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Friday, December 2

Senate passes railroad legislation to prevent a strike
The Senate has approved a measure meant to avert a railroad strike in eight days — without the paid sick days rail workers have been asking for. Senators passed the bill to force unions to accept a tentative agreement reached earlier this year between railroad managers and their workers and make an imminent strike illegal — without making any changes — by an 80-15 vote. They rejected a measure to offer paid sick leave, 52-43. Both measures required 60 votes to clear the Senate. Both bills cleared the House on Wednesday. Biden applauded the move and vowed to sign it as soon as Congress sends it to his desk — which could happen as soon as Friday. Continue reading at KNKX. (Kent Nishimura)

Washington State Moving On Electric Cars
More than 11% of new cars sold in Washington state are electric, according to the federal government, which said there are 67,000 EVs registered statewide. Electric cars are sold as more earth-friendly and pushed by the government with tax incentives. California has even banned the sale of new gas-powered cars starting in 2035. Gov. Jay Inslee said Washington will do the same, tweeting “Washington set in law a goal for all new car sales to be zero emission by 2030 and we’re ready to adopt California’s (regulations) by end of this year.” Continue reading at Seattle Medium.

Clean Fuel Standard and Climate Commitment Act set to launch Jan. 1
Two new state climate policies intended to work alongside each other to help the state achieve its goal of net zero emissions by 2050 by transforming how it acquires and uses energy will officially launch Jan. 1. Signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee in 2021, the CFS and the CCA passed both houses of the state Legislature without a single Republican vote. Brown, the technical lead for the CFS, said regulations target transportation fuel because vehicle emissions are Washington’s greatest source of greenhouse gases, contributing about 45 percent of the state’s total. Continue reading at Peninsula Daily News.

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Associated Press
Congress passes bill to avert national railroad strike; Biden to sign it
7 die from flu in Washington state, activity ‘very high’

Aberdeen Daily World
More powerful opioids beginning to appear in Grays Harbor County

Bainbridge Island Review
Forest management only way to reduce wildfires

Capital Press
BP affiliate pulls back from Washington carbon forest plan

Columbian
ESD 112 official urges lawmakers to support early learning in Southwest Washington

Courier-Herald
Buckley launches new emergency alert system

The Daily News
Ribbon cutting for Longview pallet home village announced for Dec. 13

Everett Herald
Port of Everett christens new Norton cargo terminal
Budget dips, but Everett city union workers in line for 7.5% pay bump

Kent Reporter
Kent’s Kauffman receives State Senate committee assignments (Kauffman)

News Tribune
‘Life or death’: Dispatcher, 2 Tacoma officers testify about Sheriff Troyer threat call

New York Times
U.S. Hiring Continues at Robust Pace, Complicating Fed’s Path
Hate Speech’s Rise on Twitter Is Unprecedented, Researchers Find

Olympian
Parents opposed to Reed appointment petition entire Olympia School Board to resign
Gov. Inslee appoints replacement for Thurston County Superior Court Judge James Dixon

Peninsula Daily News
Clean Fuel Standard and Climate Commitment Act set to launch Jan. 1 (Van De Wege, Chapman, Tharinger)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle increases public safety spending in city budget passage
Starbucks ordered to begin bargaining with Seattle flagship store

Seattle Medium
Washington State Moving On Electric Cars
Sen. T’wina Nobles Named Senate Majority Caucus Whip (Nobles)

Seattle Times
Seattle school enrollment levels off, but district still faces budget woes
Lawsuit: Seattle U pushed a nursing master’s degree it couldn’t offer
What’s on Seattle students’ minds as they talk family, mental health and the holidays

Skagit Valley Herald
Business startup organization comes to Skagit County
Anacortes to ask voters for more police officers, firefighters

Spokesman Review
In the cold and snow, politics falls away amid the effort to stay warm and dry
Spokane Public Schools plans to ask legislature for more funding for special education, transportation and more
Congress passes bipartisan bill to avert freight rail strike, rejects measure to give workers more paid sick leave

Washington Post
U.S. added 263,000 jobs in November, a strong showing amid tech slowdown
Supreme Court to review legality of Biden’s student loan forgiveness program

Yakima Herald-Republic
Sunnyside OKs agreement to build $12M biomethane plant at port
Hospitals, medical staff strain as RSV and influenza overwhelm Yakima County
Here’s how the city handles snow and ice removal in Yakima

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
New terminal adds to evolution of Everett waterfront
Prosecutor: Flood of mentally ill inmates stuck in local jails is a ‘public safety crisis’
Only 73 Southern Resident orcas remain. Here’s how state officials want to protect them

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
State legislature looks to revise Washington’s drug possession law (Dhingra)
How will the Seattle city budget address ‘crisis’ level police staffing?

