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Wednesday, January 25

Bills to protect abortion rights heard at public hearings Tuesday
A package of legislation on reproductive health was heard in committee throughout the day Tuesday. The proposed legislation comes months after the wind back of national abortion protections under the Dobbs decision, which overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling last June. House and Senate Democrats announced plans then to enshrine reproductive protections, and both chambers have worked on versions of their own bills. During the hearings, several pro-reproductive health supporters gathered on the Capitol steps at a rally held by Pro-Choice Washington. Anti-abortion protesters stood away from pro-choice advocates as they held signs depicting dead fetuses. Some legislators also joined the rally in between committees. “Here in Washington we’re preserving reproductive care so our communities and neighbors are protected from attacks on their health and well-being,” said Rep. Darya Farivar, D-Seattle. Continue reading at Bellingham Herald. (Shauna Sowersby)

New WA law would shut the door on puppy-mill suffering
At the most basic level, good public policy aims at helping communities thrive. By definition, that means working toward less suffering, less misery. So it’s not surprising that among more than 1,000 bills proposed during this legislative session, one that has attracted rapid sponsorship from 30 lawmakers targets a little-recognized source of considerable pain. House Bill 1424 focuses on thwarting puppy mills. These breeding farms — essentially factories for manufacturing pets like so many toasters — treat animals like products, trucking them en masse across the country to pet stores, where they frequently arrive with a host of hidden health problems that are then foisted onto unwitting customers. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Jim Bates)

New report gives WA state 3 ‘F’ grades out of 5 categories for tobacco control policies
The results are in for this year’s statewide tobacco prevention effort test. Washington didn’t make the mark. The American Lung Association released its yearly “State of Tobacco Control” report this week for every U.S. state and the federal government. Washington state received three ‘F’ grades out of five total reviews for its lackluster state funding toward tobacco prevention programs, access to cessation resources and its failure to ban flavored tobacco products. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths in Washington state and across the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Around 8,300 Washingtonians die from smoking-related illness each year. In the report, ALA states that about 1 out of every 10 adult residents smoke, and 5% of high school-aged residents smoke. Continue reading at The Olympian. (Mark Lennihan)

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Bellingham Herald
Bill would require government and nonprofit Washington employers to pay interns (Keiser)
Bills to protect abortion rights heard at public hearings Tuesday (Farivar, Keiser, Cleveland, Randall, Trudeau, Berry)

Capital Press
DNR resists running some leases past oversight board (Van de Wege)

Columbian
Abortion bills get legislative hearing; Vancouver Sen. Cleveland sponsors 1 of 2 measures that aim to preserve access (Cleveland)

Everett Herald
Annual homeless count aims to give snapshot of housing crisis
Comment: What research is now proving about firearm laws

News Tribune
High-speed internet is coming to part of rural Pierce County. Here’s the $5 million plan

New York Times
New Lawsuit Challenges State Bans on Abortion Pills

Olympian
’Issues’ with leader caused this WA state lawmaker to leave the Republican caucus
New report gives WA state 3 ‘F’ grades out of 5 categories for tobacco control policies

Peninsula Daily News
Peninsula hospitals oppose staffing legislation (Van De Wege, Tharinger)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Report: Most Seattle-area hotels ‘fully recovered’ from the pandemic

Seattle Times
Seattle will give free transit cards to all public housing residents
Pedestrian struck by Seattle police vehicle dies
Editorial: New WA law would shut the door on puppy-mill suffering (Berg)
Abortion rights supporters rally outside WA Capitol (Jinkins, Randall, Trudeau, Mena, Riccelli, Farivar)

Skagit Valley Herald
Swinomish tribe wins court battle over funding for dental therapists

Spokesman Review
Spokane County withdraws lawsuit over Camp Hope in show of good faith
State lawmakers hear slew of abortion protection bills following 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade

Washington Post
White House unveils new tenant protections amid soaring rental costs

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Amendment ensuring abortion rights in state constitution introduced in Olympia (Jinkins)
Fatal overdoses, staffing contributing to morgue capacity issues
Research shows cougars on the Olympic Peninsula are isolated from other groups in Washington
New King County Prosecuting Attorney lays out policy changes

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Spokane police among first agencies to use VR headsets in officer training

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Tacoma works to formalize position on how to fix state’s drug possession laws

KUOW Public Radio
Washington state lawmakers again consider legalizing ‘shrooms‘ (Salomon)
Again, court refuses to hear case challenging WA’s ban on conversion therapy for minors
WA bill would make school meals free for all students (Nobles)
WA lawmakers push stricter .05 DUI limit amid record road deaths (Liias)

