Tuesday was the last day for Gov. Jay Inslee to sign bills into law that passed during the regular legislative session. He started by vetoing House Bill 1652, which would have allowed builders to defer the impact fees they pay to local governments. Inslee said deferring the fees would “delay funding for schools when the state’s paramount duty is to fund education.” He hopes to pass a modified version of the bill during special session that would help small builders who struggle to pay the fees upfront.

Among the bills he signed into law:

Social networking: Senate Bill 5211 bans employers from demanding a worker’s password to social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. The law makes exceptions for investigations into employee misconduct, such as if a worker is caught sharing financial data. During the bill signing ceremony, Inslee praised bill sponsor Sen. Steve Hobbs for being “way ahead of the curve” on the issue. Washington is the eighth state to pass a social networking privacy law.

Wolf compensation: Ranchers whose livestock are injured or killed by wolves will be eligible to receive compensation for the animals under Senate Bill 5193, which was sponsored by Sen. John Smith. The law increases fees for personalized licenses plates by $10, and the money goes into a newly created compensation account. Inslee said the law will make Washington state a “leader in the nation” in wolf management.

Hospital infection reporting: Hospitals must report more infection rates under a bill signed into law by Inslee, despite a request from the Washington State Hospital Association asking for a partial veto. House Bill 1471 law brings infection reporting requirements into line with federal law. Additionally, it requires hospitals to report infections that come as a result of knee, cardiac or hip surgeries. The hospital association objected to the latter three categories, which are not required under federal law.

Adoption birth certificates: People who were adopted will be allowed to get copies of their original birth certificates under House Bill 1525. Birth parents can fill out a form saying whether or not they want to be contacted. If they chose not to be contacted, they must complete a medical history form.

Confidential drivers’ licenses: Senate Bill 5591 allows the Department of Licensing to issue fake driver’s licenses and ID cards to undercover agents for “law enforcement activities.” It makes official a program that had been operating for years without Legislative oversight until it was brought to light in recent stories by the Kitsap Sun.

You can find a full list of bills signed into law here.

Gov. Jay Inslee has tapped Liquor Control Board director Pat Kohler to head up the state Department of Licensing.

Kohler has led the liquor board for the last decade as it transitioned under Initiative 1183, which privatized liquor in Washington state. The board is now tasked with developing rules for legal marijuana under Initiative 502.

Gov. Inslee praised Kohler’s lean management skills and ability to “negotiate fair deals and provide top-quality service to the customers and taxpayers of Washington.”

The governor announced the decision Wednesday along with three other appointments, which nearly completes his executive cabinet.

Christopher Liu will serve as director of the Department of Enterprise Services. For the past year, Liu has been the director of the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises.

Rob St. John was reappointed to serve as director of Consolidated Technical Services.

Jesus Sanchez was named director of the Center for Regulatory Innovation and Assistance, an agency that will replace the Office of Regulatory Assistance. Sanchez previously worked as the public works manager for the city of Shoreline.

A public memorial service has been planned to honor former two-term Washington Governor Booth Gardner.

Gardner, the state’s 19th governor, died Friday at age 76  of complications related to Parkinson’s disease. He served as governor from 1985 to 1993.

The memorial will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 30, at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, family spokesman Ron Dotzauer said Monday.

TVW.org will be live webcasting the memorial.

John Wiesman

Gov. Jay Inslee announced three more Cabinet appointments on Tuesday, including the selection of John Wiesman to lead the state Department of Health.

Wiesman, the public health director for Clark County, will replace Mary Selecky who is retiring after serving in the position since 1998.

“John’s leadership will be essential to continuing and building upon the good work Mary has accomplished these past years,” Inslee said in a news release. “I also appreciate John’s unique perspective from his work in the AIDS community, and the understanding that brings about the holistic nature of how human services and health care work together.”

Inslee reappointed Dr. Bette Hyde to lead the Department of Early Learning, a position she has held since 2009. Hyde led an effort to win a $60 million federal Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge grant.

“This is one of my top priorities. Dr. Hyde’s accomplishments and numbers speak for themselves. She’s helping make Washington State a national leader in this area and it’s Washington’s youngest residents who are reaping the benefits,” Inslee said.

Winthrop rancher Bud Hover will take over at the state Department of Agriculture. He is a former Okanogan County Commissioner and current chair of the state Salmon Recovery Board. Hover will replace outgoing director Dan Newhouse.

“Bud’s experience as a rancher and his work on issues from water to wildlife will be invaluable in further growing this vital industry,” Inslee said.

Gov. Jay Inslee has signed his first bill as Washington governor.

The first law to get Inslee’s approval requires licensed or unlicensed youth shelters or programs to provide information about the whereabouts of runaways to parents, police or state health officials within 72 hours.

The notification must include the child’s whereabouts, a physical and emotional condition report and the circumstances of the child’s contact with the shelter.

The legislation was sponsored by Sen. Jim Hargrove (D-Hoquiam) and Rep. Tina Orwall (D-Des Moines).

