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Thursday, March 14

WA removes legal immigration status requirements for professional licenses
Washington residents without permanent legal immigration status will soon be able to get professional licenses for jobs once closed to them. Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday signed House Bill 1889, which allows the use of individual tax identification numbers — often used by immigrants without legal status to file taxes — instead of social security numbers on professional license applications. Some professions, like optometry, private investigators and notaries, require applicants to be United States citizens to qualify for licensure. The bill also removes those requirements. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Getty Images)

Lunar New Year officially recognized as holiday in Washington state
Governor Jay Inslee signed legislation Wednesday to officially recognize Lunar New Year as a holiday in Washington. Under House Bill 2209, Lunar New Year will be a legislatively recognized holiday in Washington. My-Linh Thai (D-Bellevue), who sponsored the legislation, said the bill acknowledges the “vibrant tapestry of cultural contributions woven by the AANHPI communities.” Continue reading at King 5.

Legislature decides WA schools should include LGBTQ+ history
Education across the state is one step closer to becoming more inclusive under a measure approved by the Legislature this year. Senate Bill 5462 would require the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Washington’s education agency, to update learning standards to include the histories, perspectives and contributions of LGBTQ+ people. School boards would also be asked to comply with a model policy, and adopt a curriculum that includes the perspectives and experiences of historically marginalized groups, including diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, racial and ethnic groups, and those with disabilities. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Elaine Thompson)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Helping small business grow on the Harbor
By sea, by rail: port talks automobile cargo traffic
Federal spending bill sends money to police station, dam projects

Bainbridge Island Review
Nance hears a boatful of ferry complaints in BI (Nance)

Columbian
The worst pavement panels on I-5 north of Vancouver will be fixed this summer (Liias)
Vancouver council decides to not expand camping bans because ‘it might make it worse for everyone’

Everett Herald
After years waiting, Darrington may finally get park with river access
Editorial: Forced sale of TikTok ignores network of problems

The Inlander
The crisis in overdoses is heard at City Hall
The Pacific Northwest is finalizing plans for $1 billion in investments in ‘green’ hydrogen to power aviation, shipping, long-haul trucking and more

The Northern Light
42nd legislative district bills are sent to governor’s desk (Timmons, Rule, Shewmake)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle council members push to speed up pace of police hiring

Seattle Times
Highway 520 tolls likely to rise again this summer
WA lawmakers back TikTok ‘ban.’ Seattle TikTokers aren’t happy about it
Editorial: WA must move swiftly to regulate AI (Nguyen)
Opinion: Full disclosure: Proud of WA’s strong open records act

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
New community center at Lions Park to link library, child care services and more

WA State Standard
Inslee seeks ouster of regulatory leader amid tumult at agency
Former Washington House Speaker Frank Chopp will not seek reelection
WA removes legal immigration status requirements for professional licenses

Yakima Herald-Republic
Federal study includes passenger rail service in Yakima, but those trains are far away

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Seattle students push to save school focused on recovery
Lunar New Year officially recognized as holiday in Washington state (Thai)
State Rep. Frank Chopp won’t seek re-election after 30 years in Washington politics
Judge rules against WA law that enhanced oversight of ICE detention center in Tacoma (Ortiz-Self)

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Renton woman claims she was fired for being pregnant
Mother calls for federal legislation to address rise in fake content created by AI
Woman fatally shot near Garfield High School, student hurt in earlier shooting outside school
Evergreen student’s carbon monoxide death investigation says alarms turned off by maintenance

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Seattle leaders to discuss public safety issues at public forum Thursday
Seattle officials cite progress in homelessness but fear fentanyl crisis may reverse trend
Drug trafficker had ‘fortified compound’ at Bellingham homeless encampment, feds say

KUOW Public Radio
Higher salaries? Subsidized housing? What will it take for Seattle to recruit and retain more police?
Washington state doctors who use their own semen to impregnate patients could now face prison time (Orwall)

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane Police Department struggles to curb open drug use in the city

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Bellingham considers density limits, stormwater restrictions in Silver Beach

Crosscut
Legislature decides WA schools should include LGBTQ+ history (Liias)

Wednesday, March 13

Key health takeaways from WA’s 2024 legislative session
Health care affordability, workforce shortages and access to care remained top of mind for lawmakers during this year’s legislative session — and while several politicians and health care leaders say there’s still work to be done, they feel important gains were made in all three categories. Legislators spent the short 60-day session trying to figure out how to best help hospitals and providers out of these financial holes, debating how staffing, reimbursement rates for public health insurance plans and long-term impacts of health care consolidations, among other factors, play a part. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Lindsey Wasson)

