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Thursday, February 8

‘Stealthing’ could soon be banned in WA under bill passed by House
A sexual practice known as stealthing could soon be punishable in Washington state under a bill that passed the House chamber with a bipartisan vote on Wednesday. Stealthing is removing or tampering with a sexually protective device, such as a condom, before or during intercourse without a partner’s consent. It is considered a form of rape and treated as such in some places. House Bill 1958 is sponsored by Rep. Liz Berry, D-Queen Anne, and passed off the debate floor with a 64-33 vote. Berry’s bill is more expansive than laws in other states and adds dental dams, spermicides, cervical caps, and other devices used to prevent pregnancies and the spread of disease to the list of barriers that cannot be removed or tampered with. Continue reading at The News Tribune. (DREAMSTIME)

0.3% sales tax for public safety has support of local Democrats, police
Years after Snohomish County’s failed sales tax hike proposition for public safety, the Legislature could pass a bill to allow counties and cities to impose the tax without a public vote. House Bill 2211 would grant local legislative bodies, like city or county councils, to impose up to an extra 0.3% sales tax, with all the revenue going to public safety. Rep. Mary Fosse, D-Everett, is a sponsor of the bill and Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, is a sponsor of its Senate counterpart. Continue reading at The Everett Herald. (Andy Bronson)

Olympia considers allowing Washingtonians to cultivate cannabis
Among the states that have legalized recreational cannabis, Washington was a pioneer. Back in 2012, the Evergreen State was the first to move forward with legalization, along with Colorado. Since Washington and Colorado broke down the doors in 2012, 24 of 50 states have now legalized recreational cannabis. Of those 24, only five still prohibit home-grow. Washington is one of those five. That’s right, the first state to legalize cannabis is one of the few that still criminalizes growing your own. Continue reading at The Inlander. (Young Kwak)

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Associated Press
Adult dancers in Washington want a strippers’ bill of rights. Here’s how it could help them (Saldaña, Walen)

Axios
Bill to cap rent hikes moves ahead in Washington Legislature (Alvarado)

Capital Press
Inslee’s gas price bill fails to clear committee
Economist: ‘Better’ wheat, cattle markets seen for 2024

Columbian
Out of gas: Inslee’s oil transparency bill stalls in Legislature (Nguyen)
‘You don’t do anything but survive’: Cost of living, rents on rise, straining many Clark County residents

Courier-Herald
WA leaders ‘absolutely’ committed to saving local journalism

The Daily News
Longview looks to create sustainable business park on Columbia River
Debate continues over apartments, businesses on Woodland’s Belmont Loop

Everett Herald
Everett schools deficit shrunk by $23M following loss of 140 staff
0.3% sales tax for public safety has support of local Democrats, police (Lovick)
Marysville homeowners to pay an average $818 more in property taxes
Comment: Understanding America through its Black history
Editorial: Leave the interrogation ruses to the TV cop shows (Peterson)

The Inlander
Olympia considers allowing Washingtonians to cultivate cannabis (Ormsby)
Spokane County wildfire victims seek help from state, federal government as recovery continues
A post-pandemic drop in student attendance across Washington still has educators wondering how to get students back in class

Journal of the San Juan Islands
$47 million infrastructure investment helps pave the way for more than 3,000 new affordable housing units

News Tribune
‘Stealthing’ could soon be banned in WA under bill passed by House (Berry)
Hundreds rally in Olympia for immigrant healthcare, unemployment benefits (Saldaña)
Personnel turmoil prompts temporary closure of center serving Tacoma’s LGBTQ community

Puget Sound Business Journal
NTSB report sheds light on Alaska Airlines 737 Max blowout
Black business owners disproportionately crunched by credit
Amazon cutting hundreds of jobs across health organizations
Amazon’s leased office footprint shrinks for 1st time in over a decade

Seattle Medium
Washington State Invests $85M In Grants To Expand Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

Seattle Times
Why Seattle will fund fewer new affordable housing projects this year
Hundreds rally for expanding help for undocumented immigrants in WA (Saldana, Walen)
Editorial: Whipsaw of legal settlements shows need for leadership on effective policing
Opinion: Too many guns are unsecured at home, with tragic results

Skagit Valley Herald
State releases data on wildlife-related recreation

Spokesman Review
Economist predicts future of Cosmic Crisps and other Washington commodities
Plans to build Washington’s largest wind farm held up again amid local controversy

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
There goes the neighborhood
Letters to the editor | Feb. 8 edition (Climate Commitment Act)

