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Friday, January 13

WA jobless workers living ‘surrealistic nightmare’ as recession looms
In December, state auditors chided ESD for being slow to fix performance issues exacerbated by the pandemic. But the deeper problem, some state legislators and worker advocates say, is that Washington’s entire unemployment system today is trying to do too much with too little money — and so far, state budget writers haven’t come through with needed funding. Some legislators are skeptical. State Rep. Gerry Pollet, D-Seattle, who chairs the joint committee overseeing performance audits, says ESD hasn’t been sufficiently forthcoming with metrics that lawmakers could use to gauge the agency’s improvements. ESD has disputed that criticism and also says more metrics will be available when the new phone system launches. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

Bill in legislature would ban toxins commonly found in cosmetics
Did you know that your deodorant, nighttime face cream, mascara, and other cosmetics in your bathroom drawer may all contain chemicals linked to cancer? A bill in the Washington State Legislature this session seeks to do something about that. House Bill 1047 would ban the sale, manufacture, and distribution of cosmetic products with certain toxic chemicals in Washington, beginning in 2025. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Sharlett Mena (D-Tacoma), said “you shouldn’t have to be a toxicologist to shop for your cosmetics, and I think a lot of us go to the grocery store or to the makeup store or wherever we get our things, and assume that they’re safe to use because they’re on the shelf.” Continue reading at MyNorthwest. (Andreas Rentz)

Lake Washington high schoolers propose ban on pricing similar products for men and women differently
What started as a frustration is now a piece of legislation. Retailers would not be able to sell products or services for different prices based on someone’s gender if the product is “substantially similar,” under a proposed bill in Olympia. Students from Lake Washington High School’s AP government class submitted the idea to state Senator Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond.Dhingra is the bill’s prime sponsor. The legislation gets its first public hearing Monday. “Equity is very important,” said Abi Jalso, Lake Washington High School senior. She and classmates visited a Kirkland grocery store and documented several items, from vitamins to adult diapers, where the female versions were more expensive than those marketed at men. Continue reading at KING5. (PhotoCredit)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Corps of Engineers, Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe finish $40M project

Axios
Several whale species in Seattle area rebounded in 2022

Bellingham Herald
Storm bringing several hazards to Whatcom County into the weekend
WWU holds Indigenous remains despite federal law, news report says

Columbian
People with disabilities in Clark County face evictions, homelessness as federal benefits stall
Clark County sheriff’s deputy won’t be charged in death of Vancouver police Officer Donald Sahota

Everett Herald
After standoff, courthouse examines ‘long-brewing security problems’
Providence to close inpatient hospice unit in Everett
Comment: Better funding of IRS will improve service, revenue
Comment: Who will educate our kids when teachers have had enough?

Olympian
Use existing airports or build from scratch? This Puget Sound question is a math problem

Peninsula Daily News
Port Townsend updates traffic plan for state grants

Puget Sound Business Journal
What employers need to know about the PUMP Act and the PWFA

Seattle Times
Record-breaking year for whale sightings in Salish Sea
Lynnwood or Bellevue: Which city should get light-rail service first?
WA jobless workers living ‘surrealistic nightmare’ as recession looms (Berry, Pollet)
Opinion: Save our food-producing lands with high-density ‘middle housing’ (Bateman)

Skagit Valley Herald
State Department of Health reopens Guemes Island area to shellfish harvesting

The Skanner
Cries for Help Pour Into 988 Mental Health, Suicide Line

Spokesman Review
White House calls on Cantwell, McMorris Rodgers to work together to rein in ‘Big Tech’
Some examples of the regional approach to homelessness that’s being eyed in Spokane

Yakima Herald-Republic
Community members speak out on Yakima County solar proposals

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Lake Washington high schoolers propose ban on pricing similar products for men and women differently (Dhingra)

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Inslee open to changing state pursuit, zoning laws as 2023 legislative session begins

KUOW Public Radio
Arguments surrounding Inslee’s State-of-the-State: Today So Far
Period tracking apps would have to adhere to new Washington state health privacy laws if this bill passes (Slatter)

Web

Crosscut
‘The whole thing is broken’: Temp staffing costs strain WA hospitals

MyNorthwest
Biden issues disaster declaration for November storms
Bill in Legislature would ban toxins commonly found in cosmetics (Mena)
Washington could have a state dinosaur thanks to 4th graders