KNKX Public Radio
Senate passes railroad legislation to prevent a strike
Washington tribe tests its rights to commercial net pen fish farming
3 tribes dealing with the toll of climate change get $75 million to relocate

KUOW Public Radio
Rail strike averted, but workers left without sick leave
Suicide prevention awareness sticker now on sale for WA license plates

KXLY (ABC)
Gov. Inslee plans to ban gas-powered cars by 2035. Is it doable? (Fey)
More than $3 million in funding available to help WA counties strengthen election security

Web

MyNorthwest
Senate Democrats, Republicans optimistic on climate change work
Pierce County Transit gives free rides to warming centers

The Stranger
Why You Should Care About Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan

Thursday, December 1

To address wealth gap, WA to consider $4,000 ‘baby bonds’
A new proposal coming to the Washington Legislature for consideration next year aims to break the cycle of poverty that’s trapped families like Bereskin’s and lift future generations of low-income residents toward a path of financial independence. The Washington Future Fund would create a pool of money that every child born under the state’s Medicaid program, Apple Health, could access a portion of upon adulthood to use toward homeownership, education or pursuing a small business. Lawmakers introduced the plan during the last legislative session but paused the idea, opting instead to create a state committee charged with outlining exact details and recommendations for how Washington could create a trust fund program for the roughly 40,000 children born each year under Apple Health. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Amanda Snyder)

Capital gains tax gets the go ahead as state Supreme Court considers case
The Department of Revenue (DOR) will be able to collect Washington state’s new capital gains tax ahead of the Washington state Supreme Court’s final ruling on the constitutionality of the income tax. Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson recently requested that the DOR be allowed to collect the tax ahead of the official ruling. Ferguson said that “our state’s elected leaders adopted a capital gains excise tax to fund education, the State’s paramount duty, and to help rebalance our tax code, the nation’s most regressive,” in his motion filed with the court.The law creating the capital gains tax, SB 5096, was signed last year by Gov. Jay Inslee and went into effect in January 2022, before it was stopped. The legislation created a 7% excise tax on the sale or exchange of capital assets above $250,000. It was projected to bring in $415 million in 2023, the first year the state would see money from the tax. Continue reading at My Northwest. (Flickr)

Northwest tribal leaders welcome Biden’s new commitments at Tribal Nations Summit
Leaders of Northwest tribes on Wednesday welcomed new commitments from President Joe Biden and members of his administration at the first in-person Tribal Nations Summit held by the White House in six years. In a series of speeches and panel discussions with tribal leaders, Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and several other top administration officials pledged to give tribes more say in federal decision-making, to set uniform standards guiding how agencies consult with tribes and to abide by treaties between tribes and the federal government. In conjunction with the summit, which fell at the end of Native American Heritage Month, the White House announced a 10-year plan to revitalize Native languages, along with a slew of other efforts aimed at improving the lives of Indigenous people living on and off reservations. Continue reading at The Spokesman Review. (Orion Donovan-Smith)

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Associated Press
Twitter ends enforcement of COVID misinformation policy

Aberdeen Daily World
Invasive green crab booming in Willapa Bay
Quinault gets $25 million for Taholah relocation

Bellingham Herald
WA workers compensation premiums set to increase in January
Bellingham shipbuilder awarded a contract for this NOAA research vessel

Capital Press
Editorial: Some farmers, ranchers cut out the middlemen

Everett Herald
Second flu death since 2020 reported in Snohomish County
Lynnwood council delays budget vote amid questions on worker wages

Indian Country Today
Joe Biden pledges new commitments, respect for tribal nations

Kent Reporter
Kent apartment rents up 5.2% compared to November 2021
Sound Transit may suspend Sounder service due to national rail strike

News Tribune
Sheriff Troyer’s criminal case is ‘simple,’ attorneys say. Here’s what they told jurors

New York Times
California Panel Sizes Up Reparations for Black Citizens
Congress Is Trying to Avert a Rail Strike. Here’s How and Why.
Alcohol Deaths Claim Lives of Working-Age Americans

