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Domestic violence law’s supporters see upsides and unfinished work
In the waning hours of their 2023 session, lawmakers pushed through a 43-page bill to strengthen Washington’s safety net for victims in domestic violence cases The legislation takes steps to expand training for cops and judges, toughen requirements on suspects to surrender weapons and deploy special teams to identify and intercede in cases with a […]
Top state Senate budget writer may land new political job
An influential state senator will make her case for a new political gig Wednesday morning. Sen. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, is among three finalists to fill a vacancy on the Kitsap County Commission. She, Brynn Felix, general counsel for Peninsula Community Health Services and Greg Nance, founder and chief executive officer of Run Far Foundation […]
State preps for second sale of pollution allowances
Washington is preparing to conduct its second auction of pollution allowances on Wednesday, May 31 with proceeds paying for an array of programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat the effects of climate change. The 2021 Climate Commitment Act created a cap-and-trade program aimed at getting the state’s largest polluters, including facilities like oil […]
In the military, fertility policies and family building collide
If you’re a service member with a family, the military’s got your back. If you’re trying to start one, it can be another story. Active duty service members unable to conceive children naturally can face significant hurdles as the military health plan doesn’t cover reproductive assistance, such as in vitro fertilization, intrauterine insemination, a surrogate […]
State rakes in nearly $850M from capital gains tax
A new capital gains tax is delivering huge dividends for the state. Washington hauled in nearly $850 million in first-year collections, which is more than triple the amount lawmakers counted on when they passed a new budget in April. The unexpected first-year bounty will be poured into early learning and child care programs, and school […]
Candidates must reveal donors of money shifted to new campaigns
Editor’s note: Following publication, officials of the Public Disclosure Commission indicated commissioners left the door open for retroactivity. They also said PDC staff “is advising campaigns to amend past reports to identify the sources of any surplus funds transferred with permission from past campaigns for a different office. Those contributions are subject to contribution limits.” […]
Heck launches re-election bid for lieutenant governor
Denny Heck’s political career spans five decades, and he’s not ready for it to end. On Wednesday, he announced he’ll seek a second term as lieutenant governor in 2024. “As much time as I have spent in the private sector, public service is just in my blood. I love the opportunity to serve my state […]
Washington’s heat pump push hits a snag
A controversial requirement that new homes and apartments built in Washington be warmed using electric heat pump systems rather than natural gas won’t take effect July 1 as planned. In an emergency meeting Wednesday, the Washington State Building Code Council delayed implementation of code changes until late October. The move came after a federal appeals […]
Ready for its close-up, Washington sees moviemaking rebound
With the pandemic ending and state aid in hand, Washington is enjoying a resurgence of interest from makers of movies and television shows. Spokane, Whidbey Island, Seattle and Lynnwood are among communities that provided backdrops for productions that employed nearly 1,700 people and generated $11.5 million in local spending between July 2020 and June 30, […]
State roads chief: Transportation system is on ‘glidepath to failure’
Washington’s roads czar is warning that the state transportation system is “on a glidepath to failure” after lawmakers put too much money into building new projects and not enough into upkeep. Secretary of Transportation Roger Millar said this “misalignment” in the latest budget makes it likely the state will continue to fall behind on its […]
The price of a ferry ride is going up, again.
Traveling on one of Washington’s iconic state ferries is going to get more expensive as the operator of the nation’s largest ferry fleet looks to regain riders and restore service to pre-pandemic levels. Fares are expected to climb 4% in October and another 4% on Oct. 1, 2024 to cope with an inflation-fed rise in […]
Inslee axes special education study, drawing bipartisan rebuke
As the state prepares to boost funding for special education by $400 million in the next two years, the governor has angered lawmakers in both parties by nixing a study to see if students are receiving the services they are entitled to. Lawmakers wanted a performance audit of Washington’s system of providing special education to […]