Bill that protects peer support counseling for first responders heads to Gov. Inslee
A bill that aims to expand and strengthen peer support counseling services for first responders is on the governor’s desk after passing the Legislature on March 1. The bill’s introduction coincided with a recent Clark County court ruling that showed gaps in confidentiality protections for peer support counseling sessions. Lawmakers and law enforcement officials lauded House Bill 2311 as a needed boost for wellness services for those who frequently encounter the worst aspects of their communities. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Lower Columbia Major Crimes Team)

WA funds genetic testing for backlog of unidentified remains
The Legislature has approved $500,000 to fund genetic genealogy and DNA testing for the backlog of unidentified remains in Washington. Forensic genetic genealogy helps law enforcement solve cold cases by combining DNA testing with genealogical research, using publicly available ancestry data, authorities said. Cost is the main barrier for law enforcement agencies wanting to use DNA and forensic genetic genealogy testing to identify remains. Continue reading at The Yakima Herald-Republic. (Evan Abell)

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Axios
IVF births in Washington outpace U.S. rate
Tourism is booming in Seattle, but downtown recovery lags

Bellingham Herald
Washington State Patrol issues alert for Bellingham woman last seen in January
Homeless, service providers protest impending clearing of Bellingham Walmart encampment
Whatcom County’s unemployment increases for the fourth month in a row, along with WA state
‘An absolute nightmare’: Bellingham family experienced repeated safety, health violations in rentals

Columbian
Bill that protects peer support counseling for first responders heads to Gov. Inslee (Davis)

Everett Herald
Antifreeze, batteries, cooking oil: All are recyclable — for free
Four Corners opens first building in 430-unit complex in Everett
Letter: Columbia Basin pact carries on work of Billy Frank Jr.

Peninsula Daily News
Millions allocated to Peninsula
New ferries to bolster fleet still years away (Liias)
Port Townsend-Coupeville ferry run is among state’s most challenging

Puget Sound Business Journal
Small businesses want more help with federal tax credits, loans
New incentives aim to jumpstart conversions of office buildings
Machinists seek safety concessions as Boeing contract talks begin
Alaska Airlines CEO: ‘Business travel finally starting to come back’

Seattle Medium
Seattle’s New CARE Workers Respond To Hundreds Of Events
Strickland Secures Over $13 Million For South Sound Community Projects
State Legislature Approves $500K To Fund Genetic Genealogy Testing For All Unidentified Remains In Washington

Seattle Times
Key health takeaways from WA’s 2024 legislative session (Cleveland, Riccelli)
As Seattle police applicants lag, City Hall looks to bureaucracy
Illustration: See obstacles migrating salmon face in urban streams
Washington Bar approves much lower caseloads for public defenders
Opinion: In 1995, TVW went live. So did more governmental transparency

Tri-City Herald
Major canal breach north of Tri-Cities puts damper on start to $2.7B growing season
Washington state has one of the biggest gender pay gaps in America. Here’s where it ranks

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Center for Children and Families to expand early learning services

Washington Post
Spring is coming earlier and earlier. See how your city has changed in our map.

WA State Standard
Longtime Washington state senator is leaving, but not right away (Keiser)
State will pay rebates to farmers hit with fuel surcharges under WA climate law (Nguyen)

Wenatchee World
Liquid assets: Malaga’s water district ramps up for Microsoft data center
Wenatchee Valley Islamic Center opens, provides new home for Muslim community
Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority consider consultants for strategic plan development

Yakima Herald-Republic
WA funds genetic testing for backlog of unidentified remains
Authorities investigating death of Yakima County jail inmate
Work on I-90 Vantage Bridge begins, with lanes reduced until November

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Vandals cut cables of newly installed EV charging stations in Sumner
$500,000 in funding set to clear backlog of unidentified remains in Washington
‘Rest easy, Chris’: Washington State Patrol trooper killed on job honored in memorial
King County to meet with City of Burien as camping ban amendment faces legal challenge

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Addressing officer recruitment concerns with the Seattle Police Department
Community honors fallen Washington State Patrol Trooper at public memorial

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Redmond PD receives new $31K drug analyzer system to help address opiate crisis
Boeing promises changes after getting poor grades in audit of manufacturing quality
IRS launches Direct File in Washington state, a pilot program for free online tax filing

