(51) stories found containing 'washington state journal'
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Inslee signs bills to help students
The return to in-person education in public schools is underway. Gov. Jay Inslee signed two bills March 2, assuring students affected by the pandemic can graduate on time. The... — Updated 3/4/2021
Why we are here
Meaningful, independent journalism is at a crossroads. Advertisers who once filled newspaper coffers and funded local journalism have shifted resources to the Internet. And... — Updated 3/4/2021
State revenue forecast rosier than expected
Though unemployment and consumer uncertainty remain high, the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council officials told legislators March 3 they felt optimistic a brighter economic future is on its way to Washington.... — Updated 3/4/2021
Our Team
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... — Updated 3/4/2021
Be a sponsor of the Washington State Journal!
The Washington State Journal is a nonprofit news website that offers tax-deductible opportunities for businesses and organizations to raise their profiles by underwriting our news coverage. Sponsorships allow you to reach our... — Updated 3/4/2021
Measures looking to limit executive powers die in state legislature
It’s been one year since Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and calls for a special legislative session and cries of executive overreach have been constant ever since. A special... — Updated 3/3/2021
Free attorneys, extended ban on evictions considered
An extension of an eviction moratorium for another two years and free attorneys for tenants who face eviction are proposed in a new bill that landlords say would decimate their industry. “It’s our goal to balance the needs of... — Updated 3/3/2021
Suicide prevention team idea moves forward
A Washington Youth Suicide Review Team is one step closer to reality after legislators passed substitute HB 1354 out of committee in a 11-2 vote. Rep. Gina Mosbrucker, D-Goldendale, the prime sponsor of the bill, saw the bill... — Updated 3/3/2021
Tax credits, free lunches, land leases, immigrant help get House approval
As a single mother who survived on food stamps, an added $20 monthly cost for her four children's lunch was more than Rep. Melanie Morgan, D-Tacoma, could afford at that time.... — Updated 3/3/2021
Bill that bans private prisons wins bipartisan support
Washington’s only private detention center is proposed for closure. House Bill 1090 prohibits any person, business or government from operating private, for-profit detention facilities. It recently passed in the House of... — Updated 3/3/2021
Curbside alcohol service proposed for extension
People will continue to be able to get a mixed drink with their takeout food until 2023 under a bill now moving to the state Senate for consideration. Delivery and curbside/takeout service of alcoholic beverages and spirits has... — Updated 3/3/2021
House approves ban on certain police use-of-force tactics
A ban on the use of chokeholds, military equipment, and most types of car chases by law enforcement passed the House of Representatives after lawmakers voted along party lines in a 54-43 vote Feb. 27. HB 1054 was the subject of... — Updated 3/1/2021
Clean fuels bill approved by the House
A low carbon fuel bill passed the state House of Representatives Feb. 27 in a 52-46 vote with every Republican voting no. Its next stop is the Senate. The bill directs the Department of Ecology to institute rules that require... — Updated 3/1/2021
Republican budget proposal cuts programs, uses rainy-day fund
House Republicans released their proposed state budget Feb. 16, saying it shows how a Republican-controlled Legislature could craft a spending plan without raising taxes. "If House... — Updated 2/26/2021
Police accountability bills push through Legislature
Outrage over deaths of citizens in police custody sparked efforts by lawmakers to address racial equity, hiring and training, and the use of force within law enforcement. Now, nearing the halfway point in the 2021 legislative... — Updated 2/26/2021
Inslee signs COVID-19 relief bill, allocating $2.2 billion in federal funding
Additional relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is on its way. Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill into law Feb. 19, that appropriates $2.2 billion federal dollars to be used for K-12 schools, public health, assistance to... — Updated 2/26/2021
Revised capital gains tax advances
A capital gains excise tax moved one step closer to approval Feb. 17 despite opposition from Republican lawmakers who call the law an unnecessary income tax and warn it will result... — Updated 2/26/2021