KXLY (ABC)
Public hearings for bills protecting reproductive freedom (Jinkins, Mena)

Q13 TV (FOX)
New tool aims at connecting victims of rape with resources sooner

Web

MyNorthwest
Legislature mulls bill to give unemployment recipients more flexibility (Conway)
New drug law would provide alternate route for those with addictions (Salomon)

Seattle’s Child
Lake Washington students push for law against “pink taxing” (Dhingra)

Tuesday, January 24

WA lawmakers to hear testimony on abortion bills
On Tuesday, days after the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, state lawmakers will hear testimony on several bills intended to protect abortion rights and access in Washington. Abortion is legal in Washington up to the point of viability, or roughly 23 to 24 weeks of pregnancy, and to protect the life or health of the pregnant person. Democratic state legislators are proposing laws that would increase protections for patients and providers in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in June to overturn Roe. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)

Editorial: Fund could break inequitable cycle of poverty
Jennifer Bereskin, a member of the Snohomish Nation and Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska, Alaska, wants state legislators to think ahead when addressing the needs of Washington’s children. Say, seven generations ahead. Senate Bill 5125 would help individuals build wealth and combat the economic hardships that can lock families into a nearly unbreakable cycle of poverty for generations. The legislation, first requested by State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti’s office last year, has returned, this year backed by a report, requested by lawmakers. Continue reading at Everett Herald. (Getty Images)

WA bill promotes dense, walkable communities around transit stops
Many cities across Washington state have invested heavily in transit. But there aren’t a lot of people living around the many stations set to open north and south of Seattle in the next few years. A bill introduced in Olympia aims to change that. City planners want to see dense, vibrant communities around transit. House Bill 1111 would give them some of that power by creating a new tool called Housing Benefit Districts. Cities could opt in if they have a light rail station or a bus rapid transit line. Those cities could then finance hundreds or even thousands of new homes, at least a third of them affordable, in well-planned, walkable neighborhoods with day cares and parks, all near that transit. Continue reading at KUOW. (UW College of Built Environments)

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Associated Press
Washington bill would lower legal blood alcohol level limit (Lovick)
Tax the rich? Liberals renew push for state wealth taxes

Bellingham Herald
Gov. Inslee in Bellingham to see the ‘future of electric transportation in Washington’

Capital Press
Northwest wheat industry expects food aid uses to increase

Everett Herald
Providence disputes details in TikTok about Everett nurse staffing
Editorial: Fund could break inequitable cycle of poverty

Kitsap Sun
Recognition for Black pioneers Nathaniel Sargent, Rodney White moves forward at state level

News Tribune
A historical lunar event is causing ‘King Tides’ in WA. Here’s how and potential impacts
Scientists ‘optimistic’ about improving drought conditions in parched parts of WA

New York Times
‘Tragedy Upon Tragedy’: January Brings Dozens of Mass Shootings So Far

Olympian
Fixing the mental health workforce: WA has an underutilized counseling resource
TSA found a record number of firearms in carry-on bags at SeaTac in 2022. Most were loaded

Peninsula Daily News
Service organizations prepare for annual Point-in-Time count

Port Townsend Leader
Bills push for improving salmon habitat, removing barriers (Ramel, Chapman)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Retirement plan law could be ‘game-changer’ for small businesses
Banking execs predict tough year as mortgage applications dry up

Seattle Times
WA could ban use of cancer-causing chemicals in makeup, hair care (Mena)
WA lawmakers to hear testimony on abortion bills
Bills to create solutions to missing and murdered Indigenous women (Lekanoff, Dhingra)
Editorial: Inslee’s plan to raise WA debt for housing deserves scrutiny

Broadcast

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
State Senate, House to hear multiple abortion protection bills
King County medical examiner’s office is struggling to store bodies amid rise in fentanyl overdoses

KNKX Public Radio
Washington bill would restrict nighttime lights on wind turbines
The FDA considers a major shift in the nation’s COVID vaccine strategy

KUOW Public Radio
Pierce County pushes back on the state’s proposed airport sites (Fey)
WA bill promotes dense, walkable communities around transit stops

KXLY (ABC)
Camp Hope population down 75% from July

Q13 TV (FOX)
Senate hearing into ticketing industry following Ticketmaster meltdown

Web

Crosscut
A proposed WA law requires clergy to report child abuse, neglect (Walen, Frame)
How Washington’s new carbon emission cap will work
FCC broadband service maps disputed at thousands of WA locations

Pluribus News
5 abortion bills on docket in agenda-setting day of hearings in Washington State (Cleveland, Randall)

