Click here to watch “The Impact” – April 12, 2017
This week on “The Impact”:
We dig into the implications of a recent federal rule change governing how internet service providers handle your browsing history and other online data. You’ll hear lawmakers debate bills that would create new state privacy safeguards for customers and new restrictions for ISP’s.
“There is bipartisan discomfort at the idea that your internet service provider should be able to sell your private internet activity to the highest bidder. And there’s also bipartisan outrage to the idea that congress is apparently too craven to do anything at the federal level to protect our privacy. So if congress is not going to act then Washington state will,” said Rep. Drew Hansen D – Bainbridge Island.
“We’re going to study it, learn more about it, but this was a rule passed by unelected bureaucrats in the other Washington that congress chose not to adopt. This did not repeal any law. It simply said these rules are not going to go into effect. We’re going to reexamine it and I think something of this magnitude the legislature should take a strong, deep look at before they react,” said Sen. Mark Schoesler R-Ritzville.
Later we hear two very different takes on how the competing House & Senate budgets would impact education funding in Washington.
“The House approach which really cleans up the tax code,” Misha Werschkul, Executive Director of the Washington State Budget & Policy Center. “In the Senate Republican Budget there’s a different approach that really doesn’t set our state up for long term success.”
“If you’re looking for a new and progressive way to real reforms to the way we allocate and spend money it’s the Senate Republican Plan,” said Liv Finne, Director of the Center for Education, Washington Policy Center. “The House Democrats have been fought against reforms in the schools now for years.”
We also spotlight an earthquake early warning system meant to give you a heads up seconds to minutes before strong shaking hits your area through a countdown on your phone.
The episode is capped off with a session extra segment where we tackle topics ranging from tourism to the billion dollar recreational fishing industry with Sen. John McCoy, (D – Tulalip), and Sen Phil Fortunato, (R) – Auburn, of the Senate Natural Resources & Parks Committee.