OLYMPIA -- The Legislature voted to adjourn the regular session "sine die" which is fancy Latin for "That's all folks." Not sure what the Latin is for "for the time being, anyway."Lt. Gov. Brad Owen just brought the gavel down in the Senate and the…
OLYMPIA -- The two warring factions in the Legislature, the House and the Senate, have reached agreement on one of the sticking points, education reform.The Senate just passed HB2776, a bill on K-12 funding, which essentially puts off until next biennium the heavy lifting on…
OLYMPIA -- Sen. Bob McCaslin is out of surgery for a heart bypass and valve replacement, the Senate was just told.Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside, asked for a "point of personal privilege" to read an e-mail that said McCaslin came through surgery well and is expected…
OLYMPIA – The town of Fairfield takes the American flag seriously – arguably more seriously than any place else in the country. Thursday, the state saluted Fairfield for its 100 years of saluting the flag. With about two dozen current and former residents of the…
OLYMPIA -- On the calendar, this is the last day of the session. It will also be the day that a special session is called, most likely by Gov. Chris Gregoire.The regular session is expected to close late today, after all the work that can…
OLYMPIA -- Senate Republicans and Democrats traded jabs over one of the costs of the upcoming special session, the $90 per diem legislators get to help cover the cost of food and lodging when away from home.Republicans crafted a Senate bill Wednesday that would remove…
First the Spokane City Council supported Conservation Futures, then it didn’t. At the start of Monday, a majority of the Spokane City Council leaned in favor of accepting Spokane County’s offer to purchase the Riverfront Park YMCA, according to an e-mail Councilman Steve Corker sent…
OLYMPIA -- Rep. Alex Wood of Spokane got a pre adjournment send off this week, with a resolution in the House honoring him for his seven terms there.Honoring outgoing members is a tradition, of course, but it's also one of the few things that all…
OLYMPIA -- The end of the session -- or what was scheduled to be the end -- is a time when various "legislator of the year" awards are announced. But one that seems to have some currency in the halls of the Capitol went to…
OLYMPIA -- A special session is being discussed as a foregone conclusion today, and Republican leaders are blaming disorganization by the Democrats as the key reason.While Democratic leaders are trying to find common ground in the different tax packages approveld by the House and Senate,…
OLYMPIA -- Two days left in the session, and there are still some significant differences to resolve over budget, and a policy issue or two.Gov. Chris Gregoire signaled Tuesday that she's bracing for a special session, saying it's more important to get things done right…
OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire jabbed back at her Idaho counterpart Tuesday over whose state is better from business.Washington’s got a better rating in Forbes Magazine for being business friendly and doesn’t have a personal or corporate income tax, she said during a press conference.Idaho…
OLYMPIA -- A bill that would allow craft distilleries like Spokane's Dry Fly Distillery to grow as much as three times larger moved through the Senate this morning on final passage.The bill allows the small liquor makers that have started to spring up around the…
OLYMPIA -- Three days remain for the Legislature to finish work on a budget, and pass it.The House of Representatives passed a tax package late Monday night, but while it has the same number as the bill the Senate passed Sunday, SB 6143, it is…
Spokane hasn't had much of a chance to show off its new snow plan this winter thanks to mild temperatures. It has, however, earned props for its snow plow Web site. Over the past couple of rough winters, Spokane created an online interactive map so…
OLYMPIA -- Patients at state mental institutions who have been judged criminally insane will be limited in the reasons that they can leave for field trips or other reasons.The House of Representatives gave final passage Monday to House Bill 2717, which is designed to prevent…
OLYMPIA – Idaho Gov. Butch Otter is suggesting Washington businesses come over to his side of the border if taxes go up like they have in Oregon.In a “love letter to our neighbors,” Otter argues that Idaho has a better plan than other states for…
OLYMPIA -- With four days left in the regular session, both houses have full days scheduled.The Senate is off over the lunch hour while their Ways and Means Committee meets to clear up some bills that have fiscal impact. But both chambers are saying they…
OLYMPIA -- With not a vote to spare, Senate Democrats approved an $805 million tax package that includes hikes in sales and business taxes, sending it to the House for an almost certain overhaul.After four hours of debate and parliamentary maneuvering Saturday, and two more…
OLYMPIA -- Lt. Gov. Brad Owen said rules don't allow dividing up a bill. It could result in "logistical chaos."Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver, then moves to table, and Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, asks for a roll call vote.Motion fails, 17-31 on a party-line vote.Vote on…
OLYMPIA -- The state Senate appears to be almost done debating the merits or demerits of the Democrats' tax bill.Now there's just one question to answer: Will they take one vote on the entire bill, or, as Sen. Don Benton just requested in a motion,…
OLYMPIA – Republicans have argued for weeks the governor should declare a financial emergency and reopen the contracts with the state employees unions, cutting pay and benefits to help balance the budget. Workers in private industry all over the state are taking pay cuts and…
OLYMPIA -- The Senate recessed Saturday afternoon without voting on their major tax package, after more than four hours of contentious, and occasionally heated debate..Democrats were one vote shy of the constitutional majority they need to pass the bill because one member Sen. Paull Shin,…
OLYMPIA -- A move to put the tax package on the ballot in November is proposed by Republicans.Sen. Janea Holmquist, R-Moses Lake,said the package should be called "the kitchen sink bill...As in sink Washington." A recent poll says people overwhelmingly think suspending Inititiative 960 was…
OLYMPIA -- Sen. Joe Zarelli suggests an incentive to make sure the temporary sales tax temporary.If it doesn't go away in 2013, legislators don't get their per diem.Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Medina, says in "the spirit of bipartisanship" he was supporting the amendment, even though he…
The Spokesman-Review's political team keeps a critical eye on local, state and national politics.
| Dec. 2010 | Nov. 2010 | Oct. 2010 | Sept. 2010 |
| Aug. 2010 | July 2010 | June 2010 | May 2010 |
| April 2010 | March 2010 | Feb. 2010 | Jan. 2010 |
