The Times/News presents a weekly summary of actions on bills by Highline-area legislators.

For complete information, go to www.WashingtonVotes.org-a free, non-partisan Website with plain-English explanations of bills and a record of each legislator's votes-which is the source for this report.

Highline is represented by:

District 11-Sen. Margarita Prentice; Rep Zack Hudgins, Rep. Bob Hasagawa.

District 33-Sen. Karen Keiser; Rep. Shay Schual-Berke, Rep. Dave Upthegrove.

District 34-Sen. Erik Poulsen; Rep. Eileen Cody; Rep. Joe McDermott.

All are Democrats.

IN THE SENATE

(through March 22)

Senate Bill 5100-Forces school districts to ascertain whether a student has health insurance as part of the district's enrollment process. If the student does not have health insurance, the school district is required to provide the student information on the Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance program. The bill is now under consideration in the House.

Passed 30-16. Prentice, Keiser, Poulsen voted yes.

House Bill 1289-Grants authority to the state Department of Licensing to create a new drivers' license to allow citizens to cross into Canada. The bill also grants the DOL the power to institute a fee to pay for the new license. Applicants for an enhanced license must provide proof of United States citizenship, identity and state residency. The bill has already passed the House and is now under consideration by the Governor.

Passed 43-3. Prentice, Keiser, Poulsen voted yes.

IN THE HOUSE

(through March 23)

HB 1214-Prohibits the use of a wireless device for sending a text message while driving. Exceptions are provided for emergency responders, or individuals reporting illegal activity, reporting an emergency, or trying to prevent injury to other people or property. The bill is now under consideration in the Senate.

Passed 73-23. Hudgins, Hasegawa, Schual-Berke, Upthegrove, McDermott voted yes; Cody voted no.

HB 1307-Affirms and expands the activities of students in relation to freedom of speech and press. Among other guarantees, the bill limits a school's control on content in school-sponsored media, regardless of whether the media is paid for by the school. The bill also provides legal protections for schools from liability regarding student expressions. The bill is now under consideration in the Senate.

Passed 58-37. Hudgins, Hasegawa, Schual-Berke, Upthegrove, Cody, McDermott voted yes.

SB 5089-Conforms Washington law to the national Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement. The bill requires that sales and use taxes be collected under a destination based system. The bill also provides financial mitigation to small businesses and local jurisdictions that are negatively impacted from the change in sourcing. The bill has already passed the Senate and is now under consideration by the Governor.

Passed 76-15. Hudgins, Hasegawa, Schual-Berke, Upthegrove, Cody, McDermott voted yes.