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Thursday, February 29

Sen. Jamie Pedersen and Speaker Laurie Jinkins: Why we are voting to pass WA’s parental-rights initiative
Our state has a strong populist history; our constitution gives Washingtonians the ability to send initiatives to the Legislature or to the ballot. This year, a conservative hedge-fund multimillionaire used that process, spending over $6 million to qualify six initiatives to the Legislature. Once the initiatives were introduced, we asked questions about implementation, constitutionality, impact on the state budget and impact on the state. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Getty Images)

Sen. Marko Liias: Work under way to rebuild reliable ferry system
Like so many others who grew up here, I have vivid childhood memories of our iconic ferries. My family couldn’t afford expensive vacations, so we found joy in exploring destinations close to home. The familiar white and green ferry fleet symbolizes the connections that tie our state together across the Salish Sea. But we also have to be honest with ourselves: Washington’s ferries are in trouble. Continue reading at Everett Herald.

‘Stripper bill of rights’ passes Legislature: Measure addresses dancers’ safety, clears way for alcohol sales
The state Legislature on Tuesday passed a bill dubbed the “stripper bill of rights.” If signed by the governor, not only will the legislation strengthen protections for strippers, it also clears the way for Washington strip clubs to serve alcohol. Washington has been the only state to ban alcohol in strip clubs. To make up for the lack of revenue from alcohol sales, strip clubs have exploited dancers, said Madison Zack-Wu, the campaign manager for Strippers Are Workers, a Washington organization of strippers who advocate for workers’ rights. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Lindsey Wasson)

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Associated Press
FAA gives Boeing 90 days to develop plan to fix quality, safety issues

Aberdeen Daily World
County commissioners hesitate to release homeless shelter funds

Auburn Reporter
Senators sponsor bill to get cash out of the cannabis industry

Axios
Homelessness authority’s uncertain future

Bellingham Herald
Bill to set minimum marriage age to 18 in Washington state heads to governor (Stonier)
High avalanche warning in effect as heavy snow falls in the Mount Baker wilderness
Opinion: The chilling national ramifications of Alabama’s frozen IVF embryo decision

Columbian
‘Stripper bill of rights’ passes Legislature: Measure addresses dancers’ safety, clears way for alcohol sales (Wylie)

The Daily News
Beyond shelter: Longview-based housing authority offers help with work, health
Longview discusses adding denser housing, ways to measure if homelessness programs working

Everett Herald
To ban or embrace ChatGPT? Local teachers fight AI with AI — or don’t
Sen. Marko Liias: Work under way to rebuild reliable ferry system
Editorial: Two works in progress to save Columbia Basin salmon

High Country News
How states make money off tribal lands

News Tribune
It’s not bus rapid transit, but Pierce Transit hopes this new bus line will save you time
Opinion: WA egg prices giving you sticker shock? Blame this counterproductive state law

New York Times
A.I. Frenzy Complicates Efforts to Keep Power-Hungry Data Sites Green
Nursing Home Staffing Shortages and Other Problems Persist, U.S. Report Says

Northwest Asian Weekly
Donnie Chin honored with Medal of Valor

Olympian
WA state lawmaker J.T. Wilcox says he will retire from Legislature after term is over
Should WA police be allowed to engage in more pursuits? An initiative would allow that

Peninsula Daily News
Housing discussed at update (Tharinger, Chapman, Van De Wege)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Starbucks, union agree to begin bargaining talks
FAA: ‘Boeing must commit to real and profound improvements’

Seattle Times
Justice Department looking into Boeing blowout
WA awards more than $8 million in grants to plant urban trees
Tri-Cities student lobbies for more financial literacy in WA schools
Final push in Olympia for unemployment benefits for striking workers (Doglio)
WA lawmakers hear initiatives on parents’ bill of rights, police pursuits (Pedersen, Wellman)
What to know as $15 maximum tolls begin on I-405 and Highway 167 in WA
Effort to repeal Washington’s carbon program puts budget in limbo with billions at stake (Fitzgibbon, Billig)
Speaker Laurie Jinkins and Sen. Jamie Pedersen: Why we are voting to pass WA’s parental-rights initiative
Editorial: Don’t extend unemployment benefits to striking workers (Doglio)

