Click here for our Daily E-Clips policy.

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)

Print

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.

Print

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)

Print

Capital Press
Seattle solar company seeks to sidestep Eastern Washington county

Columbian
Daylight saving begins soon. When will it ever end?
Patients could face out-of-network costs if Legacy Health, Regence negotiations fail
New projects headed for Southwest Washington as lawmakers approve capital budget (Stonier)

Everett Herald
How did Snohomish County lawmakers’ bills fare in Olympia? (Cortes, Ortiz-Self, Liias)
After culvert bursts, 23 Tulalip Reservation residents stranded
Everett police seek $300K for controversial gunshot detection sensors
‘Outpouring of support’: Trooper’s memorial, motorcade set for Everett
Mining company appeals closure, says site near Everett school not ‘unsafe’
Letter: Thanks to lawmakers for passing octopus farming ban (Peterson)

News Tribune
WA lawmakers fall short on housing as 2024 legislative session adjourns (Heck, Jinkins, Billig, Hunt)
WA lawmakers OK supplemental capital budget. Here are some funded Tacoma-area projects

Peninsula Daily News
Nearly $5M in state proposal for Sequim CTE project (Tharinger, Wellman)

Puget Sound Business Journal
SBA’s Lender Match tool gets upgrade
Share of small-business owners with $100K-plus in debt rises

Seattle Times
Most WA courts aren’t requiring mandatory fees from convicted sex buyers (Orwall)
WA Legislature wraps up with bills on the cutting room floor, half of initiatives cleared (Jinkins, Fitzgibbon, Ormsby, Nguyen, Mullet)
Opinion: Our traffic safety culture is broken. Working together will fix it
Editorial: Seattle City Council sets boundaries on protests. It’s about time

Spokesman Review
Washington’s 2024 legislative session wrapped up Thursday. Here’s a look at how the day went (Billig, Ormsby)
Hogtying people soon to be outlawed in Washington; Spokane police already abandoned controversial practice (Mena, Trudeau)

Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
Traffic concerns chief for residents at briefing on Walla Walla tax increment area

Wenatchee World
Washington Court of Appeals upholds Confluence Health COVID-19 vaccine lawsuit dismissal

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima Council removes two advisory committees from city government, changes 3 others

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Yes, Washington still observes Daylight Saving Time – here’s why
Democrats, Republicans say there’s reason to celebrate 2024 session (Jinkins)
PNW colleges see ‘explosive’ increase of students enrolling in environmental studies

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Downtown leaders rally for a transformative 2024 amid drug crisis challenges
Report highlights issues with delayed justice in King County’s sexual assault cases
How will Washington’s new Parents Bill of Rights impact your student’s privacy? (Santos)
Narcan could be available to counter fentanyl overdoses at every WA public school (Kuderer)

KUOW Public Radio
Here are the big takeaways from WA’s 2024 legislative session (Billig, Mullet, Van De Wege, Dhingra, Kuderer, Randall, Bateman, Riccelli)
King County Council members push back on criticism over handling of asylum-seeker crisis
As asylum-seekers flow into Washington, state lawmakers earmark $32.7 million for housing, immigration services

Web

Crosscut
WA Legislature revs up plan to electrify 10,000 school buses (Senn, Wellman, Nguyen)

Thursday, March 7

Washington lawmakers finalize spending plans for the year
Lawmakers are turning their attention in the final hours of the 2024 session to money. More specifically, exactly how they want to spend lots of additional dollars in the second half of the state’s two-year budgeting cycle. Agreements for the supplemental operating and transportation budgets are awaiting action before Sine Die on Thursday. Lawmakers approved the capital budget on Wednesday. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Bill Lucia)

Legislation aims to increase access to lifesaving allergy medication in schools
Schools may see increased access to lifesaving allergy medication thanks to a bill that would allow them to stock epinephrine vials and autoinjectors. Schools are currently only allowed to stock epinephrine autoinjectors, more commonly known as EpiPens, for when a student has a severe allergic reaction. However, this year’s legislation would allow schools to house vials of the drug, which school nurses or other trained people could administer via syringe. Continue reading at Spokesman Review. (Melissa Lukenbaugh)

Lawmakers, county agencies drive toward more electric buses
lawmakers passed HB1368, a measure aimed at moving school districts toward all-electric buses. The bill strengthens a current grant program, directing funds to go first to districts where students face disproportionate amounts of poor air quality and have old diesel buses. The Climate Commitment Act helps to fund the grant program for electric school buses, covering the difference between the costs of diesel and electric buses until electricity is less. Continue reading at King 5.

