Justice
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New Statewide Alert System for Missing Indigenous People Is a Welcomed Change for Nisqually Tribe
In March, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill into law that would create a statewide alert system for missing Indigenous people. It was the first of its kind to be put in... — Updated 4/28/2022
School district working to settle public records lawsuit
The Grand Coulee Dam School District will offer $16,000 to a man who filed a lawsuit against them regarding a public records request, and who has reportedly made around a million dollars over the years with similar lawsuits... — Updated 4/28/2022
Use of force by police redefined under new law
People with mental health problems and juveniles can be detained or restrained by law enforcement, according to new legislation on the use of force. The new law, House Bill 1735, passed the Washington State House with a 90-5 vote,... — Updated 4/28/2022
Standards for police pursuits, use of force, defined
Police can pursue and stop vehicles if they have a “reasonable suspicion” of a crime being committed under new legislation that is headed to the desk of Gov. Jay Inslee. The Washington State House of Representatives voted 86-12... — Updated 4/28/2022
Large capacity gun magazine ban moves to governor's desk
Since September 2016 Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson has been working toward implementing gun reform that would prevent acts like the Mukilteo mass shooting on July 30, 2016. Now, a ban on high-capacity magazines... — Updated 4/28/2022
Cannabis workers want longer sentences for robberies
Cannabis dispensary owners and employees are hoping to see a decrease in armed robberies with the passage of a bill imposing stricter penalties for offenders. The bill proposes increasing the standard sentence range by 12 months... — Updated 4/28/2022
Far too little fraud to make a difference in election, AP finds
An Associated Press review of every potential case of voter fraud in the six battleground states disputed by former President Donald Trump has found fewer than 475 — a number that would have made no difference in the 2020... — Updated 3/16/2022
Appropriate use of force for law enforcement debated
The amount of force a police officer uses must be “proportional and reasonable,” a bill approved recently by the State Senate says. The bill also specifies officers will also be allowed to engage in vehicular pursuits as long a... — Updated 3/11/2022
Senate votes to ban high-capacity magazines
In an effort to tackle gun violence and strengthen public safety, the state Senate passed legislation Feb. 9 that bans the sale of high-capacity magazines – anything over 10 rounds – but doesn’t prohibit the use of... — Updated 3/11/2022
Proposed law offers offenders serving long sentences a chance for freedom
Incarcerated individuals who serve 15, 20, or 25 years of total confinement would have the opportunity to apply for a conditional commutation under a bill passed by the Washington State Senate and now being considered in the... — Updated 3/11/2022
Police restraint gets clarification in House bill
Mental health victims and juveniles can be restrained by law enforcement when responding to requests for assistance from crisis responders. That is the thrust of House Bill 1735, which passed the state House with a 90-5 vote and... — Updated 3/11/2022
Lawmakers propose Women's Suffrage Day
Women fought a decades-long battle for the right to vote, and now lawmakers want to memorialize the crusade by designating March 22 Women’s Suffrage Day. The 19th Amendment, prohibiting voting discrimination on the basis of sex,... — Updated 3/11/2022
Inslee would support law to ban lying about elections
On the one-year anniversary of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Gov. Jay Inslee announced he will support legislation criminalizing lying about election results. “It should not be legal in the state of Washington for... — Updated 3/11/2022
More protection for election officials approved by Senate
Election officials will get more protection from harassment if SB 5148 becomes law. The bill was approved in the Senate Jan. 12 with 48 yeas and 0 nays. It will be up to the House... — Updated 2/9/2022
Boule civil case goes to U.S. Supreme Court, could expand First Amendment rights
A civil case between Smuggler's Inn owner Bob Boule and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent has made it to the U.S. Supreme Court. Boule sued border patrol agent Erik Egbert... — Updated 11/19/2021
Seattle jury convicts Bellingham woman of attempted train shunt attack Grace McCarthy
A Seattle jury convicted a 28-year-old Bellingham woman charged with one count of violence against a railroad carrier for attempting to derail a train in north Bellingham almost a... — Updated 9/16/2021
Appeals Court Upends State Shellfish Farming
After a years-long battle, a ruling by the federal district court of Western Washington was unanimously upheld by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in February affirming that... — Updated 5/21/2021
