White House invites in state lawmakers before 2023 sessions
The White House is playing host to roughly 50 Democratic state lawmakers from 31 states this week as legislatures prepare for their upcoming sessions, aiming to talk over strategy on top issues like climate change, gun violence, abortion rights and voting rights. The aim is to give state lawmakers a to-do list for the upcoming legislative session, though meeting those goals will be nearly impossible in states where Republicans are in control. The meetings come as Democrats are increasingly focused on making inroads in state governments in part through better alignment on top issues, a political tactic that helped the GOP secure leadership in 23 states. The legislators will meet with Biden administration policy experts on drug control, veterans affairs, environmental quality, criminal justice, violence prevention and climate change. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Manuel Balce Ceneta)

‘This is what we need’ Gov. Inslee says of Catalyst Project opening this week
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and state officials heralded the opening of the much anticipated, and at times controversial, hotel-turned-supportive housing project in the West Hills neighborhood on Monday as a crucial step forward for establishing housing for homeless people in Spokane and across the state. Inslee told a group of a few dozen reporters, government employees and social workers “this Catalyst facility is not a Band-Aid. It is not sweeping people under the rug. It is addressing their permanent long-term problems so that they can be permanently housed, and that is what we need across the state of Washington.” Inslee affirmed his commitment to investing in homelessness solutions in the coming year. “You are going to see very significant ambition and an aggressive approach to this statewide,” he said. “I am very hopeful the Legislature will join me in upping our game in this regard, because the existing funding is not adequate to solve this problem. In the upcoming legislative session you are going to see some big asks of the Legislature and the people of state of Washington to tackle this problem.” Continue reading at The Spokesman Review. (Quinn Welsch)

To address wealth gap, Washington will consider trust fund for low-income children
A new proposal coming to the Washington Legislature for consideration next year aims to break the cycle of poverty that’s trapped families and lift future generations of low-income residents toward a path of financial independence. The Washington Future Fund would create a pool of money that every child born under the state’s Medicaid program, Apple Health, could access a portion of upon adulthood to use toward homeownership, education or pursuing a small business. Pioneering a bold idea to narrow the wealth gap, Washington would be one of the first states to create a trust fund program for babies born into low-income families. The trusts are intended to even the financial playing field for lower-income residents by providing a chance to catch up to their wealthier peers. Continue reading at Associated Press. (Rachel La Corte)