WA Gov. Bob Ferguson signs controversial rent cap, other housing bills into law; New WA education budget brings wins and disappointments

WA Gov. Bob Ferguson signs controversial rent cap, other housing bills into law

The News Tribune — Gov. Bob Ferguson on Wednesday signed into law several housing bills — including a much-debated cap on annual rent hikes. The Democrat conducted the signing at the Blake House affordable high-rise in Seattle. Housing was among the hottest topics during 2025’s just-wrapped 105-day legislative session. Both Democrats and Republicans pushed bills to ameliorate Washington state’s housing crisis, even though they didn’t always agree on the best approach. $

New WA education budget brings wins and disappointments

The Seattle Times — “I’m surprised WA Democrats did so little to address the wide disparities in educational opportunity for low income youth in our state,” said David Knight, an associate professor of education finance and policy at the University of Washington College of Education, in an email. The famous McCleary lawsuit — a long-running saga over the state’s role in funding, which was settled in 2018 and led to a significant increase in K-12 dollars in the 2018-19 school year — didn’t actually address poverty or equity. The gaps between districts remain large. $

AGRICULTURE

• Beekeeping, gardens and goats: How Olympia is supporting urban agriculture (The Olympian) $

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Report: The U.S. states most exposed to Chinese import tariffs (The Center Square)
• Boeing vows to deliver new Air Force One by 2027, official says (The Seattle Times) $
• How a Chinese delicacy got caught in the crossfire of Trump’s trade war (The Seattle Times) $
• ‘Vastly more walkable’: Seattle’s Pike Place Market tests car ban (Cascade PBS)

CANNABIS

• Cannabis policy saw some yeas and some nays in Olympia this legislative session (The Inlander)

CORRECTIONS & JAILS

• WA youth rehab system faces ‘mixed bag’ after legislative session (The Seattle Times) $

COURTS (FEDERAL)

• Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump administration’s transit and homelessness grant conditions (AP)

COURTS (STATE)

• WA budget boosts public defense funding but Clark County chief defender still hoping for more (The Columbian) $

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• ‘I’ve never seen it to this level’: Spokane officials try to keep up as vandalism on the rise at Riverfront Park (The Spokesman-Review) $
• ‘No consequences’: How teens access stolen guns, and why so many become repeat offenders (KIRO TV)
• Pierce Co. Sheriff wants more accountability for juvenile criminals (FOX 13)
• Fugitive remains on the run after escape from Washington airport (KING TV)

DRUG CRISIS

• New security efforts cut drug reports on King County Metro by significant margin (KOMO TV)

EDUCATION

• A plan to replace whiteboards at Seattle schools draws teacher ire (The Seattle Times) $

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• Washington AG sues after Trump administration freezes $71 million program for EV charging stations in Eastern Washington (The Spokesman-Review) $

ENVIRONMENT

• OPINION: WA forests are too complex for ‘cut or don’t cut’ thinking (Scott Freeman, biologist, conservationist, co-founder of Jefferson Timber Cooperative and manager of Leopold-Freeman Forests LLC/The Seattle Times) $

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & THE WHITE HOUSE

• Trump to announce ‘major trade deal’ with UK on Thursday (FOX 13)

GOVERNOR’S OFFICE

• Bill-signing season gets under way in earnest (The Washington Observer) $
• Ferguson’s veto power: Will he or won’t he? (The Washington Observer) $

HIGHER EDUCATION

• Students at WA’s private colleges would see financial aid slashed under new state budget (Washington State Standard)
• Ferguson says those who occupied, vandalized UW building should be ‘held accountable’ (Washington State Standard)
• 21 students suspended, banned after UW protest (KUOW Radio)
• Destructive protest at UW sparks anger, calls for greater accountability (KOMO TV)
• UW president warns of budget crisis, potential layoffs (KUOW Radio)
• EDITORIAL: Lesson in accountability is long overdue for UW vandals (The Seattle Times) $

HOMELESSNESS

• Encampments removed in Tacoma were ‘notably larger’ in first quarter of 2025 (The News Tribune) $

HOUSING

• Gov. Ferguson signs rent-control bill into law, capping increases at 7% (AP/KOMO TV)
• Cap on rent increases across Washington is signed into law (Washington State Standard)
• ‘Especially consequential’: Ferguson signs rent cap bill into law (Cascade PBS)
• WA Governor signs rent stabilization bill into law, prompting praise and concern (FOX 13)
• Gov. Ferguson signs slate of 10 new WA housing bills into law (The Seattle Times) $
• Rent caps, other housing protections signed into Washington law (The Spokesman-Review) $
• Is Washington the hardest state to save for a home? See US rankings (Kitsap Sun) $
• OPINION: Washington’s rent cap will backfire — Here’s what we should do instead (Jaime Herrera Beutler, former U.S. Congresswoman and state representative from Southwest Washington/The Chronicle)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Clark County deputy stabs, kills drunk-driving suspect during fight at station, police say (The Oregonian) $

LEGISLATURE

• Spokane and Seattle bishops say they won’t comply with new mandatory reporting for child abuse if information obtained in confessions (The Spokesman-Review) $
• A challenge for the House business chair (The Washington Observer) $

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Washington state auditor’s reports find fraud, lack of financial controls at small towns in Franklin and Adams counties (The Spokesman-Review) $
• Spokane Valley considering child endangerment ordinance amid youth overdoses (The Center Square)
• Ex-city clerk admits to stealing $937K from Morton (KING TV)

MEDIA

• COLUMN: Oregon policy may get tech giants to pay what they owe for news (Brier Dudley/The Seattle Times) $

OPERATING BUDGET

• Tax Foundation: WA ‘significantly costlier and less competitive’ under new budget (The Center Square)

OTHER STATES

• Advocates urge Oregon lawmakers to pass bill extending food benefits for immigrant children (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
• Oregon bill would prohibit bans on mobile homes (The Oregonian) $

TAXES

• In limiting new taxes, Republicans in Legislature found unexpected ally in Washington’s Democratic governor (The Chronicle)
• Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon defends recent tax hikes (KVI Radio)

TRANSPORTATION

• WA bill would require ‘egregious speeders’ to install speed-limiting device in vehicles (KIRO TV)
• After the Hood Canal Bridge shut down, a tugboat may have fixed it (The Seattle Times) $
• Chuckanut Drive rockslide repairs could last until July, official says (The Seattle Times) $
• Washington State Ferries add 18 vessels for summer travel (KING TV)
• WSF service restoration now scheduled in Bremerton, Southworth (Kitsap Sun) $
• ‘Flying’ passenger ferry sails Puget Sound (The Seattle Times) $
• Economic reality may force Sound Transit to revise its financial plan (The Center Square)

WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSE

• WA lawmakers slash wildfire budget in half (The Seattle Times) $

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