Building a stronger, more just & transparent democracy
Building a stronger, more just & transparent democracy
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After five years serving as Washington state's House Republican Leader, Rep. J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, announced his decision to step down from his leadership role. Being the House Republican Leader is a partisan job, and in the past, Wilcox said if his leadership did not result in a more balanced Legislature, it was time for a change. The House of Representatives currently has 58 Democrats and 40 Republicans. "It's been weighing on me since the election, and I don't go back on my...
The Washington State Legislature adjourned April 23 after failing to approve a controversial bill setting drug possession penalties, raising the possibility of a special session in the coming weeks to resolve the issue. Drug possession became a misdemeanor two years ago when the Supreme Court invalidated the law that made drug possession a felony. Hurried legislation made the crime a misdemeanor, but many thought that charge was too light. The Legislature debated SB5536, which...
Legislators celebrated Earth Day with the passage of environmental bills in the final hours of the legislative session. The package creates new laws that regulate the use of foam blocks for docks, govern production of hydrogen to power buses, provide for the study of carbon monoxide and places new restrictions on battery sales. Substitute House Bill 1085, by Rep. Sharlett Mena, D-Tacoma, prohibits the sale and distribution of expanded foam blocks and floats used in overwater structures, unless the foam is contained in a...
Police may pursue suspects that pose long-term serious risk to others under revisions of a more restrictive 2022 vehicle chase law that has now passed both houses of this year’s Legislature. Engrossed Senate Bill 5352 was introduced by Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek. “I’m a Black man from birth, my skin tone is brown, but I wore the blue uniform proudly for 31 years as a state trooper,” he said. “I know there are fears out there, but I think legislation like this can bring our community together and help our law enforceme...
Cosmetic products containing nine toxic chemicals already removed from some retail shelves would be banned under a House-passed bill currently in the Senate. Substitute House Bill 1047, by Rep. Sharlett Mena, D-Tacoma, passed the House with a 55-41 vote and would restrict the manufacture, sale and distribution of cosmetic products containing certain chemicals as an intentionally added ingredient, beginning Jan. 1, 2025. “The chemicals we’re talking about, nine chemicals and classes of toxic chemicals, are things that we kno...
Thirty thousand doses of the pregnancy-ending drug mifepristone was purchased by the state under an order by Gov. Jay Inslee. The abortion-related drug is legal in the state of Washington to end pregnancy up to 10 weeks. The drug was approved for use by the Federal Food and Drug Administration 20 years ago and studies show the drug is safe to use. But, a judge in Texas is presiding over a case that challenges the FDA’s approval, and that could impact the ability of women in the state of Washington to have access to the d...
Employers would be prohibited from denying a person a job for their non-work-related cannabis use in a bill passed by the state Senate 28-21 and the House of Representatives 57-41. Currently, there is one difference between the two houses. The House bill excludes people seeking positions as a first responder or corrections officer, or with a law enforcement agency or a fire department. Both bills exclude applicants in the aviation and aerospace industries because of federal transportation rules. Beyond those exemptions,...
Cannabis stores may be able to display larger outdoor signs if they comply with local ordinances rather than statewide regulations from the Liquor and Cannabis Board under a proposal in the state Legislature. Vicki Christophersen, Washington CannaBusiness Association Executive Director, said the bill does nothing to change the LCB’s authority to regulate the content of the signs, whether it be a billboard or a sign on the store. What the bill does is make regulation of the sign’s size and the number of signs subject to loc...
People with mental health issues and those who might consider suicide sometimes voluntarily give up their right to possess guns by filing a voluntary waiver of their firearm rights with the clerk of the court of any county within the state. Under a bill now being debated in the Legislature, filing such a waiver would be allowed electronically and revoking the waiver would trigger notification of a friend or relative. Substitute Senate Bill 5006, by Sen. Jamie Pederson, D-Seattle, also would create a class 4 civil infraction o...
