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Friday, February 16

Washington lawmakers consider more modest set of gun restrictions
Washington lawmakers last year passed a sweeping package of gun laws, including a 10-day waiting period for firearm purchases and a ban on the sale of AR-15s and similar semi-automatic rifles often used in the nation’s worst mass shootings. This session, by comparison, the Legislature is taking a small-ball approach. While lawmakers are considering a few additional restrictions on gun owners and dealers, some more ambitious laws, such as a permit requirement, had apparently stalled as a key legislative deadline ticked by this week. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero)

Washington lawmakers again look to increase special education funding
Washington House lawmakers on Tuesday unanimously passed a bill to increase special education funding by another $185 million in the coming years. House Bill 2180 will allow up to 17.25% of a district’s population to receive funding for support services like speech therapy and instructional aides. The Legislature increased that cap from 13.5% to 15% last year. In other words, if 20% of a district’s population requires special education services, the district cannot get additional money for the remaining 5%. Democratic Rep. Gerry Pollet of Seattle, chief sponsor of HB 2180, said “it’s unconscionable and probably unconstitutional” that Washington does not fund special education for every child who needs it. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Getty Images)

With new revenue report, Washington lawmakers prep for their budget reveal
A state revenue forecast released Wednesday gives Democratic budget writers in the House and Senate a little more money to spend than anticipated. Washington’s economy is projected to generate $67 billion for the two-year budget cycle that began July 1, up $122 million from the last forecast in November. Overall, collections are now up $1.3 billion since lawmakers adopted the budget in the 2023 session. The forecast provides the final piece of data each chamber needs to complete a supplemental operating budget proposal, making adjustments to the two-year plan now in place. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Lindsey Wasson)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Port touts banner year for exports, development

Axios
Seattle air quality predicted to worsen due to wildfire smoke

Bellingham Herald
Whatcom County 13-year-old accidentally shoots younger sibling with handgun
Study finds marijuana can kill skin cancer cells — but there are some big caveats
Land trust ready to launch permanently affordable homeownership project in Bellingham

Capital Press
Washington cattle groups agree on hiking beef checkoff (Chapman)

Columbian
Hold on. ‘The Evergreen State’ isn’t Washington’s nickname?
With new revenue report, Washington lawmakers prep for their budget reveal (Ormsby)
Impact on Southwest Washington: Clark County lawmakers have key bills still alive in Legislature (Cleveland)

Everett Herald
Bill seeks to improve ferry reliability with a work group (Nance, Peterson, Shavers, Donaghy)

International Examiner
Community safety forum highlights specific concerns in the Chinatown-ID

Islands’ Weekly
Governor proclaims Invasive Species Awareness Week

News Tribune
Housing authority that lost nearly $7M to fraud slow to improve controls, state says
WA’s housing crisis has rocked Tacoma. We’re doing what we can — but we need help
Japanese Americans join activists Sunday to call for closure of Tacoma immigration jail

Olympian
Washington state House lawmakers vote to regulate rent increases (Alvarado, Stonier, Peterson, Cleveland)
WA state Democrats preparing to hold hearings for 4 of 6 ballot initiatives (Billig, Shewmake, Bateman, Kuderer, Fosse)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Deadline nears for tax credit that could mean serious money

Seattle Times
Washington lawmakers consider more modest set of gun restrictions (Berry)
WA woman’s lawsuit over Pierce County officer’s K-9 use heads to trial
Opinion: Why Plymouth Housing project didn’t work in Kenmore

Snoqualmie Valley Record
Valley’s housing market stays quiet so far in 2024

Spokesman Review
Spokane Airport receiving $2 million for improvements
Police officers who fired at 35-year-old man in downtown Spokane identified
New PFAS blood test for sale for West Plains residents affected by the dangerous chemical
‘Welcome to the newest town in the state of Washington’: Malden gets new post office, town hall, fire building after devastating wildfires

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Warming center opens in Walla Walla for two days

Washington Post
Black history is ‘being attacked.’ These parents found alternatives.
Most people agree on what ‘middle class’ means — but underestimate how much income it takes