KUOW Public Radio
As the Northwest spring arrives, so do anxieties over water for farming, and summer wildfires

KXLY (ABC)
Over a million Washingtonians eligible for free tax filing program
John Stockton’s lawyer claims first amendment violation as basis for COVID-19 lawsuit

NW Public Radio
Study shows short pesticide exposure harms fish
Samish Indian Nation cleans up over a million pounds of marine debris, more to go

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Federal spending bill includes funding for Whatcom, Skagit projects
Farm to food bank: An innovative plan that feeds and funds the Skagit community

Crosscut
How will Seattle’s $230M deficit influence the 2025 city budget?

MyNorthwest
Member of family-run fentanyl ring in Wash. sentenced to 15 years

The Stranger
King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion Wants to Weaken Protections for Strippers

West Seattle Blog
City councilmembers briefed on what SPD is doing to try to hire more officers

Tuesday, March 12

Opioid prevention, new gun laws, and co-living. Here are bills passed the last week of session
More than 1,200 bills were filed in the Washington state Legislature this year, buy only a small percentage of those made it over the final hurdles to pass before the adjournment of the 60-day session. The 2024 Washington state Legislature adjourned last Thursday after passing 384 bills as well as state supplemental operating, capital and transportation budgets for the 2023-25 biennium.
Continue reading at News Tribune. (Tony Overman)

From controversial to life-saving, these WA school bills are headed to Inslee to sign
Washington lawmakers had a laundry list of K-12 public education priorities when they opened for the 2024 legislative session on Jan. 8. The state updated its match formula for new school construction, which is expected to add an additional $103 per square foot for school districts that pass local bond measures. It’s the first significant increase to the allocation in the history of the program. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Lindsey Wasson)

Legislature grants Vashon midday water taxi service, new ferry funding
With new money from the state now secured, King County plans to add four round trips each weekday to its water taxi service between Vashon and downtown Seattle. The water taxi money is included in a supplemental transportation budget the Legislature approved last week for the remainder of the 2023-2025 budget cycle. The legislation, which at press time still was awaiting Gov. Jay Inslee’s signature, also includes $169,000 for WSF to hire another “service planner,” a job category whose duties include route scheduling. Continue reading at Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber. (KC Metro)

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Axios
Boeing 737 Max production plagued by numerous problems, FAA audit finds

Columbian
Camas mill employee killed in workplace accident
From controversial to life-saving, these WA school bills are headed to Inslee to sign (Stonier, Senn, Ortiz-Self)

Everett Herald
Mill Creek rep’s bill to tax expensive real estate sales fails (Berg, Chopp)
Comment: Lack of primary care doctors is sickening, literally
Editorial: Legislature has its own production of ‘The Holdovers’
Letter: Universal health care bill again ignored by state lawmakers
Letter: Lawmakers missed chance with free tuition bill to help many

Kent Reporter
President Biden’s budget includes $500M for Hanson Dam fish passage

News Tribune
How long will drivers pay tolls on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge? The year has changed
Pierce County bridge blocked critical salmon routes for nearly 80 years. The fix is $53M
Convicted killer from Caribbean is person who died at Tacoma immigration center, ICE says
Opioid prevention, new gun laws, and co-living. Here are bills passed the last week of session

Puget Sound Business Journal
Business groups tally wins as WA legislative session ends
Downtown Seattle businesses spend millions on private security
Washington’s second-largest employer nears pre-pandemic benchmark

Seattle Times
Higher tolls could be en route as Highway 520 costs surge (Pedersen, Fey)
WA approves more funds for tenant attorneys as evictions remain high
Editorial: Burien’s anti-camping ordinance is not an answer to homelessness

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County projects to receive $4 million in federal funding

Spokesman Review
NBA legend John Stockton sues Washington AG’s office over COVID bans
More than a million Washingtonians can file taxes for free through new pilot program
Washington’s 2024 legislative session adjourns after lawmakers killed two of the year’s highest-profile bills (Billig, Jinkins)
Opinion: A bold blueprint for salmon restoration in the Columbia River Basin puts region on the right course

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
Legislature grants Vashon midday water taxi service, new ferry funding (Alvarado)

Washington Post
In states with laws targeting LGBTQ issues, school hate crimes quadrupled