Public schools must adopt a “Statement of Student Rights,” that includes freedom of speech and religion, the right to assemble, the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness under legislation that has passed the Senate and is now in the House. Engrossed House Bill 1478, by Rep. Joe Timmons, D-Bellingham, passed the House with a 61-35 vote. “By having a consolidated statement of student rights that are available to students and by having that statement incorporated into civics education in K-12 schools, my hope...
A public-school grant program to help students evaluate news reports would be established if a bill passed by the state Senate makes its way through the House of Representatives. The amount of the grant program awarded to teachers and school districts proposed in Substitute Senate Bill 5626 by Sen. Marko Liias, D-Mukilteo, is unspecified. Funding would be subject to the final budget approved later in this year’s legislative session for the 2003-2005 biennium, The bill passed the Senate 44-4. Jen Ligot, Washington State C...
More people working in public sector jobs would be required to report suspected abuse of senior adults under a bill now being debated in the state Legislature. “Typically, the first idea that we have that abuse or neglect is occurring comes through mandatory reporters,” said Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro Woolley, the bill’s sponsor. “It also lets everybody know who they can share information with under what circumstances.” Typically, mandated reporters are members of law enforcement, social workers and professional school pe...
More than 400,000 health care professionals would be required to provide information on race, ethnicity, gender, and spoken languages under a bill that passed the House and now is under consideration by the Senate. “This is something that we need to do to align our racial and ethnic makeup, and also just understanding better how we can get the workforce that reflects our state,” said Rep. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane. “This is needed to help us have a more robust and diverse workforce.” Currently, demographic informa...
Food banks are finding it necessary to provide diapers, toiletries, feminine hygiene products and other non-food items but currently are limited on how much they can spend on those essentials. Substitute House Bill 1499, by Rep. Clyde Shavers, D-Oak Harbor, allows food banks to expand the percentage of food assistance funding they can spend on non-food items from 10% to 25%. “During the pandemic, they faced this financial struggle, this hurdle, where they couldn’t purchase these products or use state funds to purchase pro...
The manufacture, distribution and sale of any assault weapon would be prohibited by legislation passed by the state House of Representatives and now in the Senate. “There has been a dramatic shift in the public, I think there’s been a shift in the legislature,” said Sen. Andy Billig, D-Spokane. “I think this bill has momentum and will have a good chance to pass.” Substitute House Bill 1240 was introduced by Rep. Strom Peterson, D-Edmonds. Assault weapons are defined very specifically in the bill as particular brands an...
A social workers' guide to identify child malnutrition cases has passed the state House of Representatives and is now under consideration by the Senate. The guide would be required to be easily accessible to social workers, describe how to identify child malnutrition, include questions to ask if child malnutrition is suspected, include next steps staff must take. Child Protective and Welfare Services are offered to families to protect children from abuse and neglect. The Department of Children, Youth, and Families is...
High school students could earn elective credit through paid work experience under a bill that has passed the state House of Representatives 93-4 and is now in the Senate. “Financial education is a priority for young adults and families,” said Rep. Clyde Shavers, D-Oak Harbor, who sponsored the bill. “That means how to open a checking account or a savings account, how to invest, how to take out a loan. Let’s make sure financial literacy is a part of every young adult’s life; let’s give them the financial knowledge and the too...
Sex traffickers often manipulate their victims with lies or threats and force them to participate in sexual acts, and the most vulnerable victims are between the ages of 12 and 18. “Sex trafficking is rampant, indiscriminate and insidious, especially among youth, but it’s rarely thought as (of as) such,” said Ria Bahadur, a member of the Legislative Youth Advisory Council at Eastside Preparatory School. “I like to believe humans are good people, and I like to believe when given the right education, we’re stronger and smarter...
Reproductive health care services including abortion and gender affirming treatment would be protected in Washington State under a bill recently by the House with a 59-38. The legislation, House Bill 1469, was sponsored by Rep. Drew Hansen, D-Bainbridge Island. Hansen said it establishes the state’s right to protect the insurance coverage of protected healthcare services, regardless of a person’s location when receiving those services. Other states are free to make their own public policy choices on what is legal or ill...
