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Wednesday, May 10

Trans minors protected from parents under Washington law
Minors seeking gender-affirming care in Washington will be protected from the intervention of estranged parents under a measure Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law Tuesday. The new law is part of a wave of legislation this year in Democratic-led states intended to give refuge amid a conservative movement in which lawmakers in other states have attacked transgender rights and limited or banned gender-affirming care for minors. Licensed shelters and host homes in Washington had generally been required to notify parents within 72 hours when a minor came into their care. Under the new law, facilities can instead contact the state Department of Children, Youth and Families, which could then attempt to reunify the family if feasible. Continue reading at Associated Press. (Ed Komenda)

Breaking down the biggest chunk of state housing dollars
Central to the package of housing legislation that state lawmakers passed in Olympia this year is a record investment in the Housing Trust Fund, the largest individual pot of state money that is available to help get more people into affordable homes. Lawmakers raised the amount of money going to the trust fund to $400 million, a roughly 40% increase over the last budget cycle and more than double the amount that they provided for the account in some recent years. It’s an investment that advocates say is long overdue but still not enough, given the growing need for housing for people at the lowest income levels. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Dan Reynolds)

Gov. Inslee signs bill to help survivors of sex trafficking in WA
Gov. Jay Inslee recently signed a bill intended to help survivors of sex trafficking access housing, health services and more in Washington. Substitute Senate Bill 5114 was written by and for survivors of adult sex trafficking, according to the WASE coalition of 34 agencies working to prevent commercial sexual exploitation of vulnerable people. The coalition hopes the money will be spent on culturally responsive programs and services tailored toward those disproportionately affected by human trafficking, including communities of color. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Claire Wilson, D-Auburn, and Rep. Tina Orwall, D-Des Moines, will fund services like legal advocacy, safety planning, substance-use disorder treatment, housing, health services and education. Continue reading at Crosscut.

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Associated Press
Trans minors protected from parents under Washington law (Liias)

Axios
Seattle’s Chinatown among most endangered historic places
Meet Washington’s new state dinosaur, the Suciasaurus rex

Bellingham Herald
Whatcom County home sale prices drop, but WA remains third most-expensive state

Capital Press
Washington to adopt California ban on diesel trucks

Columbian
Washougal chief steps in at Vancouver Police Department
Editorial: Dems already have head start on new drug law

Everett Herald
Trade fair gives Snohomish County kids glimpse of college alternatives
Lynnwood council member Binda admits to violating ethics rules

Olympian
WA Gov. Inslee signs bill limiting wind turbine lights. But he vetoes local control

Seattle Medium
Gov. Inslee Signs Bill To Remedy Discrimination In Housing (Taylor)
New Law Aims To Prevent Childhood Drownings (Berg)

Seattle Times
Seattle neighborhood placed on unfortunate historic places list
Why conservation groups are trying to restore native prairies in WA
To aid the killer whales, the real apex predator gets some pushback
Seattle makes obstructing firefighters illegal

Sequim Gazette
Local lawmakers optimistic about special legislative session (Chapman, Tharinger, Van De Wege)

Spokesman Review
Opinion: With the public health emergency ending, what will change? Here’s what you need to know

Tri-City Herald
Big E. Washington employer lays off hundreds of workers. Paper mill is being idled

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla students win top award at Youth Legislature event in Olympia

Washington Post
Inflation eased again in April, but prices are still rising fast

Washington State Standard
A climate cash spending spree is about to get underway in Washington state (Fey)
New law blocks Washington employers from testing for pot when hiring
Breaking down the biggest chunk of state housing dollars
‘This is what the capital budget should be about’ (Lovick, Tharinger)
As overtime looms in Olympia, deal on drug possession law proves elusive (Dhingra)
Law would redirect surging public requests for election records

Yakima Herald-Republic
New list of Native boarding schools with Catholic affiliation includes Yakima school
Opinion: County’s homeless idea should stop before it starts

Broadcast

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Gov. Inslee signs bill furthering protections for survivors and victims (Nobles)
Inslee signs bill making sure first responders get treatment for job-related PTSD, other ailments
Gov. Inslee signs bill protecting homeowners from decades-long real estate listing agreements (Mullet)

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Suciasaurus rex named Washington state’s official dinosaur (Morgan)
Inslee signs bill to create support programs for survivors of adult sex trafficking (Orwall, Wilson)

KNKX Public Radio
Inflation stayed high last month, compounding the challenges facing the U.S. economy

