In tight budget year, pressure builds to boost WA school funding; Washington bill would give judges discretion to reduce sentences of convicted felons

In tight budget year, pressure builds to boost WA school funding

Washington State Standard — Lawmakers have begun another hard conversation on what it may cost the state to amply fund basic education in public schools as required by Washington’s constitution. A state Senate panel on Wednesday held a hearing on bills that would collectively boost funding for special education, transportation and operations by $2 billion in the next budget, and bring the state closer to covering its share of the tab in those three areas.

Washington bill would give judges discretion to reduce sentences of convicted felons

The Center Square — Washington state lawmakers are contemplating a bill that, if enacted, would give judges discretion to reduce the sentences of convicted felons, including those convicted of violent crimes and murder. However, some legislators have raised concerns about whether or not such authority should be granted due to concerns about public safety.

AGRICULTURE

• Farmworkers rally in Olympia amid federal court battle over wages (Cascade PBS)

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

• Trump signs executive order on developing artificial intelligence ‘free from ideological bias’ (AP)

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• More Americans file for unemployment benefits last week, continuing claims highest in 3 years (AP)
• Boeing took nearly $3 billion hit in Q4 related to strike, layoffs and troubled government programs (AP)

CHILD CARE

• WA child-care advocates rally at state Capitol to push for changes to ‘shaky’ system (The News Tribune) $

COMMUNITY & FAMILY ISSUES

• OPINION: How Tacoma Creates funding enriches the lives of residents and the local economy (The Tacoma Creates Advisory Board/The News Tribune) $

CONGRESS

• ‘The Chick’ changes hands: Freshman Reps. Michael Baumgartner and Emily Randall inherit famously bad painting as part of Congressional tradition (The Spokesman-Review) $
• Reps. Schrier, Newhouse vote in favor of Laken Riley Act (NCW Life Channel)
• Washington state congresswoman seeks return of whole milk to classrooms (KNDO/KNDU)

CORRECTIONS & JAILS

• Relatives of people who’ve died in WA jails press for state oversight (The Seattle Times) $

COURTS (FEDERAL)

• Federal judge in Seattle temporarily blocks President Trump’s cancellation of birthright citizenship (KING TV)

CYBERSECURITY

• Expert issues warning after PowerSchool data breach (KING TV)

DAMS

• Lawmakers introduce bill to protect Snake River dams (Capital Press) $

EDUCATION

• Bill critics say undermines parents’ bill of rights initiative gets a public hearing (The Center Square)
• Washington Democrats are attempting to undo the Parental Rights citizen initiative that was passed last year (KVI Radio)
• New bills target in-class cell phone use to boost student focus (KING TV)
• Washington issues guidance to schools on protecting immigrant students amid Trump orders (KOMO TV)

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• Trump’s proposed Canada tariff could boost Northwest energy bills (KUOW Radio)

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & THE WHITE HOUSE

• Trump orders release of JFK, RFK and MLK assassination records (AP)
• Former Yakima County candidate Lisa Homer among insurrectionists pardoned by Trump (Yakima Herald-Republic) $

FISH

• Trump energy orders could play role in salmon and steelhead debate (The Lewiston Tribune) $
• Court denies dismissal in crab price-fixing lawsuit (Axios – Seattle)

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• Demand for ACA health insurance plans soars to record high in WA (The Seattle Times) $
• UW study aims to spot the next pandemic before it spreads (KNKX Radio)
• OPINION: Ensuring equitable access to innovative cancer treatments for all Washingtonians (Lisa Woodard, Clinical Professor in the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine at Washington State University/The Spokesman-Review) $

HIGHER EDUCATION

• Washington State University found liable in fraternity hazing death of Sam Martinez (KING TV)

HOMELESSNESS

• Clark County Council weighs giving $2 million to Vancouver’s planned homeless shelter (The Columbian) $

HOUSING

• Why someone earning over $100,000 could qualify for Seattle’s affordable housing (KUOW Radio)
• West Kelso project nears funding half-way point as council asks WA for another $1.5M (The Daily News) $
• Anacortes group confronts disabled housing crisis (Skagit Valley Herald) $

IMMIGRATION

• A guide to immigrant rights and resources in WA state, for migrants, employers and allies (The Olympian) $
• Pierce County leaders respond to warning not to interfere with immigration enforcement (The News Tribune) $

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Seattle city attorney pushes for approval of state bill to speed up DUI cases (The Center Square)
• Washington DUI lab faces 400-day test wait (KIT Radio)
• State audits assess probes into 2 Wenatchee police shootings (The Wenatchee World) $
• Nearly 17 years for officer in landmark sentencing (Axios – Seattle)
• Former jail detainee files suit against Clark County alleging excessive force (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

LEGISLATURE

• Washington bill would ‘kill the initiative process,’ critic warns (The Center Square)
• Washington House Bill 1047 proposes sales tax exemption for rural fire districts’ emergency equipment (KHQ TV)
• Long-serving Tri-Cities ‘old-style Republican’ lawmaker with an independent streak dies (Tri-City Herald) $

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• King County passes ‘Youth Bill of Rights’ in effort to lift young voices (KNKX Radio)

MENTAL HEALTH

• New UW center focuses on behavioral health training for first responders (The Seattle Times) $

OTHER STATES

• Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek’s executive order on state construction work prompts outcry in Salem and beyond (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

PARKS

• Big changes coming to this WA state park, but first it has to close for a few months (The Olympian) $

SOCIAL MEDIA

• Instagram and Facebook blocked and hid abortion pill providers’ posts (The New York Times/The Seattle Times) $

STATE GOVERNMENT

• WA diverts federal benefits meant for foster youth. That practice may end (The Seattle Times) $
• Gov. Ferguson appoints ex-KIRO reporter Jesse Jones to lead WA agency (The Seattle Times) $
• Casey Sixkiller transitions from EPA to lead state Dept. of Ecology (KNKX Radio)
• WA Sec. of State misinformation team in jeopardy as Meta axes fact-checking (FOX 13)
• EDITORIAL: Gov. Ferguson uses 1st address to reach across the aisle. It should be the norm (Tri-City Herald) $

TAXES

• Democrats propose raising tobacco taxes, creating new ones in search of revenue (The Center Square)

TRANSPORTATION

• DUI fatalities surge by 96% in Washington, raising urgency (KPQ Radio)
• Light rail reliability issues prompt Sound Transit to declare emergency, expedite fixes (KING TV)
• Lummi Island ferry rates set to temporarily decrease (KGMI Radio/My Bellingham Now)

TRANSPORTATION BUDGET

• New Washington state rebate program will offer free e-bikes to some. Here’s who can qualify (Tri-City Herald) $

VAPING

• Washington lawmakers slated to weigh ban on flavored nicotine products (KAPP/KVEW)

WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSE

• State Insurance Commissioner offers tips to homeowners in high-risk areas of Washington (KREM TV)
• OPINION: We need all the tools in the tool box to solve our wildfire crisis (Hilary Franz, former Washington state commissioner of public lands/The Spokesman-Review) $