WA State Standard
Washington lawmakers again look to increase special education funding (Pollet, Billig)
WA Senate pitches new spending for school construction, housing and 2026 World Cup (Mullet)

Wenatchee World
State secures $1.3 million in Senate budget for Leavenworth affordable housing project
Chelan County Commissioners ‘begrudgingly’ approves Leavenworth urban growth changes

Yakima Herald-Republic
Parents raise concerns about response to student fight in Sunnyside

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Federal Way police chief calls state’s vehicular pursuit law unacceptable (Taylor)
Neighbors question proposal to build four 15-story tall apartment towers in Everett
15-year-old killed in Burien the fourth Highline High School student to die this school year
Bleeding control, defibrillator equipment would be required in schools under proposed bill

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Lawmakers struggle to solve fentanyl crisis as drug debate rages on
Proposed pallet village continues to draw pushback from Burien neighbors
Crippling consequences over shortage of diabetes drug used for weight loss
‘It’s egregious’: Seattle officers spark controversy after delayed shooting response

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Get ready for the 2 Line: Eastside Link light rail set to open in April
Seattle fire chief details staffing struggles, says public safety changes are needed
Lawmakers urge Inslee to declare state of emergency for Washington State Ferries
Bellingham takes legal action to begin clearing massive homeless camp near Walmart

KUOW Public Radio
In ‘vexing’ trend, traffic fatalities in Washington state continue to rise
Washington grocery workers hope for protections if Kroger-Albertsons merger goes through (Conway)
Does Washington state need an independent prosecutor to charge police with misusing deadly force?

KXLY (ABC)
Rebuilding Malden: Nearly 4 years later, the first public building has been built

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Mount Vernon increases police chief salary amid hiring woes, looming retirement

Thursday, February 15

With new revenue report, WA lawmakers prep for their budget reveal
A state revenue forecast released Wednesday gives Democratic budget writers in the House and Senate a little more money to spend than anticipated. Washington’s economy is projected to generate $67 billion for the two-year budget cycle that began July 1, up $122 million from the last forecast in November. Overall, collections are now up $1.3 billion since lawmakers adopted the budget in the 2023 session. The forecast provides the final piece of data each chamber needs to complete a supplemental operating budget proposal, making adjustments to the two-year plan now in place. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (LSS)

As demand for behavioral health treatment outpaces supply, Washington lawmakers consider loosening restrictions for practicing psychologists
As behavioral health staffing shortages take a severe toll on Washington residents who need care, state officials are searching for ways to encourage psychologists to stick around. On Monday, the state House of Representatives voted 97-0 in favor of a bill that would create an associate-level license for psychologists in the state. If passed, the bill would also allow associate psychology providers to work while their license applications are pending. People in training to become psychologists would be able to practice and have patients with certain restrictions under the proposal. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Jessica Bateman, D-Olympia, who serves as the vice chair of the House Health Care and Wellness Committee. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (WA House Democrats)

WA Legislature keeps most of its priority bills alive — so far
The Washington Legislature is halfway through its 2024 session, with many bills traveling toward the governor’s desk. Some significant bills, many covering the priorities lawmakers expressed before the session began in early January, appear to be making their way toward passage. Others appear to be dead. A lot of the biggest issues, including more spending on behavioral health and housing, will likely be decided as part of budget negotiations. The next big hurdle for legislation is a Feb. 21 deadline to make it out of policy committees in the opposite house, or Feb. 26 for budget bills to make it out of a fiscal committee. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Jovelle Tamayo)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Hoquiam schools look to improve energy use in buildings

Axios
Washington state may outlaw deepfake porn

Capital Press
Washington House nixes bid to alter ag overtime law (Doglio)

Columbian
Washington House votes to limit rent hikes; tough Senate road awaits (Macri)
Washington lawmakers won’t hear testimony on climate policy, capital gains repeal efforts (Jinkins)

