WA Government

The appointment of Colleen Melody to the state Supreme Court late last year drew broad praise among the state’s legal community and elected officials.

The Washington State Senate Republican Caucus sent a letter to the governor’s office Tuesday evening, requesting a special session to pause the state’s Climate Commitment Act. They argued the program is driving up gas prices. According to AAA, as of Wednesday, July 8, Washington’s average gas price was $5 per gallon while the national average was about $3.80 per gallon, resulting in about a ...

While the races for the state Supreme Court are likely to be among the most closely watched in the 2026 election cycle, the positions are also traditionally the ones voters feel least confident about selecting.

Under fire for alleged antisemitism, Spokane pastor Luc Jasmin II has resigned from the state Human Rights Commission.

The decision of state Rep. Mike Volz to pursue a different office has sparked vast interest in his seat.

Three judges with varying judicial philosophies want to replace a retiring Washington Supreme Court justice.

TUMWATER, Wash. – Opponents of Washington’s new income tax on high earners turned in more than 500,000 signatures Thursday for an initiative to repeal the levy, nearly double the amount needed to secure a spot on the November ballot.

Although the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling allowing states to bar transgender athletes from participating in women’s and girls’ sports will not have an immediate impact on Washington policy, its effects will echo throughout the state.

The Washington state Democratic Party platform adopted earlier this month states the party supports “both the study and implementation of reparative action” for chattel slavery in the U.S., in what is believed to be a first for a statewide party.

Ballots in Washington and a dozen other states received after Election Day can continue to be counted as long as they are postmarked by Election Day.

OLYMPIA – As the country nears its 250th birthday, a lawmaker from Eastern Washington is working to build a deeper connection between the state Capitol and the state’s namesake.

State Sen. June Robinson, D-Everett, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said Friday that the latest state revenue forecast, which showed that a downturn in economic activity has contributed to a nearly $1 billion decrease in projected state revenue through fiscal year 2031, had both positive and negative signs.

Avista CEO and President Heather Rosentrater and Washington State University President Betsy Cantwell are among 26 business, labor and education leaders who have joined Gov. Bob Ferguson’s newly established Economic Development Council.

Democratic delegates who gathered in Spokane this weekend voted overwhelmingly in support of a resolution “opposing and condemning” expanded integration between the U.S. and Israeli military.

Washingtonians will weigh in on fewer high-profile races than a typical even-year election.

The Washington state Supreme Court affirmed a $35 million fine against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, for violating the state’s campaign finance laws.

OLYMPIA – The state of Washington can prohibit those convicted of multiple DUIs from obtaining a concealed carry permit for firearms without first needing to further prove they pose a risk of committing a violent crime, the state Supreme Court ruled last week.

SPOKANE – Gov. Bob Ferguson said Tuesday one of his “top priorities” in the next legislative session will be a statewide ban on K-12 students using their cellphones during school hours.

OLYMPIA – The state will again face “significant budget shortfalls” during the upcoming legislative session, according to a memo released by Gov. Bob Ferguson’s office.