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Friday, April 7

House backs hospital staffing standards bill by wide margin
A bill prescribing new procedures for drafting, deploying and enforcing of hospital staffing plans passed by an overwhelming margin in the state House on Thursday and will now go to the governor for signing. Senate Bill 5236 requires a committee of administrators and nurses of a hospital to agree on how many nursing staff will be assigned in each patient care unit, and how workers will be assured of getting proper rest and meal breaks. Those details will be written into staffing plans. The bill represents a compromise between hospitals and nurses, who fought each other on staffing standards last session. Continue reading at Everett Herald. (Kevin Clark)

Washington trying to ban out-of-state puppy mills from selling in state
Pet stores will no longer be able to source their dogs from out-of-state puppy mills or offer loans for people to purchase dogs if a bill that passed the Washington State Senate on Wednesday becomes law. The proposal, sponsored by Rep. April Berg, D-Mill Creek, aims to protect animals and protect customers from high-interest loans. It passed the state Senate 39-9, with one senator excused. The bill would patch loopholes in a 2022 law that prevented pet stores from selling dogs, with exceptions for stores that had been selling dogs prior to the law’s enactment. One loophole allowed pet stores to source their dogs from out-of-state puppy mills that didn’t comply with Washington’s dog breeding laws. Under this year’s bill, pet stores would have to source their dogs directly from breeders compliant with Washington law or brokers certified by the United States Department of Agriculture. Continue reading at Spokesman Review. (Jim Camden)

WA lawmakers crack down on robocalls
In these divided times, at least one topic can stoke bipartisan fervor: robocalls. House Bill 1051, which passed the Washington Senate unanimously on Wednesday, would place restrictions on robocalls, where an automated message plays when you pick up the phone or listen to a voicemail. The bill, which also passed the House unanimously in February, now heads to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk. The bill prohibits solicitations to people on the Do Not Call Registry, according to the Washington Attorney General’s office, and gives that office the authority to enforce that ban in state court. Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson requested the legislation, sponsored by Rep. Mari Leavitt, D-University Place. Continue reading at Seattle Times.

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Axios
Inslee signs bill to let transgender people seal name-change records

Capital Press
Reclamation forecasts 82% water supply in Yakima River Basin
Biden administration awards $585 million for water projects

Columbian
Washington Senate authorizes tolling on I-5 Bridge (Cleveland)
State dashboard shows Clark County overdose deaths doubled between 2016-2021

Everett Herald
Snohomish County reactions to the official end of state’s mask mandate
Marysville grocery workers protest Kroger-Albertsons merger
House backs hospital staffing standards bill by wide margin
After years of complaints, Lake Stevens finishes ADA plan

News Tribune
The City of Lakewood’s camping ban goes into effect soon. Here’s what you need to know.
Woman at center of Tacoma TB case eludes authorities, reportedly rides bus, visits casino
Virginia Mason Franciscan Health confirms staff cuts amid financial losses

Olympian
261 Washingtonians honored at ‘Gift of Life’ ceremony for organ donors
Experts have ‘serious drought concerns’ for WA this summer. Here’s why they’re worried

Puget Sound Business Journal
King County population rebounds due to spike in this demographic
‘This is progress’: WA lawmakers pass bill to address nurse staffing

Seattle Medium
Gun Buyback Programs Still Around

Seattle Times
WA lawmakers crack down on robocalls (Stanford, Leavitt)
King County home prices plunge 10% as Northwest housing market shifts
Bill to eliminate time limits for child sex-abuse lawsuits stalls in WA Senate (Rolfes, Farivar, Mullet)
Editorial: Overdose deaths in public housing prompt difficult policy choices
Opinion: Idaho’s transgender-care ban is cruel and the worst kind of hypocrisy

Spokesman Review
Washington trying to ban out-of-state puppy mills from selling in state (Berg)
Pair of bills aiming to reduce nursing shortages in Washington pass Legislature on Thursday (Riccelli)
Opinion: Lawmakers should do more to maintain adequate blood supply in Washington state

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla Community College begins strategic planning process

Yakima Herald-Republic
Efforts continue at Fort Simcoe to share boarding school history

Broadcast

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Bipartisan anti-doxing bill passes state Senate (Hansen)

