Concerns remain about passage of a bill that paves way for natural gas ban in WA; Washington’s police pursuit law is about to change

OUR NEWS RELEASES FROM THIS WEEK

• Schmidt has two pieces of legislation signed by the governor
• McClintock legislation that will remove barriers to the architectural licensing process is signed into law
• Rep. April Connors’ bill to help build affordable housing on public lands signed into law
• Bill sponsored by Rep. Sam Low to strengthen election integrity in Washington signed into law by Governor Inslee
• Low bill signed into law by governor creates stricter penalties for animal cruelty in Washington
• The governor signs two more bipartisan bills from Rep. Waters into law
• Governor signs Mosbrucker’s domestic violence supervision bill into law; Two other Mosbrucker bills await Inslee’s signature
• Governor signs Klicker bill to allow local governments to share certain tax revenue

AGRICULTURE & WATER

• WA to study viability of ag mental health hotline (Columbia Basin Herald)

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

• Washington governor signs bill into law adding protections against artificially fabricated, fake intimate images (KING TV)

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Gender wage gap in Washington is among widest in nation, analysis shows (Washington State Standard)

CANNABIS

• Tacoma police help bust illegal marijuana operation allegedly run by Chinese nationals (The News Tribune)

CAP-AND-TRADE PROGRAM

• WA’s latest carbon auction results could signal bidder feelings on I-2117 (The Center Square)

CENSUS

• New census data shows population growth in Puget Sound region (Puget Sound Business Journal)
• While the Portland area continues to lose residents, Clark County’s population is growing (The Columbian)
• COLUMN: Modest growth bumps up King County in ranking of nation’s largest (Gene Balk/The Seattle Times)

CHILD CARE

• How child care fared in this year’s Washington state legislative session (Washington State Standard)

CONGRESS

• Hemp growers ask lawmaker for regulation hearing (Capital Press)

CORRECTIONS & JAILS

• City of Kirkland offers drug treatment services to jail inmates (KOMO TV)
• OPINION: Governor needs to feel public heat if Green Hill School situation is to improve (Sen. John Braun/The Chronicle)

COURTS (FEDERAL)

• Federal judge rules in favor of King County Sheriff’s Office in Burien camping ban dispute (KING TV)

COURTS (STATE)

• WA has no parole. Should prosecutors control who gets a second chance? (The Seattle Times)

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• Gov. Inslee signs domestic violence supervision bill into law (The Center Square)
• ‘I’ve had enough’: Seattle business owners expect real change after public safety forum (KOMO TV)
• Why it’s going to be harder for the ‘Kia Boyz’ to steal your Hyundai (MyNorthwest)
• Concerns over neglect, encampments, vandalism and safety at a downtown Spokane plaza grow (KHQ TV)

DRUG CRISIS

• Seattle’s housing-first approach to homelessness hindered by opioid crisis (The Center Square)
• Seattle paramedics have a new tool for fentanyl crisis: buprenorphine (The Seattle Times)
• EDITORIAL: Support Seattle Fire Department program to help stem overdose deaths (The Seattle Times)

EDUCATION

• Multiple bills seeking to mandate school curriculum failed. Here’s what they proposed (The Spokesman-Review)
• Legislature decides WA schools should include LGBTQ+ history (KXLY TV)
• Pullman’s troubled charter school might become the first in Washington to be closed by state regulators (KQQQ Radio)
• Evergreen Public Schools’ leaders got $31K in extra pay during strike while bargaining with teachers union (The Columbian)

ELECTIONS

• Election disinformation takes a big leap with AI being used to deceive worldwide (AP)

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & SERVICES

• FEMA’s National Risk Index overlooks Washington’s major disaster threat (FOX 13)

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• Concerns remain about passage of a bill that paves way for natural gas ban in WA (The Center Square)
• UW researchers finish tests on device hoping to harness ‘wave energy’ (The Seattle Times)
• The Pacific Northwest is finalizing plans for $1 billion in investments in ‘green’ hydrogen to power aviation, shipping, long-haul trucking and more (The Inlander)

ENVIRONMENT

• Unknown volume of petroleum product spills at Bangor’s shoreline (Kitsap Sun)

FISH

• Why the billions spent fixing Washington culverts may not be saving many salmon (KUOW Radio)
• Coalition brings together longtime rivals to help salmon (KING TV)
• EDITORIAL: Culvert project must benefit salmon, taxpayers (The Columbian)

HIGHER EDUCATION

• OPINION: WSU is headed in the wrong direction (Bryan Slinker, former interim WSU provost, Daniel Bernardo, former WSU provost and interim president, and Warwick Bayly, former WSU provost/The Seattle Times)

HOUSING

• Bill to hold WA cities accountable for affordable housing could return (The Seattle Times)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Washington’s police pursuit law is about to change (Axios – Seattle)
• New app can warn drivers of approaching high-speed police pursuits (FOX 13)

LEGISLATURE

• Meet Washington state’s 18-year-old legislator (Axios – Seattle)
• Frank Chopp is the latest of a dozen lawmakers who will not return to their posts (The Olympian)
• Longtime Washington powerhouse politician Frank Chopp is stepping down (KUOW Radio)
• Governor signs Mosbrucker’s domestic violence supervision bill into law; Two other Mosbrucker bills await Inslee’s signature (KLCK Radio/Gorge Country Media)
• Governor signs bipartisan legislation from Waters addressing penalties for selling to a minor (KLCK Radio/Gorge Country Media)
• Firefighter memorial, public land housing bills signed into law Wednesday (Columbia Basin Herald)
• Lunar New Year becomes a recognized holiday in WA (The Seattle Times)
• Washington State Legislation: Cracking down on fertility fraud (KPQ Radio)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell gets mixed reviews in first safety forum (MyNorthwest)
• ‘We need to find solutions’ | Spokane city officials meet to discuss $50 million deficit in 2024 budget (KREM TV)

MENTAL HEALTH

• Report shows improved mental health amongst Washington students (KHQ TV)

OPEN GOVERNMENT

• What’s next for WA ‘Sunshine Committee’ with exits, legislative apathy (The Seattle Times)

OTHER STATES

• Gov. Tina Kotek vows to hold cities, agencies accountable on state spending (The Oregonian)
• Oregon begins rewriting landmark climate program derailed by gas lawsuit (Washington State Standard)
• Minn. social media bill targets algorithms (Pluribus News)

SCHOOL SAFETY

• Seattle police up presence by Garfield High School after shooting (The Seattle Times)

STATE GOVERNMENT

• Washington UTC chair who used racial slur asked to resign (Crosscut)
• State to pay $8.5 million to families of Whidbey Island crash victims (KING TV)

TRANSPORTATION

• Snohomish, Everett electrifying school bus fleets, ahead of new law (The Everett Herald)

WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSE

• New homes for Oregon Road Fire victims nearing completion (KXLY TV)