Sorted by date Results 1 - 12 of 12
OLYMPIA — Washington state remains 51st in the nation for police officers per capita, and one answer to that problem might be allowing officers to work part-time. Senate Bill 5424, which awaits the governor’s signature to become law, would allow part-time police officers. And sponsor Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, said it would help bring more women into law enforcement. “The idea behind these flexible work schedules is intended to increase the diversity in Washington law enforcement, to increase the presence of femal...
OLYMPIA — A bill written to reduce the number of rejected ballots in elections is on its way to Gov. Jay Inslee's desk. Signature verification is done to curtail fraud in mail-in ballots. But, state officials say, too often people change the way they sign their name or they don’t sign their ballot at all. That results in a rejection of their ballot. Sen. Javier Valdez, D-Seattle, introduced Senate Bill 5890 after reviewing statistics on ballot rejection rates. The bill received unanimous approval in both the House and Sen...
OLYMPIA - An initiative prohibiting the imposition of a state income tax was approved March 5 by the Legislature. "This is a great day for everyone in Washington," said Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen. "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 jo...
OLYMPIA — Relenting to pressure from residents statewide, three initiatives will be get hearings before the Legislature. The Legislature will debate I-2113 on reasonable police pursuit, I-2081 on codifying parental rights in their child’s education and I-2111 on prohibiting a state income tax, Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, D-Spokane, and Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, announced late last week. The two leaders have decided they won’t take up three other initiatives that qualified for the ballot. Those ini...
A proposal to fine counties and cities when untreated sewage is released into Puget Sound is part of an effort to save dwindling salmon runs. The bill, proposed by Rep. J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, imposes a 1-cent-per-gallon fee on municipal discharges of untreated sewage into Puget Sound. The bill, HB 2290, is part of a comprehensive five-bill bipartisan initiative to preserve salmon populations and support the fishing community. The Department of Ecology did not oppose the bill...
OLYMPIA — 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, guarantee parental rights in schools and give 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 voters signed the petitions. Republica...
OLYMPIA — 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, guarantee parental rights in schools and give 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 voters signed the petitions. Republica...
To curb traffic fatalities, lawmakers are proposing reducing the legal limit for driving while intoxicated. SB 5002 amends the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for driving a motor vehicle from .08% to .05%. Typically, consuming less than one standard drink per hour maintains most individuals’ BAC below .05%. Former state trooper and primary sponsor Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, who previously served as a sergeant with a DUI emphasis patrol, called on the Legislature to enact tougher laws. “We have just tolerated dru...
OLYMPIA – 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 and 41% are homeless. Jaywalking is considered a non-criminal traffic violation, carrying an average fine of $70. In 2023, a "free-to-walk" bill gained 700 initial s...
OLYMPIA – 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. Kroger operates Fred Meyer stores; Albertsons operates both Safeway and Albertson stores, among others. Both firms have locations here and around the area. State Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a lawsuit to stop the merger, which was announced in Seattle on Jan. 15. “Our job is to make sure there is...
OLYMPIA – Amanda Knox, the Seattle resident who spent nearly four years in an Italian prison for a murder she did not commit, offered heartfelt testimony Jan. 8 in favor of a bill that would prevent law enforcement officers from using deception during interrogations. “I was interrogated overnight by police officers who claimed to have evidence against me, who claimed that there were witnesses who could place me at the crime scene,” Knox said. “They lied to me. I did not know they could lie to me… These are people who I was...
OLYMPIA – Low turnouts for local elections are leading some to advocate for moving those contests to even-numbered years alongside national races. “Young people are part of the communities that are being left behind,” said Rep. Darya Farivar, D-Seattle. She is a co-sponsor of a bill in this year’s legislative session to move elections to even-numbered years. She is also the youngest legislator in Washington and said this issue is very personal to her. “This issue is about making sure that we have the best democracy we can pos...
