Democrats hug it out over rent restriction, UI for strikers

Plus the tax bills start to hit Ferguson's desk, and "students' bill of rights" passes

Compromise versions of two major progressive priorities look to be headed for the finish line in the Legislature’s final days. The passage of unemployment benefits for striking workers and a limit on how much landlords can jack up the rent—ideas that have repeatedly died in the Senate in recent years—would be a resounding reminder of the Legislature’s leftward shift.

Six weeks of unemployment benefits for strikers…

Striking workers will get to collect as much as six weeks of unemployment benefits per a deal struck by Democrats on Thursday.

For weeks now, Sen. Marcus Riccelli’s bid to get union card-holding workers paid on the picket line has been caught in a tug-of-war beneath the rotunda. 

The Spokane Democrat’s proposal stood to give said workers three months of UI when it passed the Senate. House Ds approved just one month under their version of Senate Bill 5041.

The ensuing standoff spurred a sit-down in conference committee aka, the way the caucuses hash out deals behind closed doors on deadline. Riccelli was among the committee members who signed off on a month-and-a-half of UI benefits early Thursday morning via a party-line vote. 

Joining him in voting “yes” were Rep. Beth Doglio, D-Olympia, plus the chairs of the Legislature’s respective labor committees, Seattleites Rep. Liz Berry and Sen. Rebecca Saldaña. Voting “no” were Republican Rep. Suzanne Schmidt of Spokane Valley and GOP Sen. Drew MacEwen of Mason County.