WA State Standard
Court blocks state inspections of federal immigration facility in Tacoma
‘Modest at best’: The WA Legislature’s not-so-banner year on housing policy (Jinkins, Billig, Alvarado, Van De Wege, Mullet, Chopp)

Wenatchee World
More than $11M headed to NCW for land conservation, airport and body cameras
Wenatchee School District’s bond refinancing set to give back $6.6 million to taxplayers

Yakima Herald-Republic
Return to Quincy: Ag land becomes fertile territory for data farms

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Memorial service for Washington State Trooper killed on job set for Tuesday
Facing a $26 million budget shortfall, Northshore district plans to cut fifth-grade music program

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Boeing whistleblower John Barnett found dead
Drivers say new $15 toll has them avoiding SR 167
Report: Car thefts down across Western Washington
Report highlights civil liberties concerns with facial recognition technology

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Low salary limits police officer recruitment in Seattle despite bonus offers, report says
King County sheriff seeks legal judgment on Burien’s controversial homeless camping ban

KUOW Public Radio
Bainbridge Island residents show new optimism and resolve to revive Washington’s ferries (Nance)

KXLY (ABC)
Some wildfire survivors frustrated with FEMA assistance
Spokane Councilmember Paul Dillon asks Governor Inslee to declare a state of emergency
John Stockton files lawsuit against Washington Attorney General, medical commission over COVID sanctions

FOX13 TV
The Spotlight: Washington pursuit laws change, criminals in for big surprise

Web

Cascadia Daily News
A day at Point Roberts Primary, one of Washington’s smallest public schools
Samish Indian Nation partnership has removed more than a million pounds of marine debris

Monday, March 11

A few big things Washington legislators passed in 2024
Washington state lawmakers adjourned a 60-day session Thursday after passing new gun control measures, three citizen initiatives and bills to try to curb the use of fentanyl. Lawmakers approved legislation to ban guns at public libraries, zoos, aquariums and transit stations, plus another bill that will make it a civil infraction to fail to report a stolen or lost firearm within 24 hours. Continue reading at Axios. (Brendan Lynch)

WA expanding health care options for undocumented immigrants
By the close of Washington’s legislative session last week, state lawmakers had added more funding to help reduce health care insurance costs for undocumented immigrants, as the state also prepares to expand Apple Health, its free or low-cost health insurance, to the same population in July. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)

Bill to create memorial to honor fallen firefighters passes Legislature
Legislation to erect a memorial to firefighters who die in the line of duty is on the governor’s desk. Sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Port Angeles, the bill passed Feb. 29 in the form of House companion legislation (HB 2091). The legislation provides funding for the memorial to be constructed and maintained on the campus of the state Capitol, with funds from an account created to accept gifts and grants. Continue reading at Peninsula Daily News.

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Associated Press
Judge rejects challenge to WA law that allows suits against gunmakers

Aberdeen Daily World
CCAP expanding affordable modular housing projects

Axios
A few big things Washington legislators passed in 2024
Tips of suspected internet crimes against kids skyrocket
Seattle to spring ahead, after pitch to end time switch fails

Bainbridge Island Review
BI looks to support electrification of ferry terminal

Columbian
Washington Lawmakers, Gov. Inslee aim to help paraeducators
AI pervades everyday life with almost no oversight. States scramble to catch up
Overworked and under-recognized: Clark County schools struggle to hire and retain paraeducators

Everett Herald
Legislature OKs plan with $25M for Snohomish County projects
Congress approves $19M for new military housing in Smokey Point
At Edmonds College, students go from barista to airplane maker in weeks
Comment: TVW turning ‘sunlight’ and civility on state government
Comment: Police agencies need flexibility for diversity, safety (Lovick)
Editorial: What lawmakers accomplished in a quick 60 days

Journal of the San Juan Islands
State Government: No ‘implementation’ funds this year for privately-run water taxi service in San Juans (Ramel)

Peninsula Daily News
Bill to create memorial to honor fallen firefighters passes Legislature (Van De Wege)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Attempt to boost gig worker pay stings Seattle restaurants
Crime slows, but Seattle drops in ranking of safest cities in U.S.
The job market has hit a new normal. Here’s why everyone hates it.

