Category Archives: In the News

05 Apr
0

KOMO: New bill signed aims to help school staff aid students with severe injuries |ARC Seattle

Governor Jay Inslee recently signed a bill into law to help keep students safe in the event of traumatic injuries. The law, which was backed by students and surgeons, provides bleeding control kits in schools and encourages school staff to ...

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19 Mar
0

Yakima Herald-Republic: Public defenders’ plight is finally getting some attention

After this session of the Washington Legislature, though, the state will at least offer another form of assistance. Newly approved bipartisan legislation from Sen. Nikki Torres, R-Pasco, and Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, sets up internship programs for people interested in ...

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19 Mar
0

InvestigateWest: New WA Legislation Prioritizes Human Trafficking Prosecutions And Support For Child Victims

Washington state lawmakers have passed a bill that takes steps to prosecute more human trafficking cases and fix the state’s “Safe Harbor” law meant to protect child sex trafficking victims. In early March, Washington legislators unanimously passed Senate Bill 6006, which aims ...

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11 Mar
0

Big Country News: $500K will fund genetic genealogy testing for all unidentified remains in Washington

In 2023, at the recommendation of the task force and request of Attorney General Ferguson, the Legislature established a Cold Case Investigations Unit to focus on solving cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women and people. Rep. Lekanoff and Sen. ...

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05 Mar
0

WA State Standard: Child sex trafficking survivor says update of WA laws will help prevent stories like hers

When Yvonne Hubbell was 16, she stabbed an 81-year-old man soliciting her for sex in self-defense. “He was trying to throw me around and punch me,” Hubbell said of the incident, which took place in 1997 in Kitsap County. “I ...

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04 Mar
0

Crosscut: WA legislators are pushing new gun bills. Here’s what could pass

Senate Bill 6246, sponsored by Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, would require a court to prohibit a person judged incompetent to stand trial from having the right to own a firearm, if that person is not committed to a facility for ...

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27 Feb
0

AP: Washington Lawmakers Advance Bill Making It A Felony To Threaten Election Workers

The Washington state Senate voted overwhelmingly Thursday to make harassing election workers a felony, three months after four county election offices received envelopes containing suspicious powder — including three testing positive for fentanyl — and had to be evacuated. “This ...

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23 Feb
0

WA State Standard: Ban on child marriages in Washington could soon be law

Child marriage is still legal in Washington. That may soon change: The Washington Senate on Friday passed a bill on a 48-1 vote setting a minimum marriage age of 18. Before 2018, child marriage was legal in all 50 states. ...

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03 Feb
0

KIRO 7: How a new state bill could help save students’ lives

Legislation aimed at helping students in emergency situations unanimously passed the Washington State Senate. According to a news release from Washington State Democrats, SB 5790 would provide schools with bleeding control kits. It would also help bystanders be prepared until ...

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24 Jan
0

Everett Post: Dems, Republicans take different approaches to recruiting police officers to WA

Democrats suggest their approach is better designed to address the officer shortages and difficulty recruiting. Senate Majority Leader Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, during a meeting with reporters this week,said, “The approach that Democrats are taking with the regional training centers has ...

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