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Friday, February 3

Lack of housing is hurting WA’s workforce
Across Washington state, across the income spectrum, across all life stages, and across renters and buyers — people are not getting the housing they need. To meet this challenge, we must begin in the middle. There is no silver bullet when it comes to affordability; changing housing policy isn’t doing one thing and then dropping the mission accomplished banner. Increasing middle housing means upzoning on a much broader scale — legalizing fourplexes statewide, incentivizing sixplexes within reach of transit. It also means reducing barriers to building the supply of homes we need and expanding the options people have for homes. We’ve seen progress being made in some places, but it is not meeting the scope and scale of the problem. Therefore, the best way to accomplish what we all say we want — more housing — is to set a framework statewide. That will ensure cities will have a base for the housing they need and flexibility to deliver that in a way that works for their community. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Elaine Thompson)

Washington Tackles ‘Hidden Foster Care’
Washington state legislators are weighing a bill that would guarantee legal counsel for hundreds of parents ensnared in “hidden foster care” — informal placements arranged outside of court oversight. In a practice deployed to varying degrees nationwide, social workers with the state’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families offer parents the option of voluntarily handing over their children to friends or family. In exchange, parents can provide input on where they would like to have the children stay without the dictates of a formal foster care placement. Legislation introduced by Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self (D) would provide public defenders for those parents, who currently face separation from their children through contracts with the child welfare agency known as “voluntary placement agreements.” Such arrangements have been criticized by social work scholars and child welfare advocates, who say they can be coercive and strip parents of their due process rights. Continue reading at The Imprint. (WA House Democrats)

‘Right To Repair’ Bills Garner Support In WA Legislature
Committees in both chambers of the legislature this week heard testimony in the latest effort to establish right-to-repair laws in Washington. Approving the legislation would grant Washingtonians the right to repair their devices and expand what independent repair shops can handle. Washington’s legislation is aimed at consumer devices. State Rep. Mia Gregerson (D-SeaTac), the sponsor of the House bill, said nationwide laptop shortages early on in the pandemic underlined the need for the legislation, which could have allowed schools faster and cheaper options to address a gap in supply. Continue reading at Patch. (Getty Images)

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Associated Press
Group’s lawsuit seeks to void Washington transportation law (Liias)

Axios
Washington considers lowering legal BAC limit to .05% (Lovick)

Bellingham Herald
Applications for the WA Working Families Tax Credit are live. This is who is eligible
Opinion: Capital gains decision should invest $500 million in child care, early learning

Columbian
Low-income residents of Fox Pointe Apartments in Vancouver left without housing options after fire

Everett Herald
Snohomish County legislators talk race, policy in Seattle (Berg, Lovick)
Everett council OKs eminent domain for bridge project

The Facts Newspaper
Important Update for Social Equity License Applicants: Maps

The Imprint
Washington Tackles ‘Hidden Foster Care’ (Ortiz-Self)

News Tribune
Editorial: Pierce County’s Narcan vending machines have finally arrived — not a moment too soon

Olympian
WA clergy members could become mandatory reporters of abuse under a bill in the Legislature (Frame, Walen)
Thurston youth ‘die’ at council meeting to protest lack of action on climate change
Tenino sex offender home on pause, state officials say. Here’s what else they shared

Puget Sound Business Journal
Boeing poised to grab No. 2 spot on list of WA’s largest employers
Amazon records biggest ever annual loss as a public company
Not just noncompetes. Aggressive FTC cracking down with other rules.

