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Wednesday, January 31

Dozens of Clark County residents travel to Olympia to urge legislators to back rent stabilization
Ninety Clark County residents rode to the Capitol for Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day today to implore their state legislators to vote for bills that would slow rent increases and pay for affordable housing and homelessness services. The main reason advocates arrived in droves was to support rent stabilization. It’s a key topic this legislative session, as it was last session. Companion bills House Bill 2114 and Senate Bill 5961 propose limiting rent increases to 5 percent a year, unless a new tenant moves in. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Amanda Cowan)

Cash payments for WA residents? Lawmakers propose trying out basic income program
Washington Democrats want to give 7,500 low-income state residents recurring cash payments for two years, no strings attached. The Evergreen Basic Income Pilot Program would pay qualifying participants a monthly amount equal to the fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment where the participant lives. Fair market rent is a statistic used by government agencies and nonprofits that represents the cost of a moderately-priced rental home in a local housing market. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Getty Images)

I-5 boulders spark debate over “hostile architecture”
Washington state officials are debating when, if ever, it’s appropriate to install permanent fixtures in public spaces to try to stop people who are experiencing homelessness from sleeping there. A bill in Washington’s Legislature would ban cities and counties from using hostile architecture, defined as “any building or structure that is designed or intended to prevent people experiencing homelessness from sitting or lying on the building or structure at street level.” Continue reading at Axios. (WSDOT)

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Axios
Seattle bans batteries in the trash, citing fire risk
I-5 boulders spark debate over “hostile architecture” (Lovelett)

Capital Press
Lawmakers grill officials on secret Snake River dam deal

Columbian
Vancouver awarded $3.5M in grants for affordable housing
Washington lawmakers make another run at legalizing home-grown marijuana (Kloba, Reeves)
Dozens of Clark County residents travel to Olympia to urge legislators to back rent stabilization (Cleveland, Wilson, Wylie, Stonier)

Everett Herald
In new program, nurses help 911 callers who don’t need an ambulance
Comment: Local government has work ahead to reflect community

Mercer Island Reporter
King County Regional Homeless Authority’s Point-In-Time Count underway

New York Times
Meta Rejected Efforts to Improve Children’s Safety, Documents Show
U.S. Will Pay to Add Solar Panels to Hospitals, Schools After Disasters

Olympian
Opinion: I’m in prison because I committed a crime. In WA, people like me deserve to vote (Simmons)

Peninsula Daily News
Water reserves low in Olympics

Puget Sound Business Journal
Microsoft shows its AI investments are paying off in latest earnings
King County buys former Renton hotel that it used as homeless shelter

Seattle Medium
New Ban – Batteries Not Allowed In The Garbage In Seattle
Students Walkout After Shooting Of 15-Year-Old Mobarak Adam
Nobles Bill To Increase Student Access To Free School Meals Heard In Committee (Nobles)
Washington State Revives Child Abuse Reporting Bill Despite Past Catholic Opposition (Frame)
Washington State Introduces Mandatory Sex Trafficking Prevention Curriculum For Students
Seattle Officer Faces Possible Discipline For Offensive Comments Regarding Indian Woman’s Death

Seattle Times
Rent stabilization bill stalls in WA Senate (Cleveland, Stonier, Shewmake, Trudeau)
WA pays $9.9 million to woman who got terminal cancer in prison
Seattle police, King County prosecutors accused of fabricating evidence
Inslee signs executive order for WA to study, issue guidelines for AI use
Opinion: ‘A cost on simply existing’: How political tension is rising in WA

Spokesman Review
As elections loom in the age of AI, Washington officials look for answers (Stanford)
McMorris Rodgers brings Snake River dam debate to the Capitol, while Yakama Nation warns of ‘misinformation’
Schools in Washington are required to recite the Pledge of Allegiance daily. A new bill would make sure students actually understand what it means

Tri-City Herald
‘Arbitrary, drastic’ restrictions could kill huge wind farm near Tri-Cities, says developer

WA State Standard
Washington lawmakers hope to tweak new wildfire protection rules for homes (Van De Wege)
Allegations of ‘secret’ deal to remove Snake River dams aired by U.S. House GOP
Cash payments for WA residents? Lawmakers propose trying out basic income program (Kauffman)

Wenatchee World
Greater Wenatchee Regional Landfill to house $43 million renewable natural gas project