Monday, January 23

Two weeks down, many more to go: Here’s a look at the bills WA lawmakers considered last week
After a flurry of committee meetings, the second week of the state Legislature is in the books. Last week, lawmakers heard several bills that address issues ranging from police accountability to increasing “missing middle” housing in the state. While the legislative session still has weeks to go before it adjourns, House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, told reporters Wednesday that some bills could make it to the floor this week, although she did not specify which bills they might be. Lawmakers have until Feb. 17 to pass their bills out of committee, so the next few weeks will focus on getting proposed legislation out of committee and onto the debate floor. Here are some of the proposals that were introduced or had public hearings this week: Continue reading at The Olympian. (The Olympian)

Tacoma gave families $500 a month for a year. Could something similar happen across the state?
State lawmakers, led by Democrat Rep. Liz Berry, held their first public hearing on a bill that would provide two years of unrestricted monthly payments for up to 7,500 Washington residents who meet specific criteria. Dubbed the Evergreen Basic Income Pilot Program, the payments would range from about $900 – $2,100 per month depending on where a participating resident lives. “Everyone in Washington should be able to meet their basic needs and care for their loved ones,” said Berry at the hearing. “We know that giving people cash with no strings attached works. With basic incomes, more people are able to afford food and housing, pay off debt, get full-time jobs, save for emergencies, and get the physical and mental health support they need.” Continue reading at KNKX. (Patrick Rodriguez)

WA lawmakers start remake of drug possession laws
Two proposals emerged this week to update how Washington law deals with possession of illicit drugs, a quandary the state has faced since the Washington Supreme Court struck down the state’s drug possession statute as unconstitutional in early 2021. While the two bills that dropped this week differ, both would make drug possession a gross misdemeanor, a step up from its current misdemeanor status, and would involve more formal nudges to get people who are charged with drug possession into treatment. A third approach will likely be introduced to acknowledge the work of the Substance Use and Recovery Services Advisory Committee, made up of lawmakers, service providers and members of the criminal justice system, which recommended decriminalization. Continue reading at Seattle Times.

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Associated Press
Feds send $930 million to curb ‘crisis’ of US West wildfires
State lawmakers propose power grid protections after attacks

Aberdeen Daily World
‘Oakley Carlson Act’ introduced in the Washington Legislature
A paucity of paramedics: county fire departments deal with personnel pinch
DNR expanding landowner programs
Chehalis Basin strategy facilitator steps back

Axios
Washington state might nix-single family zoning (Bateman)

Bellingham Herald
Whatcom residents urged to brace for new round of extra-high ‘king’ tides

Columbian
Behavioral health advocates are here to help Washingtonians
Survey: Homelessness, housing most important to Clark County residents
East Fork Lewis River habitat restoration at risk in Inslee’s budget

Everett Herald
Everett college students press Murray to boost financial aid funding
Everett plans to dole out $533K for human needs programs
New VA clinic in Everett already has 5,300 patients
Boeing workers long-exposed to carcinogen far above legal limits
Editorial: Slow roll on changes to state’s police pursuit law (Dhingra)

The Inlander
Nearly 8 million gallons of untreated water poured into the Spokane River on a single day in December

Kitsap Sun
Washington’s carbon ‘cap-and-invest’ plan is here. How does it work?

News Tribune
Will SR 16 traffic be addressed this year? Here are Gig Harbor’s priorities in Olympia (Randall)

New York Times
Supreme Court Puts Off Considering State Laws Curbing Internet Platforms

Olympian
A ‘willing partner’ emerges in Washington’s search for a new airport site
Two weeks down, many more to go: Here’s a look at the bills WA lawmakers considered last week (Jinkins, Peterson, Rule, Lovick, Riccelli, Salomon, Bateman, Trudeau)

Peninsula Daily News
Housing bond bid weighed (Tharinger)
Infrastructure, housing top priorities in Port Townsend
Legislators file dozens of housing bills

Puget Sound Business Journal
Deadlines loom for the lucrative ERC, but there is some good news
Boeing to be arraigned on fraud charge over 737 Max crashes
Opinion: Washington court will get final say on capital gains tax (Pedersen)

Seattle Times
WA lawmakers take aim at vehicle dwellers and parking enforcement (Kuderer)
New WA labor council president April Sims brings lived experiences
Half of WA college students face food or housing insecurity, survey finds
WA kids deserve 45 minutes of recess time, new bill proposes (Nobles)
WA lawmakers start remake of drug possession laws (Robinson, Salomon)