KXLY (ABC)
Community workshop invites public to weigh in on NSC to I-90 connection
Local leaders, community members discuss mental health resources, housing at homeless symposium

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Whatcom County population rises after pandemic decline

Crosscut
Gov. Inslee signs bill to help survivors of sex trafficking in WA (Orwall, Wilson)

MyNorthwest
Chinatown-International District “Most Endangered” listing energizes preservationists

Tuesday, May 9

Housing was a priority during 2023 session. Here are bills Gov. Inslee signed into law Monday
Gov. Jay Inslee visited King County Monday afternoon to sign into law a large package of housing-related bills passed during the 2023 legislative session. “This session our legislature needed to go big so people could go home,” Inslee said. “And our Legislature — I’m happy to say — has gone big this year so people can go home.” The governor added that homelessness is a housing crisis while also noting that the behavioral health system needs to be improved as well. “But fundamentally we don’t have enough roofs for people to be under in the state of Washington,” the governor said. Lawmakers allocated over $1 billion dollars for the 2023-25 biennium for housing to help construction keep pace with the more than one million homes that are estimated to be needed in the state over the next 20 years. Continue reading at Bellingham Herald. (Olympian)

State seeks to repair harm caused by racially restrictive real estate covenants
Washington state is setting aside money to help people who were hurt by racially restrictive real estate covenants — documents that were used to enforce segregation in the early- to mid-20th century. Gov. Jay Inslee signed a measure into law Monday that will create a down payment assistance program for people affected by the racist covenants, which were often used to ban property from being sold or rented to someone who wasn’t white. Descendants of those discriminated against would also qualify under the law. These documents frequently barred Black, Indigenous, Asian and other people of color from entire neighborhoods, excluding them from homeownership opportunities and limiting their ability to build generational wealth. Continue reading at Axios. (Annelise Capossela)

Suciasaurus Rex Named Washington State’s Official Dinosaur
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has signed a bill designating the Suciasaurus rex as the official dinosaur of the state. Inslee signed into law House Bill 1020 on Thursday. The new law honors a therapod fossil discovered in 2012 at Sucia Island State Park in Washington’s San Juan Islands. The fossil belonged to a therapod, a two-legged meat eater like the Velociraptor and the Tyrannosaurus rex, according to the Burke Museum. Rep. Melanie Morgan, D-Parkland, sponsored the bill starting in 2019 at the suggestion of a group of fourth graders in her district. “Designating the Suciasaurus rex the state dinosaur has always been about civic engagement for our youth and their government,” Morgan said in a statement after the bill passed the House. “Passing their Dino-mite bill shows that we value their opinions and their contributions to our communities.” Continue reading at The Skanner. (Wikipedia)

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Associated Press
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signs law allowing duplexes, fourplexes (Bateman)

Aberdeen Daily World
‘No More Stolen Sisters’

Axios
State seeks to repair harm caused by racially restrictive real estate covenants (Taylor)
New Washington law allows more police vehicle chases

Bellingham Herald
More workers at Whatcom’s 3rd largest employer are seeking to form a union
Housing was a priority during 2023 session. Here are bills Gov. Inslee signed into law Monday (Bateman, Taylor, Thai, Gregerson, Kuderer, Shewmake, Mullet, Trudeau)

Columbian
Editorial: In Our View: State lawmakers take step to improve child care (Senn)
Camas joins lawsuit against ‘forever chemicals’ manufacturers

Everett Herald
Sound Transit: Prioritize Lynnwood over East Link
Comment: State should make itself a haven for abortion care
Comment: Bill of Rights’ guarantees come with limits and duties
Editorial: Lawmakers can reach accord on drug possession law (Robinson)
Editorial: Pride event should work with Arlington on safety

Olympian
In 2020, the Puyallup River was polluted. Now a hydroelectric dam operator must pay $1M
El Niño likely in 2023. Here’s how it differs from La Niña, what it means for the PNW

Seattle Times
Fred Meyer, QFC illegally barred BLM pins at work, judge rules
Gov. Inslee signs bills to increase housing in WA (Kuderer)
Judge approves $1 million settlement over Puyallup River rubber spill

Skagit Valley Herald
Drug task force fearing for funding

The Skanner
Suciasaurus Rex Named Washington State’s Official Dinosaur (Morgan)

Spokesman Review
Spokane City Council outlaws public drug use, possession
Washington passes climate goals for crypto and data centers
After Idaho’s strict abortion ban, OB-GYNs stage a quick exodus
Ponderosa pines and other trees of Eastern Washington soon will be featured on Capitol grounds in Olympia