Seattle Times
WA considers lower DUI limit while lab backlogs delay drivers’ court cases (Lovick, Salomon)
WA COVID-19 services to continue after federal emergencies end
Opinion: Lack of housing is hurting WA’s workforce

Spokesman Review
A ‘Truly’ fair tax structure? Washington eyes lowering fees for booming canned cocktail industry

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Mom fighting to make fentanyl test strips more accessible in Washington
Nurses lobby legislators for better working conditions, hospital association opposes legislation
Washington lawmakers propose ban on ‘at-home’ rape kits

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Turning right at a red light may change with new WA house bill (Lovick)

KNKX Public Radio
SNAP recipients will lose their pandemic boost and may face other reductions by March

KUOW Public Radio
Pebble Mine vetoed after long fight by Sen. Cantwell and fishermen

KXLY (ABC)
WA legislators want to lower the age children are required to start school (Wellman)

NW Public Radio
Process to tackle Washington’s future aviation needs faces skepticism from inside and out

Web

Fast Company
How the tech industry is skirting ‘right to repair’ legislation

MLT News
Local lawmakers share their 2023 state legislative priorities (Salomon, Davis, Ryu, Stanford, Duerr, Kloba)

Northwest Sportsman Magazine
Lower Columbia Nontribal Gillnet Ban Bill Heard In Oly (Van De Wege, Nobles, Liias, Salomon, Stanford)

Patch
‘Right To Repair’ Bills Garner Support In WA Legislature (Gregerson)

Thursday, February 2

WA’s low-income tax credit, established in 2008, available for first time
Up to $1,200 is now available for hundreds of thousands of low-income working Washington families, thanks to a 2008 law that — 15 years later — is finally funded for the first time. The money comes from the Working Families Tax Credit, a state program intended to provide a modest cash boost to workers near the bottom of the economic ladder who, in Washington, pay a far greater portion of their income in state taxes than the wealthy do. Nearly 400,000 households are eligible for the newly funded tax credit, including nearly 100,000 in King County. But, because eligible families need to apply to receive it, the state’s Department of Revenue estimates that only about 40% of those eligible will receive it the first year. The state estimates it will pay out about $230 million in refunds this year and $257 million next year. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Greg Gilbert)

With starkly different abortion laws in Idaho and Washington, and legislators in both states working to enshrine them, providers and patients face legal uncertainty
When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, nearly all abortion in Idaho was outlawed, due to a trigger ban recently passed by Republican legislators. Just across the border in Washington, where abortion was legalized before the landmark 1973 decision, access remains legal. The starkly different abortion laws have set up a dangerous and murky situation for the interconnected communities of the Inland Northwest, where people live and work across two states. Lawmakers in both states are working to address the legal uncertainties. In Washington, some are pushing for more protections to ensure that the abortion policies of another state won’t impact care. Meanwhile, in Idaho, others want to change the definition of abortion in hopes of clarifying when doctors can terminate pregnancies without the threat of prosecution. With each state pulling in opposite directions, patients and doctors in the Inland Northwest will be among the first to test the legal conflicts and ramifications. Continue reading at Inlander. (Young Kwak Photos)

Bill aimed to prevent limitations on home daycares passes state House
A bill that passed unanimously through the Washington House of Representatives on Wednesday that would prevent home daycares from being restricted is now up for consideration in the Senate. The sponsor of HB-1199, Representative Tana Senn, said Washington is in a childcare crisis, with not enough options for families. That is why she was concerned when she spoke to around 90 daycare providers in the state who are either getting fined by their homeowners’ associations or are being threatened with eviction for running daycares in their homes. Senn said Washington needs more childcare options. “There is definitely a childcare crisis,” said Senn. “We need to have all hands on deck to be serving families and making sure parents can go to work. The bill passed unanimously through the house on Wednesday and is now up for consideration in the Senate. The bill would still allow HOAs and landlords to make reasonable rules regarding home daycares. Continue reading at KING5.

