News Releases

OLYMPIA – A bipartisan bill requiring electricians to be certified to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at certain facilities passed the Senate Wednesday. Senate Bill 5528, sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds), ensures EV charging stations at state-owned facilities are installed only by electricians certified by the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program or a similar nationally recognized program. About one in five charging stations in the U.S. malfunctions, with issues like unresponsive screens, payment failures, internal station faults, and ...

Stella Rucker, a sophomore at Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, served as a Senate page for Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds) from Feb. 17-21. During her week as a page, Rucker collected research in support of a bill lowering the legal blood alcohol limit and presented it in a mock committee hearing. She said her favorite part of the program was learning about the legislative process. Rucker is a member of the National Honor Society and a class officer for ...

OLYMPIA – Worldwide demand for jet fuel is projected to double by 2050, creating new opportunities for aviation innovation. With a cleaner future on the horizon, a bipartisan bill to jumpstart Washington’s sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) industry will be heard in the Senate Ways & Means Committee Feb. 25. Senate Bill 5601, sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds), incentivizes new sustainable fuels projects in the state like the SkyNRG project in Walla Walla and Paine Field’s Sustainable ...

OLYMPIA — Two bills recently heard in Senate committees aim to lower the legal blood alcohol limit and create a grant program to hire more police officers in Washington. The bipartisan legislation, co-sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds), is focused on enhancing public safety, especially on the state’s roadways. From 2018 to 2023, fatal crashes involving impaired drivers increased by nearly 53% in Washington. Senate Bill 5067 proposes lowering the legal blood alcohol limit from 0.08% to 0.05%, which Read More

OLYMPIA — Researchers estimate the aviation industry will account for 20% of global carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 if reliance on hydrocarbon jet fuel continues. To keep Washington moving toward a cleaner future, Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds) is sponsoring bipartisan legislation to advance the state’s production and use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Senate Bill 5601, which was heard in the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee Wednesday, would create a grant program supporting the construction of the infrastructure ...

OLYMPIA — Local news outlets across Washington face significant challenges due to staffing cuts and declining revenue, resulting in a loss of critical coverage for many communities. In response, Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds) has introduced Senate Bill 5400, a bipartisan effort aimed at supporting local journalism and ensuring the continued availability of important news.   The bill will be heard in the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28.  “Local ...

Morgan Smith, a student at College Place Middle School in Lynnwood, served as a Senate page during the week of Jan. 20-24.  Smith plays soccer and the trombone and is also a wrestler. She decided to join the page program because of her father, who also participated in the program.  During the program, she helped compose a bill about incorporating mental health education into school curriculums. She said her favorite part of the program was getting to ...

OLYMPIA — Study after study shows the use of cellphones and other devices in classrooms have a detrimental effect on students.  With that in mind, Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds) has introduced bipartisan legislation to ask every school district in the state to develop policies to keep cellphones and other devices out of Washington’s classrooms.   “We know students of all ages do better when they can focus and actively engage during the school day,” said ...