Olympian
Thurston County expands support for homeless because of hazardous cold weather
Storm knocks out power for thousands in Thurston County as possibility of snow looms

Puget Sound Business Journal
Survey: Big tech layoffs enhances talent pool for smaller firms
Community colleges scramble to find students amid enrollment crisis
Opinion: Welcome to the new Golden Age of education

Seattle Medium
Seattle Promise Scholarship App Process Open
Abuse In State Special Education Schools
Seattle Businesses Angry at Holiday Crime
Office Of Law Enforcement Over Oversight Takes Exception To New Sheriff’s Office Policies

Seattle Times
To address wealth gap, WA to consider $4,000 ‘baby bonds’ (Trudeau, Stonier)
WA Supreme Court clears way for state to collect capital-gains tax
Seattle-area weather updates: Freezing temps, lowland snow and more
Criminal trial begins in Sheriff Ed Troyer’s false-reporting case
Opinion: Substance use is a health issue, not a legal one

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County hires director of public health

Spokesman Review
Spokane County commissioners vote against raising property taxes
Crews will plow all residential streets in aftermath of record snow
Northwest tribal leaders welcome Biden’s new commitments at Tribal Nations Summit

Tri-City Herald
Job fair to hire 1,700 workers. Pay is among the highest in Eastern WA
A Tri-Cities ‘Boomtown’? Study ranks this city among the nation’s fastest growing
Pasco unveils new voter district maps after ‘technical anomalies’ were questioned
Richland searching for new council member to replace mayor

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla School Board to discuss student behavior survey in special meeting

Washington Post
Teen brains aged faster than normal from pandemic stress, study says
We looked at 1,200 possibilities for the planet’s future. These are our best hope.
Young kids who breathe polluted air can fall behind in school, study finds

Yakima Herald-Republic
First big snow of winter blankets large swath of Central and Eastern Washington

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Marysville cold weather shelter sees record number of people seeking a place to stay warm
A potential freight strike could cripple Washington’s economy
Road rage shootings on the rise around western Washington, data shows

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Hundreds of flights canceled, delayed at Sea-Tac Airport due to winter weather conditions
NLRB says Starbucks violated labor law, must negotiate with union at Seattle store
Over 10k customers still without power after strong winds hit part of Western Washington

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Seattle council member agrees to talk crime with frustrated business owners
Everett police to host guns for gift cards event

KUOW Public Radio
Rise in syphilis cases prompts new guidance from health officials
Many states fail to adequately budget for wildfire costs, study says
Could grizzly bears officially return to the North Cascades?

KXLY (ABC)
WSDOT: Camp Hope down to 433 people, state looking for housing

Q13 TV (FOX)
Cleanup underway after high winds, heavy snow down trees in the North Sound

Web

Crosscut
Herrings are swimming back to the Salish Sea

MyNorthwest
Bremerton Fast Ferry to operate more sailings beginning Thursday
Capital gains tax gets the go ahead as state Supreme Court considers case
King County jails seeking to be reimbursed for housing inmates waiting for mental health treatment
Rise of pediatric flu causes worst medication shortage in ’15 years’
Seattle City Council likely to increase car tab registration fee

West Seattle Blog
FOLLOWUP: Added during West Seattle Bridge closure, SFD Ladder 13 and Medic 26 will stay here
FOLLOWUP: Water Taxi returns to full schedule

Wednesday, November 30

Cantwell pushes to clear Boeing’s final 737 MAX models, with conditions
In what could be good news for Boeing, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell on Tuesday circulated draft legislation that would clear the way for the final two Boeing 737 MAX models to enter service without changes to the Renton-assembled aircraft. The Washington Democrat’s legislative amendment would remove the deadline in a 2020 law that threatens to force Boeing to substantially change the crew alerting systems on the MAX 7 and MAX 10 models to get them certified to fly passengers. In an interview, Cantwell said her amendment, while letting the MAX 7 and MAX 10 move forward, also includes conditions that would require all airlines to retrofit two significant safety enhancements on the MAX 8 and MAX 9 models currently in service. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

