Staff will keep the Council informed on their progress. The House version did not pass out of committee. The Senate version will have to now pass to the House but it is not clear what committee it will be reviewed in. There are also companion bills on the House and Senate sides which would transfer all oil pipeline safety responsibilities to the Department of Ecology, but retain natural gas pipeline safety with the Utilities and Transportation Commission, where it is currently located. As the same time, the Department s of Ecology and Fish and Wildlife both testified that they had concerns with the bills because they created water rights at the same time those sites were transferred, and those water rights were taken out of the bills.
Tomorrow is the deadline for all bills to be out of their house of origin.
The next Executive Committee meeting scheduled for Monday the 21 st is moved to the 22 nd , since Monday is a holiday. The next regular Council meeting is at the Plum Street conference room instead of Rowe Six. He will send a reminder to Council members on this change of location. Staff have completed the interview process for, and have hired, a temporary clerical person to assist with archiving projects for the office. She will be brought on board as soon as possible.