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Friday, January 27

Justices weigh effort to balance Washington state’s tax code
An effort to balance what is considered the nation’s most regressive state tax code came before the Washington Supreme Court on Thursday, with justices hearing arguments about whether they should overturn a prohibition on income taxes that dates to the 1930s. Washington is one of nine states without an income tax, and its heavy reliance on sales and fuel taxes to pay for schools, roads and other public expenses falls disproportionately on low-income residents. They pay at least six times more in taxes as a percentage of household income than the wealthiest residents do, according to lawmakers, and middle-income residents pay two to four times as much. Democrats in Olympia, led by Gov. Jay Inslee, sought to begin addressing that in 2021, when they enacted a 7% capital gains tax on the sale of stocks, bonds and other high-end assets, with exemptions for the first $250,000 each year and gains from sales of retirement accounts, real estate and certain small businesses. Continue reading at Associated Press. (Ted S. Warren)

WA may launch a cold-case unit for missing, murdered Indigenous people
Washington lawmakers are pushing ahead with a bill to establish a special cold-case unit for missing and murdered Indigenous people after pushback from some law enforcement officials who claimed the new task force could interfere with their work. House Bill 1177, requested by Attorney General Bob Ferguson, is sponsored by the 40th District’s Rep. Debra Lekanoff, who sits on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People Task Force at the Attorney General’s Office. According to data collected by the Attorney General’s Office, there are 2,200 unsolved homicides in Washington. Native American women make up nearly 5% of those, though they represent less than 2% of the state’s population. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Caean Couto)

State Sen. Salomon’s bill is best response to WA drug possession law
The Washington Supreme Court has pushed the state Legislature this year to create a permanent law governing the possession of controlled substances. This legislative session, two bills propose to change the current law, along with a Republican proposal from late last year that essentially reinstates the law the Supreme Court found unconstitutional. Both bills would make possession a gross misdemeanor. Under Salomon’s bill, if a person completes the substance-use treatment prior to their conviction being entered, the court would be required to dismiss the charge. An evaluator trained in clinical substance treatment would recommend the type and length of treatment, not a judge. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)

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Associated Press
Justices weigh effort to balance Washington state’s tax code

Columbian
Point in Time Count provides snapshot of homelessness in Clark County
Vancouver to revise urban forestry plan as it aims for equity, climate goals

Everett Herald
County to pay $1.9 million over Everett man’s fatal shooting by deputy
School program gives Scriber Lake teens class credits — and paychecks
State to pay $600K over psychologist’s harassment at Monroe prison

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

High Country News
This Washington experiment could rebuild eroding coastlines

The Inlander
High schoolers urge Washington lawmakers to eliminate gender-based pricing discrimination (Dhingra)

News Tribune
Renowned Washington artist named to create likeness of this Indigenous leader for Capitol
Tacoma police want to stop hate crimes. Here’s its plan and how businesses can help
Editorial: WA must finally address mental health delays in jails. The cruelty is staggering

Olympian
WA Supreme Court hears first oral arguments in capital gains tax case
Mental health hospital in NE Lacey on hold after partner pulls out
Bipartisan bills introduced to WA legislature to limit public records lawsuits (Springer, Walen, Pollet)

Seattle Times
Washington traffic safety is ‘a crisis that we can’t ignore,’ lawmakers say (Liias, Lovick)
Ending homelessness in King County will cost billions, regional authority says
Editorial: State Sen. Salomon’s bill is best response to WA drug possession law (Salomon, Robinson)

Spokesman Review
State Supreme Court hears capital gains tax arguments in hearing

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
This Washington study might make you think twice about your makeup choices
Washington Attorney General sues Providence hospitals over ‘unfair’ medical billing practices
Department of Health approves license for Lynnwood opioid center
Washington legislature eyes free school lunch for all students

KNKX Public Radio
AI helps scientists better understand wildfire emissions

KUOW Public Radio
WA could expand resources for solving cold cases with Indigenous victims

Q13 TV (FOX)
State leaders hope bipartisan effort saves lives, increases traffic safety in Washington (Lovick, Liias, Shewmake, Frame, Hunt, Reed, Mena)

