Building a stronger, more just & transparent democracy
Building a stronger, more just & transparent democracy
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The Washington State Journal relies on a broad coalition of media professionals, newspapers and college and university administrators to provide coverage of Washington State and of the state government. The State Journal is funded by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1986. People serving on the Foundation's Board of Directors are: President Don Nelson Publisher, Methow Valley News Vice President Patrick Grubb Publisher, The Northern Light Secretary/Treasurer Fred...
He is 81 years old, a long-time Democrat and a 24-year veteran of the state Legislature. But this year is the last one in which Sen. Sam Hunt will wield a gavel. “It's time to step aside and, and let some younger folks come in,” Hunt said. “I would like to have a January morning where I could sleep in.” Hunt, who lives in Olympia, started in politics when he was just 12 years old, sticking campaign signs in yards around Yakima for former Gov. Albert Rosellini. Hunt’s dad was a...
Sen. John Lovick describes himself as a Black man with brown skin who wore a blue uniform for a combined 37 years as a former state trooper and Snohomish County Sheriff. "Not everybody understands that I've been on both sides of the badge. And I've been at both ends of the barrel," Lovick, a Democrat from Mill Creek, said. "And I let people know that I'm Black, I'm brown, and I'm blue." Lovick spent 31 years as a Washington State Trooper, served nine years in the House of...
Washington remains 51st in the nation for police officers per capita, and one answer to that problem might be allowing officers to work part-time. SB 5424, sponsored by Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, awaits the governor's signature. "The idea behind these flexible work schedules is...intended to increase the diversity in Washington law enforcement," Lovick said. "To increase the presence of female officers and to retain senior officers who have a lot of value to provide but...
All counties are required to install "Albert Systems," a technology that notifies counties when there is an attempted cybersecurity attack, under a bill Secretary of State Steve Hobbs endorsed. Even though ballot counting machines are not connected to the internet, election data is oftentimes circulated on internet communication channels. Technology like the Albert System can help protect the security of county records by monitoring any attempt to manipulate, intercept, or...
School districts are required to transition to zero emission school buses under a law recently approved by the state House and Senate. The bill received numerous amendments after districts voiced concerns over reliability, range and the time allowed to make the switch. Introduced by Rep. Tana Senn, D-Mercer Island, HB 1368 is an effort to not only reduce emissions, but to prioritize the health of children. Six other states have zero-emission school bus transitions already written into law. “We as a student body are exposed t...
On the last Monday morning of the 2024 legislative session, Washington State Sen. Lisa Wellman's office brimmed with sunlight, an early peek at spring, as she sipped tea from a white mug. Her office is full of her macro photography. As a creative outlet, Wellman likes to go to junkyards and photograph bolts and screws that have rusted. On her website she calls this: nature's revenge of rust. It is a hobby inspired by her career in technology and an embrace of creativity. "I...
The "Parent's right to know," a citizen-led initiative regarding parental authority over kids in public schools, will become law in June. While the measure won wide bipartisan support, some legislators say they are keeping a close eye on the way it is implemented. Sen. Jamie Pederson, D-Seattle, who ended up voting in favor for the initiative, said he has some concerns its passage will have on student access to things like birth control or mental health services. He said he...
Some property crimes now can be classed as hate crimes if they are racially motivated or if they target other marginalized communities. Sen. Andy Billig, D-Spokane, said he was motivated to press for changes in what can be classed as a hate crime when vandals attacked a gay pride display in Spokane that shocked the community. “The pride sidewalks in Spokane were defaced in a coordinated attack last October with paint poured on them,” Billig recalled. He said police began pursuing the incident as a hate crime but were shocked...
The debate over how Washington reduces greenhouse gasses is headed for a showdown in November. To supporters, The Climate Commitment Act (CCA) is a "gold standard" environmental policy, because it sets carbon limits on polluters who must pay if they don't meet emission goals. To critics, the program is failing because it isn't really reducing emissions, is pushing up the cost of gasoline and much of the $1.8 billion it has generated isn't going to projects that reduce...
Washington's ferry system is in jeopardy. It is struggling to meet the demands of its routes, and officials say it may be three to four years before any new ferry can go into service. Currently, 19 ferries serve the island communities of Washington, but the state needs 26 boats to fully fill the sailing schedule. While some are blaming a switch to electric boats for the delay in getting new vessels built, the problems go back nearly 25 years. In 1999, voters approved...
When a student at Seattle's Ingraham High School was shot and killed two years ago, an investigation revealed the gun used in the crime was stolen. Now, advocates from that community are speaking out and asking that more be done to curb the use of stolen firearms. "It was not safely stored, and its theft was reported three weeks late by the owner," said Carol Butterfield, former Parent Teacher Association President for Ingraham High School." Butterfield said authorities...
