Category Archives: News Release

25 Apr
0

Billig: “The 2021 legislative session saw the end of incremental change and the beginning of a fundamental transformation”

“When we began this session 105 days ago, we had a choice.  We could come in to do the minimum and get out of town. Instead, we chose to rise to the moment as a Legislature and as a state ...

Read More
25 Apr
0

Legislature approves capital gains excise tax

OLYMPIA – Earlier today, the Washington State Legislature approved a critical piece of tax reform legislation. Senate Bill 5096, sponsored by Sen. June Robinson, D-Everett, enacts a capital gains excise tax to fund the expansion and affordability of child care, ...

Read More
25 Apr
0

Legislature passes landmark recovery budget to help families, small businesses

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Legislature passed a historic budget today that focuses on an equitable recovery from the economic and health impacts of COVID-19. The 2021-23 operating budget uses a combination of ongoing state revenue and federal funds from ...

Read More
24 Apr
0

Change in law provides treatment for controlled substances

OLYMPIA – Washington will extend its public-health approach to substance use disorder by establishing a temporary new legal framework the possession of controlled substances and providing nearly $90 million to significantly expand treatment infrastructure, under a bill passed today by ...

Read More
20 Apr
0

Senate Members of Color Caucus reacts to verdict in trial of George Floyd’s killer

Today the Senate Members of Color Caucus issued the following statement in reaction to the verdict of guilty on all counts issued moments ago in Derek Chauvin’s trial. “Words cannot undo the deep wound that George Floyd’s murder left in ...

Read More
15 Apr
0

Senate passes bill to address Supreme Court’s Blake decision

Washington would re-establish a statewide legal framework pertaining to controlled substances and expanding behavioral health treatment options, under a bill passed today by the Senate. In a Feb. 25 decision in the case of State v. Blake, the Washington State ...

Read More
14 Apr
0

Governor signs bill to protect homebuyers from faulty electrical work

  OLYMPIA – Today, Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law a measure that will protect people who purchase “flipped” homes from damage or injury due to inadequately performed electrical work. Senate Bill 5267, sponsored by Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle), requires ...

Read More
10 Apr
0

Salomon’s driver’s license suspension reform bill approved by House

OLYMPIA – A bill that takes another step toward decriminalizing poverty by removing non-payment of moving violation-based traffic infractions from a list of actions that can lead to criminal enforcement of license suspensions was approved by the House of Representatives ...

Read More
01 Apr
0

Senate passes landmark $59.2 billion budget for state’s recovery

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Senate passed a $59.2 billion, two-year budget today to boost funding for state services and provide essential support for the state’s pandemic recovery efforts. The 2021-23 operating budget includes an additional $7 billion in one-time ...

Read More
30 Mar
0

Senate transportation budget funds workgroup on car tab payments

OLYMPIA — Community members that are experiencing difficulty affording their car tab fees in a lump sum may find relief from a workgroup to study alternative payment options in the Senate Transportation budget that passed off the senate floor this ...

Read More