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Associated Press
Washington state Gov. Inslee tests positive for COVID-19

Axios
Washington may lower mandatory school age from 8 to 6 (Wellman)

Columbian
Veterans event brings state officials to Clark County
‘Forever chemicals’ found in Camas water

Everett Herald
Office on wheels brings EBT cards, resources to rural Snohomish County
A tax credit for working families and a tax break for newspapers (Mullet, Goodman, Dhingra)
Editorial: What Boeing workers built beyond the 747

The Inlander
With starkly different abortion laws in Idaho and Washington, and legislators in both states working to enshrine them, providers and patients face legal uncertainty (Riccelli)

News Tribune
Op-Ed: Washington must fix its police pursuit law. We can’t let liberal Democrats prevent it (Dhingra, Rule)

Olympian
Chair of group siting new WA airport sees Pierce, Thurston locations as ‘low probability’
Gov. Jay Inslee tests positive for COVID-19
Working Families Tax Credit applications to open as lawmakers introduce ideas to expand it (Thai)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Wage growth slows, but experts don’t foresee return to 2019 pay habits

Seattle Times
WA’s low-income tax credit, established in 2008, available for first time (Thai)
How to sign up for WA’s new Working Families Tax Credit
Opinion: Charging juvenile offenders fines they can’t pay is not justice (Frame)

Skagit Valley Herald
First stage of fisher reintroduction comes to a close

Spokesman Review
With population of Camp Hope dwindling, city leaders look ahead to next steps
Expired tab? Bill in Washington Legislature would prevent police from pulling you over (Street)
Bill to honor ‘Americans of Chinese Descent’ in January passes through Washington Senate (Jinkins)

Washington Post
Boeing delivers last 747 as fans celebrate plane that changed air travel

Yakima Herald-Republic
State to enforce cleanup of drinking water near Yakima Training Center

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Bill aimed to prevent limitations on home daycares passes state House (Senn)
Limiting ‘rights on red’ gets positive feedback in Olympia (Lovick)
‘We need to maintain our presence:’ Indigenous representation increases in Washington State Capitol (Kauffman, Lekanoff, Stearns)

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Car insurance rate hikes are here in Washington state

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Seattle mayor to take homeless encampment concerns to state lawmakers

KNKX Public Radio
WA lawmakers promise bipartisan action to boost housing supply (Peterson, Kuderer)

KUOW Public Radio
Proposed bill would let WA naturopaths prescribe opioids, other controlled meds
Changes down the road for Washington drivers: Today So Far (Lovick)
Surge of federal funding targets ‘alarming trend’ on Washington state roads

Web

Crosscut
Bellevue parents say consolidating schools is an equity issue

MyNorthwest
Seattle awarded $25.6 million for Safe Streets Grant
New bill aims to end ‘child marriages’ in Washington state (Stonier)
Sound Transit announces $1 fare with ORCA LIFT program

Wednesday, February 1

WA lawmakers of both parties back 13 bills meant to boost housing supply
Whether through easing permitting, zoning or other regulations, a bipartisan group of state lawmakers wants to make it easier to build homes and apartments in Washington. Lawmakers projected unity on the issue Tuesday, holding a group announcement of support for 13 bills meant to increase Washington’s housing stock. Proposals include measures to hasten the process of getting permits to build housing and making it easier to develop “mother-in-law” units in a state where insufficient housing has driven up the cost of renting and owning a home. Rep. Mia Gregerson, D-SeaTac, said Washington currently needs about 150,000 more housing units, and in the next 20 years will need 1 million homes. The announcement came a few weeks into a legislative session where housing is already front and center. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)

WA lawmakers promise bipartisan action to boost housing supply
Legislators in Olympia are considering a host of bills to address the housing crisis, and Tuesday, members from both parties announced they’re finding common ground. A group of lawmakers highlighted a suite of policy proposals, backed by both Republicans and Democrats, that would make regulatory and construction changes aimed at boosting the supply of homes across Washington. The list of bills covers a wide range of construction and regulatory changes, including proposals to speed up the building permit process, create more housing near transportation hubs and diversify the type of housing available in certain areas. With commitments from both sides of the aisle to move forward, Senate Housing Committee Chair Patty Kuderer (D-Bellevue) says this session is shaping up to be a big one for housing. Continue reading at KUOW. (KUOW)

