Free community college bill advances through House committee
All students in Washington high schools could soon be eligible for a free 13th year of school. House Bill 2309 would establish the “Washington 13 Free Guarantee,” providing students with up to 45 credits of community or technical college tuition-free. The guarantee would apply to students regardless of income. On Tuesday, lawmakers passed the bill out of the House committee on post-secondary education with bipartisan support. Continue reading at The Herald. (Ryan Berry)
Washington teens advocate for Narcan in every school
A group of Lake Washington High School seniors say it’s time to put opioid overdose medications like Narcan in every school to protect students amid the growing opioid epidemic. Senate Bill 5804 would put the life-saving opioid reversal medication naloxone in all Washington K-12 public schools, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools. The medication is currently available only in high schools in districts with 2,000 or more students. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Sophia Lymberis, Matt Rourke)
Rep. Julio Cortes: After young people leave treatment, let’s give them a safe place to go
Across our state and nation, we have a behavioral health crisis intersecting with a homelessness crisis. The epicenter of this crisis is on our local streets and in our schools. Whether in our urban or rural communities, our 5-year-olds know what the blue tarps are for and our teenagers understand the peril and availability of fentanyl. Substitute House Bill 1929, sponsored by state Rep. Julio Cortes, D-Everett, among others, and created by NorthStar Advocates, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing and ending youth homelessness, proposes providing interim housing for young people immediately upon discharge. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Getty Images)
Auburn Reporter
What are the priorities for South King County legislators? (Taylor, Reeves, Wilson, Entenman, Stearns, Kauffman)
Bainbridge Island Review
Rep. Nance works to fix state ferry system (Nance)
Bellingham Herald
Study: Bellingham’s median rent increased by 16.8% last year. How does that compare to the nation?
Capital Press
Washington Senate panel passes bill forcing citizens to vote (Hunt)
Washington OT law helped kill farm, legislative committee told (Keiser)
Washington Fish and Wildlife director ‘hate’ Inslee’s wolf order
Columbian
Washington pays $9.9 million to woman who got terminal cancer in prison
Renter sues BNSF Railway over July Tunnel Five Fire, says home, belongings destroyed in blaze
The Daily News
Comment: Thumbs up to public EV chargers, thumbs down to collision in Kelso
Everett Herald
Lynnwood pays $550K fine over air quality violations
Free community college bill advances through House committee (Bergquist, Reed, Pollet)
Free suicide education event ‘You Are Not Alone’ to be held in Mukilteo
Comment: Federal forest plan update must also protect people
Comment: What harms kids more: butts and boogers or book bans?
Comment: ‘Fetal personhood’ laws claiming more rights of women
The Inlander
With Idaho and Washington quickly moving through their legislative sessions, here are some of the bills to watch
Journal of the San Juan Islands
Friday Harbor youth support recycling reform in Olympia (Lekanoff, Ramel, Lovelett)
New York Times
Will Lawmakers Really Act to Protect Children Online? Some Say Yes.
Northwest Asian Weekly
WA Lunar New Year legislation moves forward (Thai)
Olympian
Does a world run by AI scare you? WA lawmakers are trying to get on top of the tech explosion (Orwall, Nguyen, Stanford)
Opinion: Some say locking people up before trial holds them accountable. Here’s the truth
Puget Sound Business Journal
Quality-control challenges overshadow Boeing’s strong Q4
Boeing suspends earnings guidance following 737 Max blowout
Seattle Times
BNSF Railway responsible for Tunnel 5 fire, damage, lawsuit says
WA Democrats unsure of next moves on six GOP-backed initiatives (Jinkins, Fitzgibbon)
Kenmore’s canceled affordable housing project draws sharp criticism
WA lawmakers weigh tax breaks for developers turning offices to homes (Trudeau, Chopp)
Rep. Julio Cortes: After young people leave treatment, let’s give them a safe place to go
Opinion: WA leaders ‘absolutely’ committed to saving local journalism
Editorial: Behemoths’ merger is bad for WA grocery shoppers
Spokesman Review
Inslee presents ‘incredibly visionary’ Spokane with award for relaxing land-use restrictions (Reed)
EPA and Washington Department of Ecology to provide free well testing to West Plains residents amid investigation into PFAS contamination
Vancouver Business Journal
Opinion: Proposed bill would pay unemployment benefits to striking workers
Walla Walla Union Bulletin
DOC inmate refuses to attend arraignment for assault charge
Washington Post
Young people, free speech advocates and LGTBQ groups react angrily to online safety legislation
WA State Standard
As plan to cap rent hikes derails in WA Senate, House Democrats may keep pushing (Jinkins, Cleveland, Trudeau)
Take this historic house, please! Lawmakers unsure about acquiring political trailblazer’s home (Tharinger)
Wenatchee World
Appeals court rules in favor of DCYF in negligence lawsuit over Wenatchee Valley child’s death
Whidbey News-Times
Event counts unhoused at one Point in Time
Yakima Herald-Republic
La Casa Hogar plans low-cost citizenship clinic at Perry Tech
Broadcast
KING 5 TV (NBC)
Student attendance on the rise at Washington schools
Sounder stations in Pierce County see funding for improvements
State Representative hopes coming forward about addiction will inspire others to seek help (Lekanoff)
KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
More counties in Western Washington see deadly fungus outbreak
3 bills pass Washington House that could protect animals, alter makeup sales
Seattle Councilmember joins U.S. leaders in efforts to stop Kia, Hyundai theft crisis
KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Highway speed camera pilot program being considered in Olympia (Fey)
Seattle funds refuge hotel stays amidst housing and work permit struggles
1st outbreak of serious, treatment-resistant C. auris fungus confirmed in Seattle
KNKX Public Radio
Cash payments for WA residents? Lawmakers propose trying out basic income program (Kauffman)
KUOW Public Radio
Group homes would replace jail for youth in King County under plan to close detention center
KXLY (ABC)
Inland Northwest snowpack is limping into February
Man dead in South Hill shooting involving nine officers
Spokane honored by Governor Inslee for innovative approach to affordable housing
Web
Cascadia Daily News
Millions slated for wildlife overpass in Skagit County
Crosscut
Washington teens advocate for Narcan in every school (Kuderer)
The Stranger
Bad Apples – SPD Cops Hassle the Homeless, Hit a Parked Car, Dilly-Dally in Response to a Car Prowler