard work, sweat and tears of many in this state to see these policies finally make it over the finish line.”
The Legislature also passed a historic suite of equity policies that Inslee supported in his budget, funding a new Office of Independent Investigations for police use-of-force cases, placing a statue of Billy Frank Jr. in the Capitol and National Statuary Hall, and restoring voting rights for formerly incarcerated individuals.
With the improved state revenue collections and large infusions of federal COVID-related relief funds, legislative budget writers had far more resources to work with than the governor did when he put together his budgets last fall. The final operating and capital budgets — including for the current and next biennium — fund most of the priorities the governor put forward in December.
Climate
The 2021 session saw extraordinary wins for climate, with key pieces of governor-request legislation that will further Washington’s lead in tackling the climate crisis.
“We finally have meaningful climate legislation that reflects the values and priorities of Washingtonians, and respects the science of climate change,” Inslee said. “The Climate Commitment Act caps and reduces climate pollution across our economy and enacts arguably the strongest environmental justice policy in the nation, obligating us to improve air quality for overburdened communities that live daily with air pollution from emissions. We now have a clean fuel standard as well, making our air cleaner and giving consumers more choice at the pump. These policies also create good, local jobs and better position our state to lead in a cleaner and more just economy.”
The governor-request Climate Commitment Act, sponsored by Sen. Reuven Carlyle, creates a cap and invest program that limits and reduces greenhouse gas emissions from the largest greenhouse gas emitters in the state, and invests in programs and projects to reduce emissions, expand clean transportation, improve climate resiliency and reduce air pollution in overburdened communities.
The governor-request clean fuel standard, sponsored by Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, requires the reduction of carbon emissions from transportation fuels by expanding use of electric vehicles and lower-carbon fuels, including biofuels. The new clean fuels standard will reduce emissions, clean the air and grow good jobs, proving that Washington can improve public health and increase economic opportunity by fighting the climate crisis. Another climate bill sponsored by Rep. Fitzgibbon became law and requires reductions in hydrofluorocarbons that are a growing source in Washington of especially potent greenhouse gases.
Lawmakers also took historic action on environmental justice when they passed SB 5141, the HEAL Act. The bill will embed environmental justice considerations in agency decision-making, including climate policies and programs. This will help to reduce the environmental health disparities experienced in Washington’s most vulnerable communities by targeting additional investments to clean up these communities and by ensuring more inclusive engagement of frontline communities.
In addition to request legislation, several governor priorities were adopted into legislation. Key policies from clean buildings legislation were instituted by replacing state law that historically required advancing fossil fuels with instead providing affordable energy service, securing $1.3 million to advance and progress the State Energy Strategy and building decarbonization efforts over the next two years, and directing the Utilities and Transportation Commission to develop a pathway to reduce emissions from natural gas. The Legislature also secured $10 million to fund building electrification. A total of $76 million was included in the capital budget for the Clean Energy Fund, building energy retrofits, energy efficiency improvements to low-income homes and other programs.
Equity
As the governor did in his budgets, lawmakers provided funding for many of the state’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts to eliminate racial disparities in Washington. The Legislature fully funds the state’s new Equity Office, which will help agencies develop and implement their own diversity, equity and inclusion plans. It also includes funding to provide planning and technical assistance to communities that have been historically underserved by capital grant programs. Lawmakers also funded new environmental justice legislation to reduce health and environmental impacts on overburdened communities, and re-instated voting rights for people who have completed their prison sentence.
“I firmly believe Washington will be an anti-racist state, and I will be taking actions that hold our state to that commitment. We need our policies and budget to reflect our dedication toward disrupting the harmful systemic cycle of racism and inequity,” Inslee said. “Now is the time to implement real change.”