New rules that give police more leeway to engage in high-speed pursuits were approved by the Legislature and will become law June 5, 2024. “As you know, the people of the state are suffering, increasing rates of crime, property, crime, violent crime,” said Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen. “When I talked to cops and sheriff's deputies, they told me the one thing more than anything else that we need is the ability to chase bad people.” In 2021, the Legislature approved a measure that restricted police. Under that standard, vehicul...
An initiative prohibiting imposition of a state income tax was approved March 5 by the state Legislature. "This is a great day for everyone in Washington," said Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, Walsh. "Codifying Washington's long-standing tradition of opposing any state tax on personal income will help working families and local economies...When common-sense conservative policies lead the way, things get better for everyone." At the hearing on the initiative, every chair in the...
Washington State is recognized for its effective voting processes, but officials say too many ballots are rejected because signatures don't match. "I think we can do a lot better in Washington State," Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall said. "Updating how our offices reach out to voters is a simple step to ensuring both integrity and voter access." Signature verification is done to prove the mailed ballot was filled out by the person it was sent to, but too often, people...
Healthcare workers say the state should have the power to review hospital consolidations to make sure levels of care are not reduced when a hospital is purchased. Sen. Emily Randall, D-Bremerton, said she saw her own community hospital suffer after being acquired by a larger company. That’s why she introduced The Keep Our Care Act. “In my own community, Harrison Hospital was acquired by CHI,” Randall said. “And I first started learning about it not from the lens of reproductive healthcare, but from nurses and hospita...
Undocumented individuals are now a small step away from pursuing careers in nursing, dentistry, architecture, psychology, and much more under a bill now waiting for the governor's signature. Careers like these monitored by the Department of Licensing were previously denied on the basis of citizenship status. HB1889 allows undocumented individuals to apply for these licenses using their Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, in place of a Social Security Number. The bill wa...
Parents shouldn’t have to worry that the pots and pans they cook in could be poisoning their kids, say scientists and legislators, and a bill proposed in the state Legislature would make sure that is true. HB 1551 limits the production, circulation, and sale of pots and pans with more than five parts per million (ppm) of lead in any of its parts. “The family meal should be a place to gather and spend time together. It shouldn’t be the source of cognitive and physical harm,” said Rep. Gerry Pollet, D-Seattle. “I have long...
Washington currently has the fewest adult entertainment establishments per capita in the country. The reason? They are not allowed to serve alcohol. But if a bill in the state Legislature wins approval, Washington could soon join the rest of the country in allowing alcohol sales in strip clubs. Adult dancers say if this change is approved, workplace security should be required. "Washington State has had a war on strip clubs for a long time, and that is the reason why we have...
In the mainly white, buttoned down, business suit environment that is the Washington State Legislature, Sen. Rebecca Saldaña stands out. The Seattle Democrat swapped heels for cowboy boots, has Chicana roots, wears brightly colored traditional rebozos and recently lost her hair to chemotherapy. "It's about making sure that whatever makes you feel powerful that you want to wear without feeling that you are putting yourself in an unsafe situation," she said. Saldaña has held t...
A sea of red, white and blue covered the Capitol steps as hundreds of Washingtonians proudly waved American flags and demanded hearings on six initiatives that would roll back taxes, give parents more rights and police more authority. The initiatives funded by the political action group Let's Go Washington all received the requisite number of signatures to be approved for consideration but have yet to receive a hearing from the Legislature. In all, 2.6 million citizens signed...
Bus drivers, custodians, and cafeteria workers stood outside of the capitol with signs that read: “Living wages for ESP’S!” and “I’m a paraprofessional, my heart is full, but my wallet is empty.” Education Support Professionals (ESPs) mainly in the classroom with kids, supporting teachers. Two bills that would have increased wages and distributed paraeducators throughout school districts have already died in this year’s legislative session. Now, paraeducators are looking t...
Neonicotinoid pesticides are known for their harmful effects on the nervous systems of insects and a proposal in the state Legislature calls for banning them for household use. “About ⅓ of our agricultural sector needs pollination to thrive, and our pollinators, bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds in this state are under more and more threat,” said prime sponsor Sen. Marko Liias, D–Edmonds. Others, however, say blaming household use of pesticides on a decline in bee populations mischaracterizes the current research. Allan F...
Money to expand and upgrade the state’s ferry fleet will be included in this year’s supplemental budget, but lawmakers warn funding could go away if voters choose to repeal the Climate Commitment Act (CCA). “If the CCA is repealed, it will have a devastating impact on transportation funding. About one third of our Move Ahead package was funded by CCA,” said Sen. Marko Liias, D- Everett. Move Ahead Washington is a transportation plan adopted in 2022 that invests $17 billion over 16 years in projects statewide. “If the CCA fund...