Thursday, January 12

‘We still have far to go’: Courts address inequities in post-pandemic world, Chief Justice González says
In the first in-person state of the judiciary address in two years, Washington State Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven González on Wednesday discussed court inequities, funding and courthouse security. González highlighted how the courts have used the pandemic as an opportunity to address inequities within the justice system. “We need to continue that work, and to do that, we need the Legislature’s continued partnership,” González said. The pandemic made the use of new technologies necessary, which made the courts more accessible for many, including people with disabilities and those unable to travel or miss work for court dates. Despite returning to an in-person session, the courts are in the process of making some of these pandemic adjustments permanent, González said. Continue reading at Spokesman Review. (TVW)

How WA’s legislature is addressing the housing crisis in 2023
By nearly any measure, Washington has serious housing problems. The cost of buying and renting homes has leapt skyward. More than 25,000 people are living on the street or in emergency and transitional housing across the state, an 11% increase from 2020. And according to the Washington Department of Commerce, the state will need to build one million new homes by 2044 to meet demand, and more than half of them will need to be subsidized housing affordable to low-income residents. Recognizing that there’s no silver bullet for Washington’s housing crisis, legislators and advocates are pushing a slew of bills meant to increase market-rate construction, subsidized affordable housing and renter protections. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Genna Martin)

Editorial: Adopt assault weapons ban, license requirement
It took the outrage over the school shooting of 19 young students and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, last year to shake Congress out of lack of action — a stupor that had lasted 29 years — on passage of firearm safety legislation. Washington, among other states, has gone further in recent years. Now jointly requested by state Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Gov. Jay Inslee, at least two bills — Senate Bill 5265 and House Bill 1240 — are back before state lawmakers that seek to prohibit the sale, manufacture and import of assault weapons. Opponents bristle at the phrase, but the proposed legislation and other related bills, are every bit “common-sense gun laws.” Continue reading at Everett Herald. (Genna Martin)

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Associated Press
Supreme Court debates union tactics in spoiled concrete case
How pay transparency may affect your job search or raise

Aberdeen Daily World
Cosmo Specialty Fibers receives new ownership group

Capital Press
WSU budget ‘leaner and meaner’ due to reduced enrollment

Everett Herald
2 Everett officers face inquiry after suspect injured in foot chase
Editorial: Adopt assault weapons ban, license requirement

The Inlander
State legislators consider employment protections for cannabis users (Keiser)

News Tribune
‘Brazen betrayal.’ Veteran Tacoma cop fired after body camera captures on-duty sex

New York Times
Panic Buttons, Classroom Locks: How Schools Have Boosted Security

Northwest Asian Weekly
Community dismayed over Sound Transit’s last workshop

Olympian
Clean Air Agency board votes to lift ban on campfires in Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater
The rain will fall, rivers will rise and the wind will blow Thursday
Citizen group alleges Thurston County airport proposal violates state law. Here’s why

Puget Sound Business Journal
Microsoft to give US employees unlimited time off
The number of $1M earners is surging. Here’s how many Washington added.

Seattle Times
Seattle traffic hasn’t made a U-turn to pre-pandemic levels

Spokesman Review
Washington Legislature could abolish advisory votes this session
‘We still have far to go’: Courts address inequities in post-pandemic world, Chief Justice González says

Washington Post
Inflation slowed further in December for the sixth month in a row

Yakima Herald-Republic
Mobile home park residents in Selah come together to purchase their park

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Survivor, Washington lawmaker working together to reduce forced labor (Dhingra)
Record whale sightings reported near Seattle in 2022, new data reveals
Gov. Inslee supports lowering legal blood-alcohol limit for drivers, open to reforming pursuit law
Gun control legislation in Olympia causes debate over how to best prevent gun violence in Washington

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Landlords, tenants look for balance in new rules on rental housing

KNKX Public Radio
Gov. Inslee leans into housing and homelessness in 2023 State of the State address

KUOW Public Radio
For some without a home, the airport is a source of shelter

Q13 TV (FOX)
Snohomish County offering grants to develop flood risk reduction projects
Proposed bill to protect WA reproductive health care providers from other states’ penalties (Keiser, Berry)

Web

Crosscut
Some WA lawmakers are sidestepping the state’s Public Records Act (Jinkins)
How WA’s legislature is addressing the housing crisis in 2023 (Bateman, Taylor, Peterson)