Lawmakers also funded the governor’s request to establish June 19 — Juneteenth — as a state holiday to recognize the country’s history of slavery. Juneteenth is the historic day in 1865 that commemorates and recognizes when Union soldiers told slaves in Galveston, Texas 1865 that they were free — nearly two and a half years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
Additionally, HB 1267 was passed, ensuring that investigations into police use of deadly force are truly independent. This new standard of independent investigations is a critical step toward eliminating systemic injustice faced by people of color in the judicial system.
The governor and Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler proposed legislation this year that would eliminate the racist policy of using of credit scores in establishing insurance rates. As the bill progressed through the Legislature, it lost components that would make it effective at improving equity within the insurance system. The commissioner has taken separate action to temporarily halt the use of credit scoring due to the pandemic’s unique impact on the accuracy of credit history information, and to protect those who have been financially hurt the worst by the pandemic. But the commissioner’s rule is only temporary. Further legislative action will be needed to ensure that this racist policy ends once and for all in Washington.
The operating and capital budgets also make major new investments in expanding broadband access across the state. The capital budget includes more than $400 million to boost broadband infrastructure. The operating budget includes over $30M in funding to promote overall digital equity & inclusion, facilitate the creation of a statewide digital equity forum in collaboration with the office of equity, create broadband action teams, add new WiFi hotspots around the state, implement a digital navigator program to assist limited-access households with WiFi devices and subscriptions, and renew ongoing investments in the State’s Universal Communications Services Program.
COVID-19 and health care
Lawmakers made vital public health system investments that will help in the battle against COVID-19 and ensure the state is better prepared to address future health crises. The final operating budget provides $1.1 billion in federal funds to state, local and tribal governments for COVID testing, contract tracing and vaccine distribution.
The Legislature provided significant funding to help businesses and nonprofits across the state that have been hard hit by the pandemic — a key priority of the governor. In addition to nearly $200 million in business assistance grants, the budget includes $500 million to provide unemployment insurance tax relief to assist businesses heavily impacted by pandemic-related unemployment, adding to their early action on a rate relief package requested by the governor projected to prevent over $921 million in employer tax increases in 2021, and approximately $1.7 billion in tax increases over the 2021–2025 time period.
Meanwhile, the Legislature approved $150 million for foundational public health services — funding state and local health jurisdictions can use for public health infrastructure, expertise and public education to support public health efforts, and passed a bill that will strengthen local public health boards. The budget also provides funding for regional public health service centers, regional health officers and coordinators to promote shared services across counties.
Economic justice
Lawmakers funded a range of efforts to strengthen state’s unemployment insurance system and address large claims backlogs caused by the pandemic, as well as fully funding the Working Families Tax Credit, putting money back into families pockets who need it most.
The Legislature also successfully passed legislation to right Washington’s upside down, regressive taxation system. The long-awaited capital gains tax works toward having the wealthiest Washingtonians pay their fair share instead of lower-income people shouldering the payments, paying a higher percentage of their incomes. The excise tax has been a priority of the governor for several years and will make systemic changes to our state’s tax system.
Lawmakers passed legislation to assure a 40-hour workweek and rights to overtime pay for Washington farmworkers, some of our state’s lowest paid and most dangerous jobs, and continued investments in financial relief for immigrant workers left out of federal stimulus payments and traditional unemployment insurance programs.
The Legislature earmarked more than $1 billion in federal and state funds to help households impacted by the pandemic keep up with rent and utility payments, and avoid foreclosure. This includes funding for a new state rental and utility assistance program aimed at assisting individuals most at risk of becoming homeless or suffering severe health consequences due to eviction.
That funding is in addition to over $300 million lawmakers set aside in the operating budget for adult and youth homelessness response programs, including emergency shelters, temporary rental assistance and permanent housing supports. Meanwhile, the capital budget includes more than $350 million for new projects that create housing for low-income Washingtonians, including people with chronic mental illness, people with developmental disabilities, farmworkers, people who are homeless, and people in need of permanent supportive housing.
