In the News

From construction to sustainability, the benefits of hempcrete homes have been touted for years. Building with hemp could lead to easier climate control in a home, better air quality—and that’s just the beginning. There’s no denying the benefits, but that’s not what’s stopping hemp houses from lining suburban sidewalks. In fact, it’s easy to convince even anti-cannabis people that hemp building ...

OLYMPIA – Unscrupulous lenders who are partnering with out-of-state banks to evade Washington’s limits on interest rates will have to cease their predatory practices or face sanctions, under legislation signed into law today. SB 6025, sponsored by Sen. Derek Stanford (D-Bothell), makes any attempt to evade the provisions of Washington’s Consumer Loan Act a violation of the act.

Spend much time online and you are bound to be served a few ads tempting you to go solar at no cost. But there is no such thing as “free” rooftop solar power systems in Washington, according to local utilities and the state’s lead trade association for the solar sector. Out-of-state sales lead generators and marketing companies are responsible for many ...

Doctors who implant their own sperm in a patient seeking fertility treatment could face criminal charges thanks to legislation approved by the state Senate on Tuesday. The advancement of the bill is a promising step for Brianna Hayes, who says her biological father is the Spokane doctor who – without informing her parents – allegedly used his own sperm when artificially ...

The legal age to get married will be 18 after both chambers of the Washington State Legislature passed a bill outlawing child marriage. The bill will now go to the governor who is expected to sign it into law. It would take effect June 6 and apply only to marriages on that date and after. HB 1455 seeks to close loopholes that ...

The members of the Washington State Caseload Forecast Council have re-elected Sen. Derek Stanford (D-Bothell) as chair. “Planning for every new biennial budget begins with the work of the Caseload Forecast Council,” said Stanford, who has served as chair since 2015. “It’s crucial we do that work with the utmost thoroughness and attention to detail.” The Caseload Forecast Council is charged with ...

At a time when the housing market is on many people’s minds, a new state law promises to change the relationship between real estate brokers and buyers in Washington. State Senate Bill 5191, which went into effect at the start of 2024, aims to provide significant protections for consumers in real estate deals. Real estate brokers now need to have a ...

Borrowers entering home equity sharing agreements, in which homeowners sell part of their home equity to an investor, would gain protections against companies trying to take advantage of them, under legislation passed Thursday evening. SB 5968 would regulate home equity sharing agreements under the Consumer Loan Act and task the Washington Department of Financial Institutions with developing rules for this industry. Unlike ...

Public schools across Washington would be able to have more paraeducators in schools to better meet student needs, under legislation passed by the Senate today on a bipartisan vote of 37-11. Senate Bill 5882 would increase the staff allocation for paraeducators in the prototypical school funding model. “Paraeducators are crucial in our public education system,” said Sen. Derek Stanford (D-Bothell), the bill’s ...

OLYMPIA, Wash. — A bill that would further strengthen protections against noncompete agreements for Washington workers passed in the state Senate on Tuesday. Sponsored by Democratic Sen. Derek Stanford, SB 5935 would build on a 2019 bill that made noncompete agreements for any worker making less than $100,000 a year unenforceable, at a maximum length of 18 months. That previous bill ...