UNDER THE DOME

Good morning. Today is Wednesday, April 18, the 101st day of the 105-day legislative session.

UPDATE

Rep. Gary Alexander, R-Olympia, says he's still pushing for funding for a new seminar building at The Evergreen State College, but he can't promise results.

As co-chairman of the House Capital Budget Committee, Alexander is negotiating with members of his caucus as well as with his Democratic co-chairman, Rep. Ed Murray of Seattle.

House Democrats like the Senate budget, which included $41 million for Evergreen's Seminar 2 project and had money for numerous other higher education projects, Murray said.

But Alexander and fellow Republicans have balked at providing the money for four-year schools until seeing an operating budget.

"I'm negotiating the situation," Alexander said. "My intention in higher education is still there. I'm basically negotiating to make sure we have a capital and operating budget that are in sync."

Murray said he and Alexander are in complete agreement on the community colleges.

"The discussion is with the four-year institutions," Murray said. "I think we're there on South Puget Sound Community College."

SPSCC's expansion projects were in the Senate budget but have been in doubt in the House.

"You have heard my support for the local college and it's not something that's changed," Alexander said this week, adding that he hopes to hold a committee hearing on a House capital budget at 8 a.m. Friday.

IN BRIEF

Gov. Gary Locke signed into law a bill creating new confidentiality rules for Superior Court family-law files.

The new rules cover mothers' maiden names, Social Security numbers and confidential financial information in family matters, Thurston County Clerk Betty Gould said.

It's common to require three years of federal tax returns in family-law cases, which led to three identity-theft cases in Clark County, Gould said. She pushed for passage of House Bill 1864 as president of the Washington State Association of County Clerks.

Effective Oct. 1, the confidential information on parties in divorces will be kept separate from other case documents, Gould said.

TODAY

Advocates for better foster care will rally at noon today in support of Senate Bill 5984, which would open some child-dependency court hearings to the public.

The group hopes to rally as many as 100 people near the O'Brien Building, activist Cheri Covert said.

Hearings / On television

HEARINGS

Here are a few of the major committee hearings and work sessions in the Legislature today. All House committee meetings are in the John L. O'Brien building (JLOB). All Senate committee meetings are in the John A. Cherberg Building (JAC).

House

-Capital Budget, interim planning issues, 8 a.m., HHR-B.

-Floor session, 9 a.m.

-Floor session continued, 1:30 p.m.

Senate

-Senate Higher Education, joint meeting with House Higher Education Committee: discussion of branch campus doctoral degree program, 8 a.m. SHR-1.

-Floor session, 9 a.m.

-Floor session continued, 1:30 p.m.

The following are excerpts from today's schedule for TVW, the state's public affairs network, found on Channel 23 locally.

ON TELEVISION

-9:30 a.m.: Senate floor action (live).

-11 a.m.: House floor action (live).

-12:30 p.m.: Senate Ways & Means Committee discussion of SB 6177, which covers managing energy supply and demand (live).

-1:30 p.m.: Senate floor action (live).

-3:30 p.m.: House Appropriations Committee discusses HB 2242, which would revise Medicaid nursing home rates.

Compiled by Brad Shannon

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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