Courier-Herald
Opinion: Lawmakers must fix the failing ferry system

Everett Herald
‘Over the moon’: Everett class credited for rising kindergarten test scores
School measures rejected in Arlington, Lakewood, Sultan; pass elsewhere

The Inlander
Washington works to strengthen hate crime laws after a spate of anti-LGBTQ+ vandalism in Spokane, while Idaho fights to enforce its ban on gender-affirming care (Billig)

News Tribune
Lakewood police: Service calls and car thefts rose, eluding incidents tripled last year
Some Tacomans are being pushed out of their neighborhoods. The city wants to intervene
Opinion: Inspectors were denied entry to Tacoma’s private immigration detention center. Why?
Opinion: My child’s mother was murdered. And I’ve been to prison. I know what justice is

Puget Sound Business Journal
Rent control legislation still alive in Olympia (Alvarado, Petersen, Robinson)
A ‘slow-moving train wreck.’ Banks feel heat from troubled CRE loans

Seattle Times
WA bid to report on-time rent payments to credit bureaus won’t proceed (Shewmake)
WA lawmakers won’t hear testimony on climate policy, capital gains repeal efforts (Billig, Jinkins)
Editorial: Don’t move years for WA’s municipal elections
Opinion: Don’t repeal WA’s Climate Commitment Act; improve it

Sol De Yakima
Cámara de Representantes de WA aprueba iniciativa de ley para educación sobre fentanilo (Leavitt)

Spokesman Review
More work to be done before recruiting Spokane police, fire chiefs
Reporting lost or stolen firearms passes the House, provoking contentious debate between parties (Berry, Farivar)
A grant to help Washington homeowners rebuild after wildfires passed easily in the state House. Now it’s headed for the Senate (Ramel, Riccelli)
As demand for behavioral health treatment outpaces supply, Washington lawmakers consider loosening restrictions for practicing psychologists (Bateman)
Opinion: Current Medicaid reimbursement rate is untenable

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla agencies continue work to improve fish passage in Mill Creek

Washington Post
The plastics industry would like a word with your kids
Trans adults on edge as legislatures broaden focus beyond children

WA State Standard
With new revenue report, WA lawmakers prep for their budget reveal (Robinson, Ormsby)
Biden administration picks airports for nearly $1 billion in terminal upgrades
The bills that are dead and still alive in Washington’s 2024 legislative session (Keiser, Riccelli, Simmons, Reeves, Jinkins, Kloba)

Wenatchee World
State House passes major climate policy
Douglas County building a moderate risk waste facility
Wenatchee School District provides analysis of budget cuts in plan to close Columbia Elementary

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Police raise concerns about proposed ‘hog-tying’ ban in Washington state (Lovick, Trudeau)
2 former officers acquitted for Manuel Ellis’ death ask for state to pay defense costs
Liquor and Cannabis Board begins process to amend or repeal ‘prohibitive conduct’ rule

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Federal Way Police Chief demands change after 69-car crime spree
Issues on teen crimes getting addressed – or not – this legislative session (Cortes, Billig)

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Redmond’s new affordable housing project faces backlash from citizens
Seattle needs greater authority to tear down abandoned buildings, fire chief says
Washington legislation seeks to add jail time for repeat property crime offenders
Could Washington state pay millions for acquitted Tacoma police officers’ legal fees
‘A drive to do better’: RV safe lot is now helping people exit homelessness in Seattle

KNKX Public Radio
WA House approves rent stabilization bill, teeing up legislative showdown in the Senate (Alvarado)
Environmental justice groups voice concerns as WA carbon market linkage bill advances

KUOW Public Radio
Washington bottle deposit proposal fizzles out in Legislature (Stonier)
Is Washington really ‘The Evergreen State’? The question remains
How will Washington state Democrats handle GOP-backed voter initiatives? (Billig, Jinkins)

KXLY (ABC)
Danger to Democracy: A behind the scenes look at how your ballot is protected

FOX13 TV
New WA bill addressing carbon emissions hopes to link up with California and Quebec (Nguyen)

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Opinion: Water rights — and responsibilities: A use tax would benefit Whatcom farmers

