(70) stories found containing 'washington state journal'
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Lawmakers send $59 billion budget to governor
As the end of the mostly virtual legislative session drew near April 25, lawmakers passed a hefty $59 billion budget that will funnel millions into childcare, public health, rental... — Updated 4/29/2021
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 4/26/2021
Governor gives tenants protections, reduces help for landlords
Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law an automatic right for tenants to have an attorney, though it came with a catch — Inslee sent back two parts of the bill regarding landlord rental assistance. In a memo after the April 22 bill... — Updated 4/26/2021
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 4/26/2021
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 4/26/2021
Working families tax credit heads for approval
A tax credit for working families in Washington passed the Senate in a bipartisan vote April 11, with lawmakers on both sides saying the exemption for low-income earners was a long time coming. “Expanding and fully funding the... — Updated 4/16/2021
Senate passes carbon cap after debate on green energy, transportation
A controversial statewide cap on carbon emissions scraped through the Legislature in a 25-24 vote late April 8 after lawmakers passed a Climate Commitment Act that majority Democrats say will boost the state’s economy and... — Updated 4/9/2021
Incarcerated people to regain right to vote
Formerly incarcerated people will immediately regain the right to vote after Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law this automatic right, marking passage for one of the first criminal justice reform bills this session. “The right to... — Updated 4/8/2021
House passes $11 billion transportation budget
The Washington House of Representatives passed a $10.94 billion transportation budget with some bipartisan support. The vote on April 2 was 87-11. The budget pays for expanded green transportation and improved roadways. Constructio... — Updated 4/7/2021
House passes $6 billion capital works budget
Lawmakers passed a $6.23 billion capital budget April 2 in a unanimous vote, earmarking millions of state and federal funding for investments in community projects and public works. "We've put together a budget that not only... — Updated 4/7/2021
Sweeping childcare reform moving in Legislature
Early childhood care and education in the state would see sweeping reform through the expansion of affordable child health and learning services, if a bill in the state Legislature wins approval. “This is a gamechanger for kids... — Updated 3/31/2021
Bill kickstarts effort for state universal healthcare
Universal health care for every state resident who wants it could come to Washington by 2026. A bill under consideration now in the state Legislature establishes a healthcare commission to develop a comprehensive plan for a... — Updated 3/31/2021
Senate Democrat spending plan increases state spending by 12%
Funding for health care, education and efforts to curb houselessness are promised in a $59.2 billion state budget proposal from the Washington Senate Democrats unveiled March 25.... — Updated 3/26/2021
Bill would end Native imagery for public schools, teams
Ivy Pete remembers attending high school football games in her hometown. But instead of pride for her school, she felt humiliated. Pete, a junior in high school in Spokane and member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, said she... — Updated 3/26/2021
Washington state's only Native American lawmaker cuts a path in Olympia
Debra Lekanoff always makes sure to appreciate her surroundings, whether she's spending time in nature or on the House floor at the Capitol in Olympia, where she has served for the... — Updated 3/26/2021
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 3/26/2021
Proposed phone tax will pay for suicide prevention
Connecting people considering suicide with immediate help is the aim of a proposed law that funds a 988 emergency number with a new tax on phone lines. HB 1477, introduced by Rep. Tina Orwall, D-Des Moines, is aimed at tackling... — Updated 3/26/2021
Significant police reform on track in Legislature
Limits on the use of force by police and investigations of officers who have a pattern of misconduct continue to make their way through the Legislature, with some bills winning broad approval and with some passing only on party... — Updated 3/26/2021
All counties moving to Phase 3
All counties are eligible for Phase 3 of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Healthy Washington reopening plan on March 22. Inslee made the announcement March 11 following a downward trend in COVID-19 case rates and hospitalizations across the... — Updated 3/26/2021
College Bound Scholarship gets boost
The College Bound Scholarship for Washington students is being reworked to reach more students across the state. Currently, students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches during the 7th or 8th grade sign a form with their g... — Updated 3/26/2021
Eviction protections approved by Senate
As the end of an emergency eviction moratorium looms over thousands of Washington renters, a bill requiring landlords to have just cause for evicting a tenant passed the House of Representatives in a 54-44 vote March 7.... — Updated 3/17/2021
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 3/10/2021
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 3/10/2021
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 3/10/2021
Capital gains tax narrowly passes Senate
A tax on capital gains, the sale of assets like stocks and bonds, passed the Senate by a single vote March 6. The bill was first amended to remove the emergency clause, meaning the issue is likely to appear on the ballot later... — Updated 3/8/2021
Frontline workers to start receiving vaccines March 22
Essential frontline workers, such as grocery store employees, will begin receiving COVID-19 vaccines later this month, Gov. Jay Inslee announced March 4. Others set to be vaccinated starting March 22 include workers in... — Updated 3/8/2021
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 3/8/2021
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 3/8/2021
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 3/8/2021
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
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
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