Driver’s education courses will include guidance about sharing the road with big trucks and buses if a bill approved by the House gets an OK from the Senate. House Bill 1540 is sponsored by Rep. Spencer Hutchins, R-Gig Harbor. Hutchins said we share the road with these large commercial vehicles and buses, and it is important for new drivers to learn how to share the road safely. “It would be a great disruption to life, to commerce, to have unnecessary accidents with our large commercial vehicles,” he said. “This bill does a...
People 18 to 22 will be required to pass a driver’s education course before getting their license, if a bill that passed the state Senate becomes law. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5583, which passed 41-7 on March 1, also includes fee increases. The measure now moves to the state House of Representatives. Sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias, D-Everett, the bill would require people between the ages of 18 and 22 to take a full driver’s education course by a licensed, private driving school or a school district before rec...
Children and grandchildren sat on laps and wandered the aisles of the House of Representatives for this year's Children's Day at the state Legislature, and many young observers played with toy dinosaurs as House members voted for a bill establishing an official state dinosaur. House Bill 1020, sponsored by Rep. Melanie Morgan, D-Parkland, establishes a fossil nicknamed "Suciasaurus Rex" as Washington state's official dinosaur. The fossil was discovered in 2012 on Sucia Island...
Victims of domestic violence will get more protection under a package of bills now moving through the state Legislature. Rep. Lauren Davis, D-Shoreline, is sponsoring House Bill 1715. The bill challenges the idea that domestic violence victims need to go into hiding and it holds the abusers accountable, she said. The law would initiate statewide requirements for electronic monitoring with victim notification, it changes the process that requires surrendering firearms and it creates provisions under which a domestic violence v...
Washington State might have an official nickname if a bill that passed a Senate committee becomes law, but it's not really “new.” You’ve seen it on everything from license plates to a state college. Senate Bill 5595, by Sen. Jeff Wilson, R-Longview, designates “The Evergreen State” as Washington’s official nickname, a moniker first employed 135 years ago. It was penned by Charles T. Conover in 1890, who became city editor of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer more than a century ago. “What it implies is something that can remain...
The Running Start program, which allows high school juniors and seniors to earn college level credits, will expand to include sophomores, if a proposal in the state Legislature is approved. “It’s a heavy lift when you’re a junior and senior to try to accomplish your two-year degree in those two years,” said Sen. Brad Hawkins, R-Wenatchee. “A little running start to Running Start might be good to actually accomplish some of the two-year attainment that we’re seeking in the state.” Running Start allows high school studen...
Stalking is stalking, whether it is in person or online, and they will be treated as identical crimes if a bill presented in the Legislature is adopted. Under current law, a person commits the crime of stalking if they repeatedly follow someone with the intent to intimidate and harass. “Unfortunately, scholarly literature indicates that law enforcement has a tendency to downplay the behavior because the individual acts of stalking are not typically criminal on their own and do not appear threatening to someone who doesn't u...
The war against the use of illegal fentanyl will get some extra help in the future from drug sniffing dogs trained to detect the substance. That’s the intent of House Bill 1635, introduced by Rep. Gina Mosbrucker, R-Goldendale. The bill instructs the Criminal Justice Training Commission to develop model standards for training the police dogs. Fentanyl is used illegally for intense but short-term highs and temporary feelings of euphoria, but can cause fainting, seizures and sometimes even death. Mosbrucker said the fentanyl e...
Students should spend more time in school and less time on break so they retain the learning they acquire during the school year. That’s the opinion of Sen. Brad Hawkins, R-East Wenatchee, who has introduced a bill in the state Legislature that adds five days to the school calendar. “SB 5505 takes swift and decisive action to support learning recovery with a simple solution -- providing our students with additional access to their teachers, their peers, and to dedicated support staff,” Hawkins said. Under current law, schools...
People who perform female genital mutilation on a minor could face criminal and civil penalties if a bill now in the state Senate becomes law. Female genital mutilation, or FGM, involves removal or injury to female genital organs for non-medical reasons. It is a cultural procedure for young girls more commonly practiced in some African countries but instances of it in the United States are on the increase as immigrants move here. “Unfortunately, I am told by members of the community that not only licensed health p...