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Pot shop robbery penalties would increase under proposed Senate bill (Keiser)
Hundreds of tenants to rally at the state Capitol to oppose rent gouging
Advocates pushing to make Lunar New Year as an official holiday in Seattle
New Everett ‘Pallet Shelter’ community welcomes families facing homelessness

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Bill proposes testing automated speed cameras along state highways
Governor Inslee signs new executive order on generative AI like ChatGPT
Sit-in at Seattle City Hall buys 60 refugees another week before they face eviction

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Renton Village Starbucks workers become latest store to unionize
Washington state to develop guidelines for agencies using generative AI
WA Liquor and Cannabis board rejects claims of targeting LGBTQ+ bars, clubs
Residents rally for rent control in Olympia while pushing for 5% cap on yearly increases (Alvarado)
‘It’s a revolving door’: RVs, tents return to SODO neighborhood months after city cleanup

KUOW Public Radio
Why Washington cars could get a little Smokey in 2024 (Nobles, Trudeau, Lovick, Conway)
King County Homelessness Authority gets new leader, for now
A federal court declines to revisit a ruling that could weaken the Voting Rights Act
Seattle police commanders condemn ‘destructive unprofessionalism’ of officer caught laughing about pedestrian death

KXLY (ABC)
New FAFSA form encourages students to not leave money on the table
Washington lawmakers to consider lowering pet fees to support pet owners
New bill introduced would help get federal assistance to wildfire victims faster
Increased vaping among Washington kids prompts local schools to seek solutions

NW Public Radio
Nez Perce Tribe honors the wolf
Spokane’s Black newspaper relaunches
Agricultural overtime law still causing controversy

Q13 TV (FOX)
Senate considers bill to end child marriage in WA
Hundreds rally for bills against rent gouging in Washington
Seattle LGBTQ nightclubs allegedly raided: Routine inspections or intimidation?

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Water users in Nooksack Basin targeted in new survey
Suspected fentanyl overdoses leave two dead in Lummi Nation

Crosscut
Speaking Lushootseed: WA’s Indigenous curriculum may be renamed (Lekanoff)

MyNorthwest
Cell phones would be banned in Wash. schools under new bill

Tuesday, January 30

Proposed bill would provide benefits for survivors of ride-share drivers killed on the job
Mohamadou Kabba had been their family’s sole income earner as a ride-share driver when he was shot and killed in Renton in January 2023. Kabba considered ride-share driving his full-time job, but his family wasn’t eligible for death benefits because he wasn’t completing a ride for a customer when he was fatally shot. Kabba was one of five drivers killed since 2020 in the Seattle area whose loved ones didn’t receive these benefits, according to union reps. A proposed bill, HB 2382, would expand benefits to any driver who died from an injury when the driver was logged into the company’s digital network, even if they weren’t driving a customer at the time. The benefits would be provided under the workers’ compensation system. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

A WA bill would allow non-citizens to obtain professional licenses
As of 2021, around 22% of U.S. jobs require a professional license or certificate, compared to just 5% in the 1950s, according to the Cato Institute. House Bill 1889 would strike the requirement that applicants for professional licenses be U.S. citizens, allowing for the use of an individual tax identification number instead of a social security number. The bill would also encourage qualified undocumented students to pursue their dream jobs by addressing the lack of clarity surrounding which licenses require an SSN. The bill lists optometrists, private investigators, private security guards, bail bond agents, money transmitters, and currency exchangers as professions that currently require licensees to be U.S. citizens. If passed into law, the bill would eliminate the requirement for these professions. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Jovelle Tamayo)

Democrats want independent prosecutor to handle cases where police use deadly force
Legislators are trying, again, to pass a bill to create an Office of Independent Prosecutions as a division of the Office of the Attorney General. This independent state prosecutor would review use of deadly force investigations, file criminal charges if warranted and, potentially, prosecute. House Bill 1579 does not usurp authority of local prosecutors, backers said. Rather, the independent and local prosecutors would work separately but simultaneously and if each conclude charges are warranted, a judge could be asked to decide who gets the case. Continue reading at The Columbian.

