Bipartisan bill aims to curb homelessness among young adults
After spending nearly a decade working at a local nonprofit supporting homeless youth, Everett Rep. Julio Cortes wants to pass legislation to provide housing for young adults coming out of behavioral health inpatient care. Statewide, 1,097 young adults ages 18 to 24 year olds became homeless in 2021 within a year of exiting inpatient treatment, according to a report from the state Department of Social and Health Services. House Bill 1929 would create at least two shelters, one on each side of the state, for people ages 18 to 24 to use after exiting behavioral health inpatient services. Continue reading at The Herald. (Ian Terry)
With tweaks, rent limit proposal forges ahead in WA House
A proposal to limit rent hikes in Washington gained the approval of a House budget committee Saturday and continues its trek through the statehouse. The House Appropriations Committee advanced a version of the bill that would limit annual increases in rent to 7% for existing tenants, up from a 5% limit in an initial proposal. In order for House Bill 2114 to survive, it has to get the go-ahead from a full vote of the House by Feb. 13. If the House passes the bill, it would still need vetting and approval from the Senate in order to pass. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)
Many can get paid while caring for a child with a disability in Washington, except their parents. A pair of bills hopes to change this.
More than a dozen parents of children who have disabilities testified in front of the Senate Human Services Committee last week, pleading with lawmakers to pass a bill that would allow parental caregivers of children with developmental disabilities to receive payment. Right now, state policy grants parents of an individual over the age of 18 to receive payment as their caregiver. However, parents of minor children cannot be paid for providing the same care. Not only are parents of children with disabilities ineligible for pay, but finding an outside caregiver or one provided through Medicaid is hard and highly unlikely due to the labor shortage. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Lauren Rendahl)
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Columbian
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Everett Herald
Bipartisan bill aims to curb homelessness among young adults (Cortes)
Editorial: Year of free college a boost to students, state (Bergquist)
Islands’ Weekly
$47 million infrastructure investment helps pave the way for more than 3,000 new affordable housing units
News Tribune
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Puget Sound Business Journal
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Seattle Times
With tweaks, rent limit proposal forges ahead in WA House (Cleveland, Alvarado)
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Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit Community Foundation releases 2023 annual impact report
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Spokesman Review
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Many can get paid while caring for a child with a disability in Washington, except their parents. A pair of bills hopes to change this (Randall)
Opinion: Bill would help expand access to biomarker testing
WA State Standard
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Wenatchee World
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Yakima Herald-Republic
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Broadcast
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KUOW Public Radio
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Cascadia Daily News
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Crosscut
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The Stranger
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