WA lawmakers could make Lunar New Year an official state holiday
Washington could become the first state in the U.S. to make Lunar New Year a paid legal holiday. Lunar New Year celebrations are cherished by many Washington residents with roots...
Don’t believe the smears. A fact-based police pursuit law makes Washington safer | Opinion
We have a duty to put people over politics and make fact-based decisions. In Federal Way in 2019, police chasing a “reckless driver” hit speeds over 70 miles per hour,...
Lawmakers seek to ban some utility shutoffs during extreme heat
OLYMPIA, Wash. — While the Northwest braces for more cold weather, lawmakers in Olympia are busy thinking about how hot it will get this summer. On Thursday, the House Committee on...
Democratic Latinos form a caucus, hospital staffing bill clears a hurdle
Democratic Latino lawmakers are coalescing to amplify concerns and priorities of Latino communities with their colleagues. Eleven legislators — 8 representatives and 3 senators — formed the Democratic Latino Caucus...
State leaders hope bipartisan effort saves lives, increases traffic safety in Washington
OLYMPIA, Wash. – When it comes to traffic fatalities, Washington leads the nation in year-over-year increases. 745 people were killed on the roads in the state in 2022. That is an increase from...
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...
Abortion rights supporters rally outside WA Capitol
OLYMPIA — Alicia Hupprich stood outside the state Capitol on Tuesday alongside over 70 other abortion rights advocates, wearing pink and holding signs to protect a woman’s right to choose....
New state study fuels renewed efforts to ban toxic chemicals from cosmetics in Washington
A new report from the Washington State Department of Ecology found formaldehyde in 26 of 30 body lotions tested in a study of products marketed to people of color. It found...
Foam dock floats, laundry filters, hotel shampoo amongst newest bids to reduce plastic pollution
Everywhere they look, Pacific Northwest scientists find teeny-tiny plastic pollution. Broken down particles are in our water, falling out of the air, in salmon, shellfish and in our own bodies....
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? We may prefer to ignore it,...
Washington lawmakers convene for 105-day session
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Lawmakers in Washington state returned to Olympia on Monday to begin a 105-day legislative session, the first one fully in person since the COVID-19 pandemic forced lawmakers and...
Legislative session began in Olympia in person for the first time since 2020
OLYMPIA, Wash. — For the first time since 2020, members of the Washington State Legislature met in-person Monday, convening the annual legislative session at noon. “It’s good to see this floor...