WA lawmakers narrowly advance proposal for inmate resentencing; WA legislators, members of the public debate new education choice scholarships bill

WA lawmakers narrowly advance proposal for inmate resentencing

FOX 13 — The other side: However, Republicans argued the bill needs more work. They cited circumstances of judges facing no accountability after letting individuals out of jail who go on to commit more crimes. “I have also heard testimony from other families, who have again been on the receiving end of this,” said State Representative Jenny Graham (R-Spokane). “Where somebody that was very dangerous should’ve never been let out or received low bail, ended up getting out. Now their son is dead.” State Representative Lauren Davis (D-Shoreline) also expressed concerns about judicial discretion.

WA legislators, members of the public debate new education choice scholarships bill

The Center Square — More than 2,600 people signed on to support a school choice bill that received a public hearing Thursday in Olympia. House Bill 1140, sponsored by Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, would create scholarships via Education Savings Accounts to help low-income and special needs students and families trapped in underperforming schools. “These ESAs are gaining in popularity across the country with a number of states implementing them or other similar policies to great success,” Couture said in testifying before the House Education Committee, of which he is a member.

COMMUNITY & FAMILY ISSUES

• When are Daylight Saving Time changes in 2025? Will Washington state be participating? (The Olympian) $

CORRECTIONS & JAILS

• Authorities investigating Whatcom County jail inmate death; friends, family want answers (The Bellingham Herald) $

COURTS (FEDERAL)

• Federal judge in Seattle grants injunction in Trump’s birthright citizenship order (KOMO TV)

COURTS (STATE)

• King County prosecutor warns of impacts from proposed budget cuts (KOMO TV)

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• Justice vs. safety: Washington lawmakers clash over sentencing reform bill (MyNorthwest)
• Lawmakers narrowly advance proposal for inmate resentencing (KAPP/KVEW)
• Good news on auto thefts in Washington (MyNorthwest)

DAMS

• Boehnke: We need to support the NW Energy Security Act (Pacific Northwest Ag Network)
• Breaching boon for some, bust for others (The Lewiston Tribune) $

DRUG CRISIS

• What drugs are often seized at US-Canada border? Data shows less than 1% is fentanyl (The Bellingham Herald) $
• Overdose deaths climbed 15% in Spokane last year as 2025 starts worse than 2024 (The Center Square)

EDUCATION

• The fight over ‘parents rights’ is back in Olympia. Here’s what’s going on. (NW News Network)
• ‘Any staff person’ in Tumwater schools to be considered for layoff to solve budget deficit (The Olympian) $

ELECTIONS

• Months after Vancouver ballot drop box is set ablaze, Washington state’s election security funds are set to expire (Investigate West/The Oregonian) $

ENVIRONMENT

• Why a WA lawmaker wants to collect data on cow farts and burps (Washington State Standard)
• A fart tax? State lawmaker suggests sports fans pay up for methane emissions (MyNorthwest)

HANFORD

• EDITORIAL: Trump’s new energy secretary’s squishy responses on Hanford cause for concern (Tri-City Herald) $
• EDITORIAL: Residents tire of talk, demand Hanford action (The Columbian) $

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• Washington state proposes ban on cancer-linked chemicals in cosmetics (KNDO/KNDU)
• WA public health leaders frustrated over CDC data purges (The Seattle Times) $
• State hospitals advised to prepare for immigration officers (Kitsap Sun) $
• Seattle Children’s halts some gender-affirming surgeries following Trump order (The Seattle Times) $

HIGHER EDUCATION

• New UW president prepared to navigate Trump DEI crackdown (The Seattle Times) $
• Washington State University names 12th president, first woman in 135-year history (The Spokesman-Review) $

HOUSING

• Oregon and Washington are preparing for fights over rent increases in manufactured home parks (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
• Seattle-area first-time homebuyers may not see much relief this year (The Seattle Times) $

INVASIVE SPECIES

• Tiny mussels, big threat: Idaho’s battle to save mid-Snake River continues (KREM TV)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Black lawmakers at odds with Ferguson over $100M police hiring plan (Washington State Standard)
• Hundreds of Washington police officers could be in danger of being shot by their own guns (KING TV)
• Former sheriff candidate Patti Jackson appointed Tacoma’s interim police chief (The News Tribune) $
• Hiring incentives help Bellevue police bring in 46 officers to the force in 2024 (The Center Square)

LEGISLATURE

• Bill to ban concentrated sodium nitrite heads to Washington Senate after overwhelming House vote (KING TV)
• Washington could require bars to carry spiked drink drug tests (Washington State Standard)
• Lawmakers propose compensating parents caring for children with developmental disabilities (KXLY TV)
• Bill to remove medical debt from credit scores in Washington moves forward (The Center Square)
• Washington, Maryland lawmakers propose banning credit card swipe fees on sales taxes (The Center Square)
• WA legislators propose access to certain psychedelic substances (KHQ TV)
• COLUMN: Democrats are trying to end voter-led initiatives in Washington. Will you stay silent? (Jason Rantz/MyNorthwest)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Bremerton mayor pauses hiring DEI manager after Trump executive order (The Seattle Times) $

MENTAL HEALTH

• Pilots could receive paid time off for mental health care under proposal (KING TV)

MILITARY & VETERANS

• Transgender military ban faces new legal challenge in Washington State (KIRO TV)

OTHER STATES

• Oregon House GOP calls for tax cuts, housing fix. But Democrats hold the cards (Oregon Public Broadcasting) $
• Bill to offer unemployment pay to striking workers sets up clash in Salem (Oregon Public Broadcasting) $
• Gov. Tina Kotek affirms commitment to controversial executive order as opponents scramble to push back (The Oregonian) $

PARKS

• Seattle park bathrooms are dirty and unreliable, audit finds (Axios – Seattle)

SCHOOL SAFETY

• Walla Walla School District confirms firearm incident at Wa-Hi (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin) $

SPORTS

• NCAA changes transgender policy to limit women’s competition to athletes assigned female at birth (AP)
• WA state leaders respond to Trump order against transgender athletes in women’s sports (KOMO TV)
• WA Superintendent Reykdal says he’s working with AG on response to Trump’s transgender ban (The News Tribune) $
• All 3 Gig Harbor HS girls’ basketball coaches placed on administrative leave (KING TV)

TRANSPORTATION

• Link light rail strikes pedestrian in wheelchair in South Seattle (The Seattle Times) $

WATER

• Clark County could get $11.4 million from the state for water quality projects (The Columbian) $

WILDLIFE

• Washington governor rescinds wildlife commission appointments (The Spokesman-Review) $

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