Getting Results for You in Olympia

Toby Nixon worked hard on the issues that are most important to you. Here are just some of the results achieved and issues he worked on during the 2005 and 2006 legislative sessions as our state representative.  If you are interested in topics or bills not listed here, please contact Toby for more information.

Click here for information on results achieved in previous legislative sessions: 2002 2003-2004

• Opposed SB 6078 which eliminated the two-thirds vote requirement to increase taxes and thus enabled all of the tax increases passed in 2005.
• Opposed HB 2314 which increased taxes or created new taxes on extended warranties, self-service laundries, liquor, cigarettes, and other items.
• Opposed SB 6096 which re-established the "death tax" that Washington voters eliminated by initiative years before.
• Opposed SB 6896 which creates bogus "savings accounts" that artificially inflate the state spending limit by appropriating money into separate accounts from the general fund without actually spending it.
• Co-sponsored HB 3005 requiring the "Priorities of Government" approach be used to develop the state budget.
• Co-sponsored HB 3006 requiring the state to have a "rainy day fund" in the budget.
• Opposed HJR 4205 which would have made it easier for voters to increase property taxes.
• Co-sponsored HB 2377 and HB 2378 that would repeal the additional cigarette and liquor taxes.
• Co-sponsored HB 2841 which would repeal the Washington state "death tax".
• Co-sponsored HB 2834 eliminating the bed tax on nursing homes.
• Co-sponsored HB 1836 requiring a 60-percent legislative vote to authorize a tax increase.
• Sponsored HB 1367 to reduce license tab fees for small trailers.
• Sponsored HB 2534 requiring the Department of Licensing to fully itemize all vehicle license taxes and fees on renewal statements.
• Sponsored HB 3202 requiring motor vehicle excise taxes to be based on a realistic depreciation schedule and not artificially high values.
• Co-sponsored HB 1069 requiring performance audits of tax preferences to verify they are meeting their original goals.
• Co-sponsored HB 2014 eliminating the requirement that one-half of one percent of the construction cost of prisons be spent on public art within the prison.
• Co-sponsored HB 2758 providing a B&O tax credit to offset the special tax on pop syrup.
• Supported HB 2416 which eliminated the day-use fee at state parks.

Protecting Our Rights

• Sponsored HB 2854 and HJR 4217 reforming Washington's eminent domain laws, protecting private property from being taken by government and transferred to new private owners simply because the new owners will pay more in taxes or for "economic development", providing that the previous owner will have the right to repurchase property that was previously taken if not used for the original purpose, and creating other protections against eminent domain abuse.
• Sponsored HJR 4215 and HJR 4216 to stop "emergency clause abuse" and protect the people's right of referendum by requiring a two-thirds vote to declare a bill to be an emergency and to allow the legislature to declare an earlier effective date for a bill without having to declare it an emergency.
• Sponsored HB 1500 defining the process for dividing and merging counties, a power reserved to the people in the state constitution that has yet to be properly implemented by the legislature.
• Co-sponsored HB 3293 prohibiting intentional disruption of funeral services.
• Sponsored HB 1999 preventing previous vehicle owners from being held accountable for violations by subsequent owners after a vehicle sale is properly recorded with the state.
• Sponsored HJM 4028 requesting Congress and the President to allow states to decide for themselves whether to allow marijuana to be used to medicinal purposes.
• Sponsored HJM 4037 requesting Congress and the President to prevent the Drug Enforcement Administration from interfering with doctors' prescription of adequate pain relief medication for people in chronic pain or terminal illness.
• Co-sponsored HB 1164 clarifying that critical areas ordinances enacted under the Growth Management Act are subject to local referendum.
• Co-sponsored HB 2342 creating a state registry of advance health care directives to help ensure that providers are aware of our preference with regard to use of extraordinary measures to preserve life.
• Opposed HB 1397 which turns control of Washington's vehicle emission regulations over to an unelected board in California which is not accountable in any way to Washington voters.
• Opposed HB 2661 which would use government force to compel people to associate with other persons against their will, even if it violates their constitutionally-guaranteed religious liberty.
• Opposed HB 2266 which requires buyers to present identification and fill out a lengthy form in order to purchase cold medicine.
• Opposed SB 6613 which makes online poker and other online gambling a felony.

