Author Archives: kenf

OLYMPIA — A large bipartisan, bicameral group of Washington state legislators has signed a strong letter of protest urging the Biden administration to withdraw its challenge to the Washington state law strengthening workers’ compensation access for workers at the Hanford ...

Sen. Manka Dhingra (D-Redmond), chair of the Senate Behavioral Health Subcommittee and vice chair of the Senate Law & Justice Committee, and Sen. Jamie Pedersen (D-Seattle), chair of the Senate Law & Justice Committee, today released the following statement on ...

OLYMPIA — Today the governor signed, in full, the most aggressive capital construction budget in state history, which funds $6.3 billion in priority infrastructure across the state, including investments in broadband internet access, affordable housing, behavioral health, natural resources, and ...

OLYMPIA – A package of law enforcement accountability legislation was signed by Gov. Jay Inslee today, increasing state oversight of police conduct, banning dangerous and unnecessary police practices, and raising standards for police conduct. “The public outcry over a series ...

OLYMPIA – Survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault will gain crucial protections and supports, and abusers will be held more accountable, under legislation signed into law by the governor. “This year, we made our justice system more responsive to ...

OLYMPIA – Washington will extend its public-health approach to substance use disorder by establishing a temporary new legal framework the possession of controlled substances and providing nearly $90 million to significantly expand treatment infrastructure, under a bill passed today by ...

OLYMPIA — The Senate today approved $6.3 billion in funding for priority infrastructure across the state, the largest and most aggressive capital construction budget in state history, funded through a combination state bonds, local revenue sources and federal relief funds. ...

OLYMPIA — With the passage of Senate Bill 5478 today, the Legislature has now put $2.2 billion in unemployment insurance (UI) tax cuts back into the pockets of Washington’s employers. “Businesses around our state have been suffering during this pandemic,” ...

OLYMPIA — A bill to provide hard-hit businesses with $500 million from a state funded unemployment relief account to reduce unemployment insurance (UI) premium taxes in 2022 passed the Senate today on a unanimous vote of 49-0. “This awful pandemic ...