U. S. to Pay Millions to Move Tribes Threatened by Climate Change
The Biden administration will give three Native tribes $75 million to move away from coastal areas or rivers, one of the nation’s largest efforts to date to relocate communities that are facing an urgent threat from climate change. The three communities — two in Alaska, and one in Washington State — will each get $25 million to move their key buildings onto higher ground and away from rising waters, with the expectation that homes will follow. The federal government will give eight more tribes $5 million each to plan for relocation. Continue reading at The New York Times. (Emily Farnsworth)

Study: U.S. gun death rates hit highest levels in decades
The U.S. gun death rate last year hit its highest mark in nearly three decades, and the rate among women has been growing faster than that of men, according to a study published Tuesday. The increase among women — most dramatically, in Black women — is playing a tragic and under-recognized role in a tally that skews overwhelmingly male, the researchers said. “Women can get lost in the discussion because so many of the fatalities are men,” said one the authors, Dr. Eric Fleegler of Harvard Medical School. Among Black women, the rate of firearm-related homicides more than tripled since 2010, and the rate of gun-related suicides more than doubled since 2015, Fleegler and his co-authors wrote in the paper published by JAMA Network Open. The research is one of the most comprehensive analyses of U.S. gun deaths in years, said David Hemenway, director of the Harvard University’s Injury Control Research Center. Continue reading at Associated Press.

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Associated Press
Congress prepares to take up bill preventing rail strike
Senators skeptical grocery merger will mean lower prices
Study: U.S. gun death rates hit highest levels in decades
Patriot Front member pleads guilty to disturbing the peace

Bellingham Herald
‘A widespread snow event’ is coming to WA state. Here’s what you need to know

Bothell-Kenmore Reporter
King County cities form new Regional Crisis Response Agency

Columbian
Editorial:In Our View: Reject hatred, speak out against bigotry

Everett Herald
Shavers wins by narrow margin as Dems flip seat in 10th District
Unvaccinated firefighters put on unpaid leave sue to recoup back pay

Islands’ Weekly
Survey for ferry fuel surcharge

Kent Reporter
Kent opens Severe Weather Shelter; warming centers available

Kitsap Sun
Kitsap Transit adding Bremerton fast ferry sailings to fill in WSF schedule gaps
Lawsuit: WA should stop ‘unlawful’ signature reviews

News Tribune
Are opening statements in Sheriff Troyer’s criminal trial today? Here’s what to expect
Robbery suspects fleeing from Pierce County deputies T-boned at UP intersection
Failure to check a box cost many WA child-care workers a chance at retention money

New York Times
House Moves to Avert a Rail Strike
U. S. to Pay Millions to Move Tribes Threatened by Climate Change
Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passes Senate After Bipartisan Breakthrough
With Federal Aid on the Table, Utilities Shift to Embrace Climate Goals

Olympian
WA Senate GOP proposes energy plan aimed at emissions and reliability. Here are the details (Liias)
Thurston officials have certified the Nov. 8 election results. Here are the final tallies

Puget Sound Business Journal
The Covid-19 pandemic pushed record numbers to open bank accounts

Seattle Times
Snoqualmie Pass closed to eastbound traffic after spinouts, collisions
Seattle City Council approves budget. Here are 3 things to know
Cantwell pushes to clear Boeing’s final 737 MAX models, with conditions
Yakima schools pilot college credit program as WA leaders push to expand access
In a first, King County moves against WA for mental health failures in jails
Editorial: WA voters have spoken: Keep up momentum on gun laws

Skagit Valley Herald
State tells Concrete to chlorinate its water
Concrete reviews draft 2023 budget
Skagit County certifies election results

Spokesman Review
Live Updates: Winter storm hits Inland Northwest
Upcoming vacancies on influential Washington fish and wildlife commission have opposing coalitions jockeying for influence

Washington Post
Covid becomes plague of elderly, reviving debate over ‘acceptable loss’
How a bipartisan group of senators got same-sex marriage protections passed

Yakima Herald-Republic
Upgrades to Washington state’s alert system help track down missing people
Blast of wintry weather forces travel advisory, restrictions

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Over 150 flights canceled, 400-plus delays at Sea-Tac as snow falls in western Washington

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Lakewood community honors fallen officers on 13th anniversary of their deaths
What you need to know about Seattle’s 2023-24 passed biennial budget

KNKX Public Radio
Supreme Court hears Texas challenge to federal immigration priorities

KUOW Public Radio
Washington is shutting down its Covid response website

KXLY (ABC)
‘There is no preparing for it’: Camp Hope braces for Wednesday’s winter storm
City of Spokane preparing crews for winter storm

