In the News

A bipartisan group of state lawmakers visited the Interstate 5 Bridge on their final leg of a three-day tour of Southwest Washington bridges.

In a few decades, high-speed rail could be making its way through Everett at 250 mph, linking major metropolitan areas along the upper West Coast, under a “visionary proposal” for funding signed by 10 U.S. legislators in August.

Replacing the Interstate 5 Bridge over the Columbia River has been a top priority of communities in Washington and Oregon for years.

Washington state has charted a bipartisan course to overhaul its ferry procurement plans. Officials will now broaden their scope when seeking builders for the state's new ships. When the jumbo ferry M/V Walla Walla lost power and went aground at south Bainbridge Island over the weekend, it once again highlighted the need to upgrade Washington's aging ferry fleet.

A bill written to protect young people seeking reproductive health services or gender-affirming care that was widely misrepresented online passed the Democrat-controlled Washington legislature Wednesday. Viral posts falsely claimed the bill would result in children being legally taken from their parents if they did not consent to their child’s “gender transition.”

Senate Bill 5599 attracted more ire and myth-making than almost any other bill in Olympia this session. The bill, introduced by Marko Liias (D-Lynnwood), amends existing state law regarding child runaways and expands protections for those who end up in Washington youth shelters in pursuit of abortions, reproductive medicine, and gender-affirming care.

OLYMPIA — In a historic appearance in Olympia, Finland President Sauli Niinistö told state lawmakers Monday his nation would maximize its security and be a “strong contributor” for the defense of NATO members if its bid to join the alliance succeeds.

OLYMPIA, March 6, 2023 — Welcome to the Monday edition. Hope you had a nice weekend. We start this week with a historic event, then turn our attention to a critical deadline. This morning, Sauli Niinistö, president of the Republic of Finland, addressed a joint session of the House and Senate. He just might be the first foreign head of state to speak to the Legislature in this manner.