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Aberdeen Daily World
Point in Time Count in Aberdeen collects homeless data

Axios
Union membership fell slightly in Washington in 2023
Washington state lawmakers want to curb pot shop robberies

Bellingham Herald
Flooding fears linger ahead of another massive storm system heading toward Whatcom County

Capital Press
Washington farmworkers rally against overtime law
N.E. Washington excels at world recovery, now seeks relief

Columbian
WA’s opioid epidemic and the state’s effort to fight it, by the numbers
Democrats want independent prosecutor to handle cases where police use deadly force (Stonier)
Senate rent stabilization bill’s fate hangs in balance with Sen. Cleveland weighing her vote (Cleveland)

Everett Herald
I-405 express lanes soon to become more expensive for commuters
Comment: Congress close to deal to expand child tax credit
Comment: As job market changes, we’ll need more apprenticeships
Editorial: Recycling bills could use a little reuse, refocus

Kent Reporter
220-unit affordable housing complex coming to Kent on West Hill

News Tribune
22nd Legislative District lawmakers to hold virtual town hall Tuesday night (Hunt, Bateman, Doglio)
WA gun owners would have to carry gun liability insurance under proposed bill (Kuderer)
Tacoma wants to reduce fatal wrecks to zero. 2023’s total shows how hard that will be
$80M in improvements headed to Tacoma, Lakewood Sounder stations, nearby neighborhoods
Editorial: Want to cut crime and make cities safer? Give ‘convicts’ a second chance. No, really

Olympian
Evergreen board approves spending up to $1 million to address costs tied to student death

Peninsula Daily News
Grants to help pay for housing

Puget Sound Business Journal
Why analysts say Big Tech’s layoffs will likely continue
Downtown Seattle retail recovery lags in otherwise ‘healthy’ market
Regional Homelessness Authority preps for another leadership change

Seattle Times
Seattle-area express tolls soon to go as high as $15
House GOP members look to block Lower Snake River dam breaches
Proposed bill would provide benefits for survivors of ride-share drivers killed on the job (Berry)

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County Board of Commissioners appoints district court judge

Sol De Yakima
Hijos de trabajadores agrícolas de WA podrían recibir más apoyo académico (Ortiz-Self)

Spokesman Review
More renters and their furry friends could stay together if bill to reduce pet deposits passes (Hansen)
Tougher punishment for harassing election workers passes the House twice, now confronts the Senate (Leavitt)
Washington Legislature considers paying for vape detectors in schools, but do they deter vaping? (Riccelli)

Tri-City Herald
Sticker shock hits taxpayers in this Tri-Cities district, but schools still face cuts
WA gun owners would have to carry gun liability insurance under proposed bill (Kuderer)
Controversial A.I. tool raises concerns. Benton sheriff could be 1st in WA to use it

Washington Post
Millions of Americans face risk of a toxic ‘bomb train’
Biden set new stove rules. No, he’s not coming for your gas burners.

WA State Standard
Washington lawmakers make another run at legalizing homegrown marijuana (Kloba, Reeves)

Wenatchee World
State considering short-term rental tax
Inslee grants petitioners’ appeal on wolf killings in Washington

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Washington doctors, patients hope at-home care will continue
Hundreds of tenants to rally at the state Capitol to oppose rent gouging
Batteries are not allowed in the garbage after new ban takes effect in Seattle
Student walkout held in response to fatal shooting of 15-year-old Mobarak Adam
Bill that would strengthen animal cruelty penalties in Washington heads to the Senate

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Heads up drivers! After months of debate, state OKs $15 tolls on I-405, SR 167
Evergreen College to spend up to $1M for costs related to student’s carbon monoxide death

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
More than 37 pounds of fentanyl powder, $34K seized in Burien bust
‘It doesn’t make sense’: Family of slain Seattle teen leads march against gun violence
SPD leaders believe ‘serious discipline’ warranted for officer’s ‘limited value’ comments

Web

Crosscut
A WA bill would allow non-citizens to obtain professional licenses

MyNorthwest
Bill toughening animal abuse punishments passes Washington House

The Stranger
Police, Fire, and the Liquor Board Raided Two Seattle Gay Bars (Pedersen, Macri)

Monday, January 29

Pair of proposed bills would offer free community college to eligible Washington students
Per capita, Washington ranks among the lowest states in the country in terms of the number of residents who apply for federal student aid to fund a postsecondary education. And community colleges are struggling to meet students’ needs nationwide. In the United States today, 16% of students who enroll in community college complete a degree in three years and only 28% complete one within eight years, according to state Rep. Gerry Pollet, D-Seattle.Pollet and a group of his fellow lawmakers hope to turn those bleak numbers around with a pair of bills aiming to increase the number of Washingtonians who submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or a Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WAFSA). Continue reading at The Spokesman Review. (Ellen Dennis)