Spokesman Review
Spokane Valley faces slew of challenges in filling newly approved deputy positions
Northwest to get federal prosecutor dedicated to missing and slain Indigenous people
Initiative that would give Washington cops more legal leeway in vehicular pursuits draws public debate
Washington lawmakers consider Initiative 2081, a proposal strengthening parental rights in schools – though some say it wouldn’t change much (Wellman)
Opinion: State must cultivate health care equity for Washington’s immigrants

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
As legislature hones budget, Vashon eyes expanded water taxi service

WA State Standard
WA lawmakers hear debate on parental rights initiative (Tomiko Santos, Wellman)
Heywood testifies and tense exchanges at hearing on police pursuit initiative (Kuderer)

Wenatchee World
Washington farmers could be reimbursed by state for paying gas fuel surcharge
Chelan County PUD customers could see late statements due to ‘cybersecurity event’

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Toll rate increases for I-405, SR 167 go into effect March 1
See if your family qualifies for $500 monthly payments, no strings attached, from the City of Tacoma

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Kent’s plan to hire more officers fails; what’s next for public safety amid wave of crime

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Washington lawmakers pass bill tightening restrictions on gun shops (Walden)
Washington state House overwhelmingly passes ban on hog-tying by police (Mena)
Bill to set minimum marriage age to 18 in Washington state heads to governor

KNKX Public Radio
WA lawmakers prepare to act on voter initiatives targeting police pursuits, parental rights (Wellman)

KUOW Public Radio
Strippers’ bill of rights one step closer to becoming law in Washington state

NW Public Radio
Young, educated and (trying not to be) broke — how some younger borrowers see Biden’s SAVE plan

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Whatcom school boards oppose curriculum bills, argue state is undermining local control (Shewmake, Rule, Timmons)

Crosscut
Seattle may spend $1.8M on controversial gunshot detection program

Wednesday, February 28

Legislation to impose criminal charges on doctors who artificially inseminate patients with their own sperm moves one step closer to Washington law
Doctors who implant their own sperm in a patient seeking fertility treatment could face criminal charges thanks to legislation approved by the state Senate on Tuesday. The bill classifies it as assault in the third degree for any licensed health care professional to implant their own gametes or reproductive material into a patient during assisted reproduction, or to have someone else do so on their behalf. Continue reading at Spokesman Review. (Jesse Tinsley)

Washington lawmakers look to raise spending on K-12 schools
Washington lawmakers want to send more money to schools with this year’s state budget — but Senate and House proposals differ in where that money goes. The House’s plan would increase funding for maintenance, operations and supplies — in other words, how schools keep the lights on. Senate lawmakers want to shave money from the account that covers these nuts and bolts costs, and instead bump up pay for paraeducators and other school support staff. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Getty Images)

Washington State Considers Granting Professional Licenses To Undocumented Immigrants
A bill currently under consideration in the Washington State Legislature could have significant implications for undocumented immigrants residing in the state. SHB 1889, which recently passed the House and is now being reviewed by the Senate, aims to prevent state agencies from withholding professional certifications based on immigration status. Continue reading at The Seattle Medium.

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Associated Press
Effort to repeal Washington’s carbon program puts budget in limbo with billions at stake (Fitzgibbon, Billig)
FAA gives Boeing 90 days to come up with a plan to improve manufacturing quality and safety

Aberdeen Daily World
Federal budget could cut Washington’s tsunami research funding

Axios
Spike in syphilis cases prompts calls for more testing
Deadly Seattle crane crash could lead to new safety law

Columbian
Washington announces new investments to help asylum-seekers
Hearings on initiatives off to a quiet start in Olympia with measure to bar income tax (Berg)
Clark County, Cowlitz Indian Tribe partner on plan for new fish habitat and recreation area
Eight homeless people have died in Vancouver since mid-December, city hopes emergency declaration will speed response