Print

Aberdeen Daily World
Commissioners push ahead with homeless shelter funding
Final state capital budget showers Harbor, tribe in funding

Axios
Singles need 27 years to save for a Seattle starter home
What’s next for a new I-5 bridge over the Columbia River

Bainbridge Island Review
Police given more leeway to pursue suspects (Entenmann, Dhingra)

Capital Press
Washington ranch sues state over canceled grazing leases

Columbian
Vancouver group among those suing Washington over squirrel
Washington’s Insurance Commissioner urges companies to work with fire victims
Vancouver Farmers Market, Papa Murphy’s see impact after rollback in food stamps
Stepping stones to a home: Vancouver man finds affordable housing after living in his car

Everett Herald
Public memorial announced for state trooper killed on I-5
Editorial: Bills offer financial health for residents, state
Letter: Work of legislators, groups to protect animals appreciated (Peterson, Walen)

The Inlander
For more than a hundred years, bridges have united — and divided — Spokane
A refurbished bus brings opioid treatment to Deer Park, testing a model that could be used across the rural U.S.

International Examiner
Japanese Americans organize ‘Day of Remembrance, Week of Action’ to shut down Washington state’s ICE detention center, end deportation flights

News Tribune
Editorial: A famed provider says Tacoma’s camping ban is toxic. It’s returning money to prove it

Puget Sound Business Journal
A workforce crisis is brewing, but employees are getting the message

Seattle Times
Daylight saving begins soon. When will it ever end?
WA lawmaker questions validity of Seattle’s housing plan (Bateman)
Seattle police use of force nears all-time lows, but racial disparities still plague the numbers
Opinion: Don’t stigmatize users; address the real source of overburdened ERs

Spokesman Review
Spokane Valley to purchase land for affordable housing development
Spokane Public Schools bans Border Patrol agents from entering schools
Legislation aims to increase access to lifesaving allergy medication in schools (Bronoske)
PFAS well testing now underway. EPA is looking for another 150 homeowners to sign up
Washington lawmakers finalized the state’s 2024 supplemental capital budget. What’s in store for Spokane County?
Opinion: Welcoming immigrants is a win-win for Spokane

Washington Post
Amid explosive demand, America is running out of power
Earth posts warmest February and ninth straight record-setting month

WA State Standard
WA Legislature ramps up school construction spending (Mullet)
Washington lawmakers finalize spending plans for the year (Robinson, Fey)

Wenatchee World
Douglas County PUD residential customers could see $3 monthly rate increase in 2026
Cost of policing going up for Douglas County towns as commissioners consider new contracts

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Lawmakers, county agencies drive toward more electric buses (Senn)
WA lawmakers pass new law to combat catalytic converter thefts
Bill that raises minimum age to marry in Washington lands on governor’s desk (Stonier, Trudeau)
Mountlake Terrace Police Department distributing Narcan to community members

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Lawmakers pass legislation expanding places where you can’t carry a gun

KUOW Public Radio
Tukwila is swelling with asylum-seekers. What can be done?
Will Seattle’s new growth plan produce enough housing for newcomers?
Corner stores are the cornerstone of Seattle’s quest to become a 15-minute city
NTSB says Boeing is withholding key details about door plug on Alaska 737 Max 9 jet

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane community requests state of emergency for fentanyl overdoses

FOX13 TV
State lawmakers pass bill phasing out natural gas (Doglio, Orwall)

Web

Crosscut
A heap of housing bills failed in WA’s legislative session (Reed, Morgan, Alvarado, Peterson)

Wednesday, March 6

Dual language education is one step closer to becoming a WA law
Educators say that to sustain and expand dual language and tribal education, increased funding is needed. House Bill 1228, sponsored by Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self, D-Mukilteo, passed unanimously in both the House and Senate. It would create permanent funding to make these programs available to every school district by 2040. The Legislature plans to annually fund at least 10 new dual language education programs, with the average grant award of $40,000. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Aidé Villalobos)

WA lawmakers vote to prohibit firearms in more public areas
Washington lawmakers are expanding the list of places in the state where weapons, including firearms, will be prohibited under a new bill passed by the Legislature Monday. Senate Bill 5444, sponsored by Sen. Javier Valdez, D-Seattle, will prohibit individuals from possessing weapons at zoos, aquariums, libraries and transit stations in Washington. The prohibitions in the bill do not apply to those with a concealed pistol license. Continue reading at The News Tribune. (Tri-City Herald)

Local students, staff have better access to naloxone under new law
Last month, lawmakers in both the state House and Senate voted unanimously to pass Senate Bill 5804, requiring all public schools to stock naloxone, also known as Narcan. Another bill, House Bill 2112, would provide free Narcan to high school and college students to take home. The House bill was proposed as part of the state’s operating budget. The Senate Ways and Means Committee is set to decide on the budget this week. Continue reading at The Everett Herald. (Olivia Vanni)