Laurel Demkovich

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News >  WA Government

Bill to provide property tax relief for residents rebuilding after wildfires passes state Senate

UPDATED: Tue., March 9, 2021

A bill that would provide tax relief to Washington residents when rebuilding homes damaged by natural disasters passed the Senate unanimously.

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Washington House passes new version of bill aimed at public health reforms

UPDATED: Tue., March 9, 2021

A bill, proposed by Democratic Spokane Rep. Marcus Riccelli, would create new regional service centers to support local public health jurisdictions, change the makeup of local public health boards and establish an advisory board to oversee the state's public health system. It passed 56-41 with some mixed feelings on both sides.

News >  WA Government

Capital gains tax bill heads to House after passing Washington Senate

UPDATED: Sun., March 7, 2021

After a more than four-hour long debate, the bill passed 25-24 despite stiff opposition from Republicans who call it an unconstitutional income tax. Three Democrats also voted against it.

News >  WA Government

HR 1 wouldn’t affect Washington too much, but top election official still has concerns

UPDATED: Sat., March 6, 2021

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a sweeping voting rights bill this week, and while much of it won't affect Washington, Secretary of State Kim Wyman still has some concerns.

News >  WA Government

Gov. Inslee announces new vaccine priority groups; next phase to start March 22

UPDATED: Thu., March 4, 2021

The state is expecting to move into the next vaccination phase by March 22, assuming supply continues to increase.

News >  WA Government

Schoesler bill could provide tax relief to eastern Washington residents rebuilding after September wildfires

Thu., March 4, 2021

The bill, sponsored by Ritzville Republican Sen. Mark Schoesler, would provide property tax exemptions for physical improvements made to single family dwellings damaged by wildfires from Sept. 1-19, beginning in 2022.

News >  WA Government

Inslee signs off on law allowing state to waive some graduation requirements for students during pandemic

UPDATED: Tue., March 2, 2021

The bill, a more permanent extension of a measure passed last session, allows school districts to provide temporary waivers from testing requirements or credit requirements if a state of emergency disrupted their learning.

News >  WA Government

Bill forcing tax negotiations between Spokane city and county on emergency communications passes House

UPDATED: Mon., March 1, 2021

The county-led Spokane Regional Emergency Communications agency and the city of Spokane may soon be forced to reach an agreement on how to form one emergency communications agency to determine how certain tax revenue is used.

News >  WA Government

The State Senate passed a bill to overhaul the decertification process for police officers. Here’s what’s in it

Sat., Feb. 27, 2021

After a lengthy late night debate Thursday, the state Senate passed a large police accountability bill that expands the state's oversight of officers and overhauls the decertification process for officers who use excessive force.

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Washington could receive Johnson & Johnson doses next week, will stay in current phase

UPDATED: Fri., Feb. 26, 2021

Washington could receive more than 60,000 Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses next week if it is granted emergency use on Friday.

News >  WA Government

Open-carry at public demonstrations, capitol campus one step closer to becoming illegal after state Senate passage

UPDATED: Thu., Feb. 25, 2021

In a 28-20 vote Thursday, the state Senate passed a controversial bill that would ban open carry within 250 feet of public permitted demonstrations and at the state capitol.

News >  WA Government

State House passes bill to exempt certain election security information from public records disclosure

Thu., Feb. 25, 2021

After an election that brought up questions of security, the bill aims to keep certain election procedures and plans of continuity unavailable to the public. Sponsor Rep. Laurie Dolan, D-Olympia, called it "an election integrity issue."

News >  WA Government

Bill requiring police to intervene when another officer uses excessive force passes state Senate

UPDATED: Wed., Feb. 24, 2021

The bill passed on party lines, despite Republican opposition to the bill's "ambiguity." 

News >  WA Government

Bill to prohibit public schools’ use of Native names, symbols as mascots passes state House

UPDATED: Wed., Feb. 24, 2021

The bill, which passed 92-5, now heads to the Senate for further consideration. If it passes, public schools would have to change their mascot, logo or team name beginning Jan. 1, 2022. It does not apply to school names.

News >  WA Government

Aiming for ‘relief, recovery and resilience,’ Inslee signs $2.2 billion COVID-19 relief package

UPDATED: Sat., Feb. 20, 2021

The bill, which passed the Legislature just over a week ago, allocates $2.2 billion of the state's federal stimulus fund to schools, business, renters and others. 

News >  Nation

Spokane supporters call Democrats’ immigration reform package good step but recognize tough road ahead

Fri., Feb. 19, 2021

Democrats unveiled a Biden-backed immigration proposal Thursday, a plan that includes a new eight-year path to citizenship for roughly 11 million immigrants currently in the U.S. without legal status. 

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Washington residents will get phone alerts when earthquakes hit

Thu., Feb. 18, 2021

The ShakeAlert warning system could give residents and state agencies "critical" seconds to prepare for an incoming earthquake.

News >  WA Government

New version of capital gains tax passes Washington Senate committee

UPDATED: Wed., Feb. 17, 2021

A controversial capital gains tax proposal passed out of the Senate Ways and Means committee Tuesday night, clearing its first hurdle on the way to adoption, but the bill has changed quite a bit since it was first introduced.

News >  Education

Inslee: Washington is expanding testing to schools in an effort to get kids back in person

UPDATED: Tue., Feb. 16, 2021

OLYMPIA – Washington is expanding its COVID-19 testing program to include about 50 more school districts, an effort to get kids back in schools quickly, Gov. Jay Inslee announced on Tuesday.

News >  WA Government

Police reform is advancing in Washington Legislature. Here’s where those proposals stand:

UPDATED: Tue., Feb. 16, 2021

Democrats have made equity and police reform priorities this session. Some bills, like those passed on Wednesday, will have some bipartisan support while other, more controversial ones face a long road ahead to passage.

News >  WA Government

Senate acquits Trump despite delay of impeachment vote

UPDATED: Sat., Feb. 13, 2021

The Senate has acquitted former President Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial, finding Trump not guilty in inciting the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

News >  WA Government

Judge blocks sale of Seattle’s National Archives facility

Sat., Feb. 13, 2021

A federal judge in Seattle blocked the sale of Seattle's National Archives and Records Administration facility, which would have moved a vast collection of historically significant documents from the Pacific Northwest to other parts of the country.

News >  WA Government

Spokane to move to Phase 2 of reopening plan next week, just in time for Valentine’s Day

UPDATED: Fri., Feb. 12, 2021

The state's East region, which includes Spokane and eight other counties, will join most of the state in moving to the next phase, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Thursday.

News >  WA Government

State Senate sends $2.2 billion COVID-19 relief bill to governor for signature

Thu., Feb. 11, 2021

It will allocate $2.2 billion of the state's federal stimulus fund to schools, businesses, renters and others in what lawmakers are calling the "first step" in economic recovery this session.

News >  WA Government

Washington lawmakers look to improve government cybersecurity after breach at auditor’s office

UPDATED: Wed., Feb. 10, 2021

If passed, two bills heard in committee Tuesday would boost cybersecurity at state government agencies.