Washington Post
New air pollution rule could prevent thousands of premature deaths
Alaska flight that blew door plug had bolts removed at Boeing facility

WA State Standard
WA House approves bill to expand dormitory-like housing (Gregerson)
Migrants rally at WA Capitol for health care, unemployment benefits (Jinkins, Saldaña)
State will make free COVID and flu tests available in new vending machines
Washington looks to put its most famous volcano on a specialty license plate
Washington Senate passes bill to ban hog-tying by police after death of Manuel Ellis (Trudeau, Lovick)
Washington Senate strikes ‘delicate’ balance on rules for clergy reporting child abuse (Frame)

Yakima Herald-Republic
Biomethane plant gets green light from Sunnyside, with objections from neighbors

Broadcast

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
House votes to ban octopus farming in Washington state, moving bill to Senate (Peterson)
WA Republicans push back against proposed bill that would allow 3% property tax increases

KNKX Public Radio
How a “strippers’ bill of rights” could help adult dancers in the Washington State (Walen)

KUOW Public Radio
Cheers to Lunar New Year Beer! (Thai)

KXLY (ABC)
Meeting to discuss PFAs in Spokane’s West Plains leaves more questions

NW Public Radio
$30,000 grant advances civil rights education in rural Washington

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Interfaith Coalition sunsets housing programs

Crosscut
Washington State University earns $15M a year on stolen land
A WA bill would extend unemployment pay to workers on strike (Doglio)

MyNorthwest
Clergy become mandatory child abuse reporters in bill, with big exception

The Stranger
Conservative Senate Democrats Stiff Renters Yet Again (Cleveland, Gregerson, Trudeau, Mullet, Pedersen, Alvarado)

West Seattle Blog
School Funding 101: Here’s what would-be West Seattle advocates just learned

Wednesday, February 7

Washington bill would limit student isolation and restraint
Students in Washington schools are being restrained or put in isolation thousands of times per year, state data shows — something a bill in the state Legislature aims to change. Restraining and isolating kids has no clear educational or therapeutic benefit, and can cause physical and psychological harm, state and federal officials say. A proposal to restrict the use of restraint and isolation in Washington’s public K–12 schools — first introduced last year — cleared the state House Appropriations Committee on Monday and could soon come before the full House for a vote. Continue reading at Axios. (Jared Whalen)

WA Senate passes bill that would ban hogtying by police
Washington is moving to bar police from hogtying suspects, a proposal spurred by the March 2020 death of 33-year-old Manuel Ellis, who had been hogtied and told police several times that he couldn’t breathe. The Senate voted unanimously Tuesday to pass Senate Bill 6009, which would ban the practice and classify it as excessive force. The bill now goes to the House for consideration. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ted S. Warren)

Oak Harbor Rep. seeks to regulate Artificial Intelligence in Washington Legislature
State Rep. Clyde Shavers is concerned that artificial intelligence has the potential to spread discrimination, create child pornography and generally act in an unethical manner. Shavers, a Democrat from Oak Harbor, sponsored two bills and a memorial to the federal government concerning the increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence, or AI. These were introduced in early January and are now being reviewed by the committee. Continue reading at South Whidbey Record.

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Aberdeen Daily World
Effort to revitalize Quinault language enters Grays Harbor schools

Axios
Washington bill would limit student isolation and restraint (Callan)
FAA head vows to hold Boeing accountable for any safety violations
Federal watchdog says Boeing door plug blowout likely involved missing bolts

Bellingham Herald
Whatcom County farm program focused on bridging gaps in food access plans to shut down

Columbian
Rent limit proposal forges ahead in Washington House (Cleveland)
Washington and Oregon buck trend of rising gas prices across U.S.
Weather-proof, pocket-sized guides link homeless people in Clark County with important resources

The Daily News
Cowlitz County has $2M available to update public roads, bridges and more

Everett Herald
‘It’s just starting’: Inslee champions climate initiatives in Marysville

Indian Country Today
Commission pauses changes to wildlife management policy

New York Times
Meta Calls for Industry Effort to Label A.I.-Generated Content
Biden Administration Toughens Limits on Deadly Air Pollution
When the Biggest Student Mental Health Advocates Are the Students
Many Transgender Americans Face Stigma and Financial Hardship, Survey Finds
Students Are Making a ‘Surprising’ Rebound From Pandemic Closures. But Some May Never Catch Up.

