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State senator, former congressman among those who allege fraudulent opposition to Washington income tax bill

UPDATED: Mon., Feb. 23, 2026

OLYMPIA – Supporters of the state’s proposed income tax on millionaires allege the record number of those who signed in against the legislation is inflated by thousands of fraudulent and duplicate entries.

News > WA Government

Supreme Court justice to teach at Gonzaga, Seattle U after April retirement

UPDATED: Wed., Feb. 25, 2026

Longtime Supreme Court Justice Barbara Madsen will teach state constitutional law at Gonzaga School of Law and Seattle University School of Law after retiring in April.

News > WA Government

Washington Democratic leaders unveil state budget plans amid escalating costs

UPDATED: Sun., Feb. 22, 2026

OLYMPIA – Democratic budget writers in the House and Senate introduced their spending plan Sunday afternoon as lawmakers seek to maintain state services while contending with federal funding cuts and increased costs.

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State lawmakers work to keep bipartisan public defense proposals alive

UPDATED: Sun., Feb. 22, 2026

A framework for assuring the state eventually pays a much greater share of public defense costs in Washington is idling in the Legislature as supporters look for ways to ensure it doesn’t collapse.

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‘Everyone was expecting this’: State officials react to tariff decision as questions linger

UPDATED: Fri., Feb. 20, 2026

OLYMPIA – The Supreme Court’s decision this week to strike down a large swath of the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration was not a surprise, Lt. Gov. Denny Heck said in an interview Friday.

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Washington troopers’ DUI crackdown revealed a critical flaw in the system: those blood samples could take nearly two years to be tested

Thu., Feb. 19, 2026

OLYMPIA – Ahead of the Super Bowl last week, the Washington State Patrol announced that the agency would increase its patrols in search of intoxicated drivers.

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WSU president hands out ice cream sandwiches on annual ‘dairy day’ in Olympia

UPDATED: Wed., Feb. 18, 2026

Lawmakers, staff and lobbyists got to chow down Wednesday on all things dairy as a part of the annual Dairy Day, which included Grabbers, the iconic Palouse born ice-cream treat.

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Ferguson and Republicans want a sales tax exemption on diapers in Washington. Democrats in the Legislature aren’t yet sold.

UPDATED: Wed., Feb. 18, 2026

OLYMPIA – As legislation to institute an income tax on millionaires makes its way through the Legislature, much of the discussion from Democratic lawmakers has centered on how to spend the estimated $3.5 billion a year the tax is expected to bring in when it takes effect in 2029.

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Washington House approve bill to give Spokane’s energy-generating trash incinerator more time

UPDATED: Tue., Feb. 17, 2026

OLYMPIA – The state House of Representatives has approved legislation that exempts Spokane’s Waste-to-Energy plant from compliance with emission reduction targets laid out in the Climate Commitment Act and gives the facility a longer runway to reduce pollution.

News > WA Government

Gov. Ferguson says income tax proposal on millionaires a ‘good start,’ but wants more tax relief

UPDATED: Tue., Feb. 17, 2026

OLYMPIA – Gov. Bob Ferguson said Tuesday that the current legislation to impose a state income tax on millionaires is a “good start,” but called on lawmakers to devote more of the revenue to direct tax breaks and relief for residents.

News > WA Government

An Eastern Washington hospital is overwhelmed with patients seeking the progressive state’s ‘charity care’ policy. They’re from across the border in Idaho

UPDATED: Tue., Feb. 17, 2026

A rural hospital along the Idaho border has been feeling the pinch from an influx of people coming from outside Washington who, under state law, can receive free health care there.

News > WA Government

Bill would allow paid leave to be shared for state employees detained by immigration enforcement

UPDATED: Mon., Feb. 16, 2026

OLYMPIA – State employees may soon be able to share their paid sick leave with coworkers detained or impacted by immigration enforcement actions.

News > WA Government

Spokane Rep. Jenny Graham will not run for re-election

UPDATED: Mon., Feb. 16, 2026

Spokane Rep. Jenny Graham will not seek re-election to the statehouse.

News > WA Government

Washington senate approves income tax on millionaires; House vote is up next

UPDATED: Mon., Feb. 16, 2026

OLYMPIA – The Washington Senate approved a 9.9% income tax on those who make more than $1 million per year on Monday, the latest step in a push by Democratic lawmakers to overhaul the state’s tax code through one of the most closely watched legislative proposals in years.

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Projection shows more money coming to Washington than expected as lawmakers prepare budget proposals

UPDATED: Mon., Feb. 16, 2026

OLYMPIA – State budget writers have a bit more money to work with than they initially anticipated.

News > WA Government

Washington stocked up on abortion drugs when they faced legal uncertainty. Now, the state is aiming to sell the cache before it expires

Mon., Feb. 16, 2026

OLYMPIA – The Washington Senate has approved legislation that would give the Department of Corrections more flexibility in distributing the state’s stockpile of abortion medication.

News > WA Government

Washington officials warn of impacts from EPA repeal of key greenhouse gas finding

UPDATED: Fri., Feb. 13, 2026

OLYMPIA – State officials say a decision by the federal government to stop regulating greenhouse gas emissions is unlawful and will have a grave impact on Washington’s climate.

News > WA Government

Washington Senate OKs betting on in-state collegiate sports teams amid fears of athlete harassment

UPDATED: Thu., Feb. 12, 2026

OLYMPIA – Washington gamblers may soon be able to test their luck betting on the state’s collegiate sports.

News > WA Government

Washington bill aims to provide free or reduced fares to community college students

UPDATED: Thu., Feb. 12, 2026

Community college students could soon get free rides on public transit under a bill that advanced in the state House on Monday.

News > WA Government

WA considers requiring AI companies to add mental health safeguards

UPDATED: Wed., Feb. 11, 2026

As artificial intelligence chatbots become better at mimicking human conversations, the potential for damage has grown, particularly for people who turn to them for mental health advice and to discuss plans to harm themselves. State lawmakers and Gov. Bob Ferguson are seeking to add mental health safeguards to AI chatbots through new legislation. House Bill 2225 and Senate Bill 5984 would ...

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