Juneteenth steps toward state holiday status
Rep. Kirsten Harris-Talley, D-Seattle, often sees her grandmother’s features when she looks in the mirror. She thinks of how her grandmother, a woman of color, experienced systemic racism and fought for a better life despite... — Updated 2/26/2021
Working family tax exemption wins support
In the wake of a global pandemic that has left families across the state desperate, relief in the form of a tax exemption may finally be coming after years of failing to receive funding. Washington’s Working Families tax... — Updated 2/24/2021
In wake of major data breach, cyber security office proposed
Reeling from a December breach that allowed hackers to access the personal information of roughly 1.6 million Washington residents, state lawmakers are working with Gov. Jay Inslee to establish a new office to protect state data.... — Updated 2/24/2021
Year-round school may be coming to Washington
The summer months are coming to an end, children are heading back to school, but they are experiencing summer learning loss and now require remedial education. Every year, teachers across the US say the first month of school after... — Updated 2/24/2021
Mandatory boater education for paddleboarders sinks in Legislature
A bill that would have required kayakers and paddleboarders to take a boater education course to operate human-powered water vessels was effectively killed in the state Legislature after a petition circulating on social media... — Updated 2/24/2021
New bill to target price gougers and protect consume
Face masks, $200. Hand sanitizer, $90. Peace of mind? Priceless. Attorney General Bob Ferguson proposed an emergency action bill that would prohibit excessive price increases during a state of emergency. Under SB 5191, any item... — Updated 2/24/2021
$2.2 billion in COVID-related funding for mental health, vaccine sites ready for passage
Funding for vaccine support, housing, mental health services and childcare is included in a hefty Democratic-led $2.2 billion COVID-19 relief package expected to get widespread support on the Senate floor. After this package is... — Updated 2/24/2021
Inslee defends regional reopening plan
Gov. Jay Inslee defended his plan to phase in the opening of businesses by region, saying he knows it goes too slow for some people. "Everybody can have a rational argument against... — Updated 2/17/2021
Democrats push new tax on billionaires
House Democrats are rallying around a proposal to tax Washington State’s billionaires. House Bill 1406 would impose a 1 percent tax on intangible assets, such as money or stocks, on people whose wealth exceeds $1 billion. The... — Updated 2/17/2021
New suicide review team proposed
The COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating a problem already plaguing youth in Washington -- suicide. Rep. Gina Mosbrucker, R-Goldendale, says HB 1354 is key to finding out why rates of suicide are climbing in Washington and on how to... — Updated 2/17/2021
Subminimum wage for disabled workers called 'unjust'
In what is being labeled a civil rights issue by advocates, lawmakers are considering ending the decades old practice of paying workers with a disability less than the state minimum wage. Under the current system, the Department... — Updated 2/17/2021
Bill would ban open-carry weapons at state capitol protests
A proposed ban on open-carry weapons during public demonstrations sparked a heated debate on whether the bill unreasonably restricts the Second Amendment to secure the protections of the First. The Senate Law & Justice Committee... — Updated 2/10/2021
Washington on track to allow schools to waive graduation requirements
Washington high school students wrestling with remote learning programs cobbled together as COVID-19 gripped the state in 2020 and now struggling to meet graduation requirements may well get some help from lawmakers. The state... — Updated 2/10/2021
Navy gets approval for state park training
Training for Navy SEALs in state parks was approved by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission in a 4-3 vote Jan. 28. The approval amended the Navy's proposal,... — Updated 2/10/2021
Elementary school class wants state dinosaur named
Washington State may soon have a new state dinosaur, thanks to the efforts of an elementary school class and the Washington State Legislature. The proposed state dinosaur is Suciasa... — Updated 2/10/2021
Lawmakers push competing COVID-19 packages
Relief for renters, schools, public health agencies and small businesses is rushing through the state Legislature, with the hope relief can reach people by the end of February. Two... — Updated 2/10/2021
$25.8 billion transportation plan hikes gas tax 18 cents