Everett Herald
20 businesses could be demolished for downtown Everett stadium
Curriculum on state tribes to be renamed after late Tulalip legislator (Lekanoff, Robinson)
Snohomish County Jail review finds no fault in Florida inmate’s death
Comment: Universal college access will help lower-income kids

News Tribune
Opinion: Solitary confinement is torture and Washington state needs to end it

New York Times
F.A.A. Gives Boeing 90 Days to Develop Plan to Address Quality-Control Issues

Port Townsend Leader
County property taxes not keeping pace with inflation

Seattle Medium
Community Mourns The Loss of Peggy Maxie
Washington State Bill Requiring Clergy To Report Child Abuse Dies
Washington State Considers Granting Professional Licenses To Undocumented Immigrants
Ferguson Secures Major Victory In Fight to Protect Consumers From Unlawful Medical Debt Collection Practices

Seattle Times
Port OKs $5M to fix soundproofing in homes near Sea-Tac Airport (Keiser, Orwall)
King County, Tukwila announce new investments to help asylum-seekers
Puget Sound Energy proposes hefty rate hikes to pay for hydro and wind power
Biden administration taps $366M to fund clean energy for Native American tribes and rural areas
Opinion: Strip clubs are workplaces. They need health and safety standards, too

Skagit Valley Herald
State to begin process of setting salmon fishing seasons

Spokesman Review
Spokane shuffles money away from new municipal court, paying for police cars instead
Spokane Valley will get larger police force, at the cost of road maintenance and other city services
Washington residents haven’t paid income tax in years, but a new initiative hopes to keep it that way for good
Legislation to impose criminal charges on doctors who artificially inseminate patients with their own sperm moves one step closer to Washington law (Stanford)
Opinion: Lower Snake River Dams vital to local economy

Washington Post
Arguments on Trump’s bump stock ban underway at Supreme Court
Why some student loan borrowers are locked out of Biden’s debt relief efforts

WA State Standard
Washington lawmakers look to raise spending on K-12 schools
Initiative to prohibit income taxes in Washington has its day in Olympia
Police reform advocates see a top priority lapse in Washington Legislature (Stonier)

Wenatchee World
Is a rate hike on the horizon for Douglas County PUD customers? Yeah, probably
Columbia Elementary closure: Administration could be transferred to John Newbery

Yakima Herald-Republic
Program helps young adults with disabilities prepare for life after high school in the Yakima Valley

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
‘Don’t fall for it’: Healthcare sharing ministries look like insurance, but they’re not
As military veteran recovers from I-5 shooting, community raises funds for ‘new normal’

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
KIRO 7 EXCLUSIVE: Boeing insider latest to raise alarm over safety of 737 MAX

KNKX Public Radio
WA lawmakers hold hearing on voter initiative that would ban state, local income tax
Rent stabilization bill hits another dead end in Washington, likely stalling for final time in 2024 (Robinson, Alvarado, Van De Wege, Mullet, Peterson)

KUOW Public Radio
The FTC sued to block the Kroger-Albertsons merger. Now what?

KXLY (ABC)
Local wildfire victim feeling “relief” with FEMA assistance

Web

Cascadia Daily News
DEA warns e-commerce companies about sale of pill presses used to make fentanyl pills

Pro Publica
Republicans Hatched a Secret Assault on the Voting Rights Act in Washington State

Tuesday, February 27

Bill to curtail rent increases appears dead in WA Legislature
After a dramatic series of twists and turns throughout this year’s short legislative session, a proposal to cap annual rent increases is likely dead…House Bill 2114 would have limited annual rent increases to 7% but exempted new construction and certain landlords. It also would have limited late fees. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)

How “Dreamers” could help ease Seattle’s cop shortage
Washington state may open up police and firefighting jobs to thousands of immigrants who are part of an Obama-era program that shields them from deportation. Making DACA recipients eligible could also increase the number of police and firefighters who speak multiple languages, helping agencies better serve immigrant communities, some state officials hope. Continue reading at Axios. (Lindsey Bailey)

WA legislative session 2024: Which bills passed and which missed vote deadlines
Washington’s lawmakers convened in Olympia on Monday and approved over 50 bills that will move forward to get a final full vote. Monday’s session was the cutoff deadline for bills to get a final Chamber vote, and four major pieces of legislation were dropped from consideration right from the start. Continue reading at Fox 13.