“This is about keeping children out of harm’s way and attempting to get them back home safely. The longer notification times have worked really well by keeping children off the street and allowing time for parents and children to work out their differences,” Sen. Hargrove said in a news release.

Lynn Peterson

Governor Jay Inslee has named Lynn Peterson as the new secretary of Washington’s Department of Transportation.

Peterson, who is currently an adviser to Oregon’s governor, will take over the post held by Paula Hammond since 2007. Hammond announced her resignation on Tuesday.

“We need an innovative approach to fixing a transportation network that is outdated and hampering our economic growth,” Inslee said in a news release. “Lynn has the experience, creativity and leadership skills to help Washington build a transportation system for the 21st century. And we’ll do that in a way that more efficiently moves people and goods and reduces carbon emissions.”

Inslee also announced the appointment of bank executive Carol Kobuke Nelson to lead the Department of Revenue. Nelson helped lead Bank of America, Cascade Financial Corporation and Opus Bank over a 25-year career.

“She has demonstrated dynamic leadership that is evident in the bottom lines of the banks she’s worked for and has been widely recognized for creating a positive corporate culture with high morale,” Inslee said.

Also on Tuesday, Scott Jarvis was reappointed as Director of the Department of Financial Institutions and Nicholas Brown was named the governor’s general counsel.

Gov. Jay Inslee said at a press conference Wednesday he’s concerned about the direction the state Senate is taking three weeks into session.

“We’ve had two actions very much going in the wrong direction, going backward rather than forward,” he said.

The state Senate passed three controversial workers’ compensation bills on Monday that were backed by the GOP-controlled Senate Majority Coalition.

Inslee said the bills are “unnecessary” and would reduce protections for injured workers. Workers’ compensation reforms adopted in 2011 still need time to play out, he said.

Inslee stopped short of promising a veto, though, saying the “third week is too early to start waving around red pens.”

The governor also said he’s concerned about proposed legislation that would reduce incentives for the renewable energy industry. “To go backwards would be a real mistake,” Inslee said.

Inslee also called on lawmakers to move forward on expanding Medicaid, calling it a “no brainer” that would save the state $142 million. The expansion is part of the federal Affordable Care Act.

Watch the full press conference below.

Three more members of Governor Jay Inslee’s new cabinet team were introduced on Tuesday.

Inslee selected his former chief of staff Brian Bonlender to head up the Department of Commerce. Bonlender ran Inslee’s office and acted as his primary advisor on economic issues during his time in Congress. He recently served as the director of Inslee’s transition team.

Dorothy Frost Teeter was tabbed to run the state’s Health Care Authority, which oversees health care services for state employees and low-income residents.

She will be expected to oversee the state’s implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Frost Teeter is currently a senior advisor at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation in Maryland and was Chief of Health Operations of Seattle & King County Public Health.

“Dorothy brings an outstanding record of innovation and quality improvement that is exactly what we need. I’m looking forward to working with her to reform our system so success is measured by quality instead of quantity,” Inslee said in a news release.

Brigadier General Bret D. Daugherty is will continue as Adjutant General of the Washington Military Department. He serves as commander of Washington’s Army and National Guard forces and oversees the state’s Emergency Management and Enhanced 911 programs.

Prior to his inauguration, Inslee named five other new members of his cabinet.

Gov. Inslee at the press conference

Gov. Jay Inslee said he is not dismissing the idea of extending existing taxes to help balance the state budget during his first press conference since taking the oath of office Wednesday.

While reaffirming his campaign pledge to not raise taxes, Inslee said that tax extensions will likely be considered as the legislature tries to close the gap on a $1 billion deficit and works to satisfy the McCleary decision on school funding.

The governor also offered a few more specifics on his plans for gun control legislation, saying the availability of guns that hold 30 or 100 rounds doesn’t make sense. Inslee voted in favor of the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban.

“It is the capacity of the ammunition that makes the difference,” he said.

He also defended his promise to offer tax incentives for clean energy programs, an idea that Republican leaders have criticized as “picking winners and losers.”

“I don’t think it is inconsistent with what we have done in the past. We have the world demanding clean energy.”

Inslee repeated support for the Reproductive Parity Act, a bill that would require insurance companies to cover abortions if they also cover live births. On Wednesday, Republican leaders criticized the governor for including the contentious social issue in his inaugural address.

“It’s a statement for future decades. This is a debate that should be behind us,” Inslee said.

The governor also said he had spoken with officials at Boeing and is confident in company’s ability to correct the battery problems that grounded its 787 Dreamliners this week.

“I am convinced that they are going to put safety first,” he said.

Watch the full press conference here.

On Wednesday’s Legislative Review, we’ve got the highlights from Gov. Jay Inslee‘s inaugural address, followed by the Republican perspective and response. Plus, an official from the Department of Corrections gives a budget update in a House committee.

Legislative Review is a 15-minute recap of each day’s legislative activities, airing nightly at 6:30 and 11 p.m.