Building a stronger, more just & transparent democracy
Building a stronger, more just & transparent democracy
OLYMPIA – Consumers may gain stronger protections against risks of algorithmic discrimination from artificial intelligence after HB 2157 was adopted as amended and advanced out of committee. HB 2157, proposed by Rep. Cindy Ryu, D-Shoreline, would regulate algorithmic discrimination, which refers to AI systems used to make or significantly influence decisions affecting employment, education, marital status, housing, healthcare, legal services, financial services, insurance,...
OLYMPIA – Hundreds of protesters marched to the Capitol steps Jan. 22 for a rally in support of Washington's immigrant communities. The march and rally were organized by the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN), an immigrant rights group founded in 2016 in response to the threats faced by immigrant families. As its top priorities for 2026, WAISN has called for full funding in the Apple Health Expansion program to support immigrant access to health care, securing...
OLYMPIA – The House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee held a hearing Jan. 21 for a bill prohibiting the use of 3D printers to manufacture certain firearms and their components. It's the latest effort by Washington lawmakers to regulate ghost guns, a homemade firearm that is unserialized and untraceable. Previous legislative attempts at eliminating ghost guns include House Bill 1739 from the 2019 session and House Bill 1705 from the 2022 session. These bills established...
OLYMPIA – Gov. Bob Ferguson and Attorney General Nick Brown condemned the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Minnesota and outlined how they are preparing for a similar escalation in Washington. “I have repeatedly spoken about how un-American it is to have masked federal agents in unmarked cars plucking people off the streets and from the workplaces,” Ferguson said. “The recent events in Minnesota have taken this un-American activity to an...
The state Republican Party says Gov. Bob Ferguson does not understand the nature of the affordability crisis in Washington. The governor proposes more taxes and government regulation while the GOP believes the opposite would help more. In his Jan. 13 State of the State speech to the Washington State Legislature, Ferguson outlined plans to address housing affordability and proposed a new income-based tax on residents earning over one million. He also emphasized the need to...
OLYMPIA – Child fatalities and near-fatalities increased by about 75% between 2020 and 2024-from 28 cases to 49 cases-and what to do about it took top priority at the Capitol Wednesday. Keeping Kids Safe, an organization of foster parents that started amid concerns with HB 1227's impact, organized a rally at the Capitol Wednesday that blamed the Keeping Families Together Act (HB 1227), which came into effect in 2023, for the rise in critical cases. HB 1227's sponsor, Rep....
OLYMPIA – Washington state lawmakers want to rein in how license plate cameras, designed to track vehicles, can be used. During a public hearing Jan. 20, Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma, cited a recent University of Washington report that revealed federal immigration authorities were accessing data obtained by automated license plate reader (ALPR) systems in Washington as a major reason why the state must regulate these cameras. Trudeau is the sponsor of Senate Bill 6002,...
OLYMPIA – Sheriffs from across Washington state testified against a bill that would introduce new eligibility criteria for police chiefs, marshals, and sheriffs during a contentious public hearing Jan. 15. One sheriff's testimony was considered so inappropriate that the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) is considering expelling him. And the prime sponsor of the bill said the remarks show why new requirements are needed. The sheriffs claimed...
In his State of the State address, Gov. Bob Ferguson called for an investment in transportation infrastructure and housing, a fairer tax system and the ability of Washington to rise to meet the obstacles it faces. On Tuesday, Jan. 13, Ferguson emphasized the role history plays in Washington's current situation. "It seems to me that history works in different ways, and historic events for a state come in two forms: historical events that happen to us, and the history that we...
Senators called for perseverance, courage and continued work on equity as they adopted a resolution to recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 19. An invocation by Pastor Ronelle Jones of True Vine Community Church of God in Christ, opened the session, followed by a performance of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," often referred to as the "Black national anthem," by Sister Gabrielle Jones, Ronelle Jones' daughter. Sen. T'wina Nobles, D-Fircrest, the prime sponsor of Senate...
OLYMPIA - Dozens of legislators are calling on President Donald Trump and other federal officials to investigate the killing of Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, who was shot while protesting in the West Bank in September 2024. The call is the latest of many for an investigation into her death, and follows decades of requests made by families of American citizens who were killed by Israeli military soldiers. The Joint Memorials, SJM 8014 and companion HJM 4010, are sponsored by Senator...
OLYMPIA – A bill under consideration in the state’s House of Representatives would give Spokane’s Waste to Energy facility free carbon allowances under Washington’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA). HB 2416 would provide “no cost allowances” to the facility beginning in 2027, when it would become subject to Washington’s cap-and-invest program. The program sets a limit on carbon emissions in Washington and “requires businesses to obtain allowances equal to their...
OLYMPIA - This isn't just financial aid for foster youth, said a University of Washington mentor. "This is hope, this is their dignity, their lifeline.They're not asking for any handouts.They are asking for a fair shot to the future." MJ Mencias, who mentors former foster and homeless students, testified Jan. 27 in favor of HB 2586, which would simplify the process to receive financial aid for students who have been in the foster care system at the age of 13 or older and for...
OLYMPIA - A proposed bill this legislative session would require that the stories of some Americans of color be included in social studies and history courses. Asian Americans, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders, Latino Americans, and Black Americans "have shaped the culture in our state, have shaped democracy in our state," said Sen. T'wina Nobles, D-Fircrest and main sponsor of SB 5574, in her committee introduction. "When students are denied a full and honest understanding...
OLYMPIA - In November, former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's philanthropic foundation announced it would provide funds to ECEAP, the state's free preschool program for low-income kids. Now the state must find staff for the added students. HB 2159 establishes the private-public partnership, while another bill addresses the staffing shortage that could determine the grant's success. "In this world where we're making significant cuts, I feel like this is the one bright spot in...
OLYMPIA - Senators passed a bill out of committee that would raise the maximum pay for school board members from $50 to $100 per working day, reimburse child care costs during meetings, and require finance training. A 2023 study by the Washington State Department of Commerce found that 68% of school board members received no compensation for their work. The proposed bills-SB 5860 and companion HB 2366-do not require that the directors are compensated but would raise the...
OLYMPIA – When the Fred Meyer in Tacoma's South End neighborhood closed in September 2025, local resident Steven Bock said he considered leaving the area. "Our store was a primary food source of our district for almost 50 years, half a century," Bock said. "My neighborhood is now without its last source of food within a one to two mile radius from that previous store." The neighborhood is considered a food desert, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food...
