Washington lawmakers propose $180 rebate for drivers from surplus cap-and-trade revenue; Proposed Washington bill aims to criminalize public fentanyl and meth smoke exposure

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Mixed reactions as Washingtonians prepare for highest minimum wage in the country (KXLY TV)
• Mixed reaction to federal proposals to change foreign guest worker program (Yakima Herald-Republic)

CAP-AND-TRADE PROGRAM

• Washington lawmakers propose $180 rebate for drivers from surplus cap-and-trade revenue (KOMO TV)
• Lawmakers propose sending drivers a refund check to offset carbon tax (The Center Square)

CONGRESS

• US announces new weapons package for Ukraine, as funds dwindle and Congress is stalled on aid bill (AP)
• EDITORIAL: Defense policy bill good for WA, and for bipartisanship (The Seattle Times)

COURTS (STATE)

• City, state to blame for fiery crash that killed 1, injured others, survivor contends (The News Tribune)
• OPINION: Victims in juvenile rape cases aren’t getting justice in King County (Reagan Dunn, vice chairman of the Metropolitan King County Council and represents District 9/The Seattle Times)

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• ‘Someone needs to crack down on this:’ Everett pot shop the latest target of early morning crash and grab (FOX 13)

DRUG CRISIS

• Proposed Washington bill aims to criminalize public fentanyl and meth smoke exposure (KOMO TV)
• Lawmaker wants to make smoking meth, fentanyl around others in public a crime (KIRO TV)
• In 2023 fentanyl overdoses ravaged the US and fueled a new culture war fight (NPR/Oregon Public Broadcasting)
• Displaced residents of Clare’s Place still believe in ‘Housing First’ (The Everett Herald)

EDUCATION

• Braun, Abbarno introduce legislation aimed at streamlining access to special education funding (The Chronicle)

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• Huge Eastern WA wind farm project near Tri-Cities could be cut in half under new proposal (Tri-City Herald)

ENVIRONMENT

• Washington working to blunt Supreme Court wetlands ruling (Capital Press)
• Washington DNR preserves more land in Clark County, protecting rare plant species (The Columbian)
• Trees and contaminated soil are removed following gas pipeline spill in Skagit County (KUOW Radio)

HANFORD

• Hanford site’s plutonium uranium plant footprint shrinks with demolition (KEPR TV)

HIGHER EDUCATION

• Governor includes Central in 2024 budget proposals (Daily Record)

HOUSING

• Washington seeks options to curb rent pressure for tenants of state-financed housing (Washington State Standard)
• Washington reaches 8 million-resident milestone (The Reflector)
• Report: Bellingham’s tree canopy plan may hinder affordable housing efforts (The Center Square)
• COLUMN: Near disaster in housing market averted (Sue Lani Madsen/The Spokesman-Review)

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

• Former Kennewick Mayor won’t be charged after massage parlor investigation (KNDO/KNDU)

IMMIGRATION

• ‘We are not equipped to deal with this.’ Migrant surge overwhelms U.S. border (The New York Times/The Seattle Times)

INSURANCE

• Auto insurance premiums and claims still on the rise: study (FOX 13)

LEGISLATURE

• Inslee’s last legislative session holds some of the biggest issues yet (The Seattle Times)
• 20th District lawmakers to focus on affordability, oversight during upcoming legislative session (The Chronicle)
• Dent talks 2024 legislative session (Columbia Basin Herald)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Incoming Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown sworn in during Wednesday ceremony (The Spokesman-Review)
• Dontae Payne becomes Olympia’s mayor as elected officials sworn in Wednesday (The Olympian)
• Walla Walla County Courthouse to screen all visitors (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)

MENTAL HEALTH

• Meet the CARE Team, Seattle’s new mental health crisis responders (Crosscut)

OTHER STATES

• Oregon will have more charging stations for electric vehicles in 2024 (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
• Idaho cattle ranchers seek ways to restore Western land. But the answer isn’t simple (Idaho Statesman/The Spokesman-Review)

PARKS

• City removes Seattle’s Black Lives Matter memorial garden (The Seattle Times)

STATE GOVERNMENT

• Washington Department of Health cuts hundreds of jobs as federal COVID funds run out (Washington State Standard)
• Several Washington state employees could see wage increases in 2024 (KHQ TV)
• When you buy a Washington lottery ticket, where does the money go? (The Center Square)
• Washington DNR seeks input on 5-million-acre outdoor recreation plan (The Center Square)
• OPINION: Dept. of Natural Resources’ decision not to log this area is cause for celebration (Bill Bryant, served on the Seattle Port Commission from 2008-16/The News Tribune)

TRANSPORTATION

• WA transportation website mostly restored after site crash (The Seattle Times)
• New law set to tighten grip on illegal street racing in Washington starting Jan. 1 (KOMO TV)
• Washington State Ferries impacted by fleet shortage, mechanical issues (KING TV)
• State grants will fund rail crossing improvements in Walla Walla County (KWHT Radio)
• Departing Sound Transit CEO gets $370,000 payout (FOX 13)
• Sound Transit is building a bridge it will bury before Federal Way Link extension opens (The News Tribune)
• New Sound Transit light rail location study to cost more than $800,000 (The Center Square)
• OPINION: 3 policies we’ll pursue in Olympia to help fix our state ferry system (Rep. Greg Nance/Kitsap Sun)

TRIBAL ISSUES

• Lummi Nation opposes BP’s oil plans for Cherry Point (KUOW Radio)

WILDLIFE

• Newborn orca spotted near Seattle off Bainbridge Island (KUOW Radio)
• Commercial timber owners in Washington will be able to apply for black bear damage permits (Northwest Public Broadcasting)