Author Archives: kenf

OLYMPIA — The Senate today unanimously passed a supplemental capital construction budget (SB 5651) that invests $1.5 billion in priority infrastructure across the state, including landmark funding for housing to address the state’s homelessness crisis. “This budget takes on the ...

OLYMPIA — Two bills passed recently by the Legislature would improve health care in Washington state by ensuring that people can use coupons to get lower prices for prescription drugs and by setting up a statewide program to provide outpatient ...

OLYMPIA — Washington would take an important step to bring down skyrocketing prescription drug prices, under a bill passed today by the House. “It’s no secret that prescription drug prices are out of control,” said Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines), ...

OLYMPIA — The Senate’s bipartisan proposed supplemental capital construction budget (SB 5651) would invest nearly $1 billion in priority infrastructure across the state, including a landmark investment in a new school seismic safety fund. “This budget invests in the most ...

OLYMPIA — Workers in Washington state would benefit from new apprenticeship programs in growing fields, reinvigorated support for existing apprenticeships, and significantly increased state funding for apprentices at public colleges, under two bills passed recently by the Senate. “The ‘earn-while-you-learn’ approach, with both classroom ...

OLYMPIA — Schools in parts of the state threatened by earthquakes or tsunamis would be able to draw from a sizable pot of state funding to replace or retrofit buildings, under a bill passed by the Senate tonight. “Hundreds of ...

Update March 1: The House of Representatives has passed SB 5873 unanimously. OLYMPIA — Washington businesses would see $214 million in unemployment insurance tax relief this year, with no use of state funds, under a bill passed by the Senate ...

OLYMPIA — Washingtonians with diabetes would pay no more than $35 a month for insulin under SB 5546, passed yesterday by the Senate. “Insulin is a lifesaving medication,” said Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines), the sponsor of the legislation. “It ...

OLYMPIA – It has been a week of firsts in the Washington State Legislature. The swearing in of Sen. Yasmin Trudeau (D-Tacoma) on Monday, joining Sen. Manka Dhingra (D-Redmond) and Sen. Mona Das (D-Kent), marked the first time in American ...

OLYMPIA – Survivors of domestic violence in Washington state could be protected against severe emotional abuse through the civil protection order system through the passage of legislation sponsored by Sen. Manka Dhingra (D-Redmond) and Rep. Roger Goodman (D-Kirkland). SB 5845 ...