Hundreds of organizers sporting green, red, and keffiyeh scarves gathered on the capitol steps to read poetry, sing traditional Palestinian songs and call for a cease fire in the Israel/Palestinian conflict. The Washington Coalition for Peace and Justice was the prime organizer of the event, but 37 other organizations showed support. The groups came to ask lawmakers to call for a ceasefire, an effort that has already been pushed across the world, country and state. "We know...
An effort to make Holocaust and genocide education mandatory in Washington public schools has failed to win enough support to pass in this year's Legislature. "We've been trying diligently to reach out to stakeholders to get agreed upon wording that would make this workable and fundable," said Sen. Lisa Wellman, D-Mercer Island, Chair of the Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee. "This bill just needs more time to be worked through." Sponsored by Rep. Travis Couture,...
By Aspen Anderson Washington State Journal As the prevalence of fentanyl rises, so too does the frequency of critical incidents related to parental substance abuse among foster children, often resulting in fatalities or near-fatalities. This alarming trend spurred foster mothers from across the state to gather and protest on the steps of the capitol. They say a recently adopted state law makes it harder to remove children from homes for the evidence of substance abuse alone, a...
Three citizen-led initiatives will receive hearings in this session of the Legislature, said Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, D-Spokane, and Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma. The Legislature will debate I-2113 on reasonable police pursuit, I-2081 on restoring parent’s “right to know,” and I-2111, on prohibiting a state income tax. “Washington voters will hear a lot between now and November on any initiatives that end up on the ballot,” Billig and Jinkins said in a press release. “It will be up to them to dec...
When Sen. Noel Frame, D-Seattle, learned how Jehovah’s Witness elders in Spokane had covered up child sexual abuse for years, she looked to the law for answers. Frame found that, under Washington State law, clergy members have no responsibility to report what they suspect to be child abuse. Washington is one of five states that has yet to change this rule. Frame says she experienced abuse as a child, and it was only once after her teacher, a “mandatory reporter,” said somethin...
Schools across Washington state are developing new cellphone policies to stop under-the-desk texting for teens and game playing while at school. Some of these policies are already in use at Eastern Washington's Reardan-Edwall School District. Superintendent Eric Sobotta gave the screen time change rave reviews. "Middle school students actually have to talk to each other at lunch rather than be on their phones playing games," Sobotta said. Despite individual schools taking the initiative on these efforts, lawmakers want to...
People held hands between armrests as they waited to tell the stories of loved ones lost to genocide. Almost every seat in the hearing room was filled, and 67 people were scheduled to speak. Prime sponsor Sen. John Braun R-Centralia, and co-sponsor Sen. Jesse Salomon, D-Shoreline, approached the podium to introduce the bill. “For me and many in the Jewish community this is not just an academic matter. This is an intimate and deeply personal matter that has affected our families,” Salomon said, pausing to gather his emotions....
To protect young people from the dangers of high-strength cannabis, two bills have been proposed in this year’s Washington State Legislature. SB 6220, recently passed in the Senate, establishes the minimum purchase age for high-THC cannabis at 25 and older. The bill defines high THC as greater than 35% THC and mandates the Liquor and Cannabis Board to define concentration levels following extensive market research. THC is the intoxicating ingredient in marijuana. “When we legalized marijuana, we thought we were leg...
On the second level of the white and gray marbled Capitol building stands the Governor's office, guarded by a State Patrol trooper stationed outside. On the interior walls are portraits and paintings showcasing past Washington Governors. In the heart of the conference room stands a grand dark wood table surrounded by twelve bulky wood and brown leather chairs, and the one at the head of the table, where Jay Inslee sits, has leather detailing of Washington's State seal at the...
Testifying before lawmakers, Mina Hashemi recounted how three years ago she was shocked to see that the condom she had explicitly asked for during sex had been removed. "I felt deeply violated," Hashemi said. "While I was lucky not to get an STI or pregnant, there are many stories of women who did. Stealthing is a very specific type of sexual violence that does not neatly fit within existing definitions of sexual assault in Washington. We must close the loophole on assault." "Stealthing" refers to tampering with or removing...
As budget negotiations begin in the state Legislature, calls for action on affordable housing and rent caps from the annual Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day are expected to ring in the ears of lawmakers. Hundreds of unhoused individuals, members of non-profit organizations and advocacy groups gathered late last month to urge lawmakers to do something about the high cost of housing. Cheyonna Lewis, a single mother of three, sat on the steps of the Capitol with her...