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit Transit to waive fees for riders on Thursday

Sol De Yakima
Niños de WA merecen 45 minutos de recreo, propone nuevo proyecto de ley (Nobles)

Spokesman Review
Spokane County is about to try a criminal justice reform effort that once seemed doomed
Bill seeks to increase registration and voting accessibility in jails (Simmons)
Getting There: Inslee, Spokane lawmakers remain committed to finding funding for North Spokane Corridor (Billig, Ormsby, Riccelli)
Spokane argues in court filings it can legally clear Camp Hope, leaves door open to challenge Martin v. Boise
Opinion: Legislators again looking at changes to Washington election laws (Hunt, Kuderer)

Tri-City Herald
Once controversial homeless housing complex about to open for 60 in Tri-Cities

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Washington State Patrol honors hospital, 911 personnel for response to shooting of Trooper Dean Atkinson Jr.

Yakima Herald-Republic
It Happened Here: Legislature organizes Yakima County in 1865
What applicants to Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund should look out for

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
In Session: Lawmakers consider wealth tax proposal, increased hazing fine (Dhingra)
745 people died from traffic accidents in Washington in 2022, the highest number since 1990

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
South Park ready for latest King Tide; here’s what to expect around the Sound
AG Ferguson’s office recovers another $9.3M in stolen unemployment money
On 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, many in Seattle continue fight for federal abortion rights

KNKX Public Radio
Tacoma gave families $500 a month for a year. Could something similar happen across the state? (Berry)

KUOW Public Radio
Design review process could be axed to speed up housing production in Washington state (Walen, Peterson)

KXLY (ABC)
Washington Domestic Violence Advocacy programs could face budget cuts

Web

MyNorthwest
State group recommends axing, replacing B&O tax on businesses
Computer malfunction delaying reservations for San Juan ferries

The Stranger
Cops Want to Endanger Innocent Lives by Making Car Chases Easier (Dhingra, Goodman)

Friday, January 20

WA lawmakers trying again to tax wealth, as part of nationwide effort
Democrats in the Washington Legislature introduced a measure Thursday to tax Washingtonians who have more than $250 million. The state would tax 1% of the fair market share of a Washington resident’s wealth like stocks, bonds or other assets, but the first $250 million would be exempt. The move is part of a nationwide campaign, unveiled this week, to tax wealthy residents. Washington is joining state legislatures in California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota and New York in similar efforts. “We are here to put billionaires and ultramillionaires on notice that it is time that they pay what they owe and that state legislators are the ones to make them do it,” said Sen. Noel Frame, D-Seattle, who is sponsoring the bill. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Kylie Cooper)

Middle housing bill begins with more support in WA Legislature than last time
Experts say Washington needs to triple the number of homes being built in order to keep up with the housing shortage, which drives up prices. The Washington State Legislature has around 16 bills in progress that would create more housing. On Tuesday, House Bill 1110 got its first hearing. “As you know, Washington is experiencing a housing shortage, which is culminating in a housing crisis,” said Representative Jessica Bateman (D-Olympia), the bill’s main sponsor, at the hearing. “This supply imbalance is creating increasingly expensive homes, and increasingly expensive rents that’s impacting our constituents in every corner of the state.” The bill would remove bans on denser forms of housing like duplexes and fourplexes in cities across the state. Continue reading at KUOW. (Joshua McNichols)

A new study found WA is one of the worst states to drive in. Just how low do we rank?
WalletHub found Washington to be the second-worst state to drive in, ranking low for the cost of ownership and maintenance of a vehicle, and traffic and infrastructure. The Evergreen State is only beaten out for worse driving conditions by Hawaii. Washington’s neighboring states also fared much better, with Idaho ranked 6th and Oregon 24th.To determine the best and worst states to drive in, WalletHub used four key dimensions to formulate the rankings: Cost of ownership and maintenance, traffic and infrastructure, safety, and access to vehicles and maintenance. Under those four dimensions are 31 relevant metrics, such as average gas prices (cost of ownership and maintenance), average commute time by car (traffic and infrastructure) and traffic fatality rate (safety). Continue reading at News Tribune.

