OLYMPIA – Three dozen legislators are taking the Washington State Patrol to task for sending a letter to gun dealers that they fear is an unconstitutional “fishing expedition.” The patrol, which is searching for one of its semiautomatic rifles that might be stolen, concedes the…
Representatives from Envision Spokane on Wednesday moved forward on their plan to offer city voters a new version of its "Community Bill of Rights." In order to make the November ballot, the group will need to collect an amount of signatures from registered voters in…
The federal Affordable Care Act, aka health care reform, aka Obamacare, turns one year old today. Those who would like to celebrate with a cake and a candle include Gov. Chris Gregoire, who said in a prepared statement that it's doing good things including providing…
OLYMPIA -- The House Health Care Committee voted 6-5 this morning to send a new version of the medical marijuana bill to the floor. The now heavily amended bill, SB 5073, would allow the state Health Department to decide how many medical marijuana dispensaries to…
OLYMPIA – The two legislative committees trying to decide how to spend nearly $9 billion on transportation over the next two years “largely agree” on how to spend it, Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen said Tuesday. Neither would seek an increase in the gasoline tax this…
OLYMPIA -- The second of two plans to spend nearly $9 billion in transportation funds is set for release this afternoon. The Senate Transportation Committee will release its budget proposal today and hold a hearing on it tomorrow -- somewhat better, legislative watchdogs say, than…
That's what the Tax Foundation says, anyway. Washington's 37.5 cents per gallon tax on gasoline ranks behind: California (46.6 cents), New York (44.6 cents), Hawaii (44.4 cents), Connecticut (41.9 cents) and Illinois (39 cents), the foundation reported last year. Idaho and Oregon are tied for…
OLYMPIA -- Washington voters will not be asked to raise gas taxes or any other tax related to roads, at least not this fall. 2012, however, is another matter. As they announced the House proposal for an $8.9 billion transportation budget, the chairwoman and ranking…
OLYMPIA -- Corrections officers from around the state are in Olympia this morning to testify in support of a bill that would grant them collective bargaining rights for safety issues. Meanwhile, the governor is at the Monroe Corrections Facility announcing the results of the study…
The Senate debates a resolution honoring Bob McCaslin, courtesy of TVW Many years ago, when I’d written something he enjoyed about low voter turnout, Bob McCaslin sent me an oversized reproduction of an editorial cartoon that summed up his feelings on the topic. A disheveled,…
In keeping with tradition for the start of the NCAA basketball tournaments, President Obama filled out his bracket and the White House released it. Something new was added to the mix this year, however. Former Speaker Newt Gingrich criticized Obama for spending too much attention…
There's nothing political about a full moon, even a "super moon" like we're scheduled to have on Saturday. But this is a pretty good reminder to go out and look at the sky at moonrise tomorrow, because this is a rare phenomenon. If the weather…
OLYMPIA -- The Legislature appears to be catching its collective breath today after activity surrounding the economic forecast on Thursday. With relatively few committee hearings and little expected floor activity, the honorables will be able to knock off by mid afternoon at the latest. Some…
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers will kick off her 2012 re-election campaign next month with fund-raisers in Spokane, Walla Walla and Colville. Traditionally, McMorris Rodgers' campaign starters are around St. Patrick's Day, and have Irish green theme. But they're also usually in the year of the…
OLYMPIA -- With the projected gap between income and expenses growing another $500 million to $5.1 billion, Gov. Chris Gregoire said the Legislature may be forced to eliminate popular programs they had hoped to merely trim. They aren't going to be able to raise taxes,…
OLYMPIA -- The gap between state projected revenues and current programs grew by $778 million in the latest economic forecast for the next 27 months, resulting in a possible deficit of about $5.1 billion if nothing were changed in the next biennial budget. Arun Raha,…
OLYMPIA -- Today is F-Day in Olympia, as in Forecast Day. Arun Raha, the state's chief economist, will issue his forecast of the amount of revenue the state can expect to collect in the 2011-13 biennium, which will guide budget writers in the Legislature for…
As she recovers from surgery, Spokane Mayor Mary Verner, has embraced a new look. Since she returned to work March 7, Verner has been donning scarves to cover her neck brace and incision. "It makes a nice place to drape a scarf," Verner said. Verner…
OLYMPIA – Legislators are spending some of their time on pot this week. Not smoking it, of course, but discussing it as both a potential revenue source, through outright legalization, and an administrative problem for the medical marijuana voters approved in 1998. A day before…
OLYMPIA -- Spokane social service agencies, facing budget cuts like anyone who gets some money from the state, hosted lunch for the Spokane-area legislators today and used an old Saturday Night Fever song to make their point: "Stayin Alive." Groups that work with street kids,…
OLYMPIA -- Hearings today include several bills on community colleges, another on cigar lounges and a "work session" on marijuana. And no, the last one doesn't involve learning how to roll. Senate Higher Education has an afternoon session that features a bill on need grants…
Spokane City Councilwoman Amber Waldref gave birth on Monday to a girl. Waldref missed Monday’s City Council meeting and delivered shortly after 6 p.m. at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, said city spokeswoman Marlene Feist. Waldref and her husband, Tom Flanagan, named their daughter Nora…
Howard Dean -- former Vermont governor, former Democratic National chairman, former presidential candidate -- is coming to Coeur d'Alene Casino and Resort next month to talk to Idaho Democrats. Dean will be the guest speaker at the state party's Spring Training luncheon on April 16th.…
OLYMPIA – Because Washington state outlaws paying a surrogate mother to have a baby, some couples with fertility problems go to Oregon or California where they can hire women to carry a child. Because state law also presumes that the birth mother has parental rights,…
OLYMPIA -- A heavy hearing day today for legislative committees, with animal issues in the morning for the House Agriculture Committee and domestic partnerships and growth management bills before the Senate Government Operations Committee after lunch. Two bills in Government Ops deal with a topic…
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