News from Olympia

Major transportation funding goes undone Budget funnels billions to public health, childcare By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal As the end of the mostly virtual legislative session drew near April 25, lawmakers passed a hefty $59 billion budget that will funnel...

When deadly force is justified a key focus More community oversight also proposed By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal Limits on the use of force by police and investigations of officers who have a pattern of misconduct continue to make their way through the...

30 high schools in Washington affected Little opposition to the bill so far By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal Ivy Pete remembers attending high school football games in her hometown. But instead of pride for her school, she felt humiliated. Pete, a junior in...

Allows lawsuits for unfair labor practices Opponents say worker protections are adequate now Angelica Relente Columbia Basin Herald A bill moving through the Washington Legislature would allow workers to bring legal action if labor laws are not upheld. The bill, House...

FCC makes 988 new number for National Suicide Prevention line Program and call centers funded by phone line tax beginning Oct. 2021 By Joseph Claypoole Washington State Journal Conncecting people considering suicide with immediate help is the aim of a proposed law...

Help for low-income students passes Senate At least 10,000 more students eligible with current changes By Joseph Claypoole Washington State Journal The College Bound Scholarship for Washington students is being reworked to reach more students across the state....

Democrats pass bills over GOP objections Free legal advice approved for tenants By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal As the end of an emergency eviction moratorium looms over thousands of Washington renters, a bill requiring landlords to have just cause for...

Vote was 25-24 after several hours of debate Saturday Lawmakers against the bill call it an income tax By Patric Haerle Washington State Journal A tax on capital gains, the sale of assets like stocks and bonds, passed the Senate by a single vote March 6. The bill was...

Inslee lays out vaccination plan National distribution effort appears steady By Patric Haerle Washington State Journal Essential frontline workers, such as grocery store employees, will begin receiving COVID-19 vaccines later this month, Gov. Jay Inslee announced...

Teachers now priority in vaccination plan  Graduation requirements waived for some By Patric Haerle Washington State Journal The return to in-person education in public schools is underway. Gov. Jay Inslee signed two bills March 2, assuring students affected by the...

Employment growth expected by mid-2021 Construction and housing sectors see increase By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal Though unemployment and consumer uncertainty remain high, the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council officials told...

Would close an ICE facility in Tacoma in 2025 Complaints made of spoiled food, use of solitary confinement By Patric Haerle Washington State Journal Washington’s only private detention center is proposed for closure. House Bill 1090 prohibits any person, business or...

Bill passes House on a 86-12 vote ID verification changed to check-and-sign By Joseph Claypoole Washington State Journal People will continue to be able to get a mixed drink with their takeout food until 2023 under a bill now moving to the state Senate for...

Chokeholds prohibited, car chases limited Military equipment not allowed By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal A ban on the use of chokeholds, military equipment, and most types of car chases by law enforcement passed the House of Representatives after lawmakers...

Bill was heavily opposed by Republicans, fuel producers Some industries exempt until 2028  By Joseph Claypoole Washington State Journal A low carbon fuel bill passed the state House of Representatives Feb. 27 in a 52-46 vote with every Republican voting no. Its next...

Marks the day many slaves learned they were free Some think the state cost is too high By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal Rep. Kirsten Harris-Talley, D-Seattle, often sees her grandmother’s features when she looks in the mirror. She thinks of how her...

Limits proposed on use of lethal force Better training, higher qualifications endorsed By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal Outrage over deaths of citizens in police custody sparked efforts by lawmakers to address racial equity, hiring and training, and the use of...

Would have required Governor getting input from Legislature during emergencies Republicans say they will likely bring it up again in future sessions By Patric Haerle Washington State Journal It’s been one year since Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency in...

Additional relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is on its way  By Patric Haerle Washington State Journal Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill into law Feb. 19, that appropriates $2.2 billion federal dollars to be used for K-12 schools, public health, assistance to...

Plan ends bonus for National Board Certified teachers Budget balanced without new taxes By Patric Haerle Washington State Journal House Republicans released their proposed state budget Feb. 16, saying it shows how a Republican-controlled Legislature could craft a...

No Republican amendments approved Homes, small businesses exempted By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal A capital gains excise tax moved one step closer to approval Feb. 17 despite opposition from Republican lawmakers who call the law an unnecessary income tax and...

Amendments broaden scope of project Next stop for bill is appropriations By Joseph Claypoole Washington State Journal A Washington Youth Suicide Review Team is one step closer to reality after legislators passed substitute HB 1354 out of committee in a 11-2 vote. Rep....

Broad new powers proposed for renters Property owners call bill “horrible” By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal An extension of an eviction moratorium for another two years and free attorneys for tenants who face eviction are proposed in a new bill that landlords...

Many bills win bipartisan support Boost given to substance abuse apprentices By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal As a single mother who survived on food stamps, an added $20 monthly cost for her four children’s lunch was more than Rep. Melanie Morgan, D-Tacoma,...

Lower income students hit harder by summer learning loss 30 school districts can choose to participate  By Joseph Claypoole Washington State Journal The summer months are coming to an end, children are heading back to school, but they are experiencing summer learning...