Crosscut
WA Legislature keeps most of its priority bills alive – so far (Kuderer, Alvarado, Mullet, Lovick, Peterson, Walen, Orwall)

Wednesday, February 14

Rep. Jamila Taylor: People with disabilities are part of the WA housing crisis, too
Supported Living is a long-term service model that provides care to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and supports them in their communities. I am hopeful that we can adopt a new tax of 1% on the value of the selling price of properties over $3.025 million to support a dedicated funding source for more Supported Living housing. This proposal was already heard by my colleagues in the House and Senate (HB 2276, SB 6191) and it should be a part of our final budget. As a community, it makes sense to adopt a modest tax on the sale of high-value properties to make housing available for those currently without. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Getty Images)

Washington state House lawmakers vote to regulate rent increases
House lawmakers on Tuesday approved statewide legislation that would limit annual rent increases for Washington tenants. The vote came before a key deadline to keep legislation alive this session. Bills had to be passed from their house of origin Tuesday to continue to be considered. House Bill 2114 would limit rent increases to 7% for tenants in a 12-month period. Additionally, landlords would not be able to raise the rent within the first year of tenancy. The bill passed by a vote of 54-43 and was the last bill to be considered in the House before the cutoff. Continue reading at The Bellingham Herald. (Shauna Sowersby)

WA adults serving extra prison time for juvenile offenses may see sentences reduced
At 18, Brandin Thomas was charged in the 2004 killing of Hassan Farah, a teacher and father of three who was driving a cab in south Seattle at the time he was shot. Thomas was 20 when he was sentenced to 35 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree murder and attempted robbery. He’s 38 now. A bill in the state Legislature, House Bill 2065, is aimed at sending people like Brandin Thomas home. It will apply the 2023 ban on juvenile points retroactively. This means people who are in prison serving sentences lengthened by juvenile points will be able to get resentenced without the points factored in. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Bryin Thomas)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Hoquiam city council approves $879,000 amendment regarding North Shore Levee

Axios
Jeff Bezos sells over $4 billion in Amazon shares in past week

Bellingham Herald
Washington state House lawmakers vote to regulate rent increases (Alvarado, Stonier, Peterson, Cleveland)
City of Bellingham moves against owner of land that is site of homeless encampment

Columbian
What $15 tolls could mean for Washington drivers, state’s budget
Washington state drinking water, hydropower at risk as Pacific Northwest snowpack shrinks
Vancouver City Council wants to expand Affordable Housing Fund into county but details need ironing out
‘These are predatory fees. There’s no question about that’: ‘Junk fees’ burden renters in Clark County

Everett Herald
2024 February special election results for Snohomish County
Youth sports tournaments rake in Snohomish County tourism grants

Puget Sound Business Journal
Alaska Airlines flight attendants take step toward strike

Seattle Times
WA House votes to limit rent hikes; tough Senate road awaits (Macri)
Editorial: Add fentanyl to child endangerment law (Saldana, Goodman)
Rep. Jamila Taylor: People with disabilities are part of the WA housing crisis, too

Tri-City Herald
WA judicial commission sets hearing for Tri-Cities judge on harassment, abuse claims
Victims advocacy group says Washington AG is investigating clergy abuse by Catholic bishops

WA State Standard
WA adults serving extra prison time for juvenile offenses may see sentences reduced (Stearns)
Plan to cap how much landlords can raise rent moves ahead in Washington Legislature (Alvarado, Street, Nobles)

Wenatchee World
More than 1,,000 sign petition to save Columbia Elementary
Chelan County contracts help to track short-term rental complaints
Eastmont settles discrimination lawsuit with family of disabled student

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Traffic camera expansion bill passes out of House
Washington’s snowpack on track to decrease by nearly half by 2080s
Public safety goals outlined by new Seattle City Council Public Safety Committee
Washington veterinarians push for more state funding to address workforce shortage
After years of pleas, clean air agency orders King County to test landfill air for arsenic

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Alaska Airlines flight attendant says she has colleagues ‘going without food right now’