Geekwire
New bill aims to allow digital driver’s licenses in Washington state (Mullet)

Wednesday, January 11

Inslee urges lawmakers to act on housing, gun measures
Gov. Jay Inslee urged state lawmakers Tuesday to act on his legislative agenda in a speech to a joint session of the Legislature, calling for stricter gun laws, unprecedented spending on housing and a boost in funding for education. The governor’s State of the State address is an annual ritual in Olympia, full of pomp and circumstance, when the governor lays out where the state stands and what he wants to see out of the 2023 session, which began Monday. Inslee made the case in the noon hour address for his proposed $4 billion referendum to build thousands of new housing units, including shelters, affordable housing and supportive housing. Lawmakers would need to pass that measure before it went to voters. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)

State Rep. Orwall reelected House speaker pro tempore in Olympia
State Rep. Tina Orwall, D-Des Moines, will once again preside over House floor debate in Olympia when the speaker of the House is unable to do so. The House reelected Orwall, nominated by the Democrats, during the Legislature’s opening ceremonies Jan. 9 as speaker pro tempore. “I am privileged and deeply honored to have been selected by my fellow lawmakers for this important office,” Orwall said in a House Democrats news release. “I am grateful for their support and confidence, and I pledge to work for everyone in this chamber as hard as every one of my colleagues works for the people of our state.” Continue reading at Kent Reporter. (Washington House Democrats)

Abortion measures among early bill filings
Abortion-related measures and fertility treatment health coverage were included among more than 400 bills filed by state lawmakers by the time they were sworn in for the 105-day legislative session that began Monday. Bills already making their way to committees include a ban on abortions of unborn children with Down syndrome as well as a Senate joint resolution for a constitutional amendment. The amendment would guarantee that the state “shall not deny or interfere with an individual’s reproductive freedom decisions.” Approval would be required by two-thirds of lawmakers and voters. Continue reading at Peninsula Daily News.

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Associated Press
Wash. Gov. Inslee seeks lawmaker action on housing, guns
Calls and texts pour into 988 mental health crisis line

Bellingham Herald
Gov. Inslee delivers State of the State with an eye on housing and homelessness
Recent substation vandalism added to rising number of attacks on Washington’s power grid

Bothell-Kenmore Reporter
Proposal would exempt Washington’s news outlets from B&O tax (Mullet, Pollet)

Columbian
Vancouver updates comprehensive plan, zoning code but some property owners unhappy
Vancouver police officers to see 6 percent raise

Everett Herald
Inslee makes his case for a $4 billion housing bond in State of the State (Paul)
‘Write letters’: Lynnwood council urges outcry against opioid center
Comment: Covid isn’t close to giving up; we shouldn’t be either

Kent Reporter
State Rep. Orwall reelected House speaker pro tempore in Olympia (Orwall)

News Tribune
Editorial: WA lawmakers say ‘legislative privilege’ lets them bury public records. They’re wrong (Jinkins)

Olympian
Lawsuit filed over state lawmakers’ use of ‘privilege’ to deny access to public records (Jinkins)
Proposed airport sites in Pierce, Thurston counties may not be viable given obstacles
Dozens rally outside port meeting, raising concerns about Olympia Regional Airport
Sheriff Sanders promises more vehicle pursuits and jail bookings plus other changes

Peninsula Daily News
Abortion measures among early bill filings (Van De Wege, Tharinger, Chapman)

Port Townsend Leader
Legislature back to in-person sessions (Jinkins, Orwall, Bronoske, Keiser, Lovick)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Boeing finishes 2022 on high note after surge in deliveries

Seattle Times
Puget Sound Energy agrees to move more customers from gas to electric heat
Free transit passes now available for all Climate Pledge Arena events
Inslee urges lawmakers to act on housing, gun measures

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County home prices see slight year-over-year rise

Spokesman Review
Local delegation blasts Inslee’s proposed transportation budget that includes North Spokane Corridor pause as ‘almost unconscionable’ (Riccelli, Billig)
‘Boldness and ambition’: Inslee calls on Legislature to make big investments in housing, behavioral health (Heck)

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Dangerous drivers create difficult commute for Seattle biking community

Washington Post
There’s a secret pollution source in 40 million homes. The U.S. may try to ban it.

