Rent increase cap approved by Washington House
Washington State Standard — Opponents say the bill will hurt small landlords and owners of older buildings who will not be able to keep up with inflationary costs for maintenance and other expenses if rents are limited. It also will deter construction of new apartments and multi-family complexes, critics argue. “Renters are frustrated. Those concerns are absolutely real,” said Rep. April Connors R-Kennewick. “Rent control is not the answer. This bill will not stabilize the market. It is going to choke off housing supply. Economists all agree this is not a housing solution. It is a self-inflicted economic wound.”
Emergency powers bill WA governor helped keep alive is on cusp of failure
Washington State Standard — Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley, the bill’s sponsor, said it is unlikely to advance because revisions made by Democrats on the state government committee would leave lawmakers with less influence than they have now and could allow some directives to stay in force longer than permitted under existing law. Wagoner, who serves on the Rules Committee, said, “I’m not going to pull an ineffective bill to the floor so we can say we did something.” Ferguson and his staff did not respond to a request for comment.
AGRICULTURE
- How is agriculture faring in the Washington legislative session? (Pacific Northwest Ag Network)
- EDITORIAL: Backyard chicken farmers usher in a weird tech-agrarian age (Yakima Herald-Republic) $
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR
- SB 5041 aims to offer striking workers unemployment insurance (KNDO/KNDU)
- In pricey Washington, any cuts to food stamps could hit hard (The Seattle Times) $
CHILD CARE
COMMUNITY & FAMILY ISSUES
CONGRESS
- Gluesenkamp Perez backs bipartisan bill to defend Americans’ right to fix their own vehicles (The Reflector)
- Schrier town hall raises alarm about cuts to Medicare, Social Security (Daily Record) $
COURTS (FEDERAL)
- Conversion therapy in WA: What to know as Supreme Court takes on state bans (The Seattle Times) $
- Judge orders USAID and State Department to pay funds ‘unlawfully’ withheld (The New York Times/The Seattle Times) $
COURTS (STATE)
- WA House advances bill allowing judges to drop charges for low-level offenders (The Center Square)
- Deputy prosecutor Julia Davis appointed Yakima County District Court judge (Yakima Herald-Republic) $
- Yakima advisory committee members hope to meet again after judge’s order (Yakima Herald-Republic) $
DAMS
- BPA announces intention to split with California and join new Southwest energy market (Oregon Capital Chronicle/The Chronicle)
- Rep. Dan Newhouse optimistic about legislation to protect Snake River Dams (KEPR TV)
DRUG CRISIS
- Two-year-old overdoses on fentanyl in Airway Heights, revived with Narcan (KHQ TV)
- Spokane County expands addiction resources with opioid settlement funds (KHQ TV)
EDUCATION
- WA lawmakers hear about Peace Table program to resolve student conflicts (The Center Square)
- Summit Homeschool students get a Capitol experience with Rep. Peter Abbarno (The Chronicle)
- Wenatchee School District considering agreement with former educator accused of attempted rape (The Wenatchee World) $
ELECTIONS
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & SERVICES
ENVIRONMENT
- How much should litterers pay? E. WA lawmaker says the fine should more than double (Tri-City Herald) $
- Sixty years later: More than 100,000 tires from failed reef plan are coming out of Puget Sound (KING TV)
- OPINION: Kudos to Upthegrove for re-examination of where we harvest Washington’s timber (Rachel Baker, forests program director for Washington Conservation Action; and Kaylee Galloway serves on the Whatcom County Council/The Bellingham Herald) $
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & THE WHITE HOUSE
- Trump reverses course on federal worker firings, opening the door for rehiring in Clark County, maybe (The Columbian) $
- Senate confirms Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon as Trump’s labor secretary (AP)
- Washington state veterinarian: Federal bird flu shift overdue, industry leading changes (Capital Press) $
- Top law firm targeted by Trump over Clinton campaign work hires top litigators (The New York Times/The Seattle Times)
FISH
FOOD SAFETY & SECURITY
GUN RIGHTS
- After hours-long debate, House Dems pass bill requiring permits for gun purchases (The Center Square)
- Bill to require permit to purchase guns in WA clears state House (The Seattle Times) $
HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS
- WA House Dems pass public health bill touted as ‘best science’ (The Center Square)
- Washington flu risk remains “very high” (Axios – Seattle)
HIGHER EDUCATION
- Even sponsor of bill to raise tuition ‘not excited’ about idea (KING TV)
- Four WA colleges among 60 Trump officials warn over antisemitism claims (States Newsroom/Washington State Standard)
- Dept. of Education warns University of Washington over antisemitism (FOX 13)
- UW will pay $4M settlement in pandemic tuition lawsuit (The Seattle Times) $
HOMELESSNESS
- Pierce County embarks on regional response to homelessness. Can it make a difference? (The News Tribune) $
- Meetings to discuss homelessness scheduled in Sunnyside and Toppenish this week (Yakima Herald-Republic) $
HOUSING
- House approves 7% cap on yearly rent increases, with key exceptions (The Seattle Times) $
- Washington House passes ‘rent stabilization’ bill, moves to Senate (Cascade PBS)
- Washington House of Representatives passes 7% cap on rent increases (The Spokesman-Review) $
- Seattle-based Redfin’s sale to Rocket could shift online homebuying market (The Seattle Times) $
IMMIGRATION
- Unemployment insurance for immigrants falls short in Washington Legislature (Washington State Standard)
- Eastern Washington county accused of aiding feds with immigration enforcement (Washington State Standard)
LAW ENFORCEMENT
LEGISLATURE
- Elections—and retirements—have consequences (The Washington Observer) $
- ‘The stuff you see is horrific’: Coroners, medical examiners could qualify for PTSD treatment (KING TV)
- Recycling revamp passes Senate without a bottle bill (The Washington Observer) $
- 1,000-plus rally-goers attend Latino Legislative Day at Capitol: ‘Attacked on every front’ (The Olympian) $
- OPINION: Legislation is being considered that could harm children (Elizabeth New (Hovde), director of the Center for Health Care and Center for Worker Rights at the Washington Policy Center/Clark County Today)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
MILITARY & VETERANS
OPERATING BUDGET
OTHER STATES
- Gov. Kotek moves to hold Oregon schools more accountable for academic outcomes (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
- Citizen-driven ballot measures could become more rare under proposals taken up by Oregon lawmakers (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
- Oregon’s unemployment rate is highest since 2021, even though state keeps adding jobs (The Oregonian) $
- Utah will be the first state to ban fluoride in drinking water (The Seattle Times) $
TAXES
- OPINION: How Olympia is shifting its responsibility (Rep. Peter Abbarno/The Reflector)
- OPINION: Crossroads in the state Legislature — Higher taxes and costs, or wiser choices? (Kris Johnson, president of the Association of Washington Business/The Chronicle)
TRANSPORTATION
- How Washington drivers may be funding transit at the gas pump (The Center Square)
- Alternative ferry terminal site selected for aging Fauntleroy terminal (KIRO TV)
WILDLIFE
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