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Associated Press
US sues to block merger of grocery giants Kroger, Albertsons

Auburn Reporter
KC prosecutor’s office supports catalytic converter theft legislation

Axios
Rent hike cap looks dead in Washington Legislature (Robinson, Macri)
How “Dreamers” could help ease Seattle’s cop shortage

Bellingham Herald
WA state bill created to cap statewide rent hikes at 7% dies in Senate (Macri, Cleveland, Robinson)

Capital Press
Washington beekeeper: Insecticide ban won’t help pollinators (Liias)
Irrigator association’s study measures dam breaching disruption

Columbian
HomeShare Clark County, WA wants to pair renters with senior citizens who own homes
Biden administration taps $366M to fund clean energy for Native American tribes and rural areas
Residents in Hazel Dell mobile home park dealt losing hand after rent control bill dies in Washington Legislature

The Daily News
FISH of Cowlitz County reports demand increase
Rep. McEntire will be temporarily replaced by step-daughter
Biden administration taps $366M to fund clean energy for Native American tribes and rural areas

Everett Herald
Plan for 7% statewide cap on rent increases fails in Olympia (Robinson)
North Everett housing project plan gets taller with 15-story buildings
Comment: Focus aid on keeping youths in stable housing

Indian Country Today
Tribal leaders hail ‘historic’ deal to restore salmon runs

News Tribune
Editorial: A downtown park wallows in despair. For Tacoma, it was a bad idea from the start (Fey)

Olympian
WA state bill created to cap statewide rent hikes at 7% dies in Senate (Macri, Cleveland, Robinson)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Rent control bill dies in WA state Senate (Robinson, Macri)
Small businesses have a new reporting deadline. Here’s why.

Seattle Times
Bill to curtail rent increases appears dead in Legislature (Robinson, Mullet)
WA wants school districts to keep better track of truant students
FAA panel finds Boeing safety culture wanting, recommends overhaul
Supreme Court casts doubt on GOP-led states’ efforts to regulate social media platforms
FTC moves to block Kroger-Albertsons merger that could upend Seattle grocery shopping

Spokesman Review
Bill that would limit rent hikes, late fees for tenants across Washington dies in Legislature (Robinson, Billig)
As artificial intelligence aims to transform health care, soon your doctor may consult an AI algorithm before deciding on your treatment

Washington Post
The economy is roaring. Immigration is a key reason.
Biden convenes congressional leaders as federal shutdown deadline nears

WA State Standard
Plan for 7% statewide cap on rent increases fails in Washington Legislature (Robinson, Billig, Mullet, Van De Wege, Cleveland, Peterson, Alvarado)

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Renton encampment shooting leaves 2 people injured
Bellingham mayor issues executive order over crime and drugs downtown
Swinomish Tribe saw an 80% drop in the salmon harvest. Now they plan to sue the EPA.
Four women go on the record about what needs to be fixed in Washington’s stripping industry

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
New FAA report highlights ‘disconnect’ at Boeing surrounding safety culture

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Seattle residents debate effectiveness of gunshot detection technology
Could Burien’s fatal crash lead to changes in Washington’s police pursuit laws? (Dhingra)

KUOW Public Radio
Washington rent stabilization bill hits dead end in Senate — again (Robinson)
FTC and 9 states sue to block Kroger-Albertsons supermarket merger

FOX13 TV
WA legislative session 2024: Which bills passed and which missed vote deadlines

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Bellingham will play a bigger role in rental inspections
Already common, e-bikes get official OK on Galbraith Mountain in Bellingham

The Stranger
Senate Democrats Stiff Renters for the Third or Fourth Time, It’s Honestly Difficult to Keep Track (Macri, Alvarado, Mullet, Van De Wege, Cleveland)

West Seattle Blog
SUPERMARKET MEGA-MERGER: Feds sue to stop Kroger/Albertsons deal

