In the News

The state’s bipartisan Redistricting Commission has been a source of recurring drama the past two months. The four voting commissioners — who were charged with the once-per-decade task of redrawing the state’s political maps — eventually agreed on new lines for the state’s congressional and legislative districts. But they did so after meeting for hours in private and voting on ...

At a press conference Tuesday, Sen. Jamie Pedersen (D – Seattle) said that the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) did not fully support ESSB 5226 until an amendment from Sen. Annette Cleveland (D – Vancouver) was added. But after assessing public testimony offered by WASPC and following up with the organization to hear about how their stance ...

The Washington state Senate passed legislation in a 27-22 vote, during a virtual debate Tuesday, to reform police tactics and equipment. The bill will now return to the House to consider the Senate’s amendments.

House Bill 1054 would ban the use of chokeholds and neck restraints during the course of an officer’s duties, according to the bill’s text. The Criminal Justice ...

SEATTLE (AP) — The Washington state Senate has approved a measure restricting certain police tactics and gear, including the use of neck restraints and tear gas, after police killings of Black people sparked tumultuous racial-justice protests last year.

Majority Democrats pushed the bill through on a 27-22 vote Tuesday night over the objections of Republicans who warned it would endanger officers ...

A coalition of 61 organizations, led by the ACLU of Washington, is continuing to press Democrats to make changes to Senate Bill 5226, legislation that aims to eradicate debt-based license suspensions.

In a letter this week to House Speaker Laurie Jinkins and members of the Rules Committee, the coalition urged House Democrats to add “minor clarifying language” before approving the legislation.

"The ...

SEATTLE (AP) — Lawmakers are on the cusp of overhauling policing and police accountability in Washington state, acting with unusual urgency to curb bad behavior by officers following last year’s turbulent protests for racial justice.

As this week’s deadline for passing bills out of the house where they were introduced elapsed, most of the key bills had been approved. Hearings were ...

Just a few months ago, facilities in Washington state began accepting bodies under the state’s new human composting option. Now, at least two more states are considering laws to allow the practice.

The proposals come as more Americans seek “green burial” options, which can include wilderness burials, traditional interments in eco-friendly containers and human composting.

This year, some lawmakers in Oregon and ...

After nine long years of effort and a long debate Saturday afternoon, the Washington state Senate narrowly passed a proposal to tax capital gains on a 25-24 vote. Democrats who joined Republicans in voting against the measure predictably included Sens. Mark Mullet, Steve Hobbs, Annette Cleveland, and Tim Sheldon.

The bill will now head back to the House for approval, which it ...