Rent cap proposal clears first hurdle in WA House; Washington lawmakers push to ban homeless encampments near schools, parks

Rent cap proposal clears first hurdle in WA House

Washington State Standard — Rep. Andrew Barkis, R-Olympia, said lawmakers need to focus on increasing the supply of housing and not on controlling the price of rent. “This will make the problem worse,” Barkis said. “This is not the answer to solve this problem.”

Washington lawmakers push to ban homeless encampments near schools, parks

KING TV — There is a new push in the Washington State Legislature to ban homeless encampments in the 500 feet surrounding schools, public parks, daycare centers and more. House Rep. Cyndy Jacobsen (R-Puyallup) said the goal of her legislation is to protect Washington’s children from public health hazards.

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Debate revived in WA Legislature over unemployment benefits for striking workers (Washington State Standard)
• Proposed ‘bill of rights’ would offer labor protections to WA nannies, housekeepers and gardeners (The News Tribune) $
• Costco workers in Washington state plan strike over unfair contracts and stagnant wages (KAPP/KVEW)

CONGRESS

• Washington congressional delegation reacts to Trump’s inauguration (Washington State Standard)
• Back on House Ag Committee, Newhouse outlines priorities (Capital Press) $
• U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez speaks on her upcoming priorities for 2025 (The Reflector)

CORRECTIONS & JAILS

• WA state law doesn’t allow jails to help ICE. Tri-Cities leader wants to call the bluff (Tri-City Herald) $

COURTS (FEDERAL)

• Vanessa Waldref reflects on her years as Eastern Washington’s U.S. attorney before departing amid incoming Trump administration (The Spokesman-Review) $

COURTS (STATE)

• State commission suspends Bremerton judge, recommends removal over conduct (Kitsap Sun) $

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• More bill action on crime and punishment (The Washington Observer) $

DRUG CRISIS

• Trump seeks to designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations (AP)
• Kitsap paramedics will provide emerging medication to aid opioid recovery (Kitsap Sun) $
• EDITORIAL: Naloxone training necessary to combat opioid crisis (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin) $

EDUCATION

• Seattle Public Schools is shifting its student achievement goals (The Seattle Times) $

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & SERVICES

• Could Pierce County quickly evacuate during a wildfire? Some would have to escape by water (The News Tribune) $

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & THE WHITE HOUSE

• Trump sets out to erase Biden’s legacy with pardons and orders immediately after taking office (AP)
• WA Attorney General, lawmakers react to President Trump’s day 1 executive orders (KOMO TV)
• Local leaders react to President Trump’s inauguration (KREM TV)
• 30 WA residents included in mass pardons from Trump regarding Jan. 6 attack (MyNorthwest)
• Moments before leaving the presidency, Biden pardons his siblings and their spouses (AP)

FISH

• OPINION: The youth of today are destined to be the salmon stewards of tomorrow (Ed Johnstone, chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission/The Bellingham Herald) $

GUN RIGHTS

• WA Democrats propose additional gun-free zones (KPQ Radio)

HIGHER EDUCATION

• WSU female student arrested after stabbing another student (MyNorthwest)

HOMELESSNESS

• Rising number of public camping bans concern local advocates (The Reflector)

HOUSING

• Connors’ Homes for Heroes bill wins House committee approval (KWHT/KTEL/KWVN – Elkhorn Media)
• Bill to cap WA rent increases passes first House hurdle (The Seattle Times) $
• Washington House committee passes rent control bill amid affordability challenges (KHQ TV)
• Tacoma’s 2024 eviction rate rose, despite voters’ ban on winter, school-year evictions (The News Tribune) $

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

• Thurston Board of Health pledges to educate, provide resources to fight human trafficking (The Olympian) $

IMMIGRATION

• Washington State Attorney General responds to President Trump’s immigration policies (KNDO/KNDU)
• Senate passes immigrant detention bill that could be the first measure Trump signs into law (AP)
• Seattle groups rally against “regressive” immigration policies as Trump takes office (KOMO TV)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• New Yakima police dog can sniff out electronic devices (Yakima Herald-Republic) $

LEGISLATURE

• Proposed loan repayment bill in Washington state receives public hearing (KNDO/KNDU)
• ‘These are dark times’: Washington Rep. Natasha Hill addresses racism in MLK Day speech (The Spokesman-Review) $

MILITARY & VETERANS

• WA National Guard reports no immediate security boost at border under Trump administration (KOMO TV)
• WDVA announces Brain Injury and Recovery Program partnership with Bremerton Elks Lodge (KIRO TV)

OPERATING BUDGET

• How does Governor Bob Ferguson plan to balance WA’s massive budget? (KIRO TV)
• A business-backed “educational” campaign on the budget and taxation (The Washington Observer) $
• EDITORIAL: Support those caring for state’s most vulnerable (The Everett Herald) $

OTHER STATES

• Oregon lawmakers head to Salem today to start the 2025 legislative session (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

STATE GOVERNMENT

• WA AG calls Trump orders ‘gravely concerning’ (The Seattle Times) $
• COLUMN: Governor Bob Ferguson deserves credit, gives reason for hope — for now (Jason Rantz/MyNorthwest)
• COLUMN: Gov. Bob Ferguson hits the ground running (David Horsey/The Seattle Times) $

TRANSPORTATION

• Charging electric vehicles is getting easier in Washington (Axios – Seattle)
• Yakima airport seeks $2 million grant, federal funding match for terminal modernization (KAPP/KVEW)
• OPINION: Setting the record straight on Washington’s Advanced Clean Truck rule (Steve Gordon, principal at Gordon Truck Centers/The Center Square)

TRIBAL ISSUES

• Yakama Nation fights to reclaim more than 90K acres from WA state (Grist/Cascade PBS)

VAPING

• WA lawmakers consider flavored tobacco ban (The Seattle Times) $

WOLVES

• Washington Senate looks at payouts for wolf-related losses (Capital Press) $