Credit: Campaign Against Climate Change

Today is the last day for most bills in Olympia to get voted out of their second chamber, by 5 pm.

Many important bills have already passed both houses or died. Two sit on the bubble, waiting to get voted on today in the Senate, or to die for lack of making it to the front of the voting queue.

Senate Bill 5145 would ban fracking, at least for purposes of exploration for and extraction of oil and natural gas. Anything to slow down the rate at which humans pull fossil fuels out of the ground and convert them to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere can only help.

Substitute Senate Bill 5695 would increase the fines for second- and third-time violators of high-occupancy vehicle and toll lanes. This would help keep buses out of gridlock, too.

You can look up your representatives here or call the legislative hotline at 1-800-562-6000, or 1-800-833-6388 for TTY.

10 Replies to “Judgement Day for Fracking, HOV Lane Cheating Bills”

  1. I think there are different degrees of cheating. I think there are scumbag cheaters, like those who put a mannequin in the passenger seat and habitually drive in the hov lane. I agree, those kind of people should be fined. I, however, consider myself to be an ethical cheater, doing so only when it’s necessary, and it doesn’t affect others. For example, when crossing the 520 bridge, if there are two slower moving cars blocking everyone behind them in the gp lanes, I will slip over to the hov lane for a few secs to get around them. I also I frequently use the bus only lane on Olive between 5th and 6th, because the car lane is too full. And I only do so if I don’t see a bus coming down Olive.

    Those of us who try to cheat responsibly don’t deserve tickets.

      1. We do it all the time. Parents who cheat to get their kids into a better school is in the news. Nothing happens to the Renton mother who claims a Bellevue address so her daughter can go to a better high school. But we throw the book at a mother who bribes someone so her child can go to USC. Same crime … both are cheating to benefit their child … but one we condemn, the other, we understand and give a pass to.

      2. Incorrect. White people put a different address for their kids to go to a better school get slaps on the wrist. Everyone else gets jail time.

        And why are you defending rich people bribing their kids way into the echelons of power?

    2. I’ll make it simple for you: if you have fewer occupants than required AND you are not a bus, then you are in VIOLATION of the law and should get a nice juicy ticket. if you have at least the number of occupants stated OR you are a public transit bus, you are in COMPLIANCE with the law. Hope that clears up any confusion you have.

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