New WA caseload standards cast doubt on future of public defense
Rep. Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland, chair of the House Community Safety Committee, said staffing shortages exist across the criminal justice system, including among public defenders and prosecutors. While he said there is a genuine crisis in public defense, he noted that prosecutors’ offices also need additional resources. Despite last year’s funding increase, Goodman said the state has “a long way to go.” He said the new standards seem to have a “rational basis” but are effectively unenforceable without additional legislative funding. “I’m not going to blame the Supreme Court or assert that they did anything improper or rational or unworkable,” Goodman said. “It really is up to the Legislature to provide the funding to get this done.” Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)
Amazon outbids WA utility for one of nation’s largest solar projects
PSE, on the other hand, is racing to meet the deadline set by Washington state to phase out fossil fuels. Washington passed the Clean Energy Transformation Act in 2019 which requires utilities to provide carbon-neutral electricity to their customers by 2030 and use 100% renewable or non-carbon emitting electricity by 2045. PSE said about 57% of its electricity was coming from renewable energy sources in 2025, up more than double from when the state’s law was passed. The Sunstone project would have largely closed the gap for PSE to meet state mandates. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Rebecca Noble / Bloomberg)
Senate advances bill regulating ‘Flock’ license plate reader cameras
Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma, who sponsored the bill, said the measure is intended to establish guardrails around the use of powerful surveillance tools while preserving their value for public safety. “This is not about restricting law enforcement tools,” Trudeau said. “This is about putting in place reasonable rules around how the data is used and accessed.” Continue reading at KING 5. (KING 5)
Auburn Reporter
Senator secures $1.75 million for sexual assault survivors in King Co.
Axios
The West’s snowpack is in trouble this winter
Saving for a home in the Seattle area takes 22+ years
Why Washington’s income tax ban won’t block a millionaire tax (Pedersen)
Capital Press
Bill seeks to repeal rule that locks up Washington timberland (Scott)
Farmers turn pessimistic, worried about bad times ahead and exports
The Daily News
Cowlitz County vaccine guidelines mirror CDC changes
Rainier family to leave country after father detained by ICE
Feds greenlight $2B renewable project on Yakama Nation sacred site along Columbia
Everett Herald
Editorial: Limit redundant reviews of those providing care (Zahn)
Edmonds passes resolution affirming support for immigrants
International Examiner
Quynh Pham of Friends of Little Saigon appointed Department of Neighborhoods director by Mayor Wilson
Islands’ Weekly
Assessor’s Office supports HB 1004 to reduce small-business tax burden and urges local participation(Lekanoff, Ramel, Lovelett)
Kitsap Sun
Column: Protect Liberty Bay by monitoring, clearing derelict boats
Column: New taxes in WA won’t fix budget that keeps running deficits (Richards)
News Tribune
Opinion: This is what Tacoma school budget cuts look like on the ground
Immigration and privacy limits on license plate cameras pass WA Senate (Trudeau)
‘Devastating’: Sole grocery store, gas station closes on Pierce County island
Major ICE, grocery store closure and other bills that survived WA Leg cutoff (Jinkins, Valdez, Trudeau, Obras, Orwall, Conway, Gregerson, Doglio)
State funding for Pierce Co. schools has soared. Why are some still struggling?
ICE might want to expand detention in WA. What would that mean for Tacoma?
Puget Sound Business Journal
WA ranks among fastest-growing states in US
Migration magnets: These states are attracting the most new residents
Seattle Times
Lawmakers target insurance fraud loopholes (Goodman, Lovick)
New WA caseload standards cast doubt on future of public defense (Davis, Salomon, Goodman, Pedersen, Richards)
Opinion: ICE isn’t just breaking the law. It’s trying to rewrite it
Amazon outbids WA utility for one of nation’s largest solar projects
WA GOP holds ‘listening sessions’ on trans athletes, parental rights
Lawmakers may roll back new sales tax for WA schools. But by how much? (Frame, Pollet)
Remote work transformed King County, but not evenly, census data shows
Study ties particle pollution from wildfire smoke to 24,100 US deaths per year
ICE agents can’t make warrantless arrests in Oregon unless there’s a risk of escape, US judge rules
Skagit Valley Herald
Bill would help foster youth with college tuition
Spokesman Review
WSU agriculture economist: Area farmers face grim realities
Penny-pinching: Washington lawmakers consider bill to reduce need of 1-cent coin (Frame)
Amended bill to regulate local anti-camping rules clears Washington House committee (Gregerson, Ormsby, Hill)
A $1 million fleet of robots is Spokane Public School custodians’ latest tool for squeaky clean floors
Lawmakers unveil income tax on millionaires, but Ferguson says new revenue should pay for more tax cuts (Fitzgibbon, Pedersen)
Tri-City Herald
Major ICE, grocery store closure and other bills that survived WA Leg cutoff (Valdez, Hanson, Trudeau, Obras, Orwall, Gregerson, Doglio)
Washington Post
Minnesota teachers sue to keep ICE off school property
Trump’s assault on DEI halts universities’ progress on diverse faculties
Will the IRS be disorganized this tax season? Here are 3 issues to watch.
Supreme Court clears way for California voting map that bolsters Democrats
WA State Standard
The bills that didn’t survive the WA Legislature’s first major deadline (Reeves, Farivar, Lekanoff, Leavitt)
Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima City Council hears details on potential EMS levy
Broadcast
KING 5 TV (NBC)
Senate advances bill regulating ‘Flock’ license plate reader cameras (Trudeau)
Seattle man on trial for alleged hate crime attack on transgender woman in U-District
KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Young child dies from flu in Kitsap County
WSU programs face $11M in cuts under state operating budget proposal
Supreme Court allows new California congressional districts that favor Democrats
ICE agents can’t make warrantless arrests in Oregon unless there’s a risk of escape, US judge rules
KUOW Public Radio
Proposed block on WA police hiring ICE agents fizzles out in Legislature (Simmons, Fosse)
Justice Department ‘workaround’ keeps former immigration judge as Seattle’s top prosecutor
KXLY (ABC)
Spokane church plans affordable housing development during fire rebuilding
Federal prosecutors reach multi-million dollar settlement with Multicare over former neurosurgeon
NW Public Radio
Goldendale Energy Storage Project receives ‘milestone’ license, tribes continue to raise concerns
Web
Cascadia Daily News
Sedro-Woolley Mayor resigns, effective April 3
Opinion: Parents, don’t assume your kids don’t know what’s going on
Cascade PBS
WATCH: Whistles become grassroots ICE alert system
MyNorthwest
Should motorcycles be allowed to ride on the shoulder? WA lawmakers weigh in
The Urbanist
2 Line Countdown Milestone Points to Light Rail Battles Ahead
Washington Observer
Tax fairness vs. revenue sufficiency (Pedersen)
Power flex by the trial lawyers (Dhingra)
West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC, WEATHER, TRANSIT: Thursday begins with weather alert
FERRY ALERT: More temporary changes ahead for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route