KNKX
Another WA agency sues private prison company running ICE facility (Ortiz-Self)

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Should high-potency cannabis products be regulated differently in Washington state?
Flight attendants protest outside Sea-Tac airport for fair pay, better working conditions
Seattle’s newest affordable housing development to open Wednesday along Aurora Avenue
Advocacy group claims Catholic Bishops were subpoenaed to produce abuse-related evidence

KUOW Public Radio
How a Northwest tribe is escaping a rising ocean
Tacoma approaches affordable housing from a new angle: anti-displacement

KXLY (ABC)
Bill protecting referees in Washington passes House, moves onto Senate
Wildlife agencies investigating thousands of dead fish found in Spokane River at Long Lake Dam

FOX13 TV
Cap and trade debate in Olympia
Pot shop smash-and-grabs: Legislators float solutions, but others say they don’t go far enough

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Kulshan Community Land Trust nabs $2.25M grant for affordable home project

Crosscut
PFAS in Washington’s well water could make you sick
WA bill would add explicit ‘deepfakes’ to child pornography laws (Mullet, Orwall)

Tuesday, February 13

WA House passes fentanyl education bill
Public schools in Washington may soon be required to teach about the dangers of the deadly drug fentanyl, as a bill that passed out of the House unanimously on Friday heads to the Senate. House Bill 1956 would require schools to provide education about fentanyl and other opioids in health classes to as many seventh and ninth grade students as possible during the remainder of the 2024-25 school year after materials are updated, and annually to seventh and ninth graders every year thereafter. The bill will be heard in the Senate on Thursday. If it passes and is signed by Gov. Jay Inslee, it would go into effect immediately and materials would need to be updated for use by Dec. 1. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

Washington House approves unemployment benefits for striking workers
Workers who are on strike or locked out of their workplace by their employer due to a labor dispute would gain access to unemployment insurance benefits under a bill the Washington state House approved in the early morning hours Tuesday, after working through the night. The bill passed on a 53-44 vote. Five Democrats voted with Republicans against it. Democrats voting “no” included Reps. Mike Chapman, Debra Entenman, Larry Springer, My-Linh Thai and Amy Walen. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Anna Liz Nichols)

Open carry guns at zoos and bus stops in Washington state? That could soon be banned
The Washington State Senate approved legislation Friday that creates new limits on the state’s open carry laws for guns, aiming to add to the list of public settings where openly carrying firearms is prohibited. The goal is to help families and children feel safe “without fear of intimidation by folks who may be parading around with their weapons, openly carrying,” bill sponsor Sen. Javier Valdez (D-Seattle) said. Senate Bill 5444 would make it illegal to openly carry a firearm at zoos, aquariums, bus stops, and public libraries. The bill doesn’t address carrying concealed weapons in Washington, which requires a license. Continue reading at KUOW. (Megan Farmer)

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Axios
What Seattle-area light rail stations are coming, and when

Columbian
One-day Cowlitz River smelt dip approved for Thursday
Clark Public Utilities holding series of informational workshops designed to explain rate hike, complexity of its mission

Courier-Herald
Will WA pick a state stone? Wilkeson, Tenino put themselves into the running (Nobles)

Everett Herald
Comment: Let state judges correct past wrongs on sentences
Comment: Supportive housing isn’t reducing ranks of homeless
Editorial: Switch of local elections may be premature

Indian Country Today
New and lingering challenges to salmon recovery

Kent Reporter
33rd Legislative District Town Hall set for Feb. 17 at Highline College (Keiser, Orwall, Gregerson)

News Tribune
Sacred to tribes, document that set stage for Indian fishing rights on display in Tacoma

Olympian
BIPOC groups send scathing letter to lawmaker who voted against rent stabilization (Cleveland, Alvarado, Trudeau, Nobles, Kauffman, Street, Mena, Gregerson)