Washingtonians may lose their cherished ultra-late-night sunsets in the summer if Washington state opts for permanent Pacific Standard Time (PST). "If Congress had acted, we would not be here with this bill," remarked Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley. The U.S. Senate, in March 2022, passed the Sunshine Protection Act of 2021 that would have made daylight saving permanent, but it has not been approved by the House. The measure now under consideration in the Legislation would...
When she treated an out-of-state patient from Idaho with pulmonary hypertension. Dr. Jennifer Chin of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) knew her pregnant patient was at risk if she carried the pregnancy to term. She believes her patient could have died without the care she received in Washington. But increasingly, Chin said, she sees doctors becoming hesitant to give abortion care because of the threat it poses to their safety. To protect doctors,...
Taking cues from California, there's a push to lighten up on jaywalking fines-a move that hits the headlines for its impact on both the homeless community and Black pedestrians. In Washington state, Black pedestrians are stopped by police at a rate four times higher than the general population. Forty-One percent of those ticketed for jaywalking in the state are homeless. Jaywalking is considered a non-criminal traffic violation, carrying an average fee of around $70. In 2023...
Diaper changing stations traditionally were placed only in women's bathrooms, and Alexandra Johnson, a mother of two from Snoqualmie, thinks that should change. “What are the implications for our children when they see that mom is the only one providing care?” Johnson asked. Johnson made her comments in testimony as the state Legislature considers HB 2052, which would require changing stations in all new or renovated public bathrooms, regardless of gender. “This legislation does two things: It creates more access to safe...
A proposal to make voting mandatory drew criticisms from two thousand people in a Legislative hearing Jan. 25. "We are already in a moment of extreme distrust in elections, so you should not be doing anything to further that perception," said Sharon Damoff. Lawmakers mainly dismissed the large number of people signing on to testify, as they believe one organization was responsible. "The election deniers have ramped up this year," Sam Hunt, D-Olympia, said. "Conservative Ladies...
Tribal members in Washington State are four times more likely to overdose and die on opioids than the state average, and advocates are pushing for state programs to address the crisis. "A dark undercurrent, threatening the fabric of society, requires us to stand united and say, you're not alone." said Rep. Debra Lekanoff, D-40th District. "Tribal wellness centers are at the forefront of Washington healing for over a decade, offering a beacon of hope." Lekanoff, the sole...
Following the concerns over police brutality in 2020, Gov. Jay Inslee directed the Attorney General’s office to form an Office of Independent Investigations to take on cases of death by law enforcement officers. Now Rep. Monica Stonier, D-Vancouver, is building on that effort with HB 1579, which gives the Attorney General’s Office authority to handle the prosecution of police officers in addition to ordering investigations. The primary goal is to avoid conflicts of interest at the county prosecutor level. Local pro...
Twenty women sporting wedding gowns and lustrous veils, with chains around their wrists and tape over their mouths, gathered in protest of Washington State law that allows children to be married if they have permission from their parents. A bill now being debated in the state Legislature, HB 1455, would end child marriage in Washington State. Between 2000 and 2021, 5,048 children were married in Washington, 83% of these involving girls wed to adult men, according to a study by...
Washington cities could soon be required to block off zones near public transit for multifamily housing, if new regulations are approved by the state Legislature. Some regulation is necessary, backers say, if cities want to provide affordable housing and make it easy for people to get to work. "I ran for office because of the enormous challenges that people of my generation, people in their 30s and 40s, face in finding a home in this state," Rep. Julia Reed, D-Seattle, said....
By Mary Murphy and Aspen Anderson Washington State Journal It was still dark outside when people with MAGA hats and anti-Trump signs gathered outside the entrance of the Thurston County Courthouse Jan. 18. A court filing that would push former President Donald Trump off the primary ballot in Washington State was the issue that drew them. Alexis Wallace showed up early displaying a cardboard sign that read, "What happened to: "Our democracy?" Ha Ha Ha." Wallace is a precinct...
Concerned about drug overdoses among teenagers, Lake Washington High School seniors Theodore Meek, Joanna Lymberis, Olivia Milstein, Sophia Lymberis and Reilly Jones transformed a school assignment into a bill aimed at making opioid-reversal medication available in high schools. "The first conversation we had was, we're gonna get this passed," Sofia Lymberis said. Narcan, the commercial name for naloxone, is already available in Washington schools with student populations of...
Kroger and Albertsons claim a proposed merger worth 24.6 billion will result in better prices for grocery shoppers, but many fear food prices will go up and jobs could be lost as the stores eliminate competition. Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a lawsuit to stop the merger, which was announced in a Seattle press conference Jan. 15. "Our job is to make sure there is a level playing field for Washington consumers and that means pushing back against the consolidation of...
