In The News - Sen. Marcus Riccelli

Washington county to waive connection fees for developers to boost affordable housing supply

by sdcadminJul 01 20250 Comments

A Washington county saw its housing supply dry up amid an influx of new residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, Washington state has passed a law that offers developers an incentive to replenish that county's ...

Spokesman-Review: State and local officials recommit to 2030 opening of North Spokane Corridor

by sdcadminJun 10 20250 Comments

Gov. Bob Ferguson and other public officials reinstated their commitment Monday to the unfinished North Spokane Corridor as construction crews work on the highway’s bridging above the Spokane River. Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown and members of ...

WA bill to keep medical debt off credit reports signed into law

by sdcadminApr 22 20250 Comments

Washingtonians’ medical debt will not be included in their credit reports, under a bill that Gov. Bob Ferguson signed into law on Tuesday. Having medical debt can create a spiraling effect and prevent people from getting ...

Inlander: How can you prepare for a recession? A Spokane credit union and nonprofit share tips as Washington is already facing a rainy day

by sdcadminApr 07 20250 Comments

Washington is experiencing a tough budget deficit, inflation is easing but still high as people feel pinched at the grocery store, and financial institutions nationwide are forecasting a recession closer to the end of this ...

AP News: Unemployment benefits for striking workers being considered in Oregon, Washington

by sdcadminApr 03 20250 Comments

SEATTLE (AP) — Lawmakers in Oregon and Washington are considering whether striking workers should receive unemployment benefits, following recent walkouts by Boeing factory workers, hospital nurses and teachers in the Pacific Northwest that highlighted a ...

Washington State Standard: Hospital price transparency bill in Washington Legislature gets reworked

by sdcadminMar 26 20250 Comments

A bill in the Washington Legislature to make hospital pricing more transparent for consumers is still in play, but its scope has narrowed during the legislative process. “I don’t think this bill really, frankly, does anything ...

The Olympian: All 1.1 million WA students would be eligible for free school lunches under proposed law

by sdcadminFeb 05 20250 Comments

All Washington students would have access to free school lunches under a proposed law that was heard in committee Tuesday morning. Sponsored by state Sen. Marcus Riccelli, Senate Bill 5352 would expand the state’s program ...

KHQ: Bill aims to remove medical debt from credit scores in Washington

by sdcadminFeb 05 20250 Comments

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Lawmakers in Olympia are considering a new bill that could change how medical debt impacts credit scores for residents in Washington. Representative Marcus Riccelli is sponsoring the SB 5480, which seeks to ...

KXLY: Free lunches in WA public schools up for discussion again in 2025 legislative session

by sdcadminJan 11 20250 Comments

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Free school lunches could soon be available to all students in Washington. Lawmakers have been pushing to make universal free lunches a reality for students at public schools in Washington for several years. ...

Spokesman-Review: Washington Legislature to again consider free school lunches for all students, could this be the year?

by sdcadminJan 10 20250 Comments

A recurring effort since the COVID-19 pandemic, free hot lunches could soon become a reality for every public school student in Washington. Governor-elect Bob Ferguson intends to trim $4.4 billion from the state budget, but listed ...