Improving our Election System and Insuring the Integrity of Elections

• Sponsored HB 2158 that would enforce the constitutional requirement of U.S. citizenship to register to vote; require poll voters to demonstrate that they are who they claim to be; require all voters to comply with the most recent registration requirements; require identification of voters' physical residence address; require checking the voter registration database for felons, deceased, and other disqualified voters; strengthen penalties for voter fraud; and other important safeguards for the integrity of our voting system. Many elements enacted as parts of other bills, including SB 5499 and SB 5743 which I supported and worked hard to improve.
• Sponsored HB 2532 requiring random, statistically-valid audits of optical-scan ballot counting machines to verify their accuracy.
• Sponsored HB 2523 requiring audits to verify the accuracy of signature matching procedures for mail-in ballots.
• Sponsored HB 2531 strengthening and adding consistency to the guidelines for signature matching on mail ballot envelopes.
• Sponsored HB 2526 clarifying procedures for challenging voter registrations, including establishing workable procedures for cancelling registrations for people who do not live where they are registered. Many elements enacted as parts of other bills.
• Sponsored HB 2528 specifying that provisional ballots may only be counted in limited situations such as for voters who are properly registered, show up to vote at their correct polling place, but are mistakenly missing from the poll book, or whose absentee ballot is lost or misplaced.
• Sponsored HB 2529 clarifying the meaning of "non-traditional address" for purposes of voter registration (for people who do not have a permanent residence). Many elements enacted in other bills.

Making State Government More Efficient and Accountable

• Co-sponsored HB 1064 establishing comprehensive independent performance reviews of all state agencies.
• Sponsored HB 1387, the "Brock Loshbaugh Act", to require independent investigations of serious traffic accidents involving state patrol troopers and progressive discipline of troopers involved in multiple at-fault accidents.
• Sponsored HB 1350 to prevent agencies from concealing records by claiming they are "attorney-client privileged", to prevent requests from being rejected for being "overly broad", to require all agencies to designated a public records contact, and other needed improvements. Many elements enacted into law in other bills, including HB 1758 which I co-sponsored.
• Sponsored HB 2515 to prevent agencies from concealing records by claiming they are "attorney-client privileged" except during an actual lawsuit.
• Sponsored HB 2547 and HB 2548 significantly strengthening penalties for willful and knowing violations of the Open Public Meetings Act and the Public Records Act and holding the instigator of the violation personally responsible.
• Sponsored HB 1134 creating an Open Records Ombudsman to assist citizens in accessing public records without having to file lawsuits.
• Sponsored HB 1131 to permit legislators to keep constituents informed of legislative actions using email newsletters during all legislative sessions.
• Sponsored HB 1133 reorganizing the state Public Records Act to make it more understandable by both citizens and government agencies.

Protecting our Environment and Quality of Life

• Co-sponsored HB 1488 phasing out the use of toxic flame retardants (PBDEs) commonly found in computers and furniture.
• Co-sponsored HB 2662 creating a recycling program for electronic products such as televisions and computers.
• Co-sponsored HB 1272 requiring public buildings to be built using high-performance green building standards. Also supported the Senate version, SB 5509.
• Supported HB 1458 which helps to clean up Puget Sound by identifying failing septic systems and requiring them to be repaired.
• Co-sponsored HB 2593 enhancing protections against oil spills during fuel transfers to ships.
• Supported HB 2939 creating the Energy Freedom Program for investment in development of alternative and renewable fuel projects.
• Co-sponsored HB 1645 creating incentives for school districts to use biodiesel and other renewable and alternative fuels in school buses.
• Co-sponsored HB 1731 requiring the removal of mercury switches from scrap vehicles.
• Co-sponsored HB 1760 creating tax incentives for installation of solar energy systems.
• Co-sponsored HB 1761 creating tax incentives for development of renewable energy projects.
• Co-sponsored HB 1844 and HB 3131 providing tax credits to utilities providing renewable energy to customers.
• Co-sponsored HB 2663 providing motor fuel tax exemptions for alternative fuels.
• Co-sponsored HB 1866 allowing the Department of Ecology to lien property to recover the cost of toxic cleanup paid for by the state.
• Co-sponsored HB 1474 clarifying the definitions in Initiative 297 so that businesses using radioactive isotopes are not impacted.
• Supported SB 5396 which allows funds allocated to the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program to also be used to purchase and preserve farmland and riparian areas.
• Supported HB 2416 which eliminated the day-use fee at state parks.
• Supported HB 1179 creating a pilot project to test "high occupancy toll" (HOT) lanes that would allow single-occupancy vehicles to pay to use excess capacity in HOV lanes.

