WA session ends: Lawmakers acted on guns, housing, abortion … but not drugs
Rattled by national events and responding to crises closer to home, Washington’s majority Democrats muscled through major legislation during the session that came to a close Sunday. After years of attempts, they passed a ban on sales of AR-15s and dozens of other models of weapons, responding to the unending series of mass shootings throughout the country. They stiffened protections for abortion rights and stockpiled thousands of doses of abortion medication after the Supreme Court knocked down Roe v. Wade. They passed sweeping legislation allowing for duplexes and fourplexes throughout most of the state, and poured hundreds of millions of dollars into programs to combat the crisis in housing affordability and homelessness. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)
WA Legislature sends $13.4 billion transportation budget to governor for signature
Washington state lawmakers on Saturday passed a $13.4 billion transportation budget for the 2023-25 biennium, with major investments in the ferry system, transportation workforce, traffic safety and keeping projects on track that are already in the works. This is the first year the state can use funding from the federal Climate Commitment Act that passed in 2021. Nearly $1 billion of that will be used for projects such as electrifying a broad range of transportation equipment as well as investments in public transit and pedestrian infrastructure. On Saturday, the Senate passed the bill with a 46-3 vote while the House voted unanimously on final passage of the budget. Continue reading at Olympian. (Peter Haley)
In honor of Earth Day, here’s a look at five environmental bills in Washington that could literally change the world
For more than 50 years, earthlings have marked their calendars for April 22 as Earth Day, set aside for raising awareness for the health of the planet. Groups in more than 190 countries participate in environmentalist efforts in observance of the holiday. In honor of Earth Day, here’s a look at how the Legislature is looking to protect marine wildlife, evaluate composting and enhance the wellbeing of the blue-and-green orb we call home. Continue reading at Spokesman Review. (Marina Lohrbach)
Associated Press
‘Too much to learn’: Schools race to catch up kids’ reading
GOP states targeting diversity, equity efforts in higher education
Aberdeen Daily World
Turbines and brine: Washington offshore wind proposals present complex threats, challenges
Axios
5 big things Washington’s Legislature did this year
Everett Herald
Snohomish Health District retirees to regain access to health benefits
After Bolt Creek, Western WA gears up for another fire season — in April
Chair jokes, death penalty divide and the arrival of budgets (Rolfes, Peterson)
House OKs capital budget with funds for dozens of county projects (Cortes)
Drug possession laws in limbo after House rejects deal on Blake bill (Robinson, Dhingra, Taylor)
Comment: Parents must call for reforms to K-12 education
Comment: Why state is working to save its kelp, seagrass forests
Editorial: Make the most of Earth Day with meaningful action
Letter: Expanded Child Tax Credit cut poverty in half; restore it
News Tribune
Tacoma Public Schools to slash 22 jobs during next school year. Are more cuts coming?
Olympian
WA Legislature sends $13.4 billion transportation budget to governor for signature (Fey)
Hundreds gather at the Capitol in support of, and in opposition to, transgender rights bill (Liias)
Special session could be called after lawmakers fail to replace expiring drug possession law (Robinson, Billig)
Peninsula Daily News
Assault weapons sale ban approved
Van De Wege lone Democratic senator to oppose gun ban (Van De Wege, Shavers, Rule, Tharinger, Chapman)
Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle flips the switch on power grid modernization
Covid-19’s debt trap: Relief programs could lead to big headaches
Seattle Times
Interior secretary visits Tulalip in wake of boarding school revelations
Legislature strengthens oversight of private special ed schools (Santos)
The Cold War between WA and neighbor Idaho gets hotter
WA’s new ban on single-family zoning exempts some of Seattle’s wealthiest neighborhoods (Bateman)
WA House rejects drug possession compromise as session ends (Alvarado, Street, Stonier, Jinkins)
WA session ends: Lawmakers acted on guns, housing, abortion … but not drugs (Pederson, Pollet, Jinkins, Street)
Spokesman Review
Washington Senate confirms all Fish and Wildlife commissioners (Van De Wege)
Despite reforms, 2022 was one of the deadliest years for police shootings in Spokane County
The 9 people in Spokane County shot at by police in 2022
Insee says he’ll call back legislators to pass drug possession law (Billig, Stonier, Springer)
Lawmakers still searching for compromise on Washington’s drug possession law as session nears end (Billig)
In honor of Earth Day, here’s a look at five environmental bills in Washington that could literally change the world (Mena, Billig)
Washington Legislature passes $70 billion operations budget before adjourning Sunday (Rolfes, Riccelli)
Rep Doglio & Rep. Dye: Bipartisan environmental accomplishments worth celebrating this Earth Day
Yakima Herald-Republic
Funding for MLK Jr. Pool in east Yakima, PNWU dental school in state capital budget
Editorial: Newspaper tax cut will benefit local communities
Broadcast
KING 5 TV (NBC)
In Session: Washington state legislative session ends Sunday
Supreme Court preserves access to abortion pill for now
Bill in Olympia that would raise real estate tax dead, sponsor says (Berg)
28 mayors sign letter detailing concerns about Washington drug laws to state legislators
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland hears from local survivors of Indian boarding school system
Drug possession bill voted down last-minute, possibly shifting enforcement (Simmons, Street, Stonier)
KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Bill to protect youth seeking gender-affirming, reproductive care heads to Inslee’s desk (Liias)
Legislative Roundup: Lawmakers pass operating budget on final day of session (Stonier)
Shellfish harvest restricted in select areas in Washington due to high bacteria levels
KNKX Public Radio
Poll: Two-thirds oppose banning medication abortion
Washington establishes cold case unit to investigate missing and murdered Indigenous people (Lekanoff)
KUOW Public Radio
‘Social equity’ cannabis licenses aim to repair drug law harms to BIPOC communities
Week in Review: downtown, ferries, and gun control
Seattle’s plan to reward people for not using drugs
Bringing ancestors home — the long process of recovering tribal remains
Will Washington’s new assault weapons ban hold up in court? Gov. Inslee thinks ‘it should survive’
KXLY (ABC)
WA legislature passes capital budget: how it would affect the Spokane area
Web
Cascadia Daily News
Tenants Revolt hopes to propose local housing legislation
Buses every 5 minutes in Bellingham?
The Stranger
Olympia Shatters Plan to Reboot Its War on Drugs (Goodman, Jinkins, Alvarado, Bateman, Berry, Chopp, Doglio, Farivar, Gregerson, Macri, Mena, Morgan, Reed, Reeves, Santos, Simmons, Street)