||| FROM GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE’S OFFICE |||
Gov. Jay Inslee today updated Proclamation 20-49, which generally prohibits garnishment for consumer debt in certain circumstances, by replacing the specific reference to CARES Act stimulus payments with ‘federal stimulus payments’.
This is a technical update and will protect the new federal stimulus funding payments in the same manner that CARES Act stimulus payments were protected. No other changes were made. This proclamation expires Jan. 19, as previously approved by the Legislature.
Read the full proclamation here.
. . . . . . . .
Additionally, Senate Republicans failed to extend two proclamations in a Jan. 4 letter. The expiration of these two proclamations will adversely affect Washington individuals and businesses.
Proclamation 20-58 waives/suspends the legal requirement that employers pay shared work benefits, thereby allowing federal stimulus funding to be used to pay for the employer portion of shared work benefits. Without this waiver, businesses are missing out on roughly $10 million per month in federal aid (based on participation thus far). Instead, federal dollars the state receives for this purpose now go into our state trust fund, as we are unable to pass the benefit onto employers at a time they need it most.
Proclamation 20-63 directs DSHS to expand the Family Emergency Assistance Program to assist individuals and families without children (as opposed to focusing only on those who have children). At the time that Senate Republicans refused to extend this proclamation, DSHS was still receiving hundreds of applications every day from both individuals and families in every county in our state. Now, DSHS is limited to helping only those families with children.
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Does anyone know how Senate Republicans are able to stop these two proclamations mentioned above? The GOP is in the minority, so it wouldn’t seem to make sense that they have the power to do this. I tried to find an explanation but couldn’t find one.
This comes under RCW 43.06.220(4) State of emergency—Powers of governor pursuant to proclamation. …
(4) No order or orders concerning waiver or suspension of statutory obligations or limitations under subsection (2) of this section may continue for longer than thirty days unless extended by the legislature through concurrent resolution. If the legislature is not in session, the waiver or suspension of statutory obligations or limitations may be extended in writing by the leadership of the senate and the house of representatives until the legislature can extend the waiver or suspension by concurrent resolution. For purposes of this section, “leadership of the senate and the house of representatives” means the majority and minority leaders of the senate and the speaker and the minority leader of the house of representatives.
Really really irritating, but written into law.
It’s in an RCW 43.06.220(4), all four caucus leaders have to agree.
Politics!!
I love that we live on an island where people know stuff. We are very fortunate. Thanks, Ellie and Tony!
If only elected legislators had to work 5 days/week, 50 weeks/year like the rest of us…then again maybe we’re better off not getting all the government we pay for…