Bill would limit traffic stops to try to prevent police killings
Police in Washington would be barred from pulling over drivers for minor issues like broken tail lights or expired tabs under a measure now before the state Legislature. It’s part of an effort to limit low-level traffic stops, which critics say too often escalate into violence — especially against Black, Hispanic and Indigenous people. Supporters say the change would also free up officers to pursue more serious violations such as driving under the influence, potentially helping curb the state’s recent rise in traffic fatalities. At a public hearing this week in Olympia, the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols by Memphis police hung over the proceedings, with the bill sponsor, the committee chair and some members of the public mentioning Nichols’ death as an example of a traffic stop gone wrong. “Communities of color bear the disproportionate burden of these traffic stops,” said the legislation’s sponsor, state Rep. Chipalo Street (D-Seattle). “This raises the chances that we are involved in tragic escalations of force.” Continue reading at Axios. (Brendan Lynch)

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Associated Press
Feds use rare veto to block Alaska Pebble Mine plan

Axios
Bill would limit traffic stops to try to prevent police killings (Street)

Bellingham Herald
WA saw highest traffic fatalities in 30 years in 2022. Is $9 million enough to help fix it?
Working Families Tax Credit applications to open as lawmakers introduce ideas to expand it (Thai)
Washingtonians must prepare for the impacts of wildfire and smoke. These bills could help (Springer, Shewmake)
Opinion: WA trails its neighbors’ beverage recycling rates. A bottle bill can change that

Columbian
Vancouver legislator proposes bill to allow optometrists to perform surgery (Cleveland)
Sturgeon numbers sinking in Columbia River

Everett Herald
Former state Rep. Karla Wilson, 88, remembered as ‘smart, energetic’
Despite controversy, Lynnwood opioid treatment center opens its doors
After rapid rise, Everett’s Pallet hits milestone: 100 shelter villages

International Examiner
In the wake of Lunar New Year shootings, community reflects on mental wellness and how to cope

News Tribune
Black History Month starts today in Pierce County with events, activities for all ages
Opinion: A $4 billion loan to build affordable housing? In WA, it’s a steep price worth paying

Olympian
Pierce County makes new plea to end airport prospects. Why it’s questioning transparency
Testimony again heard on psilocybin-assisted treatment. Can a bipartisan bill get passed? (Salomon)

Seattle Times
Car insurance premiums in WA to creep up, commissioner warns
WA lawmakers of both parties back 13 bills meant to boost housing supply (Gregerson, Peterson)
Opinion: WA Supreme Court can support racial justice with capital gains tax ruling

Spokesman Review
Right turns at red lights could soon be banned for drivers at certain locations in Washington (Liias, Lovick)
Community groups, Spokane city leaders frustrated as roundtable talks on policing come to abrupt end
Legislature looks to clean Spokane River PCBs with new proposal to regulate the chemicals (Billig, Riccelli)
Opinion: Walking while Black: Why it’s time to repeal Washington’s jaywalking laws

Wenatchee World
Legislation to fund five additional school days set for Thursday hearing (Billig, Wellman)

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Washington’s utility bill help: ‘People shouldn’t choose between food or heat’
Police support bill to roll back restrictions on pursuits (Dhingra)
Washington Senate committee considers harsher penalties for sexually abusive jail guards

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Lawmakers introduce a dozen bills addressing Washington’s housing shortage (Gregerson)

KNKX Public Radio
EPA vetoes Pebble Mine looming over Bristol Bay salmon fishery

KUOW Public Radio
Can you afford to be on a jury for $10 a day? Not everyone can
WA lawmakers promise bipartisan action to boost housing supply (Peterson, Kuderer)
How do you protect kids online… from their own parents? (Reeves)

KXLY (ABC)
Advocacy groups say not much gained from police accountability roundtables

Web

Crosscut
Can Washington prisons change the culture of corrections?