Web

Crosscut
WA may launch a cold-case unit for missing, murdered Indigenous people (Lekanoff)

Thursday, January 26

Washington’s new capital gains tax goes before state Supreme Court
Progressives in Washington have been anticipating this hearing for years in the hope that the state Supreme Court will bless a capital gains tax as lawful – and perhaps even overturn a prior court precedent that has long stymied a personal income tax. Democratic lawmakers have long assailed Washington’s tax system – which doesn’t have a personal income tax – as regressive. Since state revenue depends so heavily on sales and business taxes, it means people who earn the least ultimately pay a higher share of their income in tax. Democrats in the Legislature passed the capital gains tax in 2021 and Gov. Jay Inslee signed it into law. The new law levies a 7% tax on profits from selling assets like bonds and stocks. The tax would apply only to the portion of the profits from those sales that exceed $250,000 by an individual or married couple. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Jovelle Tamayo)

What new federal money will mean for WA ferries
The federal government has awarded Washington State Ferries $4.9 million to help build an electric-ferry charging station for the busy Mukilteo-Clinton line, and $5 million for dock improvements to improve transit and pedestrian connections at Southworth. Those grants, along with $1.7 million for WSF to buy modern ferry-payment software and systems, that make credit-card transactions quicker, were announced Thursday morning by the Federal Transit Administration. FTA’s latest ferry spending represents a modest sum that might help Puget Sound agencies get moving on new projects, and displays the federal government’s new zeal to subsidize cleaner transportation. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Stefanie Loh)

What if voting were not just a right, but a legally required duty?
Numerous Democrats in the Washington Legislature are backing a new proposal to make voting in elections compulsory. Citizens are required by law to cast ballots in about 25 counties, but in no other U.S. states. State Sen. Sam Hunt (D-Olympia) said he got the idea for what he calls “universal civic duty voting” from a recently published book titled “100% Democracy” by E.J. Dionne and Miles Rapoport. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig of Spokane mailed Hunt a copy last year. “As a member of the Senate, once the majority leader sends you something, it sort of gets your attention,” Hunt said in an interview. “So, I read the book and it piqued an interest with me.” So much so, Hunt had the concept of compulsory voting turned into a legislative proposal. Billig’s enthusiasm separately inspired state Rep. Sharlett Mena (D-Tacoma) to introduce an identical version of the legislation in the state House. Continue reading at KUOW. (Wikimedia Commons)

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Associated Press
Secret Service report analyzed 173 mass attacks. Here’s what it found.
Washington lawmakers hear testimony on 7 abortion bills (Randall)
Boeing to be arraigned on criminal charges related to deadly 737 Max jet crashes

Aberdeen Daily World
Unemployment throughout the Harbor rises for third consecutive month

Axios
Washington union membership fell in 2022

Bothell-Kenmore Reporter
King County’s new prosecuting attorney announces task force units

Capital Press
Washington farmers dragged into cap-and-trade costs

Everett Herald
Two tax duels and a unified push to ensure the people’s voice is heard (Farivar)
Nearly 40K Snohomish County residents might lose Medicaid coverage
Lawmakers push to boost voting in county jails across the state
Senate approves bill for new District Court judge in Snohomish County (Lovick)

The Inlander
Washington state gears up for a national cannabis market (Keiser)
Local universities work, slowly, to return the stolen remains of Native Americans

Kent Reporter
18 pedestrians in Kent killed by trains from 2019 to 2022

LaConner Weekly News
Rep. Shavers: Farmland and farming community protection

News Tribune
New report ranks WA in top 10 worst states to spend retirement. Here are reasons why

Olympian
At Washington’s state Capitol, crowd rallies with one goal: ‘Stop the airport!’