Protections for workers
The Legislature also fought to protect workers this session, passing governor-request legislation to ensure Washington’s workers are safe on the job. The legislation will protect workers from retaliation if they report unsafe working conditions, and it supports businesses with the cost of jobsite safety measures during a public health emergency.
The Legislature passed additional safety measures for workers during a public health emergency that include a presumption of occupational disease for employees of healthcare facilities and certain frontline workers, as well as job protections for high-risk workers currently afforded through proclamation of the governor during the COVID-19 crisis.
Legislation improving Washington’s cybersecurity also made it through the legislative process. SB 5432, requested by the governor, will improve our state’s cybersecurity and help protect Washingtonians personal information.
“With the Legislature’s work done, it is now time for everyone to carry our state and each other forward in our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Inslee said. “This legislative session has given us a strong roadmap for the next two years and beyond. The journey on the road to a more sustainable and equitable future begins now.”
Editorial: Here is President Biden's address to Congress.
Remarks by President Biden in Address to a Joint Session of Congress.
Quote from Speech: " My fellow Americans, look, we have to come together to heal the soul of this nation. It was nearly a year ago, before her father’s funeral, when I spoke with Gianna Floyd, George Floyd’s young daughter. She’s a little tyke, so I was kneeling down to talk to her so I could look her in the eye. And she looked at me and she said, “My daddy changed the world.” Well, after the conviction of George Floyd’s murderer, we can see how right she was if — if we have the courage to act as a Congress."
" We’ve all seen the knee of injustice on the neck of Black Americans. Now is our opportunity to make some real progress. The vast majority of men and women wearing the uniform and a badge serve our communities, and they serve them honorably. I know them. I know they want — (applause) — I know they want to help meet this moment as well.
My fellow Americans, we have to come together to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the people they serve, to root out systemic racism in our criminal justice system, and to enact police reform in George Floyd’s name that passed the House already.
I know Republicans have their own ideas and are engaged in the very productive discussions with Democrats in the Senate. We need to work together to find a consensus. But let’s get it done next month, by the first anniversary of George Floyd’s death. "
" The country supports this reform, and Congress should act — should act. We have a giant opportunity to bend to the arc of the moral universe towards justice — real justice. And with the plans outlined tonight, we have a real chance to root out systemic racism that plagues America and American lives in other ways; a chance to deliver real equity — good jobs, good schools, affordable housing, clean air, clean water, being able to generate wealth and pass it down two generations because you have an access to purchase a house. Real opportunities in the lives of more Americans — Black, white, Latino, Asian Americans, Native Americans."
See full speech as delivered here.
Sen. Tim Scott Delivers Republican Response
Sen. Tim Scott delivers the Republican Response to President Biden's address to a Joint Session of Congress.--CSPAN VIDEO
https://www.c-span.org/video/?511326-1/senator-tim-scott-delivers-republican-response
Editorial note: See Biden pushes this Critical Race theory myth every chance he gets!
Readers, I stand behind the late Martin Luther King jr's. words that we shouldn't judge people on skin tune, but on peoples character.
(2)IN STATE NEWS HEADLINES:
Inslee rescinds directive to state agencies to freeze hiring, personal service contracts and equipment purchases.
STATE CONTINUES QUEST TO ERADICATE INVASIVE SPARTINA IN JUNE
OLYMPIA – This year’s treatment season for Spartina, an aggressive invasive weed, starts June 1 and will continue through November, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) announced today.
https://agr.wa.gov/about-wsda/news-and-media-relations/news-releases?article=32387
CONSUMER ALERT: AG FERGUSON WARNS CONSUMERS OF SCAM HEALTH INSURANCE ADS AND WEBSITES.
OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson urges consumers to be on the lookout for websites posing as the state’s health insurance marketplace.
Commerce releases new Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard
Updated standard is required for all affordable housing projects seeking state capital funding.
Ecology tracking Hanford waste tank leak.