Q13 TV (FOX)
LIVE UPDATES: Winter storms slams Western Washington, thousands remain without power

Web

The Stranger
New Maps, Same Seattle Politics

Tuesday, November 29

Rep. Simmons: Without regular prison visits, WA lawmakers cannot address issues of incarceration
This month, more than 20 new legislators were elected to serve Washington, joining me and my fellow legislators in the House and Senate. My colleagues and I are responsible for voting on the billion-dollar budgets for the Washington Department of Corrections, as well as the laws that determine who goes to prison and for how long. Yet few of my colleagues have ever even stepped foot inside of a prison. As many know, I am the first formerly incarcerated person elected to the Washington Legislature. I spent 30 months in the state prison system and know how infrequently lawmakers visit these facilities. Though we meet with various stakeholders including correctional professionals, law enforcement and community advocates and activists in the process of crafting legislation, we rarely hear from a very important voice — incarcerated Washingtonians. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Gabriel Campanario)

Cold weather shelters around western Washington open ahead of winter storm
With freezing temperatures and potential snow headed to Washington this week, multiple local agencies are offering cold weather shelters to the public. Cold weather shelters typically open when overnight temperatures are expected to be below 34 degrees F. Below are a list of places in Snohomish, King and Pierce Counties where you can go if you or someone you know are looking to escape the chill. Continue reading at KOMO News. (KATU)

What’s next for Washington’s drug possession law?
In February 2021, the Washington Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional the long-standing state law that had made illegal drug possession a felony. The Blake decision, handed down as that year’s legislative session was underway, threw a vast array of drug convictions into question, and left lawmakers scrambling to agree on how Washington should treat possession of drugs, including cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine, moving forward. Senator Dhingra, who chairs the Senate Law and Justice Committee, said that while lawmakers may disagree on where on the criminal penalty scale drug possession should fall, they will likely designate it as either a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor. But offering treatment “has to be the primary focus.” Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ted S. Warren)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Westport links proposal undergoing review
State drops spring bear hunt

Bellingham Herald
Some Whatcom roads might not get plowed right away this winter. Here’s why
Cherry Point tax decision could be worth millions to Whatcom County
Whatcom child care tax takes the lead in latest ballot count

Capital Press
Easterday judge dismisses U.S. complaint against law firm

Columbian
Editorial: In Our View: Protect, grow Washington’s urban canopy
Editorial: In Our View: Declining college enrollments a troubling omen

Everett Herald
Medicare open enrollment ends Dec. 7
Driver shortage prompts Community Transit’s trip cut proposal
Comment: Every empty chair speaks to need for gun control
Comment: Count on abortion returning to the ballot in 2024

Journal of the San Juan Islands
San Juan County Council briefed on ferry updates (Lekanoff)

News Tribune
Opening statements in Pierce Sheriff Troyer’s trial pushed again. Here’s what’s next

Olympian
3 fire stations in West Thurston County are set to close after voters reject levies
Thurston sets public hearing on new district map as measure to expand commission passes
$16 million was spent by outside groups on the WA midterm. These 5 groups spent the most
Thurston County, state DES join Olympia’s effort to combat flooding from sea level rise
Thurston commission OKs rules allowing homeless camps to be permitted with flexibility
Olympia school district to launch new early childhood education program in 2023

Puget Sound Business Journal
‘Seattle is back,’ mayor declares at downtown tree-lighting ceremony
Why solutions to Seattle’s affordable housing shortage remain elusive
Seattle-area Ridwell workers vote to join union

Seattle Times
Seattle advocates reflect on life of Zoey Martinez, seek protection for trans community
What’s next for Washington’s drug possession law? (Dhingra, Davis)
WA attorney general seeks $1.5M to combat organized retail crime
Op-Ed: Without regular prison visits, WA lawmakers cannot address issues of incarceration (Simmons)

Skagit Valley Herald
Nearly all Skagit County ballots have been counted

Spokesman Review
Spokane Public Schools plans to ask voters to fund next round of new buildings
Spokane expected to get 8-12 inches of snow, mostly on Wednesday
Spokane property taxes to increase in 2023 after City Council overrides mayor’s veto

Tri-City Herald
Update | Snow, slick roads close I-84 both directions in east Oregon. Winter storm warning
Safety, new high schools and more at stake on Tri-Cities ballots. What districts are asking for