Tri-City Herald
5 roundabouts in 3 miles. West Richland’s new $31M ‘ game changer’ for traffic access

Vancouver Business Journal
PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center and PeaceHealth St. John Both Awarded ‘A’ Grade

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla looks to expand tax exemption program used by Lodge developers

Washington Post
Most U.S. adults say the abortion pill mifepristone should stay on the market, Post-ABC poll finds

Yakima Herald-Republic
State proposes permanent rules for temporary worker housing
Higher interest rates, lack of affordable homes slow Yakima Valley real estate sales
Farmworkers continue to speak out about conditions at Sunnyside mushroom plant

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Gov. Inslee signs bills aimed at housing costs, shortage (Taylor, Chopp)
Largest penalty in Washington environmental criminal case ordered after turf pollutes river
Washington Attorney General warns of recent small business scam
Washington State Patrol helping law enforcement make traffic stops from the air
Landslide blocking tracks causes Amtrak to cancel trains between Seattle and Portland

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Inslee signs law allowing duplexes, fourplexes in Washington (Bateman)

KUOW Public Radio
Washington needs YOU to fight the green crab invasion!: Today So Far

KXLY (ABC)
More multi-family housing raises fears for homeowners, hopes for buyers

Web

Cascadia Daily News
2021 flood victims face rising housing costs, homelessness

MyNorthwest
Seattle City Council works to create protections for firefighters
West Seattle Bridge ramp reopens as crews repair hole early
Gov. Inslee signs 10 housing bills into law in WA’s ‘year of housing’
Seattle Public Library announces plan for young adults nationwide to access banned books

West Seattle Blog
FOLLOWUP: City gives approval to zoning exceptions for Alki Elementary rebuild

Monday, May 8

Safety concerns linger six months after teen killed at Ingraham High
Six months after Seattle Superintendent Brent Jones promised to review and update safety measures after a shooting at Ingraham High School left one student dead, students and parents say they’re frustrated by the district’s lack of communication and failure to provide timely updates. On Nov. 8, 17-year-old Ebenezer Haile was shot by another student in a school hallway. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Erika Schultz)

What’s so special about WA’s upcoming special session?
The 2023 regular legislative session may be over, but lawmakers will be heading back to Olympia soon for a special session. Gov. Jay Inslee is calling them back to work on May 16, so they can come up with a new statewide drug possession law. The law as it stands right now is a stopgap measure that will expire July 1. Continue reading at KUOW. (Wikimedia)

‘Glass half empty or half full’ Hospital staffing bill passes amidst compromise
A top official in the Washington State Nurses Association called the hospital staffing bill signed by Gov. Jay Inslee a “major step forward” to improving staffing conditions at hospitals across the state. The bill was signed by Inslee April 20. It strengthens nurse staffing committees at individual hospitals and provides protections for staff taking meal and rest breaks. Continue reading at The Wenatchee World.

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Associated Press
Suciasaurus rex named Washington state’s official dinosaur (Morgan)

Bellingham Herald
More than 100 bills were signed into WA law in the last week. Here are some key ones (Lovick, Orwall, Mullet, Walen, Saldaña, Morgan, Nobles, Leavitt, Wilson, Doglio, Billig, Hackney, Duerr, Slatter, Nguyen, Fitzgibbon)
Outdoor classroom and education center join network of trails in beloved Bellingham forest
Bellingham Whatcom officials trying a new strategy to battle the fentanyl crisis
WA leaders meet to address missing, murdered Indigenous. Cases high in Pierce, King County
COVID-19 still around, but some WA programs tied to pandemic relief coming to an end

Columbian
Perez seeks $44M for 15 projects around the region
Money key in aiding homeless students in Clark County

Everett Herald
Former member of WSP from Marysville gets 10 years for attempted child rape
Unseen worry: Firefighting ‘forever chemicals’ linger near Paine Field

Olympian
Hurricane Ridge lodge in Olympic National Park completely destroyed by fire Sunday
Former racial equity manager speaks out, alleging Thurston County unfairly fired her

Puget Sound Business Journal
Here’s where Seattle ranks among the world’s wealthiest cities

Seattle Medium
Washington New Hazing Law Has Teeth
Washington Cities Looking At Sunset Of Decriminalization Law
County Levy To Fund Mental Health Passes

Seattle Times
Where did high levels of PFAS in San Juan Island water come from?
Seattle gets 31 new EV chargers, none in south Rainier Valley
WA campaign aims to address rising overdose rates among young people
Safety concerns linger six months after teen killed at Ingraham High

Tri-City Herald
$22M Pasco bridge is already $2 million over budget. Why is it costing so much?