MyNorthwest
State lawmakers considering ‘TSWIFT Consumer Protection Act’ concerning ticket sales (Reeves)

Tuesday, January 31

WA lawmakers debating ways to address surging traffic fatalities
If you have spent any time behind the wheel since the pandemic began, you’ve surely noticed people driving more aggressively and way too fast. That correlates with a rise in traffic fatalities that last year reached levels not seen since the 1990s in Washington state and Oregon. State lawmakers in Olympia are debating a suite of possible new responses. Those include authorizing photo radar in highway work zones, prohibiting right turns at many red lights, and lowering the breathalyzer limit to convict for drunk driving. The traffic safety proposals the lawmakers described would tackle the problem from a number of angles. Continue reading at KNKX. (ODOT)

‘Right to repair’ bill would give consumers access to parts, info needed to fix their electronics
Washington residents are going to have a chance to speak out on whether they should have choices on how to repair their own electronics. The issue is called “right to repair,” and some bills offering those rights will have public hearings this week. Lawmakers supporting the right to repair bills say such repairs can be costly and sometimes lead to just replacing the device. Rep. Mia Gregerson said that such a measure could help save taxpayers money when governments need to make device repairs. Continue reading at My Northwest. (KIRO7)

Washington and Oregon may regulate the wild West of crypto mining
More than a dozen cryptocurrency mining operations call Grant County, Washington, home. The swell of crypto mining interest in the region was driven by some of the cheapest hydropower in the U.S. produced by the Grand Coulee and other dams. So the utilities in central Washington used tiered power rate increases to manage the high electricity usage that is characteristic of the industry. Several years of bitcoin’s boom-and-bust cycles later, environmental regulations around crypto mining have remained relatively sparse in Washington and the rest of the Pacific Northwest. Even at state agencies tasked with environmental protections beyond emissions, such as water quality or e-waste disposal, spokespeople echoed a common refrain that they have little or no specific insight into the impacts of bitcoin mining. Slowly, that’s beginning to change. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Erick Doxey)

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Bellingham Herald
Governor pitches plan to borrow billions to address the housing crisis in WA (Billig)
Testimony again heard on psilocybin-assisted treatment. Can a bipartisan bill get passed? (Salomon)

Capital Press
Washington denies new capital gains tax also taxes income

Columbian
Like I-5, Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge needs to be replaced
Missing middle housing bills back on Legislature’s table (Bateman, Trudeau)
Regional Transportation Council receives $300K Safe Streets grant

Everett Herald
No right turns on red gets a look, a bid to expand sports betting arrives (Liias)
Despite controversy, Lynnwood opioid treatment center opens its doors
With 747 out, Boeing to open new 737 Max line at Everett’s Paine Field
Comment: Economists failed middle-class Americans on inflation

The Facts Newspaper
City of Seattle’s Food Equity Fund now accepting proposals

Kitsap Sun
Lawmakers eye reforms to address special education students sent out of state (Wellman, Wilson)

News Tribune
Tacoma warned of active TB case; TPCHD could seek court order after patient declines meds

New York Times
U.S. Plans to End Public Health Emergency for Covid in May

Olympian
‘Unacceptable’ death threats allegedly sent over Tenino sex offender home, Sheriff says
PSE planning a program to move homes off natural gas. It’s already getting pushback

Puget Sound Business Journal
Air Force orders 15 more KC-46 tankers from Boeing
Seattle apartment rents up 8% yearly, but increases appear set to slow

Seattle Times
WA settles sexual harassment case at Monroe prison for $600,000
UW’s Sisterhood Initiative aims to build community for women of color
Feds will give Seattle $25.6 million to help fund Sodo safety improvements
Opinion: The anesthesiologist assistant model is not a good fit for WA

Skagit Valley Herald
Research continues on pinniped predation in Salish Sea

Spokesman Review
Washington Legislature considers bill to lower blood alcohol limit to 0.05% for DUIs (Lovick)
Legislature looks to clean Spokane River PCBs with new proposal to regulate the chemicals (Billig, Ormsby)

