In a decision that could have impacts on a controversial bill currently before the Legislature, a federal judge on Wednesday declared that Washington state cannot require pharmacists to dispense “morning after” contraceptives in violation of their religious beliefs. Tacoma-based U.S. District Judge Ronald B. Leighton said the state regulation was unconstitutional because pharmacists have...
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If a bill being considered by the Washington State Senate wins approval, the cost of patronizing a prostitute could increase tenfold — and that’s just for openers. Senate Bill 2652, discussed on Wednesday in the Senate Judiciary Committee, would increase from $150  to $1,500 the fine paid by first-time offenders. The amount would jump...
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State House Democrats released a proposed supplemental budget on Tuesday that may or may not raise taxes at the state level, but it gives broad authority to city and county governments to raise taxes — even without a vote of the people. “I think we already give the voters a say,” said House Ways...
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The Washington State Senate Transportation Committee envisions spending a total of $9.8 billion over the next two years — an increase of $800,000 over the previous biennium — with much of the additional funding coming from new fees on vehicles and transportation  services. The Senate budget, unveiled Tuesday morning in Olympia, differs from the...
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The Washington State Senate’s Health and Long-Term Care Committee approved a bill along party lines on Monday that would force insurance companies providing maternity benefits to provide abortion benefits. Every insurance carrier currently doing business in Washington already offers plans that offer abortion to customers, but some also offer individual plans that do not...
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House Republican leaders on Friday unveiled their budget proposal, touting it as a package bridges the state’s existing $1.6 billion revenue gap while preserving essential services without relying on tax hikes, borrowing or gimmicks. The heart of the plan is $839.5 million in spending reductions, including cuts to the Basic Health Plan, reorganization of...
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Following up on their “solutions-oriented” approach from last year, and their Fund Education First proposal from earlier this month, minority party House Republicans will release the first supplemental budget of the 2012 legislative session at a news conference in Olympia on Feb. 17. The event will begin at noon in the House Republican Caucus...
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Old policemen and firefighters never die — they just have their pensions raided. At least that’s how it feels to many members of the Law Enforcement Officers and Firefighters Pension Plan 1 (LEOFF1), which covers close to 8,000 retired and soon-to-be-retired police, sheriff’s deputies and firefighters statewide. The Washington State State Senate Ways and...
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Washington’s revenue shortfall — the difference between how much money the state expects to collect and how much of it lawmakers plan to spend — got a little smaller on Thursday as budget analysts adjusted income projections upwards by around $96 million over the next two years. Based primarily on manufacturing strength fueled by...
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