Northwest Asian Weekly
At Lunar New Year, celebrating with the community is paramount to local leadership (Ryu, Santos)

Olympian
Proposal to create state Housing Department heads to House floor for debate (Morgan)

Port Townsend Leader

Jefferson County affordable housing projects awarded over $10M

Seattle’s Child
How to celebrate Lunar New Year in the Seattle area (Thai)

Seattle Times
Free COVID-19, flu tests at new WA kiosks
WA Senate passes bill that would ban hogtying by police (Trudeau, Lovick)
Why King County homeless count continues, even with accuracy in doubt
WA lawmakers propose grant to help homeowners rebuild after wildfires (Riccelli)
Adult dancers in Washington state want a strippers’ bill of rights. Here’s how it could help them.
Opinion: Workers on strike in WA should not get unemployment benefits

South Whidbey Record
Oak Harbor Rep. seeks to regulate Artificial Intelligence in Washington Legislature (Shavers)

Spokesman Review
Spokane’s water rates for customers outside city limits must be “just and reasonable,” court rules amid yearslong fight

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
WA bill wants to create ‘healthier’ prisons for inmates, officers

Wenatchee World
‘It’s a big unknown’: Chelan County PUD considers impacts of agreements between feds, states, tribes

Yakima Herald-Republic
New regional Ecology director David Bowen focused on water issues and more

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Sound Transit link extension delayed until 2026
Community members, mayor address homelessness in Burien
Foster parents call for improved child welfare laws in Washington (Ortiz-Self)
Court documents: Man’s gun fell off table, killing his 1-year-old daughter
Federal Way gun store to pay $3 million for illegally selling high-capacity magazines
Overdoses continue in state juvenile facility, despite governor’s insistence of ‘improvement’

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
‘It’s alarming’: WSP investigating 9 freeway shootings in 2024
New bill would further curb noncompete clauses for workers across Washington (Stanford)
NTSB report finds crucial bolts missing from blown-out door plug on Boeing 737 MAX 9
‘Worst drug threat I’ve seen’: Washington’s teen fentanyl overdoses double rate of U.S. average

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
PLU, WSU to build MultiCare center for increased medical access in Pierce County
Pause to Washington’s lewd conduct law could set stage for liquor sales at strip clubs

KNKX Public Radio
Washington state Senate unanimously approves ban on hog-tying by police (Trudeau, Lovick)

KUOW Public Radio
Federal Way gun store owner to pay $3 million for violating Washington gun law
Burien’s Sunnydale Village was a ‘safe community’ for over 60 homeless people. Now it’s gone

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Whatcom fentanyl emergency would direct funds for treatment
Opinion: Local, state reps agree: Rent stabilization is both necessary and popular with voters

Tuesday, February 6

Bipartisan bill aims to curb homelessness among young adults
After spending nearly a decade working at a local nonprofit supporting homeless youth, Everett Rep. Julio Cortes wants to pass legislation to provide housing for young adults coming out of behavioral health inpatient care. Statewide, 1,097 young adults ages 18 to 24 year olds became homeless in 2021 within a year of exiting inpatient treatment, according to a report from the state Department of Social and Health Services. House Bill 1929 would create at least two shelters, one on each side of the state, for people ages 18 to 24 to use after exiting behavioral health inpatient services. Continue reading at The Herald. (Ian Terry)

With tweaks, rent limit proposal forges ahead in WA House
A proposal to limit rent hikes in Washington gained the approval of a House budget committee Saturday and continues its trek through the statehouse. The House Appropriations Committee advanced a version of the bill that would limit annual increases in rent to 7% for existing tenants, up from a 5% limit in an initial proposal. In order for House Bill 2114 to survive, it has to get the go-ahead from a full vote of the House by Feb. 13. If the House passes the bill, it would still need vetting and approval from the Senate in order to pass. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)

Many can get paid while caring for a child with a disability in Washington, except their parents. A pair of bills hopes to change this.
More than a dozen parents of children who have disabilities testified in front of the Senate Human Services Committee last week, pleading with lawmakers to pass a bill that would allow parental caregivers of children with developmental disabilities to receive payment. Right now, state policy grants parents of an individual over the age of 18 to receive payment as their caregiver. However, parents of minor children cannot be paid for providing the same care. Not only are parents of children with disabilities ineligible for pay, but finding an outside caregiver or one provided through Medicaid is hard and highly unlikely due to the labor shortage. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Lauren Rendahl)

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Axios
What to know about Seattle’s potentially deadly fungus outbreak

