Washington bill could allow juvenile killers to seek early release from prison
MyNorthwest — Critics, however, have expressed concerns that the bill’s provisions could undermine public safety, especially for the families of victims. Opponents like Russell Brown, the Executive Director of the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, argue that granting early release to someone who has committed multiple murders sends the wrong message about the severity of their crimes.
WA House passes bill to improve monitoring of sexually violent predators
The Center Square — Legislation requiring electronic monitoring of sexually violent predators granted conditional release has been unanimously approved by the Washington State House of Representatives. House Bill 1457, sponsored by Rep. Dan Griffey, R-Allyn, “Requires the court to impose electronic monitoring that, to the extent feasible, has specified tracking and notification capabilities prior to authorizing a person’s conditional release to a less restrictive alternative,” according to the bill summary.
ABORTION
AGRICULTURE
- Fallout from tariff fight looms for Washington (Washington State Standard)
- OPINION: New tariffs could hit Washington farmers hard (Don C. Brunell, former president of Association of Washington Business/The Chronicle)
BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR
CONGRESS
- Washington State Rep. Newhouse calls for censure of Texas congressman over Trump address conduct (KHQ TV)
- Sen. Murray calls Trump administration proposal to cut 80,000 VA jobs ‘flat-out immoral’ (KUOW Radio)
- Cantwell bill to reauthorize billions for Coast Guard passes Senate (KHQ TV)
CORRECTIONS & JAILS
COURTS (FEDERAL)
- Trump lawsuit tracker: WA legal challenges to the president’s orders (The Seattle Times) $
- Washington state joins lawsuit against Trump’s federal employee firings (KOMO TV)
- Court rules against Seattle officers seeking immunity in 2019 shooting (The Seattle Times) $
CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY
- How citizens and a new law helped close 3 suspected sex trafficking sites in Kennewick (Tri-City Herald) $
- WA residents who sold jewelry in alleged pyramid scheme could get checks (The Seattle Times) $
CYBERSECURITY
DRUG CRISIS
EARLY LEARNING
EDUCATION
- Democrats aim to revise Washington law concerning parents’ rights (KNKX Radio)
- This Tacoma private school got $200K to keep doors open, but its future remains uncertain (The News Tribune) $
- Snohomish County educators rally against state and federal cuts (The Everett Herald) $
- Cle Elum-Roslyn School Board raises questions over proposed girls-only teams (Daily Record) $
ENERGY & UTILITIES
- Climate, energy upheavals roil Northwest power market (The Seattle Times) $
- Canada tariff hits 83% of natural gas used by Avista. But the effect on your power bill may not be what you think (The Spokesman-Review) $
ENVIRONMENT
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & THE WHITE HOUSE
- Trump grants 1 month exemption for US automakers from new tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada (AP)
- Washington appears to dodge deep NOAA cuts (Axios – Seattle)
- Here’s how many federal employees have been fired in Washington state (KING TV)
GUN RIGHTS
- Washington State Senate passes gun-free zone expansion bill (The Center Square)
- Senate passes bill to ban weapons in more public places (The Seattle Times) $
HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS
HIGHER EDUCATION
- Students press WA lawmakers for campus sexual assault policy reform (Cascade PBS)
- EWU cuts dozens of programs, including physics, as its ‘strategic resource allocation’ process concludes (The Inlander)
- Feds warn CWU that diversity, equity and inclusion could lead to funding loss (Daily Record) $
- ‘An unsettling time’: WWU president says more layoffs planned amid $18M budget deficit (The Bellingham Herald) $
HOMELESSNESS
- People from across Spokane’s political spectrum are coming together in unusual ways to address homelessness (The Inlander)
- City closes sound wall homeless camp along Mill Plain in west Vancouver (The Columbian) $
- Yakima council slams county homelessness plan as ‘total failure,’ demands reform (The Center Square)
HOUSING
- Watch: Dems may not have the votes to pass bill capping rent in Washington state (The Center Square)
- Here comes the rent control money (The Washington Observer) $
- Western Washington relators brace for post-tariff price spike (KING TV)
IMMIGRATION
- Democratic big-city mayors defend their immigration policies before U.S. House GOP (States Newsroom/Washington State Standard)
- Takeaways from a contentious hearing on big-city immigration policies (The New York Times/The Seattle Times) $
- City of Olympia will use funds to help immigrant, refugee families. Here’s what it will cost (The Olympian) $
LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Prosecutor clears Pierce County deputies 2 years after deadly shooting (MyNorthwest)
- Tacoma council has tough questions for gunshot-detection tech that promises to save lives (The News Tribune) $
- COLUMN: Meet the Sheriff vowing to help ICE, tells border czar ‘Tom Homan … put me on speed dial (Jason Rantz/MyNorthwest)
LEGISLATURE
- Joint Senate resolution would amend state constitution to include protections for ‘gender-affirming care,’ abortions on demand (KVI Radio)
- Domestic workers rights bill passes Washington State Senate (KIRO TV)
- Kennewick Senator says environmental bill was passed too early (KHQ TV)
- House unanimously passes two bills from Rep. Kevin Waters, including one to clarify alcohol server permit statutes (KLCK Radio/Gorge Country Media)
- Naselle Youth Camp bill misses the legislative deadline (The Daily World) $
- 19th District lawmakers to host virtual town hall meeting Thursday, March 13 (The Chronicle)
- OPINION: Look for common ground: It can be found even in a lopsided, trifecta state (Elizabeth Hovde, Washington Policy Center/Clark County Today)
- EDITORIAL: Reject effort to give unemployment benefits to striking workers in WA (The Seattle Times) $
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
- King Co. prosecutor faces $15.5M in cuts due to General Fund deficit (FOX 13)
- Seattle City Council moves to lift oversight over transportation spending (The Seattle Times) $
- Sunnyside pays $75,000 to settle wrongful termination claim by former administrative director (Yakima Herald-Republic) $
MEDIA
MILITARY & VETERANS
OPERATING BUDGET
OTHER STATES
- Oregon Democrats propose major new spending as part of budget ‘rebalance’ (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
- Oregon lawmakers consider ban on flavored tobacco that officials say addicts children still in elementary school (The Oregonian) $
- Idaho could be only state with firing squad as main execution method, after Legislature passes bill (Idaho Capital Sun/Washington State Standard)
SCHOOL SAFETY
- Update on Pasco Senator Nikki Torres’ proposal for panic buttons in schools (KNDO/KNDU)
- Washington considers ‘Alyssa’s Law’ for heightened school security (KING TV)
- WA school safety bill pushes for faster emergency response (FOX 13)
STATE GOVERNMENT
TAXES
- Washington lawmakers consider uncapping tax on big tech companies to fund higher ed (Washington State Standard)
- A corporate campaign to elbow a tax on big employers (The Washington Observer) $
TRANSPORTATION
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