Peninsula Daily News
Officials: Combine Simdars, Johnson Creek road projects

Puget Sound Business Journal
Report: Record number of households look to move out of their metro

Seattle Times
What new federal money will mean for WA ferries
As capital gains tax goes to WA Supreme Court, a push to ‘microtarget’ justices

Spokesman Review
Animal cruelty suspects would be liable for all care costs of seized animal under bill in Washington House (Goodman)
Comment: Fish advocates want more funds for salmon

Vancouver Business Journal
Port of Vancouver continues to see lots of activity as 2023 kicks off

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Bellingham business sees growth of 35% after implementing 4-day workweek
Advocates call to shut down state-run institutions, Washington legislators say it’s not that easy (Farivar)

KUOW Public Radio
Should Washington use magic mushrooms for mental health?: Today So Far (Liias)
What if voting were not just a right, but a legally required duty? (Hunt, Billig, Mena)

KXLY (ABC)
McMorris Rodgers holds roundtable discussing social media, fentanyl crisis

PBS NewsHour
How a Washington state plan to fight domestic extremism could be a model for the nation

Q13 TV (FOX)
Proposed bill seeks to ban assault weapons in Washington (Peterson)

Web

Crosscut
Washington’s new capital gains tax goes before state Supreme Court
WA parents push back against proposal to lower required school age (Wellman)

MyNorthwest
Spike: WA constitutional abortion amendment should be an essential right (Billig)

Suburban Times
Legislative Page Program (Bronoske)

Wednesday, January 25

Bills to protect abortion rights heard at public hearings Tuesday
A package of legislation on reproductive health was heard in committee throughout the day Tuesday. The proposed legislation comes months after the wind back of national abortion protections under the Dobbs decision, which overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling last June. House and Senate Democrats announced plans then to enshrine reproductive protections, and both chambers have worked on versions of their own bills. During the hearings, several pro-reproductive health supporters gathered on the Capitol steps at a rally held by Pro-Choice Washington. Anti-abortion protesters stood away from pro-choice advocates as they held signs depicting dead fetuses. Some legislators also joined the rally in between committees. “Here in Washington we’re preserving reproductive care so our communities and neighbors are protected from attacks on their health and well-being,” said Rep. Darya Farivar, D-Seattle. Continue reading at Bellingham Herald. (Shauna Sowersby)

New WA law would shut the door on puppy-mill suffering
At the most basic level, good public policy aims at helping communities thrive. By definition, that means working toward less suffering, less misery. So it’s not surprising that among more than 1,000 bills proposed during this legislative session, one that has attracted rapid sponsorship from 30 lawmakers targets a little-recognized source of considerable pain. House Bill 1424 focuses on thwarting puppy mills. These breeding farms — essentially factories for manufacturing pets like so many toasters — treat animals like products, trucking them en masse across the country to pet stores, where they frequently arrive with a host of hidden health problems that are then foisted onto unwitting customers. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Jim Bates)

New report gives WA state 3 ‘F’ grades out of 5 categories for tobacco control policies
The results are in for this year’s statewide tobacco prevention effort test. Washington didn’t make the mark. The American Lung Association released its yearly “State of Tobacco Control” report this week for every U.S. state and the federal government. Washington state received three ‘F’ grades out of five total reviews for its lackluster state funding toward tobacco prevention programs, access to cessation resources and its failure to ban flavored tobacco products. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths in Washington state and across the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Around 8,300 Washingtonians die from smoking-related illness each year. In the report, ALA states that about 1 out of every 10 adult residents smoke, and 5% of high school-aged residents smoke. Continue reading at The Olympian. (Mark Lennihan)

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Bellingham Herald
Bill would require government and nonprofit Washington employers to pay interns (Keiser)
Bills to protect abortion rights heard at public hearings Tuesday (Farivar, Keiser, Cleveland, Randall, Trudeau, Berry)

Capital Press
DNR resists running some leases past oversight board (Van de Wege)

Columbian
Abortion bills get legislative hearing; Vancouver Sen. Cleveland sponsors 1 of 2 measures that aim to preserve access (Cleveland)

Everett Herald
Annual homeless count aims to give snapshot of housing crisis
Comment: What research is now proving about firearm laws

News Tribune
High-speed internet is coming to part of rural Pierce County. Here’s the $5 million plan

New York Times
New Lawsuit Challenges State Bans on Abortion Pills

Olympian
’Issues’ with leader caused this WA state lawmaker to leave the Republican caucus
New report gives WA state 3 ‘F’ grades out of 5 categories for tobacco control policies