Capital Press
Washington House committee passes tribal wolf bill
Judge rejects arguments against 24,000-acre Washington forest project

Columbian
WA lawmakers want on-time payments to count in renters’ credit scores (Peterson, Shewmake)
ICE won’t let inspectors into Tacoma immigration lockup despite court order, state says (Ortiz-Self)
Vancouver’s third Safe Stay ‘right exactly what we expected — calm and quiet and stable’
Washington lawmakers look to broaden hate crime law to cover vandalizing public property (Billig)
‘I’m an English teacher before I’m a legislator’: Stonier introduces bill to protect against book bans (Stonier)
Vancouver woman among advocates who urge lawmakers to support House Bill 1450 to expand insurance coverage for biomarker testing for cancer patients

Everett Herald
Bipartisan bill aims to curb homelessness among young adults (Cortes)
Editorial: Year of free college a boost to students, state (Bergquist)

Islands’ Weekly
$47 million infrastructure investment helps pave the way for more than 3,000 new affordable housing units

News Tribune
These new Pierce County child care centers will have 180 spots. Here’s what to expect
Editorial: Some demand change. Cops want support. Can Tacoma do better after Manny Ellis’ death?

Puget Sound Business Journal
These crucial small-business tax credits are flying under the radar

Seattle Times
With tweaks, rent limit proposal forges ahead in WA House (Cleveland, Alvarado)
Opinion: Proposed bill puts power in the hands of ticket resellers, not fans (Reeves)

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit Community Foundation releases 2023 annual impact report
Former Skagit County hearing examiner grants permit for gravel mine

Spokesman Review
Fees reinstated for installing solar panels, electric vehicle charging stations in Spokane
Spokane City Council votes to approve $135,000 settlement with couple hit by patrol car in 2020
State lawmaker proposes heat pump grant to help homeowners rebuild in wake of Spokane County fires (Riccelli)
Many can get paid while caring for a child with a disability in Washington, except their parents. A pair of bills hopes to change this (Randall)
Opinion: Bill would help expand access to biomarker testing

WA State Standard
Out of gas: Inslee’s oil transparency bill stalls in Legislature (Nyguen)
State lawmakers won’t require insurers to cover tests cancer survivors say are crucial (Stonier)

Wenatchee World
Senate approves ‘Walking Start to Running Start’ bill
2024 homeless survey finds increase in unsheltered people in Chelan, Douglas counties

Yakima Herald-Republic
Overdose deaths remain high in Yakima County in 2023, as efforts to help continue

Broadcast

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Seattle to foot bill to house refugees for next 3 weeks in SeaTac hotels
WSP investigating 2 separate shootings on I-5 during Monday rush hour
Expert warns latest issues with Boeing 737 could impact your summer travel
Tuesday at 5:30pm: Mothers speak out as fentanyl devastates Western Washington families

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
PTAs are in a ‘no-win situation,’ raising millions to fund education in Seattle
Sanctioned camp at Burien church closes putting about 60 back on the street
Washington State Patrol to recommend charges for protestors who blocked I-5 for hours

KUOW Public Radio
Largest proposed wind farm in WA slashed in half, firefighting issues are part of the problem

KXLY (ABC)
Second $15 million loan for Spokane Airport expansion project announced
New data reveals record growth in cognitive and reading skills among Washington kindergarteners

NW Public Radio
Largest proposed wind farm in WA slashed in half, firefighting issues are part of the problem

Web

Cascadia Daily News
City’s homeless cleanups weigh compassion against public cleanliness, complaints
‘Semi-incoherent’ Skagit County decision grants approval for controversial gravel mine

Crosscut
WA mobile home tenants add health complaints to investigation
Despite industry pushback, WA farmworkers will keep overtime pay (Keiser)

The Stranger
Prominent LGBTQ+ Community Members Call for Alcohol in Strip Clubs (Jinkins, Saldaña, Walen)

Monday, February 5

WA House bill would make it illegal for police to lie during interrogations
Victims of false confessions that lead to wrongful convictions, like Ted Bradford, want to prohibit police from using deceptive tactics during interrogations, and they have the backing of some lawmakers. House Bill 1062, sponsored by Rep. Strom Peterson, D-Edmonds, aims to make defendants’ statements inadmissible in court if police use deceptive tactics during interrogations to get those statements. Nine states have passed similar laws, but they only apply to juveniles. The bill has received two hearings in the House this legislative session. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Kjell Redal)