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Bill aimed at changing traffic stops intended to reduce fatalities, increase racial equity (Street)
Gov. Inslee weighs in on potential Bellevue school consolidation
Recovery advocates aim to reduce stigma surrounding opioid treatment center

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Boeing bids farewell to an icon with delivery of last 747 jet
Lawmakers debating bill that would limit law enforcement’s ability to make ‘low-level’ traffic stops (Street)

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Seattle police chief gives statement on fatal crash that killed 23-year-old grad student
Funding cuts made to safety project on street where woman was killed by Seattle police car

KNKX Public Radio
Movies set, but not filmed, in Washington are common. That might start changing.
WA lawmakers debating ways to address surging traffic fatalities (Lovick, Fey, Ramel)

KXLY (ABC)
WA bill aims to teach kids about underrepresented groups (Wilson)

Q13 TV (FOX)
Washington communities get $9M to reverse trend of traffic fatalities

Web

Crosscut
Washington and Oregon may regulate the wild West of crypto mining (Senn, Doglio)
Homeless services could face cuts in WA’s 2023 legislative session (Macri, Alvarado, Wilson)

Geekwire
Privacy bill aims to protect health data on apps and websites in Washington state (Slatter)

Land Line
Restroom access for truckers on Tuesday’s agenda for Washington lawmakers (Stanford, Keiser)

MyNorthwest
Labor unions, residents see economic impact with new Boeing assembly line coming to Everett in 2024
‘Right to repair’ bill would give consumers access to parts, info needed to fix their electronics (Gregerson)

Pluribus News
Democrats eye data privacy in abortion rights protections push (Slatter)

West Seattle Blog
FOLLOWUP: Local legislators co-sponsor two bills to keep boats further away from endangered orcas (Nguyen, Fitzgibbon)

Monday, January 30

Inslee wants WA to borrow $4B to build housing and shelter. How would that work?
It’s the centerpiece of Gov. Jay Inslee’s 2023-25 budget proposal: a plan to borrow $4 billion to fund an aggressive push to build affordable housing and shelters in Washington. A few weeks into the 2023 legislative session, it’s not clear whether Inslee’s proposal will get the necessary support from lawmakers to pass. In its current form, the unprecedented effort to address homelessness and the dearth of affordable housing would also need approval from Washington voters. “Until we fix our housing crisis, thousands of people will remain homeless,” Inslee told a joint session of the Legislature on Jan. 10. “And we need a fix that provides a level of speed and scale beyond anything we’ve done in the past.” Here’s how state officials say it would work. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)

Washington Legislature considers a bill that would prevent pre-employment cannabis testing
More than a decade after voters legalized marijuana under Washington law, some state lawmakers hope to end the use of testing for the drug as a condition for getting hired. Recreational use of marijuana is legal under state law for adults over the age of 21 in Washington, but legalization hasn’t stopped some employers from making hiring decisions based on the results of drug testing for cannabis . A bill sponsored by Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines, would prevent testing for cannabis for pre-employment, though employers still would be able to test workers while they are employed. “I think that it is discrimination at this point, to discriminate against someone for the use of a legal substance just in terms of being hired,” Keiser said. “We really need to open our doors and not close them. It’s both a fairness issue and a workforce issue.” Continue reading at Spokesman Review. (Jesse Tinsley)

Bill introduced to broaden access to music therapy in Washington
A dim prognosis, a motor skills disorder, grief or just stress and anxiety: no matter what the case may be, a quickly growing form of therapy could have you singing a new tune. Currently in Washington, music therapists are not eligible for state licensure. But on Thursday, Senate Bill 5214 was introduced and there is a new push in the legislature to change that. Music therapy is defined by using music to address the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of a patient. Treatment can cost anywhere from $50 to $250 dollars per session, but the bill would allow music therapists to begin accepting insurance. The bill would make music therapist services more affordable and accessible for every Washington resident. Continue reading at KING5.