Legislature's 2009 session may have broad impact

From start to finish, the 2009 legislative session was all about cutting the budget to bridge a $9 billion deficit.

But amid the carnage, several significant policy bills managed to survive. Gov. Chris Gregoire already has signed many of them into law. Now that the dust has settled on the 105-day session, here’s how some of those new laws may change daily life for Washington residents:

It was "a banner session" for civil liberties, says Kathleen Taylor, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington.

Domestic partners won all the rights and responsibilities of married couples.

Girls who compete in community athletic programs will be legally protected from gender discrimination, the same protection enjoyed by girls who compete in public school sports programs.

Felons who have served their time and left the supervision of the criminal justice system will be permitted to vote in elections.

And drivers will enjoy a measure of protection from Big Brother under a law that limits access to and distribution of information gathered by global positioning systems.

Homeowners on the brink of losing their homes to foreclosure will get a 30-day extension, giving them more time to negotiate with lenders, but only if they bought their homes between 2003 and 2007. Under the bill, sponsored by Sen. Claudia Kauffman, D-Kent, lenders also will be required to give tenants official notice of an impending eviction, and an extra 40 days to move out of their rented houses.

Employers will get access to the driving records of employees or potential employees if the employers believe those records are necessary for risk management purposes.

Owners and operators of the new two-wheeled or three-wheeled electrical vehicles that are popping up in some cities will come under the same regulations as those that cover motorcyclists. If a vehicle has a steering wheel and a bucket seat, the operator will be required to wear a seat belt and helmet and will be prohibited from transporting children younger than age 5.

Mentally ill people who have been involuntarily committed to mental institution for 14 days or more will be prohibited from possessing a firearm. The new law brings Washington into compliance with the federal Brady law and will keep guns out of the hands of approximately 4,000 Washington residents diagnosed with a mental illness. "This is a simple matter of safety and common sense," said Rep Ross Hunter, D-Medina, the sponsor of the bill. "Those who are judged to be a danger to themselves or others should not be able to purchase a firearm."

College and university bookstores will be required to provide four weeks’ advance notice of course material requirements for the upcoming semester. Rep. Mike Armstrong, R-Wenatchee, the bill’s sponsor, said the measure will give students time to do price comparisons online and get the best possible prices.

Operators of puppy mills have been put on notice that they may no longer breed and house large numbers of dogs under inhumane conditions. No one will be allowed to own more than 50 non-neutered dogs older than six months at one time. The new law also sets standards for kennel size, exercise, sanitation and veterinary care.

A separate bill places new restrictions on violators of Washington’s animal cruelty laws. Those who are convicted of second-degree animal cruelty are permanently prohibited from owning animals of the type they abused after a second conviction.

Washington residents will be able to register to vote in person at their local elections offices up to eight days before an election. The bill was sought by Secretary of State Sam Reed.

The state will no longer be required to apply for federal funds to offer abstinence-only education. That requirement conflicted with a 2007 law that says schools that offer sex education courses must provide evidence-based, comprehensive and medically accurate information that covers contraception and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases as well as abstinence.

Recycling businesses that receive fully functioning computers will now be allowed to sell or donate them instead of dismantling them and recycling their components under a clarification of the state’s two-year-old electronics recycling law.

"This is smart public policy," said Zack Hudgins, D-Tukwila, the bill’s sponsor. "Not only are we keeping harmful toxins out of landfills, we’re helping support a small but growing green business that’s creating more and more jobs."