Margarita Prentice

On June 7, 2006, legislation that Prentice pushed through made it illegal to gamble on-line in Washington state.[5]

The legislation's implementation was delayed until courts ruled on its legality. A week before the law took practical effect, Dan "Wretchy" Martin won an on-line poker tournament and netted $160,000 for his efforts.

Mr. Martin has won more than $2 million playing poker on-line. Regarding Martin's statement's about the possibility of leaving his home state to pursue his life's dream and chosen profession, Sen. Prentice said:

"I just think some of these arguments are utter nonsense," Prentice told ESPN.com. "You mean you're going to move so you can play poker? Gee, lots of luck in your life. … I have nothing against card playing. That's fine. If you want to do that, but I'm sure not going to worry about someone … you know. Let them go pump gas."[6]

In 1993, Prentice was a sponsor of SB 5347 to permit farm and agricultural workers to "self-organize, to join employee organizations, to bargain collectively and to engage in other lawful concerted activities for mutual aid and protection, or to refrain from such activities. . . ."[7]

In 1995, Prentice was a sponsor of SB 5503 which directed the Washington Department of Housing to begin reporting on the status of temporary worker housing conditions and to develop livable and decent temporary worker housing in Washington State.[8] In 1998, she was a co-sponsor of SB 6168 which made "it easier and cheaper for farmers and others to construct seasonal housing for temporary workers."[9] It also allocated $2 million to develop housing for low-income farm workers.

In 1997, Prentice was a sponsor of SB 5193.[10] At the time, sales and use tax exemptions were only available to workers for housing provided by an employer. This legislation extended that exemption to agricultural employee housing provided by housing authorities, government agencies and non-profit agencies, provided that at least 80% of the occupants were agricultural employees with incomes less than 50% of the median income level. That legislation was passed by the Washington Legislature in a 138 to 4 vote. It became effective on May 20, 1997.

In addition, Prentice worked to prohibit discrimination in housing, employment and insurance based on sexual orientation. In 2007, she prime-sponsored a bill extending retirement benefits to domestic partners.[11]

In 2007, Prentice prime-sponsored bills asking that the federal government to provide veterans' benefits owed to Filipino veterans. She was also the prime sponsor of a bill providing for the exclusion of veterans benefits from the income calculation for the retired person property tax relief program.[12]

Prior to the Seattle SuperSonics departure from Seattle, Prentice supported funding a new sports complex that would have accommodated them, among others.[13] Prentice explained her support of a proposal to locate a new arena in her district in a February 9, 2007 op-ed in the Seattle Times for "the economic activity the new center will bring to the region ... [and as a] valuable community asset that will create jobs and promote the development of new hotels and great restaurants."[14] Prentice went on to contend that funding the new center would "have almost no impact on King County taxpayers, and no new general taxes [were] are even being considered to pay for the arena."

While the chair of the Senate Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee, Prentice sponsored the first bills in Interstate Bank Branching.

Prentice also sponsored legislation transitioning credit unions to federal share insurance while serving as the chair of the Senate Financial Institutions Committee.

In 1995, Prentice and eight other members of the Senate Financial Institutions and Housing Committee were the first to sponsor legislation (SB 5279) regulating payday lending in Washington.[15] [16] According to the Washington State Legislature Final Bill Report on SB 5279, it was introduced because: "Short-term small loans serve a credit need in the community. . . . It is better to regulate the activity than to simply ignore it or prohibit it."[15] This legislation was approved by the Washington Legislature in a 144 to 1 vote and became effective July 23, 1995. When the $15 fee per $100 borrowed on a two-week term is converted into an APR (annualized percentage rate) it is approximately 390%.[17] News sources have reported on Prentice's opposition to attempts to cap the allowable fees on these loans to 36% APR.[18]