By Patric Haerle Washington State Journal Reeling from a December breach that allowed hackers to access the personal information of roughly 1.6 million Washington residents, state lawmakers are working with Gov. Jay Inslee to establish a new office to protect state...

Online petition showed huge opposition Hope was to prevent fatalities By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal A bill that would have required kayakers and paddleboarders to take a boater education course to operate human-powered water vessels was effectively killed...

State has vaccinated over 700,000 individuals Freedom Caucus forms to press for quicker openings By Joseph Claypoole Washington State Journal Gov. Jay Inslee defended his plan to phase in the opening of businesses by region, saying he knows it goes too slow for some...

Bill requires police presence on site Drugs and alcohol not allowed By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal Homeless shelters would be located in many cities and counties and supplied with mental health, employment and police resources if a bill under consideration...

Could raise $5 billion from fewer than 100 taxpayers Detractors fear plan could drive Washington’s wealthiest out of state By Patric Haerle Washington State Journal House Democrats are rallying around a proposal to tax Washington State’s billionaires. House Bill 1406...

Many view bill as an infringement on rights Others say guns used only to intimidate  By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal A proposed ban on open-carry weapons during public demonstrations sparked a heated debate on whether the bill unreasonably restricts the...

Proposal enjoys wide bipartisan support Rise in graduation rate noted with waivers By Patric Haerle Washington State Journal Washington high school students wrestling with remote learning programs cobbled together as COVID-19 gripped the state in 2020 and now...

Commissioners vote on amended proposal, 4-3 in favor Navy says public won’t notice any differences By Joseph Claypoole Washington State Journal Training for Navy SEALs in state parks was approved by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission in a 4-3 vote...

Only fossil found came from Sucia Island 12 other states have official dinosaurs Staff Washington State Journal Washington State may soon have a new state dinosaur, thanks to the efforts of an elementary school class and the Washington State Legislature. The proposed...

$2.5 billion set aside for carbon reduction Republicans baffled by lack of involvement By Joseph Claypoole Washington State Journal Washington drivers will pay an extra 18 cents per gallon in gas taxes if a new 16-year, $25.8 billion transportation package backed by...

Republicans want to spend more using rainy day fund Both plans aid schools, businesses, vaccine distribution By Patric Haerle Washington State Journal Relief for renters, schools, public health agencies and small businesses is rushing through the state Legislature,...

Investigative panel would not include police Reports would go back to prosecutors, police for decision making By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal Fred Thomas believes if an independent team had investigated his son’s death, the outcome would have been much...

Businesses won’t pay tax on emergency aid Access to remote meetings required  By Patric Haerle Washington State Journal A set of three bills designed to keep essential functions of the state running during the COVID pandemic and future emergencies passed unanimously...

Some calls appear motivated by racism Is this a problem here? opponents ask By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal A person who unlawfully summons the police on someone could face a civil action lawsuit under a proposed law that is gaining traction in the...

Businesses hang in the balance Healthcare workers tired, facilities strained By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal Dozens of business owners – from restaurant owners to bowling alley managers — told state officials that continued COVID-19 restrictions place small...

New more business friendly bill likely Republicans say it looks like an income tax By Patric Haerle Washington State Journal A different take on Gov. Jay Inslee’s capital gains tax, less broad and friendlier to small family-owned businesses, will likely be introduced...

He acknowledges roll out has had problems Just when vaccine shipments will increase is unknown  By Joseph Claypoole Washington State Journal Just when residents of Washington will have access to a COVID-19 vaccine depends on how many doses the federal government...

By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal Hundreds of officers from the Washington State Patrol and the National Guard will continue to surround the Capitol Campus in Olympia through the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. WSP spokesperson Chris Loftis said the...

People under community custody currently can’t register Advocates say bill would help people reengage By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal Formerly incarcerated people would automatically regain their right to vote if a proposed bill in the Washington State...

Officials weigh security preparation in light of Wednesday attacks and planned protest No arrests made after an attack on governor’s mansion in Olympia Inslee acknowledges contrast between security response Wednesday in nation’s capital    By Joseph Claypoole...

COVID pandemic exposed weaknesses Some want to rein in governor’s powers By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal OLYMPIA – This year's legislature won't just be about numbers and budgets: it will explore social inequities, the proper role of policing and just how...

  Lawmakers practicing for weeks to smooth out tech and procedural kinks. Online tools will provide increased access.  By Joseph Claypoole Washington State Journal This might be the most accessible Legislative session in history, thanks to online tools provided...

Concerns voiced around school transportation, special education, enrollment See proposed budget as ‘a good start’ By Patric Haerle Washington State Journal Gov. Jay Inslee’s proposed budget for the upcoming biennium calls for $570 million in new education spending,...

Minority communities disproportionately affected Some police representatives say the bill goes too far By Sydney Brown Washington State Journal A proposed ban on the use of chokeholds, unleashed K-9 dogs and other use-of-force tactics by law enforcement is just the...

Deliberations begin amid rumbling national political tensions and ongoing state protests Rules set to conduct pandemic-era session remotely By Patric Haerle Washington State Journal Washington state legislative leaders on Monday Jan. 11 took turns delivering upbeat...