SF 2350 – Employee consent for wage payment by debit card
SF 2352 – Disabled veterans homestead credit
HF 2456 – Approval and imposition of community college property tax levies
FLOOR ACTION:
SF 2350 outlines simple protections for workers who are paid using payroll debit cards. The bill will require the employee to consent to being paid by payroll debit card, and only after they have been informed in writing of any fees that may arise from the use of the card. The employee must also be able to withdraw all wages they are owed at least once per pay period without being charged a fee to access their money. In addition, the employer must allow the employee to choose to be paid in a different manner if they do not wish to be paid using the payroll card. [4/15: 50-0]
FLOOR & COMMITTEE ACTION:
SF 2352 relates to the disabled veterans property tax credit. Currently, the credit is only available to those who received special adaptive housing because of a service-connected disability. The bill would expand eligibility for the property tax exemption to all veteran homeowners with a 100 percent service-connected disability rating. Additionally, the bill makes the surviving spouse or the dependent child of a veteran who was killed in action or dies because of a service-connected injury to be eligible for the credit. This eligibility would be in effect for as long as the individual continues to receive Dependency Indemnity Compensation benefits because of the death of the veteran. [Floor 4/15: 50-0; Committee 4/10: short form (Bertrand excused)]
COMMITTEE ACTION:
HF 2456 would replace the existing public referendum process for levy rates and allow levies to be reauthorized by a vote of the board if the levy has already been approved by the voters in two elections. The bill also provides that voters have the opportunity to petition for a (reverse) referendum on the continuance of a levy at the time the levy comes up for renewal. If a board wants to increase a levy rate, that would be subject to an election as well. However, all levies are currently issued at the maximum rate. [4/15: short form (Bertrand, Behn, McCoy, Smith excused)]