Seattle Times
What happened with WA lawmakers’ climate agenda (Mena, Chapman)
WA expanding health care options for undocumented immigrants (Thai)
6 things to know about the costliest salmon recovery program in WA
WA lawmakers ease burden for parents challenging school special ed (Trudeau)
Financial education bill changed last minute on Senate floor and fails (Wellman)
King County Sheriff’s Office won’t enforce updated Burien camping ban
Removing WA salmon barriers surges to $1M a day, but results are murky
Editorial: Timely state bills strengthen hate crime laws
Editorial: Responsible leaders must step up on migrant crisis (Hasegawa)
Opinion: France and Washington state share the same ambitions
Opinion: All victims of violence deserve our support — not just those killed by police
Opinion: There is no credible Downtown Activation Plan until city workers come back full-time

South Whidbey Record
State budget has $2.5M for island projects (Paul, Shavers)

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla Valley lawmakers reflect on 60-day session in Olympia
State report: Job markets in Walla Walla, Columbia counties improve

Washington Post
Drugmakers blast White House initiative to lower pill costs for seniors
Less money, less house: How market forces are reshaping the American home
How one of the coldest, darkest towns on Earth is trying to get more energy from the sun

WA State Standard
Man dies at Tacoma immigration detention center
Tax on expensive real estate sales in Washington is not happening (Berg, Chopp)
Judge rejects attempt to delay building code update with new heat pump rules
At Seattle’s Boeing Field, a Rare Glimpse of America’s Troubled Deportation Flights

Wenatchee World
Chelan-Douglas Health District confirms 17 whooping cough cases
Legislature OKs funding for more than a dozen projects in Chelan and Douglas counties

Yakima Herald-Republic
Del Monte to close facility in Toppenish, laying off 127 workers
Yakima Council OKs job description for new city manager, looks at community center plans

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Washington state bills that failed to pass 2024 legislative session
‘Strong movement’ on Boeing plane traveling to New Zealand leaves 50 injured

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Power outages affect thousands across western Washington
Boeing says it can’t find work records related to door panel that blew out on Alaska 1282
CDC simplifies federal COVID-19 guidance, only 18% of people in WA up to date on vaccines

KNKX Public Radio
WA legislative session wraps up with budget deals, voter initiatives
Washington lawmakers vote to shore up ferry service on final day of session (Nance, Liias)

KUOW Public Radio
What to know about the political debate around daylight saving time
Week in Review: the legislative session, a plan for growth, and a judge disqualified
Why Washington’s high school financial education bill didn’t survive the ’24 session (Wellman)
‘I didn’t want one, but I needed one.’ An Idaho mother comes to Washington for an abortion

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane Public Schools votes to ban immigration agents from school campuses
Spokane pediatricians address Daylight Saving Time impact on kids’ mental health

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Ninth-grade success programs get continued state funding
New Blaine substance use recovery center provides personalized, long-term care

Crosscut
2024 WA Legislature passes bills on guns, environment, education (Berg, Keiser, Orwall, Stonier, Wellman)

MyNorthwest
Sen. Karen Keiser explains why this is the time to retire (Keiser)

Friday, March 8

Hogtying people soon to be outlawed in Washington; Spokane police already abandoned controversial practice
Hogtying people could soon be banned in Washington with a bill headed for the governor’s desk. This year’s legislation draws from the death of 33-year-old Manuel Ellis, who told Tacoma police he couldn’t breathe after they hogtied him face down on the sidewalk in 2020. The bill unanimously sailed through the Senate in early February before securing an 89-7 vote in the House on Feb. 28. Following amendments in the House, the Senate granted approval on Monday and sent the bill to the governor. Continue reading at The Spokesman Review. (Jesse Tinsley)

Big bills, tense debates, lawmaker departures: Takeaways from Washington state’s 2024 legislative session
Washington’s 60-day legislative session has ended. Spirits were high in Olympia Thursday as lawmakers adjourned “sine die.” Several new policies and millions of new dollars are going toward core issues like schools and behavioral health, including increases in special education funding and support for tribes leading the response to the state’s opioid crisis. Democrats also approved a slate of firearm legislation and a utility and natural gas bill that stirred up controversy in the final days. Continue reading at KUOW. (NW News Network)

WA Legislature revs up plan to electrify 10,000 school buses
Washington is poised to start transitioning its more than 10,000 school buses from diesel to electric, to cut the carbon pollution getting into kids’ lungs and our environment. “It is as much about healthy kids as it is for the environment. … I understand the anxiety about this big change, but we can’t wait any longer. Our children’s future depends on this,” said Rep Tana Senn, D-Mercer Island, who introduced House Bill 1368 to make this commitment to switch from diesel to electric school buses. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Amanda Snyder)