Washington state lawmakers, desperate to preserve current funding levels but fearful of asking voters to approve a sales tax increase, have proposed a collection of new bills intended to raise revenue with none of the requirements placed on tax increases. The House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday heard testimony on four such bills,...
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Senate Democrats wasted little time taking their just-released supplementary budget proposal for a test drive, and the response was overwhelmingly positive from a parade of special interests grateful funding for their pet projects wouldn’t be cut and not overly concerned about why that might be. Caucus leaders, led by Ways & Means Committee Chair...
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  Leaders of the Washington State Senate Democratic Caucus on Tuesday laid out a budget heavily reliant on delayed payments rather than cuts to balance for the coming biennium. The key is making payments of $330 million to schools in early July rather than late June in order to count the payment in next...
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Skyrocketing gas prices were the central theme of Newt Gingrich’s swing through Washington state on Friday, and the Republican presidential candidate made it clear a speech he will deliver tomorrow in California rebutting the president’s energy policies is the vehicle with which he hopes to drive his struggling campaign back into national relevance. Gingrich...
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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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