Proposed bill would provide benefits for survivors of ride-share drivers killed on the job
Mohamadou Kabba had been their family’s sole income earner as a ride-share driver when he was shot and killed in Renton in January 2023. Kabba considered ride-share driving his full-time job, but his family wasn’t eligible for death benefits because he wasn’t completing a ride for a customer when he was fatally shot. Kabba was one of five drivers killed since 2020 in the Seattle area whose loved ones didn’t receive these benefits, according to union reps. A proposed bill, HB 2382, would expand benefits to any driver who died from an injury when the driver was logged into the company’s digital network, even if they weren’t driving a customer at the time. The benefits would be provided under the workers’ compensation system. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)
A WA bill would allow non-citizens to obtain professional licenses
As of 2021, around 22% of U.S. jobs require a professional license or certificate, compared to just 5% in the 1950s, according to the Cato Institute. House Bill 1889 would strike the requirement that applicants for professional licenses be U.S. citizens, allowing for the use of an individual tax identification number instead of a social security number. The bill would also encourage qualified undocumented students to pursue their dream jobs by addressing the lack of clarity surrounding which licenses require an SSN. The bill lists optometrists, private investigators, private security guards, bail bond agents, money transmitters, and currency exchangers as professions that currently require licensees to be U.S. citizens. If passed into law, the bill would eliminate the requirement for these professions. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Jovelle Tamayo)
Democrats want independent prosecutor to handle cases where police use deadly force
Legislators are trying, again, to pass a bill to create an Office of Independent Prosecutions as a division of the Office of the Attorney General. This independent state prosecutor would review use of deadly force investigations, file criminal charges if warranted and, potentially, prosecute. House Bill 1579 does not usurp authority of local prosecutors, backers said. Rather, the independent and local prosecutors would work separately but simultaneously and if each conclude charges are warranted, a judge could be asked to decide who gets the case. Continue reading at The Columbian.
Aberdeen Daily World
Point in Time Count in Aberdeen collects homeless data
Axios
Union membership fell slightly in Washington in 2023
Washington state lawmakers want to curb pot shop robberies
Bellingham Herald
Flooding fears linger ahead of another massive storm system heading toward Whatcom County
Capital Press
Washington farmworkers rally against overtime law
N.E. Washington excels at world recovery, now seeks relief
Columbian
WA’s opioid epidemic and the state’s effort to fight it, by the numbers
Democrats want independent prosecutor to handle cases where police use deadly force (Stonier)
Senate rent stabilization bill’s fate hangs in balance with Sen. Cleveland weighing her vote (Cleveland)
Everett Herald
I-405 express lanes soon to become more expensive for commuters
Comment: Congress close to deal to expand child tax credit
Comment: As job market changes, we’ll need more apprenticeships
Editorial: Recycling bills could use a little reuse, refocus
Kent Reporter
220-unit affordable housing complex coming to Kent on West Hill
News Tribune
22nd Legislative District lawmakers to hold virtual town hall Tuesday night (Hunt, Bateman, Doglio)
WA gun owners would have to carry gun liability insurance under proposed bill (Kuderer)
Tacoma wants to reduce fatal wrecks to zero. 2023’s total shows how hard that will be
$80M in improvements headed to Tacoma, Lakewood Sounder stations, nearby neighborhoods
Editorial: Want to cut crime and make cities safer? Give ‘convicts’ a second chance. No, really
Olympian
Evergreen board approves spending up to $1 million to address costs tied to student death
Peninsula Daily News
Grants to help pay for housing
Puget Sound Business Journal
Why analysts say Big Tech’s layoffs will likely continue
Downtown Seattle retail recovery lags in otherwise ‘healthy’ market
Regional Homelessness Authority preps for another leadership change
Seattle Times
Seattle-area express tolls soon to go as high as $15
House GOP members look to block Lower Snake River dam breaches
Proposed bill would provide benefits for survivors of ride-share drivers killed on the job (Berry)
Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County Board of Commissioners appoints district court judge
Sol De Yakima
Hijos de trabajadores agrícolas de WA podrían recibir más apoyo académico (Ortiz-Self)
Spokesman Review
More renters and their furry friends could stay together if bill to reduce pet deposits passes (Hansen)
Tougher punishment for harassing election workers passes the House twice, now confronts the Senate (Leavitt)
Washington Legislature considers paying for vape detectors in schools, but do they deter vaping? (Riccelli)
Tri-City Herald
Sticker shock hits taxpayers in this Tri-Cities district, but schools still face cuts
WA gun owners would have to carry gun liability insurance under proposed bill (Kuderer)
Controversial A.I. tool raises concerns. Benton sheriff could be 1st in WA to use it
Washington Post
Millions of Americans face risk of a toxic ‘bomb train’
Biden set new stove rules. No, he’s not coming for your gas burners.
WA State Standard
Washington lawmakers make another run at legalizing homegrown marijuana (Kloba, Reeves)
Wenatchee World
State considering short-term rental tax
Inslee grants petitioners’ appeal on wolf killings in Washington
Broadcast
KING 5 TV (NBC)
Washington doctors, patients hope at-home care will continue
Hundreds of tenants to rally at the state Capitol to oppose rent gouging
Batteries are not allowed in the garbage after new ban takes effect in Seattle
Student walkout held in response to fatal shooting of 15-year-old Mobarak Adam
Bill that would strengthen animal cruelty penalties in Washington heads to the Senate
KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Heads up drivers! After months of debate, state OKs $15 tolls on I-405, SR 167
Evergreen College to spend up to $1M for costs related to student’s carbon monoxide death
KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
More than 37 pounds of fentanyl powder, $34K seized in Burien bust
‘It doesn’t make sense’: Family of slain Seattle teen leads march against gun violence
SPD leaders believe ‘serious discipline’ warranted for officer’s ‘limited value’ comments
Web
Crosscut
A WA bill would allow non-citizens to obtain professional licenses
MyNorthwest
Bill toughening animal abuse punishments passes Washington House
The Stranger
Police, Fire, and the Liquor Board Raided Two Seattle Gay Bars (Pedersen, Macri)