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Red dress display aims to raise MMIP awareness in Walla Walla

Washington Post
How a change in law could provide crucial seconds to survive a mass shooting

Wenatchee World
‘Glass half empty or half full’ | Hospital staffing bill passes amidst compromise

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Mom of Cal Anderson Park shooting victims speaks out, seeking justice
Report: Seattle housing market prices starting to come down
Seattle Public Library launches program to allow teens to access banned books

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Law protecting Seattle trees under consideration

KNKX Public Radio
A cool spring, then record warmth sends NW farmers scrambling

KUOW Public Radio
Seattle’s first affordable housing high-rise tower in 50 years welcomes its first residents
What’s so special about WA’s upcoming special session?
As Seattle loses tree canopy, a city council bill may let developers cut down more

NW Public Radio
Inslee announces special legislative session to pass new drug possession law

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Nooksack restoration project in Acme funded by state Legislature
Bellingham stores beef up security in response to rising crime

MyNorthwest
Light Rail returns to normal service Monday as crews finish repairing hole
WA AG, DSHS fined $200K for withholding evidence
Pierce County homeless village gets pushback from nonprofit

Friday, May 5

WA’s first-of-its-kind officer training center opens in Pasco. Inslee signs police pursuit law
Name placards are all laid out for Monday’s start of the first class of Washington state’s first regional police training center in Pasco. Among those who will fill those seats next week are a single mother and the only English-speaking member of an immigrant family. They are among many police officer candidates who in the past couldn’t have considered a law enforcement career because they would need to be away from their families for five months during the rigorous training in Western Washington. “It was law enforcement in the state of Washington’s vision of how we could better recruit officers, potentially better train them at the local level,” Pasco Police Chief Ken Roske told a crowd gathered Wednesday outside the new training site. The training center is one of four that are expected to open across the state, and the only one in Eastern Washington. Others are planned for Vancouver, Everett and Bellingham. Continue reading at Tri-City Herald. (Bob Brawdy)

Opinion: Amid the celebrations, a somber MMIP remembrance
One of the most exasperating aspects of the ongoing tragedy of the missing and murdered is that many of the root causes are preventable. As experts at an April 28 community forum in Yakima explained, a lack of basic services like reliable internet and cellphone signals often leave residents of rural reservations with no means of communicating plans or calling for help. And without transportation, they can be left stranded. Efforts are underway in our region to address the underlying factors that put so many rural residents at risk. The Washington State Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People Task Force has been exploring why the rate of disappearances and murders is so high among Indigenous people. The group plans to report its findings to Gov. Jay Inslee next month. Continue reading at Yakima Herald. (Emree Weaver)

WA lawmakers increase special education funding, but gap still remains
As state lawmakers went dark for budget negotiations last month, there was hope they’d emerge with a solution to fully fund special education. But the new state budget signals they’re still not done talking about it. Programs for disabled kids in Washington schools got a $365 million boost over the next two years, bringing the total budget for special education up to $4.1 billion. It’s a significant increase — 9% — in a session where concerns over an economic downturn shaded many decisions, but the extra funds meet only half of the gap outlined by state education officials. Lawmakers also kept in place a major driver of that funding gap — a policy that caps funding to school districts if they enroll more than a certain percentage of disabled children. Among disability rights advocates, one of the most-watched K-12 proposals this session called for removing this cap entirely. Instead, lawmakers increased the percentage from 13.5% to 15%. Advocates warn that this cap opens the state to litigation: The state has a constitutional promise to cover basic education costs for all students. About 95 school districts are above the cap, including the Olympia and Spokane school districts. Continue reading at Seattle Times.

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Associated Press
Washington AG’s office, DSHS fined for evidence withholding

Capital Press
Outlook improves for Yakima basin irrigators
Washington Supreme Court clarifies animal-cruelty law

Everett Herald
After state law stalls, Everett bans public drug use (Fosse)
Arlington Pride event delayed after mayor questions ‘drag story time’

The Inlander
A tech executive from San Diego wanders the streets of Spokane with one mission — find his son

News Tribune
‘Check on him.’ How did a Pierce County welfare call end in a deadly police shooting?
Controversial Pierce County homeless village is being challenged. Here’s what we know

Peninsula Daily News
First first time in 10 years, tribe to have limited fishery on Elwha
Port Townsend approves supplemental budget

Puget Sound Business Journal
Top counties for growth in Washington
Four changes businesses are making in 2023 — including a shift on pay