Monday, February 26

Snohomish County has the highest rent in the state. Could this bill help?
House Bill 2114, a proposal to limit how much landlords can increase their tenants’ rents every year, comes as rents across the state skyrocket. To afford a two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent in Snohomish County, you would need to work three full-time minimum wage jobs. If the rent stabilization bill passed, a $2,455 per month rent couldn’t rise more than $171 in a year. Continue reading at The Herald. (Ryan Berry)

House passes $14.3 billion supplemental transportation budget
The Washington State House of Representatives passed a supplemental transportation budget of $14.3 billion this week. Most of the increase is for the Department of Transportation. The increase is made possible by cap-and-invest auction revenues, federal funding, and Move Ahead Washington spending from available balances. The Senate is expected to pass its version of the budget on Tuesday. The legislative session is scheduled to adjourn on March 7. Continue reading at KIRO 7. (KIRO 7)

Washington lawmakers advance bill making it a felony to threaten election workers
The Washington state Senate voted overwhelmingly Thursday to make harassing election workers a felony, three months after four county election offices received envelopes containing suspicious powder — including three testing positive for fentanyl — and had to be evacuated. Twenty-three states are considering bills addressing protections, according to the nonprofit advocacy group Public Citizen. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Gregory Bull)

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Axios
Washington’s prison population is down 30% since 2017

Bainbridge Island Review
Good, bad, but mostly ugly of the state’s ferry system
Frank statue a reminder of Boldt decision 50 years ago

Bellingham Herald
With just two weeks left in the legislative session, lawmakers will consider 3 initiatives (Frame)
Western Washington University plans to vacate, demolish several rental homes north of campus

Capital Press
Tribes, officials sign Columbia River Basin Agreement on Snake River dams

Columbian
Seattle’s Lake Washington getting warmer
Holocaust education requirement fails in Washington Legislature (Wellman, Hunt, Pedersen, Nobles, Wilson, Mullet)
Housing affordability dominates two town halls by legislators from 17th, 49th districts (Wylie, Stonier, Cleveland)

Everett Herald
Ninth-grade program gets money, initiatives to get hearings (Cortes, Lovick)
‘We cannot keep up’: Mill Creek Starbucks workers file for unionization
Snohomish County has the highest rent in the state. Could this bill help? (Ramel, Cleveland)
Sen. Murray seeks aid for Snohomish County’s fentanyl, child care crises
Meth cleanup at Edmonds motel-shelter made matters worse, report says
Comment: Federal cuts to wildfire crews may hit at worst time
Editorial: Wildfire threat calls for restoring full funding

International Examiner
New proclamation recognizes February 19 as Day of Remembrance for Japanese American incarceration

News Tribune
US government worried about Chinese ‘spy cranes.’ What does that mean for Port of Tacoma?
Opinion: Student debt saddles you for life. This would let you know what you’re getting into
Opinion: Solitary confinement is torture and Washington state needs to end it

New York Times
Supreme Court Hearing Free Speech Challenges to Social Media Laws

Puget Sound Business Journal
A generational tug-of-war is hampering the housing market
Opinion: Why we need pay transparency laws
Opinion: Increasing real estate taxes is counterproductive

Seattle Medium
Seattle Police Officer Who Struck And Killed Graduate Student From India Won’t Face Felony Charges

Seattle Times
Holocaust education requirement fails in WA Legislature (Alvarado, Wellman, Hunt, Pedersen, Nobles, Wilson, Mullet)
WA bill to eliminate child marriages may soon become law (Stonier)
SeaTac federal detainees grow desperate amid lack of medical care
WA’s public defender system is breaking down, communities reeling
WA bill to build community through neighborhood cafes faces roadblock (Lovelett)
WA public universities give applicants more decision time amid FAFSA woes
Could WA lawmakers end developments like this one: a massive warehouse project in South Tacoma? (Mena)
Editorial: Two WA gun bills are spot-on but a third is unfair to dealers
Opinion: Pass bill that would hold police accountable and make us all safer
Opinion: How we can halt the erosion of government transparency