KNKX Public Radio
The job market is cooling as higher interest rates and a slowing economy take a toll
Tacoma, Redmond mayors push back on ‘misleading’ realtors’ ads (Chopp)

KUOW Public Radio
Rolling toward Washington state: support for e-bikes
Idaho’s ‘abortion trafficking’ law prompts pushback from Washington leaders
WA lawmakers make final deals on policy, budget proposals

KXLY (ABC)
New campaign educates young adults on how to use Naloxone
Working Families Tax Credit provides extra funds for local families in need
Spokane County cities come together to create a plan to tackle homelessness
WA Department of Commerce invests over $24 million toward homeownership programs

NW Public Radio
NW scientists study the promises – and challenges – of offshore wind

Web

Cascadia Daily News
WTA looks to go hybrid with next bus order

MyNorthwest
Proposed assault weapons ban a point of tension for Lynnwood City Council

Thursday, April 6

Speed cameras will soon be allowed in WA highway work zones
Speed enforcement in work zones will soon become more advanced. Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday signed into law Senate Bill 5272, a bipartisan bill authorizing the use of automated camera enforcement in work zones on state roads, responding to pleas from labor to crack down on drivers zooming dangerously close to crews. “Folks working on our state highways deserve to do so with the peace of mind that they will end their shift by going home to their families and loved ones,” said Sen. Marko Liias, D-Lynnwood, bill sponsor and chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. “These workers are acting every day to ensure our highways are safe for commuters, and we have a duty to keep them safe as well.” Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Greg Gilbert)

WA Lawmakers Working to Pass Anti-Assault Weapons Legislation
Leaders are feeling inspired to push anti-gun legislation due to the most recent school shooting and the overall rise in local gun violence. House Bill 1240 has already passed through the House and passed through a Senate Committee. The bill also outlaws the sale of certain parts and gun accessories used to make or modify certain guns. Those who oppose the bill state that law abiding citizens should have these weapons. Some are hopeful that this bill is an important step to reduce the number of guns in the community which may in return reduce the number of shootings. The bill needs to pass through the full Senate before it can become law. Governor Jay Inslee has already shown his support for the bill. Continue reading at Seattle Medium.

WA Senate passes bill to create more penalties for hazing
The Washington House passed House Bill 1002 on Wednesday, which would increase penalties associated with hazing. The bill comes after the passage “Sam’s Law,” named after Sam Martinez, who died of alcohol poisoning as a result of a hazing incident at a Washington State University fraternity in 2017. The bill would reclassify the crime of hazing from a misdemeanor to a gross misdemeanor, and cases involving substantial bodily harm would become a Class C felony. The bill also adds felony hazing to the statutory lists of crimes against persons and crimes of harassment.The Martinez family have become strong advocates for this law, and the Senate stood to honor them as they passed the bill. Continue reading at KXLY.

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Associated Press
Agreement in place to return Lolita the orca to the Pacific
States and companies compete for billions to make hydrogen

Axios
$2.4 million in grants seek to help endangered orcas

Columbian
Wages on the rise in Washington
Department of Ecology officials say bagging recyclables does more harm than good
State: Clark County needs 100,000 more houses, apartments or other units

The Daily News
New housing could come to Rainier, and soon

Everett Herald
Snohomish County poised to redirect millions into rental assistance (Berg, Robinson)
Beef Day arrives, VoteMania begins and independent prosecution office derailed (Stonier, Farivar, Rolfes, Billig)
Comment: Lawmakers should take housing bond plan to voters

The Facts Newspaper
Kendrick Stewart named interim director of Washington State Department of Commerce

The Inlander
The city of Spokane’s homeless shelter system is teetering on the edge of financial collapse

News Tribune
Opinion: Washington’s spike in traffic fatalities shouldn’t surprise anyone. It’s the drugs (Lovick, Dhingra, Goodman)

Olympian
Thurston’s 2021 overdose death rate higher than statewide rate, new state dashboard shows
Idaho becomes first state to restrict interstate travel for abortions. What the new law says

Peninsula Daily News
Abortion pill to be stockpiled in state (Keiser, Bateman)

Seattle Medium
WA Lawmakers Working to Pass Anti-Assault Weapons Legislation

Seattle Times
Speed cameras will soon be allowed in WA highway work zones (Liias)
Idaho becomes first state to restrict interstate travel for abortions
Opinion: Bipartisan support revives local news lifelines (Pollet, Mullet)

