Legislature
Judge rules tax initiative violates constitution
SEATTLE -- A voter-approved initiative that requires a two-thirds majority of the Legislature to raise taxes or close tax loopholes violates the state constitution, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Date: 05/30/2012 | Northwest
Sen. Haugen schedules 4 town halls
Haugen to hold Q&A sessionsState Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, will answer questions on the state budget, transportation, same-sex marriage and other issues at four town hall meetings this week.
Date: 05/30/2012 | Local News
GOP's top budget writer in state Senate resigns
OLYMPIA -- The top Republican budget writer in the state Senate is resigning his seat this week.
Date: 05/29/2012 | Northwest
2 county exec hires have ties to friend, legislator
EVERETT -- If you want to work for Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon, knowing state Sen. Steve Hobbs might give you a leg up.
Date: 05/23/2012 | Local News
Zarelli, GOP's top budget writer in state Senate, to retire
OLYMPIA -- The top Republican budget writer in the state Senate is retiring.Ridgefield Sen. Joe Zarelli said in a statement Friday evening that he hopes he left state government better than how he found it. He says the last few years have been both wearing and rewarding.
Date: 05/18/2012 | Northwest
Saving education from cuts comes at a cost
Next week when the governor signs the special session edition of the state budget, expect an outbreak of fist bumps by lawmakers pleased they repaired a major gash without further grafting from the financial hide of higher education.
Date: 04/26/2012 | Local News
New report shows missing votes is bipartisan
Four Snohomish County lawmakers – two Republicans and two Democrats – are among those who missed the most votes in this year's regular and special sessions.
Date: 04/24/2012 | The Petri Dish
Another Republican enters race for Pearson's seat
Gregory Lemke of Arlington has become the fourth Republican candidate vying to succeed state Rep. Kirk Pearson, R-Monroe.
Date: 04/23/2012 | The Petri Dish
Fewer students mean less state money for schools
OLYMPIA -- Washington state's public schools will get less money than anticipated from the state in the coming school year, but don't call it a budget cut.
Date: 04/22/2012 | Northwest
Sen. Val Stevens never wavered from her views
Val Stevens has left the Capitol.Well, almost.She's started bringing personal effects from her state Senate office to her Arlington home as she serves the final months of a 20-year legislative career.
Date: 04/19/2012 | Local News
Tort claim filed in state Senate case
OLYMPIA -- A Senate Republican senior attorney is a step closer to filing a lawsuit against the state in response to what he says was a hostile work environment that got worse when a controversial senator was allowed back into the GOP caucus.
Date: 04/12/2012 | Northwest
Gregoire deems legislative session her most difficult
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire said Thursday the recently concluded legislative session was her most difficult, but she was happy with the bipartisan budget that lawmakers approved.
Date: 04/12/2012 | Northwest
Legislators wrap things up after lively year
They needed an extra 30 days and seven and a half hours but state lawmakers concluded their work for 2012 early Wednesday then headed home for rest, relaxation and, for some, a re-election campaign.
Date: 04/12/2012 | Local News
Lawmakers don't fund election to replace Inslee
OLYMPIA -- State election officials learned Wednesday they won't be getting an extra $1 million to cover the costs of a special election to replace U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee.Lawmakers did not include any money in the state budget they passed Wednesday before adjourning and heading home.
Date: 04/12/2012 | Local News
Why lawmakers took so long for a last-minute finish
No doubt a few punch-drunk and sleep-deprived lawmakers departed Olympia on Wednesday feeling a tad melancholic about not seeing their colleagues for a while.More than likely most of them left glad to get a break from one another for an extended period.
Date: 04/12/2012 | Local News
Lawmakers spend one last night together before leaving Olympia
They needed an extra 30 days and seven-and-a-half hours but state lawmakers concluded their work for 2012 early Wednesday then headed home for rest, relaxation and,...
Date: 04/11/2012 | The Petri Dish
Legislature passes budget, adjourns overtime session
OLYMPIA -- The Washington state Legislature adjourned a double overtime session Wednesday after finalizing a budget deal that had lawmakers working throughout the night and into the morning.