Spokesman Review
From a neighbor’s farm to your table: Spokane food system gets state grant backing
A bill to preserve historical files and artifacts starts with Lakeland Village, which once was a school
Editorial: State may test out new ways to battle highway graffiti (Paul)
Opinion: Infants and toddlers need mental health support too
Opinion: Bill would help put check on police violence

Tri-City Herald
Financial literacy may soon be required in WA to graduate. Meet the Tri-City teen behind it

Washington Post
Sales of EVs slow as skeptical consumers turn to hybrids, plug-ins
U.S. launches probe into possible fraud by organ collection groups
Supreme Court hears arguments in cases that could transform social networks
Deal to dodge government shutdown appears to stall amid GOP policy demands

WA State Standard
Ban on child marriages in Washington could soon be law (Trudeau, Dhingra)
Governors, tribes ratify Columbia River Basin pact at White House signing ceremony

Wenatchee World
USDA allots $22 million to wildfire prevention in Washington

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
In Session: Rebates, rents, initiatives highlight legislature’s final weeks (Fitzgibbon)
State receives $75,000 to survey, document important sites in LGBTQ+ history
King County Sexual Assault Resource Center set for 35th annual ‘BE LOUD’ advocacy event

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
House passes $14.3 billion supplemental transportation budget (Fey)
State Legislature passes bill to ban child marriages in Washington (Dhingra, Stanford)
KCPAO decision to not file criminal charges in Kandula case sparks Seattle protests

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Yakima looks at funding options for crime-free rental housing program
Washington’s apple exports blossom again following India’s lifting of 20% tariff
White House, tribal leaders hail ‘historic’ deal to restore salmon runs in PNW region

KNKX Public Radio
WA state Senate moves to make harassing election workers a felony (Dhingra)
Budgets, initiative hearings top agenda in week 7 of Washington’s legislative session

KUOW Public Radio
Time, money runs low for asylum-seekers sheltering at Seattle area hotels
Week in Review: book bans, grade inflation, and the Seattle Police Department
Budgets, initiative hearings top agenda in week 7 of Washington’s legislative session (Leavitt)
Seattle police captain was moved to nights after suing chief. ‘Retaliatory act,’ her attorney says
Grocery worker protections move forward in Washington in preparation for merger disruptions (Fosse)
Cleared of felony, Seattle cop who killed Indian student Kandula could end up in municipal court

NW Public Radio
Institutions to help students navigate new FAFSA application
Study: as the climate changes, the desert Tri-Cities is actually getting cooler

FOX13 TV
Washington lawmakers advance bill making it a felony to threaten election workers (Dhingra, Leavitt)

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Black History Month event brings organizers together, calls to action

Friday, February 23

A New ‘Holy Grail’ in the Housing Crisis: Statewide Rent Caps
Washington residents have converged in recent weeks on Olympia, the state capital, to lobby legislators about one of the most closely watched housing bills in the country: A measure that would cap residential rent increases at 7 percent a year. If it is enacted, Washington would become the third state in the country to adopt statewide rent regulations, after Oregon and California — and all within the last five years. Continue reading at New York Times. (Grant Hindsley)

Five takeaways from WA’s proposed 2024 budget
In the past week, legislators have unveiled their initial proposals on how to update the budget. You can think of the ongoing short session, which ends March 7, as the halfway mark in the state’s two-year budget cycle. “The new investments that we’ve been able to make in this budget are relatively modest,” said Sen. June Robinson, D-Everett, about the Senate’s proposed operations budget, especially compared to recent budgets where the state had an influx of federal funds because of the pandemic. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)

Bill that would ban ‘stealthing,’ or lying about sexual protection, may soon become a law
Stealthing is the act of damaging or removing sexually protective devices such as condoms during intercourse without the consent of a partner. It is considered a form of rape in some countries. Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom already have laws banning stealthing. In the United Kingdom, the crime can carry a maximum sentence of up to life in prison. A bill moving through the Washington Legislature right now would make stealthing punishable with a $5,000 fine. The bill would also mandate the reimbursement of costs and “reasonable” attorney’s fees for the prevailing party. Continue reading at Spokesman Review. (Jesse Tinsley)