Wyman cancels trip to Tennessee 1
Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman cancels trip to Tennessee over new health care treatment law.
Spin Control Jim Camden
THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2016
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2016
Kelley returns to office after trial
State Auditor Troy Kelley returned to work Wednesday.
TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016
Still a way to register for Washington presidential primary
Monday was the last day to register the easy way for Washington residents who want to vote in the May 24 presidential primary. So you missed it. Now what?
SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 2016
Washington has 4 million voters. How many will vote? 1
Washington voter registration hit a record mark. Will voting also hit records?
THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016
Poll: Clinton, Sanders both lead GOP field 2
A recent Elway Poll has Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders each with more support than Republicans Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and John Kasich.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2016
Honeybees take up residence at governor's mansion 1
Two swarms of honeybees got new homes and a new job Wednesday as they moved into hives on the lawn of the governor’s mansion.
SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2016
Sunday Spin: To bee or not to bee no longer a question at Capitol
The Capitol grounds are also becoming a place for a bit of ecological experimentation.
THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2016
Not everyone is dying to meet a governor 1
Grandson of longtime state legislator needed time to warm to Gov. Jay Inslee.
Minority affairs commission diverted money, didn't track it, auditors say
The Commission on African American Affairs improperly diverted and spent money, a state audit says
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016
Garland qualified for Supreme Court, Murray says after meeting 3
Will pressure from folks back home prompt Senate Republican leaders to give Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland a hearing? Sen. Patty Murray thinks it might.
Lobbyists gave Inslee, Legislature poor grades in poll 3
Lobbyists asked to grade the 2016 legislative session turn in some low marks.
TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2016
Western State Hospital CEO ousted, replacement named
OLYMPIA – Gov. Jay Inslee fired the head of Western State Hospital, the controversial mental health care facility from which two dangerous patients escaped last week.
MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2016
Campaign finance trial delayed, pro-GMO group sanctioned 3
A trial over possible violations of the state's campaign finance law by the Grocery Manufacturers Association won't start until Aug. 15.
SUNDAY, APRIL 10, 2016
Sunday Spin 2: What's in a name? 2
Effort to change offensive names of Washington places.
SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 2016
Too soon to declare winner in charter school fight 5
Fans of Washington’s public charter schools had reason to celebrate in the last week after the Legislature’s plan to keep them afloat with lottery money became law. Opponents probably didn’t celebrate, but likely nodded in agreement, when some of their members announced a few days later they'd challenge that law.
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016
With Legislature gone, there's time to stop and smell the tulips at Capitol 1
It's tulip season in the Puget Sound.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2016
Slow driver penalties, sex-selection abortion ban, temporary shelters for homeless didn't make it through Legislature 1
OLYMPIA – When a legislative session ends, a pile of bills wind up on a governor’s desk to become law or be vetoed, but an even bigger pile were introduced and never made it that far.
TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016
Inslee issues travel ban to Mississippi 9
Washington employees were banned from most government-related travel to Mississippi.
SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 2016
Sunday Spin: Repeat drunk drivers caught a break on final day of session 4
Among the beneficiaries of Washington’s current divided Legislature and the animus that bloomed during its rush to close up shop last week are people with the dangerous habit of drinking too much then getting behind the wheel of a car.
FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2016
Sanders supporters to Washington superdelegates: Switch or face challenges 7
Washington supporters of Bernie Sanders are taking to social media to demand the state’s superdelegates back him after his overwhelming victory in the precinct caucuses Saturday. Those who don’t should face retribution in their own coming elections, some commenters say.
TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2016
Washington Legislature passes budget and heads home 1
The Legislature adjourned sine die after 80 days, much of it spent trying to settle on a supplemental budget. Lawmakers passed that budget Tuesday and left for home a few hours later.
House overrides 27 Inslee vetoes 1
Moving quickly at the end of a long day of debates and meetings, the House overrode all 27 vetoes issued by Gov. Jay Inslee as a way to speed up budget negotiations.
When things are slow in the Legislature
The Legislature is expected to adjourn for the year sometime Tuesday night (or maybe early Wednesday morning). But there's a lot of down time on the last day.
Legislature passes budget
OLYMPIA – Washington lawmakers gave final approval Tuesday to a compromise budget that makes incremental changes to programs that could ease problems in mental health, a teacher shortage and homelessness.
MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016
Spec Session Day 19: Senate begins overriding vetoes 3
With a budget deal apparently in hand, the Senate is beginning to override Gov. Jay Inslee's vetoes of bills he nixed because the Legislature didn't pass a budget in the regular session.
Jim Camden joined The Spokesman-Review in 1981 and retired in 2021. He is currently the political and state government correspondent covering Washington state.