Category Archives: News Release

23 Apr
0

Senate passes $6.3 billion capital construction budget

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. ...

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22 Apr
0

Keiser: Legislature has delivered for hard-hit businesses

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,” ...

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22 Apr
0

New law: Gross misdemeanor for portrayal of fraudulent drop boxes

Legislation signed into law by the governor this week makes misrepresentation of an unofficial ballot drop box a gross misdemeanor. Senate Bill 5015, sponsored by Sen. Sam Hunt (D-Olympia), would hold anyone who provides a voter with faulty election equipment ...

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20 Apr
0

Senate Members of Color Caucus reacts to verdict in trial of George Floyd’s killer

Today the Senate Members of Color Caucus issued the following statement in reaction to the verdict of guilty on all counts issued moments ago in Derek Chauvin’s trial. “Words cannot undo the deep wound that George Floyd’s murder left in ...

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20 Apr
0

Kuderer bill to ban open carry weapons at permitted demonstrations and capitol campus headed to governor’s desk

OLYMPIA – Washington state is one step closer to banning open carry weapons within 250 feet of permitted public demonstrations and the state capitol grounds with a bill approved by the Senate on Tuesday. SB 5038, sponsored by Sen. Patty Kuderer ...

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15 Apr
0

Senate passes bill to address Supreme Court’s Blake decision

Washington would re-establish a statewide legal framework pertaining to controlled substances and expanding behavioral health treatment options, under a bill passed today by the Senate. In a Feb. 25 decision in the case of State v. Blake, the Washington State ...

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14 Apr
0

Governor signs bill to protect homebuyers from faulty electrical work

  OLYMPIA – Today, Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law a measure that will protect people who purchase “flipped” homes from damage or injury due to inadequately performed electrical work. Senate Bill 5267, sponsored by Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle), requires ...

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10 Apr
0

Salomon’s driver’s license suspension reform bill approved by House

OLYMPIA – A bill that takes another step toward decriminalizing poverty by removing non-payment of moving violation-based traffic infractions from a list of actions that can lead to criminal enforcement of license suspensions was approved by the House of Representatives ...

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09 Apr
0

Keiser bill to cut $500 million in business taxes passes Senate

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 ...

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09 Apr
0

Retired public employees protected from pandemic impacts

OLYMPIA — Legislation signed into law this week by the governor will protect public employee’s retirement plans from any budget moves because of the pandemic. Average final salary and earned service credits must include any compensation that was forgone as ...

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