Washington lawmakers crack open a fresh bottle deposit bill
State lawmakers in Olympia are once again considering a proposal to establish a bottle deposit program for Washington state. The basic idea: Pay 10 cents per can/bottle, and return the container to get the money back. In a video promoting the proposal, State Rep. Monica Stonier explained that there is a need to increase recycling rates in Washington state. Washington is the only state on the West Coast without a bottle deposit program. Oregon and California have their own. Other states like Colorado and Maine have their own versions.
Continue reading at KUOW. (Thanh Serious)

How a new state bill could help save students’ lives
Legislation aimed at helping students in emergency situations unanimously passed the Washington State Senate. According to a news release from Washington State Democrats, SB 5790 would provide schools with bleeding control kits. It would also help bystanders be prepared until professionals arrive. “Bystanders can help save lives with simple techniques — having these kits available and having staff trained in using them can make all the difference,” said the bill’s sponsor, Senator Manka Dhingra. “Requiring these kits in all schools means that all students will get the same level of safety and protection.” Continue reading at KIRO 7. (Washington State Democrats)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Summit Pacific breaks ground on $60M expansion project
Crisis centers key piece to behavioral health system, report says

Axios
Charted: How Microsoft’s AI lead is showing up
Boeing reworking 50 undelivered 737 MAX jets over fuselage issue

Bellingham Herald
Deadly crashes are at an all-time high in Washington. Here’s how Bellingham is responding

Capital Press
Developer: Washington council gutting Horse Heaven power project
Saying Rocky Mountain wolves are abundant, USFWS won’t relist them

Columbian
Green hydrogen plans take shape for former Alcoa site at Cherry Point (Shewmake)
Washington lawmakers hope to tweak new wildfire protection rules for homes (Van De Wege)
Cash payments for WA residents? Lawmakers propose trying out basic income program (Kaufman)
Schools in Washington are required to recite the Pledge of Allegiance daily. A new bill would make sure students actually understand what it means

Everett Herald
A glimpse into the new and improved Edmonds portwalk
3 takeaways from Marysville mayor’s state of the city speech
Police: Arlington High School student arrested with gun on campus
Should Washington require headlights 24 hours a day on highways? (Lovick, Shewmake)
10 cents per bottle: Recycling companies have mixed views on proposal (Peterson)
Drug treatment clinic in Monroe aims to reach an underserved clientele
Comment: State’s wealthy want to claw back taxes they owe
Comment: Eco-Nomics: Fossil fuels are throwing gas on wildfires

News Tribune
ICE won’t let inspectors into Tacoma immigration lockup despite court order, state says

Olympian
A new model for affordable housing? DNR, nonprofit have a plan for Lacey area
‘There’s not much help.’ More Thurston County renters face evictions with fewer options
Wednesday was 1st cutoff for bills in the 2024 session. Here’s what stalled, what moves on (Cleveland, Morgan, Kloba Nguyen, Berry, Kuderer, Lovick, Donaghy)

Peninsula Daily News
Police bill gets pushback (Hansen)

Puget Sound Business Journal
More companies embracing benefits aimed at student loan debt

Seattle Medium
Uncertain Future: Seattle Streetcar Faces Potential Demise

Seattle Times
Seattle’s graffiti law reinstated by Court of Appeals
Connecticut is acing the FAFSA. Could WA learn some new tricks?
What electric vehicle incentives are available in WA? Check our list (Fey)
WA House bill would make it illegal for police to lie during interrogations (Peterson)
WA’s mountain snow recharges our drinking water, powers our lives. Now it’s turning to rain.
Opinion: Prescribed fire, not wildfire, is vital to the health of our forests
Opinion: Plan to lower drug costs may actually hurt U.S. legacy of innovation
Opinion: The racial justice backlash is here. Don’t remain silent
Editorial: WA Democrats, hold hearings on initiatives

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit Valley College Foundation receives $1.68 million gift
With increased funding, Sedro-Woolley working to add firefighters

Spokesman Review
Bill seeking to ban fur sales nixed (Stanford)
Spokane lawmaker’s bill revising hate crime laws passes through the Senate (Billig)
Washington’s legislative session is halfway over. Here are some key bills that might still become law (Berry, Lovick, Stonier, Trudeau, Kuderer, Kloba)
Opinion: Bill would help expand access to biomarker testing (Riccelli, Ormsby)
Opinion: Let’s keep up the momentum toward a more equitable state tax code

Tri-City Herald
COVID, flu, RSV triple threat. What Tri-Cities needs to know
Dial-A-Ride drivers cry foul over $3M outsourcing they say will make disabled less safe