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Aberdeen Daily World
School board votes against allowing state funding of Ocean Shores tsunami tower

Axios
Washington state marks three years of COVID
Wealth tax prospects doubtful — but tax reform isn’t dead (Frame, Fitzgibbon)

Bellingham Herald
State Democrats join multi-state effort to tax the ultra-wealthy (Frame, Thai, Hunt)
Update: Albertsons to pay stockholders $4b dividend. Grocer announces when it will happen

Capital Press
Farm Bureau, others go to court over new WOTUS rule

Columbian
State offering $35M in grants for solar power

The Daily News
Kelso reviews plan to house library, senior center and affordable housing in one building

Everett Herald
Meadowdale Beach updates give fish, hikers more room to roam
Police: Man pointed realistic BB gun at Everett elementary students

The Inlander
A string of attacks on Pacific Northwest power stations reignites concerns about grid security

News Tribune
A new study found WA is one of the worst states to drive in. Just how low do we rank?
Seafood processor fined after Tacoma ship fire leads to oil spill at Port of Tacoma

New York Times
The U.S. Hit Its Debt Limit. What Happens Next?

Olympian
Lewis County police arrest Green Hill incarcerated students in fentanyl bust

Puget Sound Business Journal
Here’s how jet makers are responding to labor, supply chain crises
WA hospital leaders sound alarm about ‘catastrophic’ financial losses

Seattle Times
Asian Americans in Seattle use Lunar New Year traditions as connection to heritage, family
WA lawmakers trying again to tax wealth, as part of nationwide effort (Frame)

Spokesman Review
Bill to ease Washington’s housing crisis would allow up to fourplex on all residential lots (Bateman)

Tri-City Herald
Could Tri-Cities become home to an aerospace industrial center?

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
MLK monument made at Walla Walla Foundry soon to be unveiled in Boston

Yakima Herald-Republic
Hop Hill solar farm proposed just east of Sunnyside in Benton County

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Tacoma community groups call for more action after teen shootings
Boeing ordered to be arraigned on charge in Max crashes

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Washington lawmakers considering new approach to drug possession law

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Washington lawmakers look to strengthen laws against ‘revenge porn’ (Orwall)

KNKX Public Radio
WA grapples with seals, sea lions preying on endangered salmon

KUOW Public Radio
WA Democrats join nationwide rollout of ‘wealth tax’ proposals (Frame, Thai)
WA lawmakers are subject to public disclosure law on paper. But are they in practice?
Middle housing bill begins with more support in WA Legislature than last time (Bateman)

KXLY (ABC)
WSDOT: Camp Hope down to around 138 people

Q13 TV (FOX)
Gov. Inslee endorses bill to lower blood alcohol level in Washington (Lovick)

Web

Land Line
Washington state bill covers restroom access for truck drivers (Stanford)

MyNorthwest
String of WA gun laws heard by House Judiciary Committee

Thursday, January 19

Legislature must address WA nursing crisis
Washington, like other states, is facing a health care problem, one that intensified during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The problem isn’t merely a shortage of nurses. Nor is it simply a staffing issue. It’s a health care delivery problem that’s affecting staff, hospitals and patients. And now, nurses and hospitals are asking the state Legislature to help solve it. Senate Bill 5236 would, among other things, create staff-to-patient ratios for hospitals; a committee comprising hospital administrators and medical staff to develop the ratios and standards for each hospital; and set financial penalties for violating the staffing plan. The bill is pitting medical staff against hospital administrators, but there’s at least one point in which all should agree: When nurses are overworked, it’s the patient that stands to lose. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)

New School Recess Bill Aims To Combat Youth Mental Health Crisis
A bill filed in the Washington State legislature last week and co-sponsored by Senators T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest) and Claire Wilson (D-Auburn) would ensure students receive a minimum of 45 minutes of recess during each school day. There is currently no Washington state law guaranteeing recess for students. “Kids not only deserve play, it is critical for their development,” said Nobles. “Withholding recess, especially as a disciplinary action, does the opposite effect–research shows it makes behavior worse. Research shows students learn better when they get recess and as we tackle learning loss as a result of remote learning, we need to bolster betterment for our students in every way we can.” Continue reading at Seattle Medium. (Legislative Support Services)

In a bid at ‘keeping child care on the agenda,’ Murray talks funding in Olympia
Sen. Patty Murray joined state legislators, moms and kids in the Capitol on Wednesday to talk about federal and state efforts to address the child care crisis, an issue she said continues to be a top priority for her. “Our child care system isn’t just stretched thin,” Murray said. “It is broken.” Murray was joined by state Sen. Claire Wilson, D-Federal Way, and state Rep. Tana Senn, D-Mercer Island. Child care and early learning have been top priorities in the state Legislature in recent years. In 2021, the Legislature passed the Fair Start for Kids Ac. Senn said funding child care remains a priority throughout the Legislature. She said lawmakers are working on numerous pieces of legislation this session to address the child care crisis, some of which will require federal investment. Continue reading at Spokesman Review. (Elena Perry)