News Releases

OLYMPIA — The Washington State Senate approved a bipartisan transportation revenue package Friday to maintain and improve the state’s roads, bridges, ferries, and transit systems. After months of negotiation, the agreement marks a significant step toward securing Washington’s long-term transportation future.  Senate Bill 5801, sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds), addresses declining fuel tax revenues and rising construction costs. The agreed-upon plan is expected to generate $3.2 billion over six years and includes a mix of ...

OLYMPIA — Legislation banning the use of some animals in traveling acts was signed into law Tuesday. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds), prohibits traveling acts like circuses from using elephants, bears, tigers, lions, and nonhuman primates in performances for live audiences. Under the law, using these animals in traveling acts is a gross misdemeanor, which carries maximum penalties of 364 days in jail or a $5,000 fine. “We measure societies by how they treat their ...

OLYMPIA — Bipartisan legislation ensuring the state’s Medicaid program continues to cover HIV antiviral drugs without prior authorization was signed into law Friday. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds), requires the Health Care Authority continue covering all HIV antiviral drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration without prior authorization for clients enrolled in Apple Health, the state’s Medicaid program. The Legislature appropriated funds for this coverage in the 2023-25 operating budget, and the bill ...

OLYMPIA — The 2025-27 bipartisan transportation package passed the Senate Saturday.  The bipartisan package, which includes a spending plan, revenue bill, and bond bill, closes the $1 billion shortfall in the state’s budget for the 2025-27 biennium and commits funding levels through 2031. The balanced, six-year plan invests about $9.2 billion to ensure the state can complete promised projects, preserve and maintain infrastructure, and increase road safety.  Read More

OLYMPIA — A bipartisan bill creating an alternative siting pathway for fusion power projects passed the Senate unanimously Wednesday. House Bill 1018, the companion to legislation originally introduced by Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds), allows fusion energy projects to use the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council’s centralized permitting process that other energy facilities, like wind and solar, can already opt in to. Fusion energy uses extreme heat and pressure to “fuse” atoms together, releasing immense energy, ...

OLYMPIA — The Senate released its 2025-27 transportation budget, which includes two bipartisan proposals charting different funding paths for the state’s transportation system. One proposal postpones projects and reduces state agency operating costs to close the $1 billion shortfall in the 2025-2027 budget, while the other includes a revenue and spending package to account for the budget gap and keep Washington moving ahead. The all-cuts proposal reduces the capital project budget by $941 million and state agency operating costs by $156 million. ...

OLYMPIA — The Senate Transportation Committee will release its 2025-2027 bipartisan budget Monday, March 24. A press release with information on the proposal’s key elements will be sent at about 11 a.m., and a media availability will be held at the same time for budget leaders to answer questions from press. Who: Sen. Marko Liias, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee Sen. Curtis King, ranking member of the Senate Transportation Committee Sen. Bill Ramos, vice chair of the Senate Transportation Committee Sen. Keith Goehner, assistant ranking ...

OLYMPIA – A bill giving the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) more tools to deliver large construction projects on an expedited — and less costly — timeline passed the Senate on a 48-1 vote Tuesday. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds), allows WSDOT to deliver large construction projects using alternative delivery methods and financing mechanisms. “We cannot afford business as usual when it comes to transportation projects. Our costs are rising too fast, and projects are taking too ...