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Experts talk about human trafficking trends, signs during panel held at Whitman College

Washington Post
A state pollution tax raised $2 billion. Can it survive the backlash? (Mullet)
Companies’ hard-line stance on returning to the office is backfiring

WA State Standard
Consultants who help prevent pre-K expulsions and suspensions seek more state support
Washington lawmakers look to broaden hate crime law to cover vandalizing public property (Billig)

Wenatchee World
How a lack of veterans mental health services contributed to 2 police shootings in 18 months

Whidbey News-Times
Commissioner Bacon urges lawmakers to prioritize ferry funding (Paul)

Yakima Herald-Republic
WA congressional delegation calls for federal disaster declaration for cherry harvest

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
In Session: Initiatives hanging over legislature, November election (Fitzgibbon, Lekanoff)
Hundreds gather for Lunar New Year celebration in Seattle’s Chinatown International District
‘It’s definitely backfiring’: Seattle ordinance intended to help app delivery workers is ‘hurting’ them

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
How a new state bill could help save students’ lives (Dhingra)
New ‘non-conformance’ issue delays 737s at Boeing’s Renton facility
Plans to convert Tacoma church into affordable housing sparks controversy
‘Annoying’ but necessary? State mulls adding speeding cameras to highways

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
New emergency shelter for homeless women, children opens in Seattle
Final testing underway as Eastside Link light rail prepares for spring launch
Navy urges more well testing as Whidbey Island water contamination possibly widens
Warning period ends for drivers caught on camera speeding near 4 schools in Edmonds
Liquor and cannabis board suspends ‘lewd conduct’ enforcement over LGBTQ+ club concerns

KNKX Public Radio
First cutoff deadline, rent bill complications: A quick look at week 4 in the WA Legislature
(Nance)
Take this historic house, please! Lawmakers unsure about acquiring political trailblazer’s home

KUOW Public Radio
Seattle will start enforcing its anti-graffiti law again
Sewage burning? Yes, it’s a thing in western Washington
Washington lawmakers crack open a fresh bottle deposit bill (Stonier)
Kirkland students’ bill to put Narcan in schools passes the Senate, heads to House (Kuderer)
First cutoff deadline, rent bill complications: A quick look at week 4 in the WA Legislature (Nance)

NW Public Radio
Strain on Washington abortion clinics increase following Dobbs
City of Lynnwood pays $550k fine to EPA for Clean Air Act violations
Allianz to pay $1.5 million for discriminatory claim denials in Washington

FOX13 TV
WA Senate bill to establish network for student mental, behavioral health (Nobles)
A look at Washington’s legislative session so far: Where certain bills stand
End to Washington’s lewd conduct law could bring booze back to strip clubs

Web

Bloomberg Law
State Lawmakers Target AI Deepfakes in Taylor Swift Aftermath (Orwall)

Crosscut
For-profit Tacoma ICE center blocks health and labor inspections (Ortiz-Self)

MyNorthwest
State Senate approves health coverage assistance during labor disputes (Keiser)
Out of time: Push for permanent standard time in WA fails to clear legislature (Dhingra)

Friday, February 2

What bills are dead, alive after WA Legislature’s first cutoff
Legislators have a little more than a month left to go, and by Jan. 31, most bills had to get the nod from a policy committee to continue their journey through the statehouse. Though future deadlines will make the public policy horizon even clearer, the first cutoff is a milestone in the legislative session, a sprint that started Jan. 8 and runs through early March. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Lindsey Wasson)

WA lawmakers weigh tax breaks for developers turning offices to homes
Washington lawmakers are mulling new financial breaks for developers who convert commercial buildings into apartments or condos, an attempt to respond to the state’s glut of empty office buildings and dire need for new homes. Supporters say offering developers incentives will help spur conversions of underused buildings, creating much-needed housing and reinvigorating downtowns. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Ted S. Warren)

High gas prices drive ‘big oil transparency’ legislation in Olympia
Legislation to require more transparency from big oil companies has survived this week’s legislative cutoff and is moving forward in Olympia. The bill (SB 6052) would create a new Petroleum Market Oversight division within the state Utilities and Transportation Commission. “Our goal is to shed light on the mechanisms influencing fuel prices in Washington State,” said the bill’s prime sponsor, Sen. Joe Nguyen, D-White Center. Nguyen called it a commitment to consumer protection through transparency and fairness. Continue reading at KNKX. (Ted S. Warren)