(The Center Square) – The longest floor session in Washington state legislative history continued late Tuesday afternoon as members of the House of Representatives debated amendments to a controversial income tax bill.
As of 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, members were in hour 22, going nonstop on floor speeches for and against amendments, most of which were offered by Republicans and rejected by Democrats.
Senate Bill 6346 would impose a 9.9% tax on personal adjusted gross household income exceeding $1 million annually.
Republican senators entered the wings of the House mid-morning on Tuesday to offer “moral support” for their colleagues, with handshakes and hugs all around.
Rep. Chris Corry, R-Yakima, told The Center Square Republicans were determined to use up as much time as possible with amendments, so that Washingtonians can see they gave it every effort to try and put the bill down, all the while knowing they don’t have the votes to stop it.
Among the amendments offered Tuesday afternoon was one from Rep. Mike Steele, R-Chelan, to reduce the amount of money to be spent on building up a new division within the state Department of Revenue to administer and run the income tax.
“We keep hearing how so few people will be impacted by this income tax,” he said. “So, this simply says the Department of Revenue does not need $157 million and 223 new employees to administer this program.”
His amendment sought to cap the new DOR hires at 100, noting that the income tax may end up being ruled unconstitutional and none of those new employees will be needed.
Democrats rejected the amendment and almost all other amendments debated so far, including efforts to repeal last year’s service sales tax, prevent double taxation for those paying income tax elsewhere, and extend baby product tax exemptions to adult diapers.
Rep. Amy Walen, D-Kirkland, the lawmaker who introduced an alternate income tax bill that never received a hearing, offered an amendment that would require voter approval for amending the state constitution to allow an income tax.
Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, D-West Seattle, urged a no vote on Walen’s amendment, arguing that since he is not a lawyer and unsure if the bill will withstand a constitutional challenge should it become law, that means it’s not lawmakers’ job to determine that.
“We’re not required to be lawyers, we’re required to represent the views and interests of our constituents when they send us here to make laws,” Fitzgibbon said.
Rep. Drew Stokesbary, R-Auburn, strongly objected.
“On the first day of session, all of us raise our right hand and swear to uphold the laws of the Constitution of the United States and the state of Washington,” he said. “I hope that the fact that we have to take that oath, that we all agree, we should pursue questions of constitutional interpretation.”
The amendment failed.
At the time of publication, debate continues on a handful of remaining amendments. Speeches ahead of final passage are anticipated as lawmakers close in on 24 hours of debate on the House floor.