How recent WA legislative changes could save you money on health care
Rising health care costs have not gone unnoticed by state lawmakers, who last year passed a spate of bills aimed at lowering several types of out-of-pocket charges, while also trying to address some systems-level issues that have kept costs high, like updating Medicaid reimbursement rates for providers. While proponents of these bills have said the changes could save Washingtonians hundreds of dollars every year and increase access to care, critics worry they’ll increase premiums for everyone. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Alan Youngblood)

As death toll rises, Washington lawmakers look to lower legal limit for driving drunk
Efforts to lower the legal limit for driving drunk in Washington are revving up as deadly crashes involving alcohol-impaired motorists rose again in the state in 2023. Legislation to reduce the maximum allowable blood alcohol concentration for drivers from 0.08% to 0.05% is under consideration in the House and Senate. If enacted, Washington would join Utah with the toughest standard in the nation. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Klaus Vedfelt)

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Axios
Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes have returned to the skies

Bellingham Herald
Bellingham tenant advocates, landlords support statewide rent stabilization bills
Weather service issues flood warning for Whatcom County communities along Nooksack River

Columbian
Using public land to fund child care? WA lawmakers are considering it (Reeves, Jinkins)

Everett Herald
Lawmakers try tackling opioid crisis and transportation costs (Lekanoff, Liias)
Snohomish County sees second-lowest unemployment in the state
Mill Creek senator’s bill would expand solar power in WA neighborhoods (Lovick, Hackney)
‘Working well’: Student violence trends down at Evergreen Middle School
After series of deaths, Snohomish County Jail to put cameras in detox unit
County ‘indefinitely’ suspends arts grant program that helped over 7,300 kids
Comment: Recycling legislation looks to build on state’s success (Fey, Reeves, Walen)
Comment: State’s rare disease patients count on lawmakers’ help
Comment: Old-growth forests still the king of carbon capture
Comment: ReWRAP Act can help limit waves of plastic pollution
Editorial: Rep. Larsen outlines ‘to do’ list for opioid crisis

Federal Way Mirror
Opinion: A closer look at the sealing of juvenile crime records (Wilson)

Islands’ Weekly
WSF outlines Service Contingency plan in bi-annual public meeting

News Tribune
Three weeks down, six to go. Here’s what happened last week in the Legislature (Simmons, Donaghy, Frame, Wilson, Lovelett)
New rule will require insurers in WA to be more transparent about premium increases
This mega-warehouse project would replace farmland in Pierce County. Here’s what to know

Olympian
Inspired by ‘heroic’ Pasco driver, WA bill would criminalize school bus trespassing

Puget Sound Business Journal
New overtime pay rule would expand access to millions
More rental households than ever are considered cost-burdened

Seattle Times
Ivan’s Law would promote fentanyl prevention, services, testing
Children of WA farmworkers could receive greater academic support (Ortiz-Self)
Feds award $64 million to start new RapidRide bus project in Seattle
How recent WA legislative changes could save you money on health care
SPD brass recommend officer’s firing or suspension over ‘horrific’ comments
Editorial: Address problems in youth prison before the chance is lost (Goodman)
Editorial: Q: In education, does money matter? A: It’s complicated
Opinion: For the health of animals and people, expand WSU veterinary school
Opinion: FAA’s safety culture hasn’t changed, either

The Skanner
Seattle Will Pay $10 Million to Protesters Who Said Police Used Excessive Force During 2020 Protests

Spokesman Review
Bill in Washington Legislature would loosen restriction on homegrown cannabis (Kloba)
Supply chain issues leave local law enforcement agencies in dire need of new vehicles
Pair of proposed bills would offer free community college to eligible Washington students (Pollet, Bergquist)
Amid increasing STD infection in Washington, proposed law expands access to treatment of syphilis, other sexually transmitted infections
Opinion: We’re still learning about the impact of PFASs
Opinion: Updated school meals will have lifelong benefits for Washington students

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
WA Senate passes bill to update process for dissolving rural library districts (Hunt)
Kimonti Carter was freed from life in prison. Prosecutors want to send him back (Goodman)
Chevron owners say gasoline leak was ‘tragic accident’ and worry about facing cleanup costs

Washington Post
Millions of Americans face risk of a toxic ‘bomb train’
New Alzheimer’s drugs bring hope. But not equally for all patients.

