A Washington state senator wants to do away with the "vomit clause" for ferry workers, which offers double pay for cleaning up hazardous materials.

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State Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, said she wants to get rid of the rule, commonly called the "vomit clause," as part of plans to tackle the state's budget problems, KOMO-TV, Seattle, reported Tuesday.

"That's one that really stuck in my craw," she told the Everett (Wash.) Daily Herald. "We certainly don't give overtime to some prison guard who cleans up after an inmate or even someone who worked caring for a person in their home and had to do an unpleasant task."

Terri Mast of Inland Boatmen's Union said the rule covers the cleaning of hazardous materials and sewage.

"It could be vomit. It could be blood. It could be feces," Mast said.

Mast said the ferry workers are considering several budget cut concessions and the clause should not be distracting officials from those efforts.

"I'm a little infuriated when I hear that," Mast said.