Spokesman Review
‘We will sue’: Idaho ACLU seeking to partner with those affected by ban on gender-affirming care
Opinion: To pivot from community behavioral health crisis, state leaders must act

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
State of the city: Development and housing are key topics for College Place

Broadcast

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Local students join nationwide walkout to protest gun violence

KXLY (ABC)
WA Senate passes bill to create more penalties for hazing

NW Public Radio
Civil rights activist Dolores Huerta speaks at WSU

Web

Crosscut
Suquamish use federal cash to build housing, bring citizens back

MyNorthwest
Seattle mayor asks public to reimagine downtown residential use
Commission preparing for fallout if new WA airport location isn’t found

Wednesday, April 5

Gov. Inslee buys 3-year supply of abortion pills in case of ban
Washington state has purchased 30,000 doses of the abortion medication known as mifepristone, as state officials brace themselves for a Texas court ruling that could further limit abortion nationwide, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Tuesday. In a news conference, where he was joined by Attorney General Bob Ferguson and several Democratic state lawmakers, Inslee described the measure as a way to stop anti-abortion advocates from around the nation from taking away rights in Washington. “We have to recognize that there are forces abroad in legislatures, in courts across the United States, to try to take this right away from the women of the state of Washington,” Inslee said. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Amanda Snyder)

Jayapal reintroduces Transgender Bill of Rights
U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Seattle) is once again trying to codify federal protections for transgender and gender non-conforming people across the country. This is her second effort to get a Transgender Bill of Rights adopted. Even though Jayapal has the support of dozens of lawmakers, her bill still faces an uncertain path forward in the current Congress. “But I think that this is an important moment to put out there the vision of what equality and equity and justice looks like for our transgender community, especially given the nasty attacks, the cruel attacks from too many” Jayapal told KUOW’s Paige Browning. “So, the road is… make sure we can get it to a point when, in two years when Democrats take back the [House], we can pass it.” Continue reading at KUOW. (Megan Farmer)

Comment: Meddling by prescription ‘middlemen’ needs to end
Lawmakers are considering reforms that would stop benefit managers from swapping prescription drugs.Today, just three PBMs control more than three fourths of the market: CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and OptumRx. These companies consistently rank among the most profitable in the country, which comes as no surprise after seeing the influence they have on the market. Pharmacy benefit managers (PBM’s) use their inflated market share to exploit our health care system, distort competition, drive up patient costs and reduce therapeutic choices for patients and their doctors. Washington state legislators are also prioritizing PBM accountability in Olympia. A cross-section of bipartisan legislators including Sens. Ann Rivers, Annette Cleveland, Patty Kuderer, and Manka Dhingra have introduced initiatives to address prior authorization restrictions for already-vulnerable populations, working to reduce the burden of cost-sharing requirements for patients at the pharmacy counter. Continue reading at Everett Herald.

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Associated Press
Caregivers: Returning orca Lolita to Northwest is risky

Bellingham Herald
WA driver’s licenses are the priciest in the US. Here’s what to know about the increase

Capital Press
Democrats sponsor bill to give Washington farmers cap-and-trade refunds (Mullet, Nguyen)
Ag advocates worry their message has been lost during Snake River dam mediation

Columbian
Fortune of Port of Vancouver, others depend on Columbia River’s flow
Cowlitz Indian Tribe reclaims traditional food in partnership with Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

Everett Herald
At USDA undersecretary stop in Snohomish, farmers bemoan red tape
With access to abortion pill threatened, state buys 30K doses (Kloba, Fosse)
Comment: It’s not Starbucks, but Schultz who doesn’t get it
Comment: Meddling by prescription ‘middlemen’ needs to end (Cleveland, Kuderer, Dhingra)

News Tribune
Tacoma renters are fed up — for good reason. This initiative wants to change that

Olympian
WA state purchases 3-year supply of abortion drug ahead of federal court ruling (Keiser, Bateman)
Opinion: Don’t be fooled, farmland isn’t safe from the WA state capital gains tax

Puget Sound Business Journal
This overlooked SBA program invests billions per year
Virginia Mason Franciscan Health makes job cuts