Washington drivers will pay an extra 18 cents per gallon in gas taxes if a new 16-year, $25.8 billion transportation package backed by House Democrats is approved. The gas tax includes a 3 cent tax increase on diesel as well as a... — Updated 2/10/2021
House approves bills on public access, tax exemptions, online training
A set of three bills designed to keep essential functions of the state running during the COVID pandemic and future emergencies passed unanimously on Jan. 22 in the first virtual roll call vote the House of Representatives held... — Updated 2/5/2021
Hundreds debate fast-action bill to skip first phase of recovery plan
Dozens of business owners - from restaurant owners to bowling alley managers - told state officials that continued COVID-19 restrictions place small businesses at risk of permanent... — Updated 2/3/2021
Increased participation might be 'silver lining' in online state legislative session
This might be the most accessible Legislative session in history, thanks to online tools provided by the state. McKenna Troje, 22, a graduate student at the University of Washington in Seattle, participated in a one-person... — Updated 2/3/2021
Inslee lowers age of those eligible for vaccines
Just when residents of Washington will have access to a COVID-19 vaccine depends on how many doses the federal government delivers and how many the state can administer in a day. Currently, the state is receiving 100,000 doses per... — Updated 1/28/2021
Bill would establish office to investigate police use of force
Fred Thomas believes if an independent team had investigated his son’s death, the outcome would have been much different. In May 2013, 30-year-old Leonard Thomas was shot by Lakewood police sniper Brian Markert after a four-hour... — Updated 1/27/2021
Unlawful calls to police get scrutiny
A person who unlawfully summons the police on someone could face a civil action lawsuit under a proposed law that is gaining traction in the Legislature. Senate Bill 5135 would allow an individual to pursue civil action against a... — Updated 1/27/2021
State patrol, National Guard will secure capitol campus ahead of inauguration
Hundreds of officers from the Washington State Patrol and the National Guard will continue to surround the Capitol Campus in Olympia through the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. WSP spokesperson Chris Loftis said the... — Updated 1/22/2021
Capital gains tax gets a harsh reception
A different take on Gov. Jay Inslee’s capital gains tax, less broad and friendlier to small family-owned businesses, will likely be introduced later in this year’s legislative session. “We are considering proposals similar to... — Updated 1/21/2021
Bill promotes automatic right to vote for people released from prison
Formerly incarcerated people would automatically regain their right to vote if a proposed bill in the Washington State Legislature is approved. Rep. Tarra Simmons (D-Bremerton), the first formerly incarcerated person to serve in... — Updated 1/21/2021
Inslee centers inaugural speech on COVID-19 recovery
Gov. Jay Inslee delivered his third inaugural speech Wednesday, praising Washington residents for their resiliency and striking an optimistic note for the future. "We have seen rema... — Updated 1/21/2021
Parents, educators worry Inslee schools budget falls short
Gov. Jay Inslee’s proposed budget for the upcoming biennium calls for $570 million in new education spending, but many parents and educators have expressed frustration that the governor’s budget does not adequately fund... — Updated 1/19/2021
Use of police force elicits emotional testimony
A proposed ban on the use of chokeholds, unleashed K-9 dogs and other use-of-force tactics by law enforcement is just the beginning of an effort by several state lawmakers to address police violence and its impact on marginalized... — Updated 1/19/2021
Lawmakers launch session with calls for cooperation, quick action on COVID-19
Washington state legislative leaders on Monday Jan. 11 took turns delivering upbeat messages that promised unity in taking swift action to relieve residents and businesses hit hard... — Updated 1/19/2021
Policing, racial injustice, governor's power on Legislative agenda
This year's legislature won't just be about numbers and budgets: it will explore social inequities, the proper role of policing and just how much authority the governor is due. Gov. Jay Inslee said his budget proposal specifies... — Updated 1/14/2021
Covid-related relief tops state budget priority list
Desperately needed COVID-19 relief is a top priority for this year's Legislature, and Republicans and Democrats generally agree it will be necessary to get that aid out as soon as possible. The parties are split, however, when it c... — Updated 1/14/2021
