OLYMPIA -- Washington state should help low-income residents get their children into the preschool of their choice, but establish standards for facilities that help prepare 3- and 4-year-olds for kindergarten, Gov. Chris Gregoire said today.It also must have a stronger system for K-12 schools to…
The Legislature does not have the day off for Martin Luther King's Birthday. It's in session today, and has a full complement of hearings.But people who have the day off use this day to lobby the Legislature, either by visiting their favorite senator or representatives…
OLYMPIA – With only a week down in the legislative session it’s too soon to make solid predictions about anything meaningful. It’s not too soon, however, to predict that the quality of rhetoric can only get better.That’s because it probably can’t get worse.There have been…
OLYMPIA — The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether the names of Washington voters who sign a petition to put a law on the ballot can be made public, and subject to release.The high court could hear the case of Doe vs. Reed as early…
OLYMPIA -- The U.S. Supreme Court granted a request to review the dispute on whether the names of people who sign a petition to put a law before voters are public, and subject to release.The high court today granted certiorari to the case Doe v…
A relatively quiet day at the Capitol, with short sessions expected in the House and Senate in the morning and a full afternoon of hearings.The Veterans Coalition has meetings, and will be dropping by legislative offices.Gov. Chris Gregoire will be in Spokane for the Figure…
OLYMPIA -- A Spokane-area group making its annual peregrination to the Legislature capped off the trip Thursday night with a meet-and-greet reception at the Governor's Mansion. And since it's her house, the governor did show up upon her return from Seattle where she layed out…
OLYMPIA – A Spokane-area delegation on its annual pilgrimage to the state capital got a consistently downbeat message this week: Don’t expect money for new programs or projects."The message is being reinforced: There is no money," Spokane Mayor Mary Verner said. It's a message that…
OLYMPIA -- The time has come for people who believe in states' rights to move from protest to political action, a Spokane Valley legislator told a crowd on the steps of the Capitol Building this afternoon.Rep. Matt Shea, a first-term Republican, told a crowd estimated…
The Legislature is in full hearing mode.Which is not the same as saying that everyone is in listening mode. But hearings are scheduled throughout the day.Meanwhile, about 50 folks from the Spokane area continue their peregrination to Olympia to lobby for locally important programs and…
OLYMPIA – While the Legislature wrestles with a huge budget shortfall that generates hearings on everything from closing state institutions to raising college tuition, the most heavily attended hearing Wednesday involved a non-budget item.Marijuana. Should the state legalize it, or turn it into a civil…
The Washington Secretary of State's office is urging caution in making donations to relief operations for victims of the earthquake in Haiti."Often, scammers use tragedies like these to say they are helping a cause and to pocket the donations of generous people. Don’t be fooled!"…
Gov. Chris Gregoire will back legislation to allow defendants in Washington to be found guilty but mentally ill, and to be sent to prison instead of a mental hospital.Persons who have already been found not guilty by reason of insanity would face a new Safety…
The Lege has floor sessions at 10 a.m., and hearings off an on all day. Nothing as dramatic as the "State of the State", but more talk about, what else, the budget. There will also be some discussion about bills that would legalize marijuana. And…
A reference in last night's post on the Republicans throwing around nautical metaphors may have had many readers going "Huh? Sinking of the What?"The song is actually "The Legend of the USS Titanic", and while it was a staple of late night pirate radio in…
Legislative Republicans searched for the right metaphor to describe their situation regarding the state budget Tuesday.They say they've got lots of good ideas, if the governor and majority Democrats would only listen. Gov. Chris Gregoire said she'd listen to any ideas from anyone, called for…
Saying that many of the cuts she proposed last month are “unwise and unjust”, Gov. Chris Gregoire proposed a combination of program cuts, tax increases and federal aid to close the state’s projected $2.6 billion budget shortfall.Gregoire told a joint session of the Legislature they…
Here’s a list of the major programs Gov. Chris Gregoire wants to “buy back” by raising taxes and/or getting federal recovery money:K-12 Levy equalization, which sends state money to school districts with lower than average property tax bases. $165 million.Basic Health Plan, which provides health…
"Too many familes today are getting layoff notices. Watching unpaid bills pile up. Losing health care..." Gov. Chris Gregoire told the Legislature. "Let's not waste their time or the crisis.""Let's provide the decisive, compassionate leadership Washingtonians want and deserve."Rounds of applause, and the governor is…
Big round of applause on both sides of the aisle for this line:"Let's leave the partisan politics to elections. Washingtonians hate how divided things have become. They just want us to solve problems."
Communities are safer because the state gave law enforcement help to deal with sex offenders. Highways are safer because of tough DUI enforcement.But more needs to be done, Gov. Chris Gregoire said."Our families aren't safe...when a man convicte of the brutal murder of an elderly…
"Later today I will present a budget I can support. It counts on new revenue of about $750 million and cuts of almost $1 billion. The revenue will come from new federal dollars, new taxes or both," Gov. Chris Gregoire said."We mujst have a responsible,…
After ticking off the effects of the cuts she proposed in December, Gov. Chris Gregoire suggested the long-term costs would be too high.We can make cuts that will write off a generation of kids...We can make the cuts and waita for higher dropout rates and…
Gov. Chris Gregoire says her December budget was balanced, but "unfair, unwise."It eliminates hospice care 2,500 patients, maternity care for 50,000 at-risk moms, eliminates health care for 70,000 individuals, 16,000 children, early learning for 1,500 kids, does away with all-day kindergarten, college aid for 12,300…
State residents "don't want to drive across town to brick-and-mortar government offices," Gov. Chris Gregoire says. She wants more online applications, computer kiosks to apply for permits. Department of Licensing is closing or modifying 26 offices. Different state agencies are sharing data, using one scientist…
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