Looks that way. HB 2647, a bill setting state limits on lead and other chemicals on the list of bills slated for action tomorrow at 2 p.m. in Olympia.Update: As Jason Mercier notes, SB 6818 -- creating an easily searchable online state budget database --…
-- The latest edition of the Building Industry Association of Washington's newsletter is dedicated largely to Sen. Brian Weinstein, D-Mercer Island, and the builders' victory over a Weinstein bill that would have made it far more easy to sue builders and contractors.The builders mention Weinstein…
Spokane's weekly The Inlander sat down for half an hour with the governor on a recent trip.Among the topics: Her superdelegate pick of Obama over Clinton, the tenor of the looming campaign with Dino Rossi, the Sonics and several local issues.Read the interview transcript here.
After months of work, the state's "Sunshine Committee" this week recommended that finalists for government jobs should be made public and that more information should be released from investigations into child deaths.It's been slow going for the committee, a mix of attorneys, lawmakers, journalists and…
For the three lawmakers who represent eastern Spokane County in the statehouse, this year's legislative session was an exercise in frustration and eking out some quiet wins.All three are Republicans in a Legislature that tilts Democratic nearly 2-to-1. They introduced few bills. Not one passed.But…
It was a challenging year for lawmakers from the 9th Legislative District, a sprawling triangle that covers much of the Palouse. Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax, was a freshman appointee, staying up late at night reading bills for fear that he would accidentally approve something that…
It’s not often that we Washingtonians pay much attention to congressional races in Michigan, but you can rest assured that there are some folks very unhappy with a certain independent’s recently-announced long-shot campaign.Dr. Jack Kevorkian, 79, says he’ll run for a seat representing the Detroit…
From our suburban editions this morning:Republican Sen. Pam Roach caused a lot of consternation for Senate GOP leaders last week, when she blasted them in an e-mail to more than three dozen journalists.A quick review: The clash occurred shortly after Republican leaders banned Roach from…
His name's Brad, but you can call him Don.Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, the second-longest-serving elected official in the statehouse, is about to be granted The Royal Order of Isabel la Catolica on behalf of his majesty the King Juan Carlos I de Borbon.Translation: Owen will…
I really didn't plan to write about this again, but it turns out that state Sen. Pam Roach was dsciplined for excessive demands on Senate staffers and apparently asking them to vow an oath of loyalty to her.Really.Click here for the story, from the TNT.
Two years after giving up his House spot in an unsuccessful run for the state Senate, Kirkland's Toby Nixon is trying to recapture his old seat.He had said he wouldn't run this year, but said encouragement from local Republicans and growing "disgust" with the direction…
Olympia is the eighth best place in the country for business and careers, and Spokane is ninth, according to new rankings from Forbes.com. Seattle's 20th, and Tacoma's 43rd.The ratings were based on the cost of doing business, job growth, and the educational attainment of residents,…
As lawmakers prepare their post-session fliers – paid for by you – you can expect to yet again hear scary things about a bill that would have charged Washingtonians a yearly fee based on engine size.Senate Bill 6900, as I've written here before, was dead…
The Tacoma News Tribune's Niki Sullivan tonight posted excerpts from a unusual e-mail apparently sent by Sen. Pam Roach. It blasts Republican leaders in the Senate, notably Senate Minority Leader Mike Hewitt, R-Walla Walla.Roach says her caucus leaders are attacking fellow Republican senators "to stifle…
From The Associated Press:The U.S. Supreme Court today upheld the state of Washington's open primary election system, a setback for the Republican and Democratic political parties in the state.By a 7-2 vote, the court says the state may use a primary system that allows the…
After a three-month flurry of activity, much of the state Capitol is back to the ghost-town-like atmosphere is exudes for much of the year.Gone are the lobbyists who crowded around the House and Senate doors, frantically scribbling notes to lawmakers. Gone are the rallies on…
In Washington, the governor appoints hundreds of people to all manner of boards and commissions. There's the affordable housing advisory board, the Interagency Committee of State Employed Women, even a committee charged with looking after the capitol furniture.Many must be confirmed by the state Senate.…
All of which you'll get to if you click on the jump link below.From this morning's print edition:Maybe it's not a coincidence that House Bill 3381 mentions the word "explosives" 16 times.State lawmakers Monday night found themselves faced with an unpalatable prospect in a big…
The House and Senate have just about agreed on a final budget deal, key lawmakers say.Some of the main points:How much to leave in state savings: For months Gov. Chris Gregoire and legislative budget writers have been weighing how much to leave in savings this…
A labor lobbyist just emailed, challenging capitol reporters to write about a tax break for their own industry: newspapers. Fair enough.House Bill 2585 would give newspaper companies a $946,000 tax break in this budget cycle, rising to $1.4 million annually next year, according to state…
Think of it: You go to the supermarket, and en route from the carrots to the fish sticks, you stop and…Drink some beer.Yup. Barring an unexpected legislative hiccup, a handful of grocery stores across the state will offer shoppers free wine and beer samples, starting…
Lawmakers debated until nearly 1 a.m. this morning on a global warming bill, which passed, and which I'll blog more about in an hour. But here's an excerpt from one of the floor speeches, from Rep. John Ahern, R-Spokane. His point: that earth's climate has…
(Alternative headline for those with a legislative attention deficit: Court's slow pace means booze to remain 42 cents cheaper!)Despite a request to rush arguments and a ruling out before lawmakers pack up their coffeemakers and head home March 13th, the state Supreme Court today turned…
The surest legislation in Olympia: The House economic development committee will on Friday hold a hearing on late-breaking HB 4034, a request for the president and Congress to halt the Air Force's move to order dozens of foreign-made tankers and "reconsider" the order "in the…
Weeks after an angry parent complained that state Rep. John Ahern "verbally abused" teens lobbying him on behalf of Planned Parenthood, a state ethics board has dismissed the complaint.The Legislative Ethics Board concluded that it lacked jurisdiction over a conversation between Ahern, the students and…
Short takes and breaking news from the Washington Legislature and the state capital.
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