Peninsula Daily News
Peninsula hospitals oppose staffing legislation (Van De Wege, Tharinger)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Report: Most Seattle-area hotels ‘fully recovered’ from the pandemic

Seattle Times
Seattle will give free transit cards to all public housing residents
Pedestrian struck by Seattle police vehicle dies
Editorial: New WA law would shut the door on puppy-mill suffering (Berg)
Abortion rights supporters rally outside WA Capitol (Jinkins, Randall, Trudeau, Mena, Riccelli, Farivar)

Skagit Valley Herald
Swinomish tribe wins court battle over funding for dental therapists

Spokesman Review
Spokane County withdraws lawsuit over Camp Hope in show of good faith
State lawmakers hear slew of abortion protection bills following 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade

Washington Post
White House unveils new tenant protections amid soaring rental costs

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Amendment ensuring abortion rights in state constitution introduced in Olympia (Jinkins)
Fatal overdoses, staffing contributing to morgue capacity issues
Research shows cougars on the Olympic Peninsula are isolated from other groups in Washington
New King County Prosecuting Attorney lays out policy changes

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Spokane police among first agencies to use VR headsets in officer training

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Tacoma works to formalize position on how to fix state’s drug possession laws

KUOW Public Radio
Washington state lawmakers again consider legalizing ‘shrooms‘ (Salomon)
Again, court refuses to hear case challenging WA’s ban on conversion therapy for minors
WA bill would make school meals free for all students (Nobles)
WA lawmakers push stricter .05 DUI limit amid record road deaths (Liias)

KXLY (ABC)
Public hearings for bills protecting reproductive freedom (Jinkins, Mena)

Q13 TV (FOX)
New tool aims at connecting victims of rape with resources sooner

Web

MyNorthwest
Legislature mulls bill to give unemployment recipients more flexibility (Conway)
New drug law would provide alternate route for those with addictions (Salomon)

Seattle’s Child
Lake Washington students push for law against “pink taxing” (Dhingra)

Tuesday, January 24

WA lawmakers to hear testimony on abortion bills
On Tuesday, days after the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, state lawmakers will hear testimony on several bills intended to protect abortion rights and access in Washington. Abortion is legal in Washington up to the point of viability, or roughly 23 to 24 weeks of pregnancy, and to protect the life or health of the pregnant person. Democratic state legislators are proposing laws that would increase protections for patients and providers in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in June to overturn Roe. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)

Editorial: Fund could break inequitable cycle of poverty
Jennifer Bereskin, a member of the Snohomish Nation and Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska, Alaska, wants state legislators to think ahead when addressing the needs of Washington’s children. Say, seven generations ahead. Senate Bill 5125 would help individuals build wealth and combat the economic hardships that can lock families into a nearly unbreakable cycle of poverty for generations. The legislation, first requested by State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti’s office last year, has returned, this year backed by a report, requested by lawmakers. Continue reading at Everett Herald. (Getty Images)

WA bill promotes dense, walkable communities around transit stops
Many cities across Washington state have invested heavily in transit. But there aren’t a lot of people living around the many stations set to open north and south of Seattle in the next few years. A bill introduced in Olympia aims to change that. City planners want to see dense, vibrant communities around transit. House Bill 1111 would give them some of that power by creating a new tool called Housing Benefit Districts. Cities could opt in if they have a light rail station or a bus rapid transit line. Those cities could then finance hundreds or even thousands of new homes, at least a third of them affordable, in well-planned, walkable neighborhoods with day cares and parks, all near that transit. Continue reading at KUOW. (UW College of Built Environments)

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Associated Press
Washington bill would lower legal blood alcohol level limit (Lovick)
Tax the rich? Liberals renew push for state wealth taxes

Bellingham Herald
Gov. Inslee in Bellingham to see the ‘future of electric transportation in Washington’

Capital Press
Northwest wheat industry expects food aid uses to increase

Everett Herald
Providence disputes details in TikTok about Everett nurse staffing
Editorial: Fund could break inequitable cycle of poverty

