Risk Management and Election Bills Stranded

As expected, the house of origin cutoff that occurred on February 13th resulted in more bills dying and the field of bills moving being winnowed down. SB 5059, which would apply prejudgment interest to tort cases, did not advance out of the Senate Committee on Ways & Means and is likely dead. WSAC opposes this bill because it would significantly impact our risk pools and make it more expensive to get insurance. It may also result in fewer policies being offered as insurers decide the market is too volatile. Also dead is HB 1445, a bill that could put counties at risk of further litigation by authorizing the Attorney General to investigate and sue local agencies over alleged law enforcement legal violations. WSAC opposed this adversarial approach because we would rather work on solutions that are remedial in partnership with the Attorney General.
 
SB 6156 and HB 2250 are companion bills that would have implemented a system for ranked-choice voting. Whatever their merits, neither bill advanced beyond a policy committee, and both are dead. Still alive is HB 1932, which would move elections to even-numbered years only, advanced out of the House with a close 42-45 vote. WSAC has testified and worked with other stakeholders to get an amendment that makes this permissive only, not a mandate, but there are still operational and fiscal concerns with the bill. It is now in the Senate Committee on State Government & Elections, and it remains to be seen if it will advance further.