Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, earlier this week said two of his bills are gaining momentum in the statehouse.
Senate Bill 6179, a workers compensation bill, and Senate Bill 6181, a child welfare bill, both have made it past the halfway point and are now being considered by the House.
“Much of my work this session has focused on creating an economic environment that makes Washington State the best place in the country to live and do business,” Braun said in a news release. “I want to create efficiency in our government, protect our natural resources, make sure our children are safe and help employers create jobs.”
Braun’s workers comp bill would offer relief to businesses of all sizes, he said.
“This piece of legislation offers an opportunity to level the playing field for small and medium sized businesses,” Braun said. “Large companies are currently able to self-insure, and this bill will give the same opportunity to groups of smaller businesses. It rewards companies that put worker safety first and helps get injured workers back on the job.
“This bill is really about safety and finding a creative way to address the high costs of the worker’s compensation system while maintaining flexibility for businesses and ensuring benefits for workers,” he said.
Braun’s child welfare bill — drafted at the request of a constituent, Braun said — passed the Senate by 47-0 on Feb. 14 and now awaits executive session in the House Committee on Early Learning and Human Services.
Senate Bill 6181 requires child support orders to be enforced if a person is receiving a subsidy for childcare costs. According to Braun, it is focused on helping families in tough situations be more self-reliable while reducing fraud in the system.
“There have been concerns that existing law basically creates a loophole where families can receive child care subsidies and not report the income of a parent,” he said. “This is a common sense bill that will make sure families get the assistance they need while reducing fraud.”