Kitsap Sun
Recognition for Black pioneers Nathaniel Sargent, Rodney White moves forward at state level

News Tribune
A historical lunar event is causing ‘King Tides’ in WA. Here’s how and potential impacts
Scientists ‘optimistic’ about improving drought conditions in parched parts of WA

New York Times
‘Tragedy Upon Tragedy’: January Brings Dozens of Mass Shootings So Far

Olympian
Fixing the mental health workforce: WA has an underutilized counseling resource
TSA found a record number of firearms in carry-on bags at SeaTac in 2022. Most were loaded

Peninsula Daily News
Service organizations prepare for annual Point-in-Time count

Port Townsend Leader
Bills push for improving salmon habitat, removing barriers (Ramel, Chapman)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Retirement plan law could be ‘game-changer’ for small businesses
Banking execs predict tough year as mortgage applications dry up

Seattle Times
WA could ban use of cancer-causing chemicals in makeup, hair care (Mena)
WA lawmakers to hear testimony on abortion bills
Bills to create solutions to missing and murdered Indigenous women (Lekanoff, Dhingra)
Editorial: Inslee’s plan to raise WA debt for housing deserves scrutiny

Broadcast

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
State Senate, House to hear multiple abortion protection bills
King County medical examiner’s office is struggling to store bodies amid rise in fentanyl overdoses

KNKX Public Radio
Washington bill would restrict nighttime lights on wind turbines
The FDA considers a major shift in the nation’s COVID vaccine strategy

KUOW Public Radio
Pierce County pushes back on the state’s proposed airport sites (Fey)
WA bill promotes dense, walkable communities around transit stops

KXLY (ABC)
Camp Hope population down 75% from July

Q13 TV (FOX)
Senate hearing into ticketing industry following Ticketmaster meltdown

Web

Crosscut
A proposed WA law requires clergy to report child abuse, neglect (Walen, Frame)
How Washington’s new carbon emission cap will work
FCC broadband service maps disputed at thousands of WA locations

Pluribus News
5 abortion bills on docket in agenda-setting day of hearings in Washington State (Cleveland, Randall)

Monday, January 23

Two weeks down, many more to go: Here’s a look at the bills WA lawmakers considered last week
After a flurry of committee meetings, the second week of the state Legislature is in the books. Last week, lawmakers heard several bills that address issues ranging from police accountability to increasing “missing middle” housing in the state. While the legislative session still has weeks to go before it adjourns, House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, told reporters Wednesday that some bills could make it to the floor this week, although she did not specify which bills they might be. Lawmakers have until Feb. 17 to pass their bills out of committee, so the next few weeks will focus on getting proposed legislation out of committee and onto the debate floor. Here are some of the proposals that were introduced or had public hearings this week: Continue reading at The Olympian. (The Olympian)

Tacoma gave families $500 a month for a year. Could something similar happen across the state?
State lawmakers, led by Democrat Rep. Liz Berry, held their first public hearing on a bill that would provide two years of unrestricted monthly payments for up to 7,500 Washington residents who meet specific criteria. Dubbed the Evergreen Basic Income Pilot Program, the payments would range from about $900 – $2,100 per month depending on where a participating resident lives. “Everyone in Washington should be able to meet their basic needs and care for their loved ones,” said Berry at the hearing. “We know that giving people cash with no strings attached works. With basic incomes, more people are able to afford food and housing, pay off debt, get full-time jobs, save for emergencies, and get the physical and mental health support they need.” Continue reading at KNKX. (Patrick Rodriguez)

WA lawmakers start remake of drug possession laws
Two proposals emerged this week to update how Washington law deals with possession of illicit drugs, a quandary the state has faced since the Washington Supreme Court struck down the state’s drug possession statute as unconstitutional in early 2021. While the two bills that dropped this week differ, both would make drug possession a gross misdemeanor, a step up from its current misdemeanor status, and would involve more formal nudges to get people who are charged with drug possession into treatment. A third approach will likely be introduced to acknowledge the work of the Substance Use and Recovery Services Advisory Committee, made up of lawmakers, service providers and members of the criminal justice system, which recommended decriminalization. Continue reading at Seattle Times.