Wenatchee World
Douglas PUD eyes several bills introduced in current legislative session (Chapman, Rolfes)

Yakima Herald-Republic
At the mercy of the market: Yakima trailer park residents feeling the pain of higher rent

Broadcast

KHQ
Revised hospital safe staffing bill introduced in Washington state senate (Keiser)

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Gov. Inslee outlines legislative priorities in State of the State address
2 western Washington teen athletes die by suicide days apart
Reduction in private ambulance service in Pierce County could impact 911 system

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Inslee pitches housing plan, assault weapons ban, abortion protections in State of the State address

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Washington 1st state to launch mental health crisis line dedicated to Indigenous persons

KUOW Public Radio
Gov. Inslee leans into housing and homelessness in 2023 State-of-the-State address
No bones about it: Students seek a Washington state dinosaur designation (Morgan)

KXLY (ABC)
Packed In: Spokane’s housing supply still limited; short 25,000 housing units

Q13 TV (FOX)
DSHS changes may mean people needing mental health services could be released from jail

Web

Crosscut
Q&A: Washington Governor Jay Inslee talks housing, guns, climate
Two lawsuits could threaten the sovereignty of Indigenous nations

Marijuana Moment
Washington Lawmakers Tackle Marijuana Interstate Commerce, Employment Protections And Equity On First Day Of 2023 Session (Keiser)

Tuesday, January 10

Lawmakers convene in Olympia for first day of 2023 Legislature
State lawmakers kicked off the 2023 session on Monday, starting a 105-day marathon of bill-passing and budget-writing in their first fully in-person gathering since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic three years ago. The return of lawmakers seated side-by-side in chambers, with galleries loaded with family members and other observers looking on, stood in marked contrast to the mostly empty Capitol of the past two sessions. After her colleagues reelected her to lead the chamber, House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, walked up the aisle to the dais, exchanging hugs and handshakes with lawmakers of both parties. “The last time I delivered remarks to a packed House, with actual visitors in the galleries, was on the opening day of the 2020 session, my first as speaker of the House,” Jinkins said. “At that time, none of us knew within weeks — in fact I researched it — within seven days of us kicking off our legislative session, would we be faced with a global pandemic that completely changed how we work, how we socialize and how we live our lives.” Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)

Rep. Bateman & Barkis: WA’s housing crisis requires bold reform. This bill would be transformative
Everyone needs a home. Washingtonians deserve an affordable place to live, work and raise a family — yet that dream is out of reach. While the single-family home has been the iconic American starter home for decades, it is an outdated model that is no longer attainable to most first-time home buyers. Washington is experiencing a housing shortage of more than 140,000 homes To close this gap, we must triple the pace of construction. That’s not possible under the status quo because most cities either restrict home construction to single-family homes or make it only feasible to construct single-family homes by requiring minimum lot sizes and setback requirements. We need to close the housing gap by making it legal to build modest homes in cities where people want to live. Continue reading at Tri-City Herald.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson Partners With Lawmakers to Propose Legislation Targeting Native American Cold Cases
In a statement released on Friday, Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced he has partnered state Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, and state Rep. Debra Lekanoff, D-Anacortes, to propose legislation creating a Cold Case Investigations Unit focused on solving cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people. The primary purpose of the unit would be assisting local and tribal law enforcement agencies to solve cold cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous people. “We must address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and people,” Ferguson said. “This bill not only honors the task force’s recommendation, it’s the right thing to do and is long overdue.” Dhingra is sponsoring Senate Bill 5137 in the state Senate while Lekanoff is sponsoring a companion bill, House Bill 1177, in the state House. Continue reading at The Chronicle. (HOUSE DEMOCRATS PHOTO)

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Associated Press
Washington lawmakers convene for 105-day session

Auburn Reporter
WA lawmakers prepare for first in-person session since 2020 (Peterson)

Axios
Getting abortion pills will soon become easier in Washington

Bellingham Herald
State Legislature fully convenes in person for first time since 2020 (Jinkins)

The Chronicle
Attorney General Bob Ferguson Partners With Lawmakers to Propose Legislation Targeting Native American Cold Cases (Dhingra, Lekanoff)

Columbian
Clark County, its cities plan for new sales tax proceeds

The Daily News
Parents see benefits of early kindergarten in Longview after two months