Seattle Medium
Washington New Hazing Law Has Teeth
County Levy To Fund Mental Health Passes
Washington Cities Looking At Sunset Of Decriminalization Law

Seattle Times
Seattle to expand bans on right turns on red
WA to tackle caregiver shortage with new plan to reduce barriers
Seattle-area banks avoid turmoil so far, but see real estate market chill
WA lawmakers increase special education funding, but gap still remains (Pollet)

Tri-City Herald
WA’s first-of-its-kind officer training center opens in Pasco. Inslee signs police pursuit law (Lovick)

Washington Post
WHO declares covid-19 is no longer a global health emergency

Yakima Herald-Republic
Pain endures for families of missing, murdered Indigenous people
EPA adding resources in Yakima Valley for air quality and water
Yakima County officials working on local drug law in case special session fails to produce one
Opinion: Amid the celebrations, a somber MMIP remembrance

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Ingraham High School parents demand follow-up on security promises
Insurers will pay for hearing aids in Washington, thanks to 8-year-old’s testimony (Orwall)
Family of man shot and killed by Auburn police officer concerned after another delayed hearing
Mother urges victims of domestic violence to reach out, get help after her daughter was murdered

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
FTC wants to ban Facebook, Instagram from profiting off kids’ data
Washington state receives B grade for preterm birth rate
WSDOT short hundreds of millions of dollars to make all necessary fixes to bridges, roads

KNKX Public Radio
Ruling might cancel Alaska commercial king salmon season
In a surprise, the job market grew strongly in April despite high interest rates
Southwest Washington police hope newly funded training center will solve staffing woes

KUOW Public Radio
Sponsor of WA bill on trans youth targeted by right-wing groups (Liias)
Seattle Schools plan would drain rainy day fund to help cover $131M shortfall

Q13 TV (FOX)
‘Gold Rush’ of green aviation tech unfolding in Snohomish County

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Lummi Nation honors missing and murdered Indigenous people

Crosscut
For Native activist Roxanne White, MMIWP advocacy is a lifeline

The Stranger
Progressive Democrats Want to Compromise on a New Drug Law (Frame, Macri, Robinson, Trudeau, Dhingr, Salomon, Conway, Mullet, Van De Wege)

Thursday, May 4

‘Clean energy revolution.’ WA Gov. Jay Inslee signs 7 energy bills into law in Tri-Cities
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee came to the energy hub of the Pacific Northwest — the Tri-Cities — to sign seven clean energy bills passed by the Legislature in the session just ended. The bills Inslee signed are intended to help move the state toward its goal of 100% clean energy by 2045. “The world is looking to Washington state to lead a clean energy revolution and we are delivering,” Inslee said. The bills are intended to help the state prepare the electric grid for increased clean energy transmission, require cities to support greenhouse gas emission reduction, support the transition of workers into clean energy jobs and make environmental review of new clean energy projects more efficient. Continue reading at Tri-City Herald. (Bob Brawdy)

WA passed a ‘Voting Rights Act 2.0’ bill. Here’s what’s in it
Voters across Washington have a new tool that strengthens their voting rights and makes it easier for citizens and community groups to challenge discrimination in local elections. House Bill 1048, sponsored by one of the new Latina members of the Washington Legislature, Rep. Sharlett Mena, D-Tacoma, is another boost for voting rights in Washington, both local and national advocates say. “I hope that lowering the barrier of access will lead to more people using it,” said Rep. Mena. “If there’s one thing I want to make sure I do in my time in the Legislature, is make it easier for folks of color and folks from diverse communities to run for office and not have those [election] systems be an impediment.” Continue reading at Crosscut. (Amanda Snyder)

New police pursuit bill signed by Gov. Inslee
Governor Inslee signed a new police pursuit law into place, rolling back some restrictions from previous laws limiting when police in Washington could engage in a pursuit. It changes the wording of the existing law to allow pursuits if an officer has “reasonable suspicion” rather than “probable cause” of a violent crime. The bill also says that officers could chase a suspect as long as the suspect poses a serious risk of harm to others. “It’s kind of a fine line, and the way I look at it is, at what point are we going to say, you could pursue a stolen car, but do we really want to endanger a person’s life? Put people in danger? Not only the officer but the public in danger over a stolen car?” Sen. John Lovick, a Democrat representing the 44th district, the bills sponsor said. “I’m just not there yet. But I’m not saying maybe next year, we can’t come back and take a closer look at that.” Continue reading at MyNorthwest. (Ryan McFadden)