Secretary of State opposes proposed changes to initiative process
KING TV — Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs does not like a bill proposing new rules for the state’s initiative process. “It’s not just a barrier, it’s a huge cost,” said Hobbs, a Democrat. Five Democratic Senators are sponsoring Senate Bill 5382, which passed out of a Senate committee Tuesday.
WA Gov. Ferguson advocates for proposal limiting governor’s emergency powers
FOX 13 — Senate Bill 5434 would allow the legislature to terminate a governor’s declared state of emergency by a majority vote of the House and Senate. If the legislature is not in session, the Senate majority and minority leaders plus the House speaker and minority leader can end an emergency if it has gone on for over 90 days. The bipartisan bill would also put a 30-day limit on emergency prohibitions of activities unless the legislature extends them.
ABORTION
AGRICULTURE
BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR
- Grocery prices are a top financial worry, WA residents say (The Seattle Times) $
- Starbucks, K&L Gates and Amazon ditch diversity mentions amid Trump threats (The Seattle Times) $
- Concern grows that WA workers facing discrimination may lose key ally (The Seattle Times) $
CANNABIS
COMMUNITY & FAMILY ISSUES
CONGRESS
- Senate pushes toward confirmation of Kash Patel as FBI director (AP)
- Senators grill Trump’s Oregon labor secretary nominee on union support (The Oregonian) $
CORONAVIRUS
COURTS (FEDERAL)
- Appeals court hands Trump a loss in birthright citizenship clash (Bloomberg/The Seattle Times) $
- Washington breweries sued to distribute beer in Idaho. Legislature is involved now (The Olympian) $
CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY
- WA lawmakers weigh increased penalties for people who try to elude police (Olympia News Bureau/The Columbian) $
- Former Zillah Mayor Gary Clark pleads guilty to child rape (Yakima Herald-Republic) $
EDUCATION
- WA state legislature debates bill mandating teacher-librarians in public schools (KXLY TV)
- Legislation introduced to reduce chronic absenteeism in WA (KWHT/KTEL/KWVN – Elkhorn Media)
- Trump administration cut ‘woke spending.’ Why a Tacoma schools math study got shelved (The News Tribune) $
- Chief Sealth High School principal resigns after arrest (The Seattle Times) $
ELECTIONS
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & SERVICES
- First bill from Rep. David Stuebe to assist in backcountry search and rescue efforts receives unanimous committee approval (KLCK Radio/Gorge Country Media)
- 3.0-magnitude earthquake shakes western Washington, seismologists say. What to know (The News Tribune) $
ENERGY & UTILITIES
- Unraveling a shotgun compromise on low-carbon fuels (The Washington Observer) $
- WA’s leaders blast Trump’s ‘dangerous’ cuts to Bonneville Power Administration’s staff (The News Tribune) $
- OPINION: Trump cuts at BPA endanger Northwest power system (Randy Hardy, former superintendent of Seattle City Light and administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration/The Seattle Times) $
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & THE WHITE HOUSE
- Trump backs idea to send some DOGE savings to American citizens (AP)
- Fired federal workers in WA describe ‘kick in the gut’ (The Seattle Times) $
- EDITORIAL: Reckless Trump-Musk cuts imperil state, U.S. (The Columbian) $
FISH
HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS
- Federal directives create uncertainty for local health care providers, Medicaid funding (Kitsap Sun) $
HIGHER EDUCATION
- Bill proposed by Kennewick lawmakers aims to remove barriers for young students in career programs (KNDO/KNDU)
- Governor emphasizes importance of financial aid applications during CWU visit (Daily Record) $
HOMELESSNESS
- Spokane County greenlights public camping ban regardless of shelter availability (The Center Square)
HOUSING
- Republican legislators propose collection of bills to build more housing amid ‘urgent affordability crisis’ (The Spokesman-Review) $
- Bill to cap rent increases passes out of WA Senate Housing Committee (The Center Square)
- Rent cap bill moves ahead in WA Senate (Washington State Standard)
- Washington state home listings rise but affordability doesn’t (Axios – Seattle)
- OPINION: Rent control’s record of ruin (Amber Gunn, Mountain States Policy Center/The Center Square)
IMMIGRATION
- Litigation grinds on over WA’s power to regulate immigrant detention center (Washington State Standard)
- Even sanctuary policies can’t stop ICE arrests (Stateline/Washington State Standard)
- ICE Seattle nabs Mexican human smuggler, public safety threat from China (The Center Square)
- Seattle police chief: Officers will not question residents about immigration status (The Center Square)
LEGISLATURE
- State Senate considers controversial bill to ban diet pills and muscle supplements for minors (MyNorthwest)
- WA Ecology proposes expanding law restricting toxins in cosmetics (FOX 13)
- Republican lawmaker suggests changing Presidents’ Day to George Washington Day (KLCK Radio/Gorge Country Media)
- Two more bipartisan bills from Rep. Kevin Waters move forward after receiving committee approval (Clark County Today)
- Rep. John Ley bill to assist the construction industry by easing restrictions on aggregate and asphalt materials receives committee approval (Clark County Today)
- Tri-Cities Town Hall with local lawmakers set for March 15 (KNDO/KNDU)
- OPINION: Lawmakers offer nonsense as state suffers from real problems (John McCroskey, former Lewis County sheriff /The Chronicle)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
- Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell arrested in 1996 on weapons, assault charges (FOX 13)
- Former Grant County fire chief accused of stealing $30K (KAPP/KVEW)
MENTAL HEALTH
OPERATING BUDGET
OTHER STATES
- In rare move, Oregon Democrats tap a Republican to dig into road funding (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
- With federal funds at risk, bills face a difficult path through Oregon Legislature (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
PARKS
- Federal layoffs hit national parks and forests in Washington state (Axios – Seattle)
- Snoqualmie Pass trailheads close due to Forest Service staffing cuts (Snoqualmie Valley Record) $
RURAL BROADBAND
SCHOOL SAFETY
STATE GOVERNMENT
TAXES
- A tax on smartphones to pay it forward (The Washington Observer) $
- A fleeting tax for Seattle’s soccer summer (The Washington Observer) $
TRANSPORTATION
- As gas tax revenue drops, Washington lawmakers mull pay-by-mile program for drivers (The News Tribune) $
- Washington pay-per-mile proposal draws praise, skepticism (The Center Square)
- Yakima Sen. Curtis King, other senators criticize pay-per-mile plan (Yakima Herald-Republic) $
- Washington lawmakers may tap brakes on specialty license plates (Washington State Standard)
- EDITORIAL: High-tech roadblock for repeat speeders could save lives (The Seattle Times) $
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