Everett Herald
Lawmakers return as a path for a Blake fix is fine-tuned (Jinkins, Billig, Robinson)
Editorial: Lawmakers seek privilege that doesn’t exist

New York Times
U.S. Carbon Emissions Grew in 2022, Even as Renewables Surpassed Coal
As Infrastructure Money Lands, the Job Dividends Begin

Olympian
Sheriff Derek Sanders defends involvement in Jan. 5 pursuit. Bail set for defendant
Lawmakers are using ‘privilege’ more often than they claim to deny access, records show (Jinkins, Billig)

Port Townsend Leader
Land with old-growth, shoreside forest donated to Jefferson Land Trust

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle schools sue tech giants over youth mental health crisis

Seattle Times
Traffic deaths in WA outpaced national toll in 2022, early data shows
Why the state’s education leader says WA schools are ‘accelerating’
Lawmakers convene in Olympia for first day of 2023 Legislature (Pedersen, Jinkins)

Spokesman Review
After two remote sessions, Legislature opens Monday fully in person (Jinkins, Fitzgibbon, Pederson)

Tri-City Herald
Avian flu and cholera kills 100s more birds near Tri-Cities. How you can help stop the spread
Op-Ed: WA’s housing crisis requires bold reform. This bill would be transformative (Bateman, Barkis)

Vancouver Business Journal
Opinion: 2023 gives lawmakers a new chance to champion the economy

Washington Post
The last eight years have been the warmest on record, researchers say

Yakima Herald-Republic
WA bill would create cold case unit for missing and murdered Indigenous people (Dhingra, Lekanoff)

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Legislative session began in Olympia in person for the first time since 2020 (Mena)
Leesa Manion the first woman, person of color to serve as King County Prosecutor

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Pierce County prosecutor claims Washington’s drug law is making the community less safe
‘Social media is addictive’: Students react to lawsuit against social media platforms

KNKX Public Radio
New Biden student loan plan unveiled amid agency funding crisis

KUOW Public Radio
2023 housing strategies proposed by Seattle’s top CEOs

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane council members, mayor ask for community feedback on rental housing

Web

MyNorthwest
Opponents of Pierce County airport to gather this Friday
SDOT, KC Metro offer free transit during West Seattle Low Bridge closure

The Stranger
Seattle’s Winter Eviction Protection Needs a Fix

Monday, January 9

5 issues to watch as the WA Legislature convenes Monday
After two years of debates, committee meetings and votes on Zoom, Washington legislators will return Monday in person to the Capitol. In the 105-day session, legislative leaders and Gov. Jay Inslee have signaled they’ll tackle thorny issues including homelessness, public safety, abortion rights and gun violence. Before their scheduled adjournment in April, lawmakers also must write the 2023-25 state budget, armed with a surplus that majority Democrats hope to channel to what they say are some of the state’s most urgent needs, like workforce shortages and child care. Here are a few key issues to watch in the upcoming session: Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)

Why you should pay attention to the 2023 Washington Legislature
The unprecedented pandemic may be receding into the rearview mirror, but Washington’s elected officials still face a host of serious issues as the Legislature resumes its work on Monday. As 147 lawmakers stream in from near and far, they are expected to focus on Washington’s long-simmering crises: homelessness, housing affordability, the mental health system, education funding and keeping state workers happy, among others. And here too, the pandemic has left its mark. At the same time, the House and Senate are seeing generational turnover. An influx of brand-new lawmakers – many younger and more diverse than their predecessors – will take up the work of the institution that for generations was overwhelmingly white and often older. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Amanda Snyder)

More treatment or more jail? Washington lawmakers must approve new drug sentence rules or eliminate jail time for drug possession
As the Washington Legislature begins its work for 2023, lawmakers will have to weigh that and other tough decisions on drugs as they craft new sentencing rules for possession or ending all jail time for those crimes altogether. In February 2021, the state Supreme Court declared Washington’s felony drug possession statute unconstitutional. The decision left lawmakers scrambling to come up with a fix by the end of the legislative session. But the Legislature’s solution in 2021 was only temporary. “I think that there’s a diversity of views in the Legislature about what the right approach is, but I do feel like there’s a consensus building to do something that’s public health-focused,” Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, D-Spokane, said, adding that some penalties for drug possession likely will remain. Continue reading at Spokesman Review. (Dan Pelle)