WA State Standard
Green hydrogen plans take shape for former Alcoa site at Cherry Point
As death toll rises, Washington lawmakers look to lower legal limit for driving drunk (Donaghy, Goodman, Lovick, Liias, Farivar)
Democrats want independent prosecutor to handle cases where police use deadly force (Stonier)

Wenatchee World
Wenatchee orchard owners, workers rally in Olympia on overtime pay law

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Refugees given Tuesday deadline to leave Kent hotel
In Session: Lowering DUI threshold, shortening prison sentences
Vote on proposal to increase I-405, SR 167 tolling rates set for Monday
Healing mural to cover damage from racist attack at Wing Luke Museum

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
National Weather Service issues Stillaguamish River flood warning
After living in tents in Tukwila, 90 migrant families about to be evicted from Kent hotel

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
$15 tolls? Vote expected Monday on potential toll changes to I-405, SR 167
Troopers ramping up tactics to deter freeway shootings in south King County

KNKX Public Radio
Washington lawmakers consider lower threshold for DUI charges as road deaths continue to rise

KUOW Public Radio
Should social media pay for addicting kids? Seattle schools lawsuit gains steam
Natural gas, opioids and DUIs: Highlights from week 3 of Washington’s legislative session (Jinkins, Doglio, Dhingra, Trudeau)
Week in Review: Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson, Boeing, and Republican-backed initiatives

KXLY (ABC)
WSU tuition increasing for 2024-25 school year
What the food insecurity crisis looks like in the Inland Northwest
‘They need to feel safe’: WA lawmakers seek protection for referees in proposed legislation

NW Public Radio
WSU’S Coalition of Academic Student Employees ratifies its first contract

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Opinion: The opioid epidemic has devastated Northwest Washington

Crosscut
Can Catholic lobbyists agree to a child abuse reporting law? (Frame)

The Stranger
Slog AM: SPD Leaders Want Discipline for Cackling Cop, WA Could Get More Neighborhood Cafes, a Gondola Mishap

UW Daily
UW students push legislation for improved sexual assault resources in higher education institutions (Orwall)

Friday, January 26

Bill would provide alternatives to defendants with mental health crises
A Seattle lawmaker is proposing to let judges send defendants accused of some lower-level crimes to alternatives, such as mental health or substance use treatment, instead of jail. House Bill 1994, sponsored by Rep. Darya Farivar, a Democrat, would allow judges to set conditions, like getting treatment, and to eventually dismiss a case if a defendant complies “substantially” with those conditions. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Kevin Clark)

The latest push to fund some of Washington’s toughest-to-build housing
Last year, lawmakers set aside the most money in state history for housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. But the $25 million only addressed a portion of the need. This year, advocates are asking the Legislature for more, including another $25 million in the near term and a more permanent funding stream for the future. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Laurel Demkovich)

WA schools nearing paraeducator ‘labor crisis.’ What lawmakers, Inslee are proposing
Paraeducators — or paraprofessionals, as they’re sometimes called — are classified public school employees who work in classrooms, alongside teachers, to provide direct instructional support to students. Roughly 1-in-5 school district employees in Washington state are paraeducators, for a total of nearly 38,000.But paras are also among the lowest-paid employees in a school building, with some districts paying them only a few bucks above the state’s minimum wage. Many say they are forced to work other jobs to get by financially. Continue reading at The Olympian. (Bob Brawdy)

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Axios
Seattle housing inventory tanks
Seattle’s big buildings must reach net-zero emissions by 2050

Capital Press
Washington state: Solar panels will damage farm soils
New Spokane mayor looks to strengthen agriculture partnership

Columbian
Washington’s climate efforts hit Clark County utility bills; Typical NW Natural customer will see increase of $28.14
Point-in-Time Count: Annual survey of homeless people, resource fair give advocates way to reach those in need

The Daily News
Longview updates shared driveway rules to encourage denser lots
Cowlitz County outreach agencies gear up to count unsheltered people this week

Everett Herald
Snohomish County lawmakers again push to lower alcohol limit to 0.05% (Donaghy, Liias, Lovick)

The Inlander
One of four such facilities in the country, Maddie’s Place seeks to help Spokane’s drug-addicted babies and their parents (Riccelli)
New data from Idaho and Washington helps debunk some myths about who’s moving here, and whether they came as self-identified political refugees or for the quality of life

News Tribune
Should clergy be required to report abuse or neglect? Lawmakers hear bill on a mandate (Frame)

Olympian
WA schools nearing paraeducator ‘labor crisis.’ What lawmakers, Inslee are proposing
Nearly $5M in new grant funding will go toward services for homeless youth in Washington