Delivery drivers working for firms such as DoorDash and Instacart would be required to purchase a $50 state license and complete a certified class to deliver alcoholic beverages from bars and restaurants if a House bill under consideration passes. Under current law, a class 12 permit is required for managers, bartenders and servers engaging in alcohol sales. House Bill 1375, sponsored by Kristine Reeves, D-Federal Way, would require delivery drivers to have to have the same permit. Reeves said the bill is not an expansion of...
Washington State employers will receive tools against retaliation from states with anti-abortion laws if a bill presented in the Senate is passed. Senate Bill 5260, by Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines, is one of five reproductive rights bills presented to the Senate on Jan. 24. “I thought perhaps Washington State should try and create a safe harbor for the companies in our state who are trying to help their employees in anti-abortion states,” Keiser said. Keiser said she worked on SB 5260 because she has seen states like Flo...
Insurance policies that cover abortion would be required to cover the entire cost of the procedure under provisions of a bill now being debated in the state Legislature. “This bill is about removing barriers to access to abortion services, regardless of the ability to pay,” said Annette Cleveland, D-Vancouver, the bill’s main sponsor. Senate Bill 5242 would require health plans issued or renewed after Jan. 1, 2024, to provide abortion-services without cost-sharing, said staff of the committee Greg Attanasio. One excep...
Interns and employees between the ages of 18 and 23 in the alcoholic beverage industry will be able engage in handling liquor under certain circumstances, if a bill presented in the Legislature is adopted. House Bill 1299, by Rep. Kelly Chambers, R-Puyallup, would allow certain businesses to employ interns and employees between 18 and 21 to transport, handle or possess liquor, said Matt Sterling. The bill would also permit a bar or restaurant to allow underage employees to stock and handle liquor if a person over the age of...
Insurance policies that cover abortion would be required to cover the entire cost of the procedure under provisions of a bill now being debated in the state Legislature. “This bill is about removing barriers to access to abortion services, regardless of the ability to pay,” said Annette Cleveland, D-Vancouver, the bill’s main sponsor. Senate Bill 5242 would require health plans issued or renewed after Jan. 1, 2024, to provide abortion-services without cost-sharing, said staff of the committee Greg Attanasio. One excep...
Low-income families struggling to afford childcare will get some help thanks to a big bump in federal spending. U.S. Senator Patty Murray, D-Washington, was in Olympia Jan. 18 to promote passage of a $1.85 billion increase in federal funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant which will help improve childcare programs across the nation. "It will help our struggling providers to keep the lights on and it will make a world of difference," Murray said. "But let me be...
Consumers will be able to purchase more low-THC liquid-infused products in a single purchase if a bill in the Legislature wins approval. “HB 1249 is necessary to ensure that the evolution of consumer preference, and access to an increasing variety of these products, reflects those preferences and is aligned with the law,” said Douglas Henderson, Painted Rooster Cannabis Company CEO. Rep. Chris Corry, R-Yakima, introduced the bill. He said he recently became aware of new products in the market, including a low-THC infused bev...
Cosmetology students will be able to register for their final exam before they have completed their course work if a bill under consideration by the state Legislature is approved. House Bill 1017, by Cindy Ryu, D-Shoreline, allows cosmetology students to sign up for and take their final exam within 100 hours of completing their total required hours. The bill had a hearing Jan. 13 in the House Consumer Protection and Business Committee. Hannah Govea is a cosmetology student set to graduate in March this year, but said she is...
Four dogs sat in a House hearing room and two more watched the room over Zoom as a legislative committee discussed rules dog handlers must follow in courthouses for dogs to assist people who are providing testimony, including youth with disabilities. "I can't say how amazing these dogs are when something bad has happened to your kids, my kids. Really, they're our kids. All these kids belong to us," said Ellen O'Neill-Stephens, founder of the Courthouse Dogs Foundation. "To be...
