TODAY: In the Legislature

The House and the Senate will convene for a joint session at 11:15 a.m. today to hear the State of the Judiciary address by Barbara Madsen, chief justice of the Washington State Supreme Court.

A bill that would allow out-of-work corporate officers to receive unemployment benefits will receive a hearing before the House Labor and Workforce Development Committee today. Republican Rep. Jan Angel of Port Orchard sponsored House Bill 1056, which will be heard at 8 a.m. in Hearing Room D of the John L. O’Brien Building.

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee will meet today to discuss and take public testimony on a performance audit of Washington State Ferries, focusing on vessel construction costs. The committee meets at noon in Hearing Room 4 of the John A. Cherberg Building. The committee will also discuss an audit of how well long-term care workers are meeting state-mandated certification requirements.

The Senate Law & Justice Committee will hear a bill that would classify assaulting a working police officer or corrections officer with a deadly weapon as first-degree assault.

Another bill before the Senate Law & Justice Committee today would make the killing of a child 14 or younger qualify for a charge of aggravated first-degree murder, a crime punishable by death or by life in prison.

The committee will hear both Senate Bill 5058 and Senate Bill 5015 when it meets at 1:30 p.m. today in Hearing Room 1 of the John A. Cherberg building.

The Senate Transportation Committee will hold a work session on former Gov. Chris Gregoire’s proposed 2013-2015 transportation budget at 3:30 p.m. in Hearing Room 1 of the John A. Cherberg Building.

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health & Human Services will discuss the fiscal implications of the Medicaid expansion allowed under the federal Affordable Care Act when it meets at 3:30 p.m. in Hearing Room C of the John L. O’Brien Building.