Seattle Times
WA House passes fentanyl education bill (Leavitt)
As deadline looms, WA House vote on rent bill is uncertain (Alvarado, Jinkins, Trudeau)
How clean is WA’s electricity? We lead the country in one way
$15 tolls are coming for WA drivers. Where, why and is it fair?
Editorial: For WA’s littlest learners, the future looks brighter

Skagit Valley Herald
Effects of Boldt decision felt 50 years later

Spokesman Review
Thousands of fish found dead in Spokane River near Long Lake Dam
More people were shot by Spokane law enforcement in two weeks than in the entirety of 2023
The bureaucracy of burning: Washington DNR hopes state money will come in to fund more prescribed burns

Washington Post
Inflation eased in January, but not as much as expected

WA State Standard
Washington House approves unemployment benefits for striking workers
Washington preps to merge carbon market with California amid repeal threat (Nguyen)
Biometric ID options for alcohol purchases move a step closer to becoming reality in WA (Keiser)

Wenatchee World
Senate unanimously votes JC Baldwin to Washington State Transportation Commission

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
New report reveals concerns women have working within the Seattle Police Department
Funeral home directors: Cash-strapped families are deliberately leaving deceased relatives unclaimed
‘Fish Wars’ warriors celebrate 50 years after historic court ruling gave Washington tribes fishing rights

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
New bill could make significant difference for Washington renters
Seattle flight attendants join global picket as unions fight for better pay
Woman said sergeant told her she looked ‘yummy’ as SPD looks into lack of female retention

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
‘We need an all-hands-on-deck-effort’: Seattle Public Safety chair to lead 1st meeting
Seattle takes public feedback ahead of surveillance systems purchases for crime fighting
30×30 Women in Law Enforcement report highlights sexual harassment, discrimination at SPD

KUOW Public Radio
Washington lawmakers aim for new open carry limitations in certain public settings (Valdez)

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane County experiencing uptick in deadly law enforcement shootings

FOX13 TV
Senate bill for $770M for paraeducators, some say it’s focused on the wrong thing (Stanford)

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Activists ask Skagit County to reconsider ‘absurd’ decision for controversial gravel mine

Monday, February 12

The Boldt Decision’s impact on Indigenous rights, 50 years later
Fifty years ago, a federal judge in Western Washington issued a decision that dramatically improved the economic – and legal – prospects of Indigenous nations within the state. U.S. District Judge George Hugo Boldt ruled on Feb. 12, 1974, that Native Americans were entitled to half the salmon catch in the state because of treaties signed a century before. It was a key decision in the long-running Fish Wars that had rocked Washington for decades. The case, United States vs. Washington, is considered by experts one of the most comprehensive and complex legal fights in the history of Native American law, not only forcing the U.S. to keep promises in signed treaties but also affirming in U.S. law that tribes are sovereign nations. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Ted S. Warren)

A proposed bottle-deposit bill in Washington would help the environment — and low-income communities
Billions of bottles and cans flow through the American economy every year, from the squeezable plastic of Poland Springs to the crisp pop tabs of OLIPOP. Most of these containers end up in public and household recycling bins, but in a constellation of 10 states, including California and Oregon, many will go to redemption centers, where residents can receive 5 or 10 cents per bottle upon return. Now, an 11th state is considering a bottle bill. Like most bottle bills, Washington’s HB 2144 is primarily a piece of environmental legislation, created to reduce litter and landfill waste. But this bill goes further: It acknowledges that the vast majority of bottles are collected by people who return drink containers for informal income. Continue reading at High Country News. (Erin X. Wong)

Rep. My-Linh Thai: Recognizing Lunar New Year: A Celebration of Inclusion and Healing
As Washington prepares to usher in the Year of the Dragon this Lunar New Year, I find myself reflecting on the complex tapestry of our community. This vibrant celebration, observed by billions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, shines a light on the richness and diversity that our communities contribute to the American fabric. Yet, celebrating Lunar New Year also compels us to acknowledge the historical shadows that persist—stark reminders of the need for greater understanding and inclusion. The history of Asian Americans in the United States is, unfortunately, marred by exclusion and prejudice. Continue reading at NW Asian Weekly.