Seattle Medium
Strickland Introduced Bill To Address Gun Violence
Nobles Championed Three Education Bills That Are Awaiting Signatures From Gov. Inslee (Nobles)
Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Training Program Still Creating Opportunities For Young People

Seattle Times
WA doesn’t fully fund special education. That could change soon (Pollet)
Rep. Slatter: Fully fund WA community colleges to solve worker shortages (Chopp)
Editorial: Lift statute of limitations in child sex abuse civil cases in WA

Sol De Yakima
Juez federal permite reanudar vuelos chárter de deportación del ICE en Boeing Field

Spokesman Review
Washington purchases three-year supply of abortion medication ahead of Texas ruling (Riccelli)
Idaho Gov. Brad Little signs bill banning gender-affirming care for minors
Bill to create state prosecutor’s office to review police use of force fails to move forward (Stonier, Billig, Dhingra)

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
New Walla Walla garden to fuel Meals on Wheels for local seniors
Starbucks workers on Plaza Way want to unionize

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Gov. Inslee announces Washington’s purchase of 3-year supply of abortion drug

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
New Washington state law requires speed cameras in highway work zones (Liias)

KNKX Public Radio
Thousands of Washington homes don’t have high-speed internet, $900M in federal funds may help

KUOW Public Radio
Relief is on the way for Washington food banks struggling to keep up with demand
Seattle eyes capital gains tax
Shellfish growers in Northwest’s oyster capital want ‘blitz’ against invasive green crabs
Washington state stockpiles thousands of abortion pills
Jayapal reintroduces Transgender Bill of Rights

KXLY (ABC)
WA House approves budget to complete North Spokane Corridor on time

Q13 TV (FOX)
DNR offers safety plan as wildfire risks increase for western Washington

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Lake Whatcom water quality shows signs of recovery, concerns remain
Opinion: Let’s lend a hand to keep food on local tables

Crosscut
Gov. Inslee buys 3-year supply of abortion pills in case of ban (Bateman, Keiser)
WA’s Suquamish citizens are being priced off their own reservation

South Seattle Emerald
Opinion: Early Childhood Special Education: Barriers and Solutions for Equitable Access (Senn)

Tuesday, April 4

Rep. Fey: Here’s what WA House’s $13 billion transportation budget means for ferries, SR-167
On Monday, the Washington state House of Representatives passed a new transportation budget for the 2023-2025 fiscal biennium, providing a spending authority of $13.6 billion. This budget reflects several legislative priorities and a strong bipartisan effort. The budget funds will be used to implement last year’s historic and transformative Move Ahead Washington package (almost $17 billion) over a 16-year period, as well as projects from the 2015 Connecting Washington package (a $16 billion investment), also over a 16-year period. This budget honors our commitment to the people of Washington — a commitment to keeping key projects funded and on schedule, improving our ferry system, restoring fish passages, and a commitment to our promise to combat climate change. Let’s look at key projects. Continue reading at News Tribune. (Legislative Support Services)

WA AG Ferguson joins antitrust suit against Google over online ad business
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said Monday he is joining a U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit against Google over what he describes as the company’s monopolization of online advertising. “An open marketplace encourages competition and creativity,” Ferguson said in a statement. “When Google muscles in and dominates the market, everyone loses — except Google.” The lawsuit centers around online ads, which website publishers use to earn money. According to the lawsuit, Google now controls critical parts of the online ad market, including the technology that many online publishers use to offer ad space, the “leading tools” advertisers use to buy ad space, and the biggest ad exchange matching publishers with advertisers, the AG’s office said. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Daniel Kim)

A TikTok ban, a bridge toll and a sort of end to masking
It’s Day 85. Here’s what’s happening in the 2023 session of the Washington Legislature: Starting today, the state Department of Health encourages, but no longer requires wearing of face coverings inside health care, long-term care and adult correctional facilities. Next, nearly half the states have banned TikTok from state agency devices. Not Washington. At least not yet. Finally, if a new bridge is ever built on I-5 across the Columbia River into Oregon, you’ll pay a toll to cross it. Senate Bill 5765, introduced late last week, names the bridge a “toll eligible facility” and lays out dos and don’ts of how it would work. Tuesday is cut-off for action on legislation with a price tag. The Senate Ways and Means Committee and House Appropriation Committee are looking to vote on roughly 150 bills combined by the deadline. I won’t be surprised if there are votes this week on bills imposing new rules for buying guns, banning the sale of assault weapons and protecting those seeking and providing abortions as those are caucus priorities which could absorb a few hours. Continue reading at Everett Herald.