Keeping our Families and Communities Safe

• Co-sponsored HB 2408, 2409, 2411, 2412, 2413, 2476, 2698, 2699, 2701, and others, strengthening penalties for sex offenses (especially crimes against children), enhancing sex offender registration requirements, requiring electronic monitoring of sex offenders, and other provisions.
• Sponsored HB 2247 and HB 2533 prohibiting family friends (more than 10 years older than the victim) from using their position of trust to induce 16 or 17 year old minors into sexual activity.
• Sponsored HB 2522 requiring records of investigations of sexual misconduct by school employees to be available for public inspection and indexed to facilitate searches.
• Co-sponsored HB 1178 clarifying that parents have the right to monitor telephone conversations of their minor children in their own home.
• Co-sponsored HB 1478, the "Maria Federici Act", enhancing penalties for unsecured loads that cause injury to others.
• Co-sponsored HB 2391 requiring blood alcohol tests of all persons involved in fatal motor vehicle accidents.
• Sponsored HB 1585 requiring temporary encampments for the homeless to provide safe and healthy accommodations similar to the requirements for migrant farm worker housing.
• Co-sponsored HB 1235 requiring local governments to consult with adjacent governments before siting a homeless encampment within 1000 feet of the boundary with the adjacent government.
• Sponsored HB 2191 requiring homeowner associations to permit homes in fire-prone areas to use fire-resistant roofing materials.
• Sponsored HB 3171 creating a commission to do a "performance audit" of Washington's drug control policies and activities, establish clear goals and objectives, and determine the most effective way to meet those objectives.
• Supported HB 1539 which enhances penalties for digging near or damaging pipelines.

Protecting our Privacy and Stopping High-Tech Criminals

• Sponsored HB 1888 prohibiting internet "phishing" -- fraudulently inducing people to provide personal identifying information used for identity theft.
• Co-sponsored HB 1012 prohibiting computer "adware" and "spyware".
• Co-sponsored HB 1966 making identity theft a "crime against persons", and HB 2840, enhancing penalties for identity theft.
• Sponsored HB 2530 requiring personal information on traffic accident reports to be blacked out if the reports are released to uninvolved parties, to prevent the information from being used for telemarketing or other commercial solicitations.
• Sponsored HB 2831 and HB 3250 prohibiting lists or collections of names of people and businesses, obtained from public records, from being used for commercial solicitations.
• Sponsored HB 2521 prohibiting state agencies from incorporating "radio frequency identification" (RFID) chips, which allow information to be read remotely without the knowledge of the person carrying the ID, into state-issued ID cards without legislative consent.
• Supported HB 1185 which prohibits cell phone companies from providing cell phone numbers to directory services without the customer's consent.

Supporting Our Kids and Families

• Sponsored HB 2808 stating in clear terms that teacher strikes are illegal and providing penalties for instigating or engaging in an illegal teacher strike or locking out teachers from working.
• Co-sponsored HB 2785 and HB 2902 providing for alternative assessments for students who do not pass the WASL examination.
• Co-sponsored HB 1282 requiring schools to allow parents to choose what type of sex education their children receive: abstinence-only, comprehensive, both, or neither.
• Supported SB 5305 which prohibits mercury in vaccines given to children and pregnant women.
• Co-sponsored HB 1567 allowing land zoned agricultural but not current being farmed to be used for active recreation (such as soccer fields) so long as no permanent structures are erected.
• Supported HB 1484 which would allow voter-approved tax levies to be used for cost-of-living salary adjustments for school employees.

Protecting and Creating Jobs by Improving the Business Climate

• Co-sponsored HB 1276 requiring the governor's signature on significant legislative rules to ensure accountability.
• Opposed HB 1154 which expands mandatory coverages in health insurance policies and raises health insurance costs.
• Opposed SB 5097 which would lock out non-union contractors from working on most public works projects.
• Opposed HB 1815 which provides funding for government-operated "small business incubators" that directly compete against similar facilities operated by the private sector.
• Opposed HB 2572 which, instead of taking proper action to reduce the costs of health insurance, establishes a subsidy program that makes small businesses dependent on government -- heading down the path of socialized medicine.
• Opposed SB 6508 that would require a minimum percentage of motor fuel to be from renewable sources (biodiesel or ethanol) and in so doing risks injury to in-state producers when fuel distributors commit to long-term contracts with larger and more reliable out-of-state suppliers.

Improving Our Emergency Preparedness

• Co-sponsored HB 2715 to improve the interoperability of radio communications between public safety agencies.
• Sponsored HB 2519 permitting the legislature to meet outside Olympia or by electronic conferencing in the event of a major earthquake, volcanic eruption, pendemic flu, meteor strike, or other disaster that interferes with convening in Olympia (existing law allows such special meetings only in event of nuclear attack).
• Sponsored HB 2994 providing immunity from liability for licensed medical professionals serving as volunteers during emergencies or emergency training so long as they are acting without expectation of pay.