Building a stronger, more just & transparent democracy
Building a stronger, more just & transparent democracy
Sorted by date Results 51 - 63 of 63
Seahawks legend Walter Jones joined Gov. Jay Inslee and Secretary of State Steve Hobbs in raising the 12th-man flag at the capitol Jan. 11 to promote this weekend's playoff game. The Seahawks will face the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL wild card game on Saturday. Lawmakers wore Seahawks jerseys and carried 12 th-man banners as Jones raised the flag. Jones said meeting Washington lawmakers in the Capitol was a great way to kick off the legislative session. "To get a chance to...
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...
Mary Le Nguyen stood in front of a group of 70 abortion-rights activists on the Capitol steps for a "reproductive freedom rally" in early January and she shared her personal story of being a survivor of sexual abuse. "This is not about power shifting from here to here. I want people to like us to have the power," Nguyen said, as she protested with Pro-Choice Washington. "I want us all to be more powerful, but that means we need to slow down together and see that reproductive...
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...
People who change their names to hide from their abusers should be afforded more privacy. That, at least, is the conclusion Maia Xiao came to after a transgender friend committed suicide after being harassed online despite a name change. Her friend’s “deadname,” the name used before transitioning, was discovered since it was a public record under Washington state law. “Even if she knew she was in a dangerous situation, she could not have changed her name privately because of our law,” Xiao said. Under consideration now is Se...
Starting at the Olympia Ballroom in the state capital's historic district, students from across Washington carried inflatable orcas and salmon and marched through the streets of Olympia to the steps of the Legislative building. Chanting "Save our salmon," members of the Washington Youth Ocean and River Conservation Alliance (WYORCA) and other environmental groups advocated for the protection of Northwest salmon runs and the orca pods that depend on them. "We need Inslee and th...
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...
Below the surface of Puget Sound, disappearing kelp forests and eelgrass beds are threatening the stability of dependent species. The shrinking population is now drawing the attention of lawmakers, with a variety of approaches encouraging restoration of the building block of this aquatic ecosystem. A bill signed into law by Gov. Inslee earlier this year will provide the Department of Natural Resources with funding to create a plan to conserve 10,000 acres of kelp and eelgrass habitats by 2040. The department will work with...
