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OLYMPIA – The 2019 legislative session began Jan. 14 and is scheduled to end on April 28, if the operation, transportation, and capital budget all pass the Legislature and are signed by Gov. Jay Inslee. Key issues this session have ranged from requiring vaccines to school funding, gun control, behavioral health, reducing the rape kit backlog, and a host of other issues. Gov. Inslee made waves this session by declaring his run for President on March 1. The campaign took Inslee to the East Coast frequently over the course of t...
OLYMPIA —The Washington State Legislature adjourned minutes before its midnight deadline on April 28, ending its 105-day session on time for the first time since 2009. Before the $52.4 billion biennium operating budget saw final passage, lawmakers worked out a deal that includes a school levy lid lift and prohibiting public records requests on the bump stock buyback plan. “This truly has been an epic legislative session of unprecedented scope and dimension of achievements for the people in the state of Washington,” said...
Protecting tenant rights through increasing the length of eviction proceedings is part of eviction-reform legislation, currently in the state House of Representatives. The House Committee on Civil Rights and Judiciary heard public testimony on Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5600 on Tuesday. The bill would extend from three to 14 days the time a tenant has to comply with a notice to pay rent or vacate before unlawful detainer action. This notice means that a tenant must vacate the property or pay the back rent if they do...
A statewide broadband office would be created under legislation passed by the Washington state Senate in a unanimous vote on March 6. Senate Bill 5511 would establish the Governor’s Statewide Broadband Office, require the Public Works Board to create a grant and loan program, and modify the state Universal Communications Services Program, along with other changes. The expansions to the Universal Communication Services Program would cost $5 million annually and if the money is not used in any given year the funds would rollove...
Programs to recruit and train behavioral and mental health professionals could receive $1.1 million in the next fiscal year under proposed legislation. Washington has two health education centers that recruit students from rural and underserved communities into health professions. These centers are located at Eastern Washington University and Whatcom Community College and are funded by the state Department of Health and the University of Washington. These education centers run programs including high school paid internships...