WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

Wednesday, March 15

Dozens of semi-automatic rifles line a pair of walls in a gun shop in Lynnwood.

WA Legislature moving in right direction with gun control bills
In 2013, the Gifford Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence gave Washington a grade of C for its gun laws. Today, the state has a B, a nod to laws passed over the decade designed to make residents safer. By the end of this legislative session, Washington has a chance to move up to an A. Three bills are making their way through the Legislature that would help make that doable: House Bill 1240, banning the sale and manufacturing of assault-style weapons; House Bill 1143, creating a 10-day waiting period for the purchase of firearms and Senate Bill 5078, which allows the state to sue gun manufacturers. This is the seventh year an assault-weapons ban has been introduced, and according to a Seattle Times 2022 poll, most Washington voters agree with a ban. Of 825 people polled 91% of Democrats strongly support or somewhat support a ban. Overall, 61% of respondents strongly support or somewhat support a ban. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Elaine Thompson)


Billy Frank Jr., the late Nisqually environmental leader and treaty rights activist, is one step closer to representing Washington state at the U.S. Capitol.

Plans for Billy Frank Jr. statue at U.S. Capitol move ahead
Billy Frank Jr., the late Nisqually environmental leader and treaty rights activist, is one step closer to representing Washington state at the U.S. Capitol. What’s happening: An artist has been chosen to design a statue of Frank that will soon be placed in the National Statuary Hall. The monument to Frank, who fought to defend tribal fishing rights, will replace one of Marcus Whitman, a murdered missionary whose legendary heroism has now been challenged and, to some degree, debunked. The protests, or “fish ins,” that Frank helped lead in the 1960s and 1970s paved the way for the 1974 Boldt decision, which affirmed that tribes were entitled to half the yearly fish harvest. Before the decision, Frank was arrested dozens of times for standing up for the treaty-protected rights of tribes to fish in their usual and accustomed places. Continue reading at Axios. (Washington State Archives)


Hector Martinez and Jolayne Houtz, parents of Sam Martinez, in front of the Legislative Building in Olympia in March 2022.

‘Culture of secrecy’: Bill to increase hazing penalty moves closer to final passage
misdemeanor, raising the penalty from a maximum 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000, to a maximum 364-day jail sentence and a fine of up to $5,000. The Bill passed the state House of Representatives unanimously, and all Spokane-area Representatives voted for the bill. Penalties for hazing could increase as the state House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill to reclassify the crime from a misdemeanor to a gross misdemeanor. The bill this year would increase the penalty for hazing from where it stands currently as a misdemeanor, resulting in a maximum 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000, to a gross misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum 364-day jail sentence and a fine of up to $5,000. In instances where hazing results in substantial bodily harm, the bill would make it a class C felony, resulting in up to 5 years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000. Continue reading at Spokesman Review. (Albert James)


Print

Associated Press
Man pleads guilty to stalking Washington state lawmaker

Axios
New Seattle apartments are some of the country’s smallest
Plans for Billy Frank Jr. statue at U.S. Capitol move ahead

Bellingham Herald
Bellingham buys more land to protect Lake Whatcom water quality 
 
Capital Press
Bill to give 14 environmental groups suit protection criticized (Lekanoff)

News Tribune
Pickleball has ‘exploded’ in Pierce County — for good reason. Here’s where to play
A man died in the custody of state troopers in Tacoma. Here’s why they won’t be charged

Puget Sound Business Journal
Judge dismisses Amazon’s lawsuit against Washington state labor agency
Meta to cut thousands of additional jobs in second round of layoffs

Seattle Medium
Biden Issues Another Executive Order Seeking To Curb Gun Violence
Shelter Space Scarcity Delays Clearing Homeless Camps

Seattle Times
The Seattle seesaw: Traffic tickets from police have dropped 90%
Limiting PFAS could be expensive for WA water plants
Editorial: WA Legislature moving in right direction with gun control bills

Spokesman Review
‘Culture of secrecy’: Bill to increase hazing penalty moves closer to final passage (Leavitt)

Tri-City Herald
Record Hanford WA nuclear cleanup budget proposed. But will it hit a political roadblock? 

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Gov. Jay Inslee visits Walla Walla
Cathy McMorris Rodgers discusses TikTok, internet connection with Walla Walla High School students

Washington Post
Abortion pill fight may have broader implications for FDA drug approval 

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima County earmarks COVID relief funds to corrections and broadband
Editorial: Legislature’s dropping the ball on affordable-housing priority

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Injured workers push for recording exams they say are stacked against them (Bronoske)

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Biden Administration proposes $250M in 2024 federal budget for Lynnwood Link extension
Inslee joins coalition of governors calling on pharmacies to clarify plans on medication abortion

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Over 5.4M pounds of trash collected from Washington state roads in 2022

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane City Council passes ordinance to increase fees for developers
Spokane Regional Air Support makes history with first all women flight

Web

MyNorthwest
Bellevue School District revise consolidation plans, only closing 2 schools

West Seattle Blog
Legislators’ online town hall + three community-group meetings, benefit bookfair, more for your West Seattle Tuesday