Wenatchee World
Douglas County PUD enters contract with Colville Tribes for summer Chinook rearing, transferring
Chelan County PUD closes Sage Hills Trails System until April for mule deer and other wildlife

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima County, Yakama Reservation lift burn bans as air quality improves
Yakima County’s jobless rate ties for lowest ever in October
Hearing postponed for Yakima County solar projects

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Man charged with hate crime for yelling ‘China virus’ before headbutt

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Sea-Tac Airport security lines stretch into parking garage two mornings in a row
Cold weather shelters open across western Washington as wintry weather moves in
Washington to decommission COVID response site this week
UW releases report detailing potential effects of “Big One” on Western Washington bridges

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Cold weather shelters around western Washington open ahead of winter storm
Seattle City Council proposes $10 increase to vehicle license fees
Average Seattle gas price is 43 cents lower than last month

KUOW Public Radio
First snow of the season arrives in seattle
Seattle-area snow plow routes activated as first snow falls
Invasive crab population keeps booming in Washington
A new crisis line for Native people in Washington state

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane City Council considering cap on food delivery app fees
Spokane City Council overrides mayor’s veto of property tax ordinance

Q13 TV (FOX)
Staffing shortages to bring changes for Mt. Rainier National Park visitors this winter
WDFW: Nearly 250,000 invasive European green crabs removed from Washington waters

Web

Crosscut
Bear with us: Grizzlies may be coming back to the North Cascades

MyNorthwest
100 Flights cancelled out of Sea-Tac as region braces for snow
Several schools delayed, closed as winter storms approach
Seattle students declare ‘victory’ in fight to fund mental health counselors

West Seattle Blog
CORONAVIRUS: Another West Seattle COVID-testing site shuts down

Monday, November 28

Crime, climate, abortion on docket in legislative session warm-up
State lawmakers return to the Capitol this week for hearings on a wide range of issues they expect to debate in the 2023 session. And for the first time in three years, nearly all of them will be conducted in-person with an option for the public to participate remotely. The annual assemblage is known as Committee Days. As the name implies, each House and Senate committee, plus panels with members from both chambers, gather to learn what has occurred since the last session and what lies in the next that begins Jan. 9. “It’s like our professional development days.” said Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self, D-Mukilteo. “We need to get the most up-to-date information on those subjects members are interested in and more than likely going to be diving into in the next session or two.” Crime rates, carbon pricing, abortion access and affordable housing are among topics for discussion. So too are staffing challenges for Washington State Ferries and early learning centers. And there will be updates on drought, wildfires and building of behavioral health facilities. In all, 39 hearings are planned from Tuesday through Friday. Continue reading at Everett Herald. (Ted S. Warren)

Washington House Democrats elect leadership team for 2023 session
Tacoma Democrat Laurie Jinkins was re-elected for a third time to her position as Speaker of the Washington state House during a caucus reorganization meeting on Monday. House Democrats elected seven leaders during the meeting, including Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon of West Seattle, who will replace Rep. Pat Sullivan as House Majority Leader. Twelve new caucus members also were welcomed to the House Democrats, who managed to hold onto their majority status after the Nov. 8 general election. The Democrats now hold 58 out of the 98 seats. “The people of Washington have again chosen Democrats to lead in our state Legislature, and our caucus is ready to get to work on their behalf,” said Jinkins in a press release. “I want to thank my colleagues for their continued trust and confidence in me. More than ever, our caucus is reflective of the many diverse communities that make up this great state, and that ultimately makes the work we do better.” Continue reading at The Olympian. (Ted S. Warren)

State sees increase in revenue forecast but legislators will likely disagree on how to spend it
Ahead of the next Legislature’s budget writing year, Washington’s tax collections are again higher than expected. Despite concerns that revenues were slowing with a possible recession, the state revenue projections for the budget cycle ending in 2023 has increased by nearly $762 million, according to the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council. The Legislature will come back in 2023 and write a budget for the next two years. This forecast suggests they’ll have about $66.2 billion to work with. The last two-year operating budget, which was written in 2021, spent nearly $59 billion plus federal COVID-19 relief funding. As revenue grew even more for the state, the budget grew, too, giving legislators more than $5 billion to adjust the budget the following session. Now, legislators will again have about $4.5 billion more than last year to spend. Continue reading at The Spokesman Review. (Jesse Tinsley)