State lawmakers faced stiff public opposition this week against a bill that would change the way employer-employee relationships are defined and impose additional taxes and fees on independent workers.

On Monday, more than 1,000 hairstylists from around the state packed the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee hearing room and two overflow areas to speak against Senate Bill 5236, which would impose new business taxes on professionals who rent space in salons and barbershops.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Kent), would levy new taxes and fees on cosmetology and hair cutting workers who rent booths from salons. It would also ban those workers from being considered independent professionals who are able to set their own hours and working conditions. If passed, the proposal could force independent hair stylists and barbers to become employees of the companies where they rent work space. Critics of the bill said it discriminates against small businesses that mainly benefit women and minorities.

In support of the bill, Sen. Keiser, called the proposal an attempt to “level the playing field” between a company’s employees and independent professionals who run their own practices.

Sole proprietors at the hearing said they had worked long hours and were denied benefits when they worked as employees for large salons, and decided to go on their own to be more independent. They said, if passed, the bill would make it harder for them to own their own business by forcing them to pay more taxes and fees.

Also before House and Senate committees this week are bills to ban workers from making independent choices about when and where they work. House Bill 1515 and Senate Bill 5513 would establish the “Employee Fair Classification Act,” to prohibit certain workers from being classified as independent contractors. It would impose civil penalties for violations of the act under minimum wage, unemployment insurance, industrial insurance, and other state employment laws.

An ongoing measles outbreak in the state prompted introduction of House Bill 1638 last Friday, to eliminate personal exemptions from the MMR measles vaccine. On Monday, health officials said there were 35 confirmed measles cases in Washington, including 34 in Clark County and one in King County. Doctors said the majority of the sick children weren’t immunized.

Rep. Paul Harris (R-Vancouver), sponsor of the bill, said new measures need to be taken to protect people from the disease. If passed, the bill would encourage parents to vaccinate their children by eliminating personal objections that allows children to attend school, even though they have not gotten the MMR vaccine.

Religious and medical grounds would still be allowed under the bill, but Harris said that “we are one of only 18 states that has a personal exemption left, so in the vast majority of the United States, you do not get a personal exemption.”

Many parents, however, object to mandatory vaccinations. According to a KIRO 7 news report,  Bernadette Pajer, co-president of Informed Choice Washington, believes the MMR vaccine puts kids in danger. “This bill takes away our freedom and says you have to take this flawed product, or your kid can’t go to school. That is so wrong,” she said. Pajer said her child had serve reactions to vaccines as an infant. She believes parents should have a choice.

Keep up on these and other bills by visiting washingtonvotes.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter #waleg.

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