Debate heats up over Ferguson’s request for $100M to hire more police in Washington; Thurston County median home price is still very high. Could this new legislation help?

Debate heats up over Ferguson’s request for $100M to hire more police in Washington

Washington State Standard — But while Republicans championed Holy’s bill, they staunchly oppose Entenman’s. Those from smaller cities say the sales tax will do little to raise money for public safety. “I think it spreads the peanut butter a little too thin when it comes to actually getting more boots on the ground,” said state Rep. Chris Corry, R-Yakima. Senate Republican Leader John Braun, of Centralia, acknowledged Holy’s bill might not make it to the governor’s desk. “I can’t say for sure it’ll go all the way this year,” he told reporters last week.

Thurston County median home price is still very high. Could this new legislation help?

The Olympian — House Bill 1096, which was passed by the state House on Thursday and is now on its way to the Senate, aims to bring relief to the situation. If ultimately signed into law, it seeks to increase the supply of missing middle-type homes — accessory dwelling units (ADUs), duplexes and triplexes — as well as single-family homes with a simplified lot-splitting process. “By cutting through unnecessary red tape, the bill would help homeowners build new housing units faster and more affordably while still meeting zoning requirements and infrastructure needs like water and sewer access,” said the bill’s primary sponsor, state Rep. Andrew Barkis, R-Olympia, in a statement. $

THE CURRENT | A WASHINGTON HOUSE REPUBLICAN EMAIL UPDATE

• House floor action | March 9, 2025

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• As Trump cuts workforce, federal unemployment claims in Washington double (KNKX Radio)

CHILD CARE

• Costs of child care now outpace college tuition in 38 states, analysis finds (States Newsroom/Washington State Standard)
• City of Olympia and school district to research how to address childcare affordability, availability (The Olympian) $
• WWU expands on-campus child care capacity for student parents and university staff (The Bellingham Herald) $

COMMUNITY & FAMILY ISSUES

• Health services, food banks, baby showers. A new wellness center has opened in Tacoma (The News Tribune) $

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• Gun rights and public safety supported by local legislators (KOZI Radio)

DRUG CRISIS

• Deadliest phase of fentanyl crisis eases, as all states see recovery (NPR/Oregon Public Broadcasting)

EDUCATION

• In Session: Despite potential cuts, bills to increase Washington school funding progress (KING TV)
• Free school meals for thousands in WA at stake as Congress eyes budget (The Seattle Times) $

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• WA ranchers turn to new crop: Solar power (The Seattle Times) $
• Wind and solar projects gain traction in Garfield County as moratorium expires (The Spokesman-Review) $

GUN RIGHTS

• Controversial permit-to-purchase gun bill clears Washington House (Washington State Standard)
• Bill requiring permits for gun purchases passes WA State House on party-line vote (KIRO TV)
• House Republicans fight against gun permit bill as majority Democrats vote it through (KLCK Radio/Gorge Country Media)

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• More than 70 million Americans are on Medicaid. This is where they live (The New York Times/The Seattle Times) $
• COLUMN: Too little, too late from a leader who should know something about public health (Dr. Niran Al Agba/Kitsap Sun) $

HIGHER EDUCATION

• Western Washington U offers drag show, hormone therapy, trans voice therapy (The Center Square)

HOUSING

• Housing-supply bill that would turn existing commercial buildings into homes advances (The News Tribune) $
• ‘Tariffs do not help with housing costs’: Apartment builders brace for steel and aluminum tariffs (San Diego Union-Tribune/The Columbian) $
• OPINION: Rapidly rising rents increase housing instability for all (Latrice Williams, managing broker and owner of Vision Properties/The Spokesman-Review) $

IMMIGRATION

• WA sues Adams County for aiding immigration enforcement (The Seattle Times) $

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Former Auburn officer convicted of murder cleared in shooting of another man (The Seattle Times) $
• Gang presence grows and mental health calls surge, Ellensburg police report (Daily Record) $

LEGISLATURE

• 14th District state lawmakers to have virtual town hall on Thursday (Yakima Herald-Republic) $
• BLOG: Sending a message isn’t the best use of legislators’ time right now (Jim Camden/The Spokesman-Review)
• COLUMN: Democrat’s bill offers free rent and early release for murderers, child molesters (Jason Rantz/MyNorthwest)

MENTAL HEALTH

• WA lawmakers push to expand mental health insurance coverage (The Seattle Times) $

OTHER STATES

• EDITORIAL: Legislators need a math lesson (The Oregonian) $

PARKS

• Seattle’s Klondike Gold Rush national park targeted for closure (Axios – Seattle)

SCHOOL SAFETY

• Torres’ school safety bill enters WA House (Columbia Basin Herald) $

SECURITY

• Major TSA change to shorten airport security wait times, DHS says: What to know (KING TV)

STATE GOVERNMENT

• WA Ecology director responds to federal rollbacks (The Seattle Times) $

TRANSPORTATION

• EDITORIAL: Take the secrecy out of hiring of Sound Transit CEO (The Seattle Times) $

WATER

• Reclamation announces Yakima basin March water supply forecast (Daily Record) $

WILDLIFE

• As Southern Resident orca population declines, those who care about them remain hopeful (Skagit Valley Herald) $

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