HANFORD –
The U.S. Department of Energy announced Thursday an underground radioactive and dangerous chemical waste storage tank at the Hanford Site in Southeast Washington is leaking.
https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Get-to-know-us/News/2021/Ecology-tracking-Hanford-waste-tank-leak
Initial and continued claims for regular benefits decreased during the week of April 18 - 24
OLYMPIA – During the week of April 18 – April 24, there were 11,629 initial regular unemployment claims (down 12.0 percent from the prior week) and 408,001 total claims for all unemployment benefit categories (down 1.5 percent from the prior week) filed by Washingtonians, according to the Employment Security Department (ESD).
https://esd.wa.gov/newsroom/initial-unemployment-insurance-claims-for-week-of-april-18-24-2021
Three alternative commercial fishing gears designated for ‘emerging commercial fishery’ status on the Columbia River.
From our Congressional Delegation to DC
Washington Congressional Delegation Urges U.S. Small Business Administration to Help Washington Small Businesses Access COVID-19 Relief
Kilmer leads entire delegation in requesting changes to ensure Washington distilleries have equitable access to American Rescue Plan’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund.
Senators Murray and Duckworth, Representative Larsen Introduce Bill to Help Wounded Veterans Start a Family.
Cantwell Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Address Train Crossings in Washington State That Create Safety Hazards and Snarl Traffic.
(3) IN OTHER HEADLINES
WORLD:
Address inequalities to end AIDS by 2030, UN chief says in new report.
Inequalities in addressing AIDS threaten global efforts to stamp out the disease as a public health threat by 2030, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned in a report published on Friday, which provides 10 key recommendations to get the world back on track.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/04/1091032
Middle East coordinator calls for new and timely Palestinian election date.
After the postponement of the Palestinian Legislative Council elections, originally scheduled for 22 May, a senior UN official in the region on Friday urged the authorities to set a new date for heading to the polls.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/04/1091072
Myanmar approaching point of economic collapse: UN report.
The turmoil following the military coup in Myanmar, coupled with the impact of COVID-19 could result in up to 25 million people – nearly half of the country’s population, living in poverty by early next year, a United Nations report said on Friday.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/04/1091002
Europe: COVID must spark rethink to prioritize ‘human lives’ over economic policies.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 serves as a stark reminder that the European Union must “put human lives” above economic policy considerations, that privilege competition between EU Member States, an independent UN human rights expert said on Friday.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/04/1091062
Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health Commencement.
Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a UN Security Council Briefing on Syria.
Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on the Adoption of an UNGA Resolution Supporting SVG and Countries Affected by the La Soufrière Volcano.
NATIONAL NEWS:
FACT SHEET: The American Families Plan Will Support Children, Teachers, and Working Families in Rural America--WH
Defense Official Says Partnerships Vital to Holding Russia Accountable in Eurasia--DOD
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Delivers Remarks at Announcement of Pattern or Practice Investigation into the Louisville Police Department--DOJ
HUD CHARGES CALIFORNIA MORTGAGE MODIFICATION SERVICE WITH HOUSING DISCRIMINATION
Charge alleges that service preyed on Hispanic homeowners trying to save their homes from foreclosure.
https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/HUD_No_21_077
HUD TO INCREASE ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY FOR 10,000 FAMILIES THROUGH NEW $50M HOUSING MOBILITY DEMONSTRATION
https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/HUD_No_21_076
U.S. Department of Education Launches Best Practices Clearinghouse to Highlight Innovative Practices for Reopening Schools and Campuses.
Fully Vaccinated Adults 65 and Older Are 94% Less Likely to Be Hospitalized with COVID-19
CDC Assessment Finds mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Reduce COVID-19-Related Hospitalizations Among Older Adults.
