Washblog

WAL-MART -- The attempt to force Wal-Mart and other large employers to spend more on their employees' health care coverage collapsed Tuesday night under the weight of political uncertainty and the weight of the Democratic House Speaker's thumb.

Bills to force employers of 5,000 or more to spend 9 percent of their payroll on health care or write the state of Washington a check for the difference never made it to a floor vote in either chamber, but prospects seemed better in the House, where Democrats hold a wider majority. But it was uncertain that there were enough Democratic votes to pass the bill, and Speaker Frank Chopp didn't want to find out.

What the House passed instead by a wide margin was a less emotionally charged and more sensible bill directing state officials to document how many working people need subsidized health care and why.

The star witness for the 9 percent mandate bill was a leaked confidential state report indicating that state-subsidized health care coverage for Wal-Mart employees costs the state $12 million a year, a figure the company disputed.

About 18,000 state employees are also on government subsidized health care. Perhaps the state should get its house in order before mandating that private corporations do.

Thomas Shapley covers the Legislature for the P-I Editorial Board. He can be reached at thomasshapley@seattlepi.com

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