Seattle Times
GOP senator’s bill to support DACA recipients advances in Olympia
Bill would provide alternatives to defendants with mental health crises (Farivar, Goodman)
FTC opens inquiry into Big Tech’s partnerships with leading AI startups
Homeowners win against King County in Lake Sammamish trail dispute
WA could require public schools teach LGBTQ+ history under proposed bill (Liias)
Editorial: A decade later, don’t let go of Oso’s lessons
Opinion: Lawmakers, let gift card proposal expire and focus on what matters

Spokesman Review
Whistleblower: Department of Energy contractor fraudulently billed millions for fire protection at Hanford
Second time’s the charm? Washington Legislature again considers lowering blood alcohol concentration to 0.05 (Donaghy)
Spokane-area legislators give the red card to angry spectators with bill that would make threatening a referee a felony (Goodman)

Washington Post
The U.S. economy boomed in 2023, thanks to consumers opening up wallets

WA State Standard
WA’s opioid epidemic and the state’s effort to fight it, by the numbers
The latest push to fund some of Washington’s toughest-to-build housing (Jinkins)

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima area college help workshops to help students apply for financial aid
Program offers free mental health care to Spanish-speaking adults over 60 in WA

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Boeing holds ‘quality stand down’ at Renton factory
Farm workers fight new overtime law in Washington
.05 BAC limit proposal has public hearing in state House (Donaghy)
State inspecting county landfill after KING 5 investigation reveals arsenic violations, worker concerns

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
New WA bill would allow teens to buy housing without parents
737 Max 9 set to return to service for United and Alaska airlines Friday
Work halts for day at Boeing Renton plant as airlines push to bring back grounded 737s
‘Rights are being violated’: WA public defender shortage leads to alleged gap in representation

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation CEO calls for billionaires to give away more and soon
Proposed Washington legislation would lower legal BAC limit for driving to curb fatalities
What’s the future of South Tacoma? Business owners see program on crime, but want more

KUOW Public Radio
Seattle doles out $10 million to settle 2020 protest injury claims
Washington lawmakers consider lower threshold for DUI charges as road deaths continue to rise
Can Boeing correct course and fly right? Despite recent debacles, industry expert says skies will clear

KXLY (ABC)
Resident-owned community offers affordable housing in Mead
WSU medical school raises homegrown doctors east of the Cascades

NW Public Radio
Wine on wheels? Mobile tasting rooms possible for Washington wineries, breweries
Washington state bill could change how rural communities could work to close a library (Hunt)

Q13 TV (FOX)
Lawmakers, the FAA, and CEOs put Boeing on blast after whistleblower report
Controversial anti-homeless rocks spark outrage and legislative action in Washington
Washington lawmakers discuss new bill that would increase consequences for graffiti, tagging

Web

Cascadia Daily News
New WA law blocks employers from rejecting job applicants based on cannabis use (Keiser)
Respiratory illnesses in Whatcom County spiked in December, COVID numbers declining

Crosscut
WA’s energy ‘green rush’ could endanger cultural Indigenous lands

Thursday, January 25

Rep. Reeves: WA families can’t find affordable childcare. Our biggest polluters should pay for it
Too many families must choose between their careers and childcare costs that often outpace their salaries. Meanwhile, despite the rising costs of childcare, nearly 20 percent of childcare workers live in poverty. Through HB 2243, we will create a Child Care Equity Land Trust that will provide secure, permanent funding for child care, expand and empower our work force, and protect our precious natural lands. Continue reading at News Tribune. (DREAMSTIME)

WA intercepts millions in child support for low-income families
Washington, like almost every other state, intercepts millions in child support payments from custodial parents who receive cash benefits from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, historically known as welfare. Federal data shows Washington kept more than $41 million intended for children in poverty in 2022. House Bill 1652, currently under consideration in the state Senate, would redirect a significant portion of future payments back to families. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Kristina Barker)

Proposed bills aim to cap rent increases at 5% a year in Washington
Making housing affordable will be a hot topic in Olympia Thursday. At noon, a group of landlords, elected officials and small business owners plan to call for rent stabilization in the state. Two companion bills – House Bill 2114, sponsored by Rep. Emily Alvarado, and Senate Bill 5961, sponsored by Sen. Yasmin Trudeau – are gaining support as they work through the state Legislature. The proposed bills would prevent excessive rent increases for tenants, allowing landlords to raise rent a maximum of 5% every 12 months. Continue reading at KOMO. (KATU)