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/p0428-vaccinated-adults-less-hospitalized.html
BUSINESS & FINANCE
What the Business Community Wants, Needs, and Deserves to Hear from President Biden--US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Mexico Supreme Court Ruling in Favor of U.S. Potato Growers--USDA
WASHINGTON, April 28, 2021 — "Mexico’s Supreme Court released a final, unanimous ruling today on a case that puts U.S. fresh potatoes one step closer to finally gaining access to Mexico following nearly 20 years of negotiations. This decision is important for American agriculture and for positive bilateral relations between the United States and Mexico. USDA has worked for years on a resolution to this ongoing issue. It was something I prioritized as Secretary between 2009-2016 and one of the first issues I discussed with Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture when I returned this year. U.S. industry representatives estimate that implementation of full market access for U.S. potatoes could increase U.S. exports from approximately $50 million in 2020 to $150 million or more. We look forward to resuming bilateral technical engagements to finalize import requirements as soon as possible. With more certainty returning to U.S. trade relationships in 2021, U.S. agricultural exports continue to perform strongly and remain poised to continue at a robust pace. Decisions like this one today are important for long-term export growth.”
Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement
The Federal Reserve is committed to using its full range of tools to support the U.S. economy in this challenging time, thereby promoting its maximum employment and price stability goals.
https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20210428a.htm
Investing in the IRS and Improving Tax Compliance.
A well-functioning tax system requires that all taxpayers pay what they owe. An unfortunate characteristic of the current system, however, is an asymmetric adherence to tax law by the nature of income received. --US TREASURY DEPT
https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0150
IRS has options for gig economy workers and those with unemployment benefits.
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service reminds workers in the gig economy and those who claimed unemployment compensation in 2020 of their options and where to find information on meeting their tax obligations.
OSHA CITES BEVERLY HILLS’ DOLLAR TREE FOR EXPOSING WORKERS TO SAFETY HAZARDS--US LABOR DEPT.
BEVERLY HILLS, FL – Dollar Tree store workers across the country continue to face the same hazardous working conditions at the national discount chain as they have for many years. Since 2016, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has inspected company locations more than 300 times.
https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/osha/osha20210429
The FTC Directed 30 More Marketers to Stop Making Unsupported Claims That Their Products and Therapies Can Effectively Prevent or Treat COVID-19.
(4) NEWS COMMENTARIES & LOCAL MEETINGS
White Farmers Sue the Government Alleging Discrimination in COVID Loan Forgiveness--PJ MEDIA
The Ugly Reaction to Tim Scott’s Speech Is Telling
Political analyst Van Jones maintained that Scott’s message “was nonsense.”--Patriot Post
https://patriotpost.us/opinion/79552-the-ugly-reaction-to-tim-scotts-speech-is-telling-2021-04-30
Pentagon Cancels Trump's Border Wall Projects Under Biden Order--NEWSMAX
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/gen-gov-industrial-industries/2021/04/30/id/1019696/
COVID-19 crackdowns, as predicted, go permanent in states--Washington Times
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/may/1/covid-19-crackdowns-as-predicted-go-permanent-in-s/
Republican bill to modernize infrastructure regulation will spur job creation--Washington Examiner
The Southlake Schools Uproar Shows Parents Need To Speak Up About Their Kids’ Schools
It’s better for parents to endure being called ignorant bigots than to sit back and watch their children become ignorant bigots because of poor education.---The Federalist
Critical Race Theory About to See Its Day in Court--Daily Signal
https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/04/30/critical-race-theory-about-to-see-its-day-in-court/
LOCAL MEETINGS:
CLALLAM COUNTY.
Clallam County Commission work session 5/3/21
https://clallam.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=1261
Clallam County Commission Board meeting for 5/4/21
https://clallam.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=7263
City of Port Angeles Council meeting for 5/4/21
https://www.cityofpa.us/DocumentCenter/View/10278/Council-Packet-05042021
Special Port Commission meeting for 5/4/21
https://www.portofpa.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05042021-513
JEFFERSON COUNTY.
Jefferson County Commission meeting for 5/3/21
PORT TOWNSEND CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA for 5/3/21
https://cityofpt.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=4&event_id=1676