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Associated Press
Bringing Lolita home: How to release a long-captive orca?

Axios
Washington state to burn wildlands to try to contain future fires

Capital Press
Washington Senate eyes cap-and-trade for $83 million forest plan (Van De Wege, Rolfes)

Columbian
Clark County Sheriff’s Office starts 30-day bodycam test
Can Clark County be ‘Built for Zero’ when it comes to the homeless?
Editorial: Action against assault weapons moral, logical

Everett Herald
Compass Health closing downtown Everett triage center for up to 3 years
A TikTok ban, a bridge toll and a sort of end to masking
Comment: Community mental health services are in acute need

News Tribune
How will Pierce County handle major flooding in the decade to come? Here’s the plan
Rep. Fey: Here’s what WA House’s $13 billion transportation budget means for ferries, SR-167
Opinion: WA’s roadways are deadlier than ever. It’s time to crack down on repeat DUI offenders

Peninsula Daily News
Five road projects are slated for federal funds

Puget Sound Business Journal
SBA may not collect on some delinquent Covid-EIDL loans
Google to eliminate popular work perks to roll back spending

Seattle Times
WA AG Ferguson joins antitrust suit against Google over online ad business
More than a third of community college students have vanished

Spokesman Review
What is an ‘assault weapon’? Lawmakers, retailers disagree on the definition as Washington Legislature considers ban (Peterson)

Tri-City Herald
2 new Eastern WA factories aim to ‘revolutionize’ the electric vehicle industry

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Crisis centers would alleviate overcrowding, shorten wait for those in a mental health crisis

KNKX Public Radio
Day care waitlists are so long, moms are quitting their jobs or choosing to stop having kids

KUOW Public Radio
Washington’s final mask mandate ends Monday. But guidance has been fuzzy

KXLY (ABC)
U.S. House Republicans halt plans to breach WA’s Snake River dams

NW Public Radio
Washington community and technical colleges to stage walkout April 11 (Liias)
Conservation group hopes to protect habitats, skiing and affordable housing in WA’s Methow Valley

Q13 TV (FOX)
University of Washington students creating early-detection endometriosis test

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Opinion: Washington needs an emergency medical reserve corps (Timmons)

Crosscut
$50M isn’t enough to save salmon hatcheries on the Columbia River

MyNorthwest
State expands wildfire prevention program from eastern to western WA
Additional distracted driving emphasis patrols planned this April

Monday, April 3

What you need to know about WA’s proposed $70B budget
For the past two weeks, state lawmakers have been rolling out tentative budget plans. It’s still early — and lawmakers are already making tweaks, but a clearer picture of state spending is beginning to emerge along with the cherry blossoms. Lawmakers are teeing up to spend somewhere in the ballpark of $70 billion over the next two years. With that kind of money, you could renovate Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena about 60 times — not accounting for inflation. Those billions will go to public services from highways to schools, and lawmakers plan to make big investments in housing and mental health care. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)

Rep. Lekanoff: Lawmakers must provide equity to charter school kids
Washington families have choices when it comes to schooling. Families can choose from traditional public schools, charter public schools, tribal compact schools, public magnet schools, online academies and more. While these choices are available, they are not equitable. While traditional public schools work for most, the reality is they don’t work for everyone. We should embrace opportunities to support all of Washington’s students. The alternative is hypocrisy highlighted by what we say about equity, and what we do. We have spent considerable time talking about equity and now is the chance to put our money where our mouth is. Continue reading at Everett Herald.

Under proposed bill, Washington state would pick up some fees for childcare centers
The state’s budget could include relief for childcare providers and their potential employees. Senate Bill 5316 would have the state cover costs for background checks, including fingerprinting, of applicants at childcare centers. Those cost about $57, said the bill’s prime sponsor, Sen. Claire Wilson, (D) Auburn. The bill would also cover annual licensing fees for daycare centers, $125 a year, and the licensing costs for in-home providers, $30 a year. She said the bill would help alleviate the state’s childcare shortage. Wilson said she is “feeling good” the bill will be included in the final budget being negotiated by state legislators this month. Continue reading at KING5.