Date: 04/11/2012 | Northwest
Lawmakers work all night after Gregoire calls another special session
As expected, Gov. Chris Gregoire called lawmakers back into special session this morning to pass a revised budget and reform bills aimed at stabilizing state finances in the years ahead.
Date: 04/11/2012 | The Petri Dish
Lawmakers may have budget deal at the buzzer
OLYMPIA -- Exhausted state lawmakers worked feverishly Tuesday night to pass a new state budget and a spate of government reforms before time expired on their special session.
Date: 04/10/2012 | Local News
State Senate approves penalties for early retirees
OLYMPIA -- Washington lawmakers on Tuesday agreed to reduce benefits for future state workers who take early retirement, making a pact that had eluded them for months and delayed final action on the state budget.
Date: 04/10/2012 | Northwest
Lawmakers reach agreement on capital budget
OLYMPIA -- With discussions over the operating budget and a handful of other bills ongoing, state lawmakers have reached a deal on the capital budget.
Date: 04/10/2012 | Northwest
Signs of progress, but no firm budget deal
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire and Democratic and Republican lawmakers negotiated for hours Monday in hopes of reaching agreement on a balanced budget and government reforms before time runs out in the special session.
Date: 04/09/2012 | Local News
Gregoire to present 'go-home' budget proposal
Gov. Chris Gregoire will meet with Democratic and Republican leaders of the Legislature at 12:30 p.m. today to present them with a "go-home" proposal she's drawn up.
Date: 04/09/2012 | The Petri Dish
Third Republican enters race for Pearson's seat
Robert Pilgrim, a detective with the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office, has joined an increasingly crowded field competing to succeed Rep. Kirk Pearson, R-Monroe.
Date: 04/09/2012 | The Petri Dish
Transit funding stays parked in special session
OLYMPIA -- With the special session in its final hours, it's clear cities, counties and bus agencies won't be getting a lifeline for new transportation funding they wanted from state lawmakers.
Date: 04/09/2012 | Local News
Political attention comes to parents opting out of tests
SNOHOMISH -- Lawmakers say they are listening to a group of a parents who are protesting funding cuts to education.
Date: 04/09/2012 | Local News
Senate OKs a four-year budget forecast requirement
OLYMPIA -- The Washington state Senate has passed a measure to require that the state's two-year budget be in line with anticipated revenue over a four-year period.
Date: 04/07/2012 | Northwest
Roll Call
House Bill 2127, Second Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2127, making supplemental operating appropriations for the 2011-13 biennium, passed 54-43 in the House on April 5.
Date: 04/07/2012 | Local News
Three in Monroe will run to replace state Rep. Pearson
MONROE -- Three Monroe residents, including Mayor Robert Zimmerman, began campaigning this week to succeed state Rep. Kirk Pearson, R-Monroe, this fall.
Date: 04/06/2012 | Local News
Monroe mayor joins race for Pearson's seat
Republican Robert Zimmerman, the mayor of Monroe since 2009, began campaigning this week to fill the seat of state Rep. Kirk Pearson, R-Monroe, this fall.
Date: 04/05/2012 | The Petri Dish
Another special session may be needed to pass budget
OLYMPIA -- Will lawmakers need another special session to settle their differences?It sure looked that way Wednesday as Democratic and Republican lawmakers appeared to hit a wall in negotiating an agreement on erasing a budget deficit and making money-saving reforms.
Date: 04/04/2012 | Local News
Tea Party activist Elizabeth Scott to seek Pearson's seat
Elizabeth Scott of Monroe, a conservative Republican with political roots in the Tea Party movement, launched a campaign Tuesday to succeed state Rep. Kirk Pearson, R-Monroe, in the 39th...
Date: 04/04/2012 | The Petri Dish
Mill Creek councilman challenging Rep. Hans Dunshee
MILL CREEK -- Republican Mark Harmsworth, a councilman for the city of Mill Creek, has begun a campaign to unseat incumbent state Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish.Harmsworth, who is in his second term on the City Council, formally announced his candidacy last week.
Date: 04/04/2012 | Local News
Sheriff's sergeant running for House seat vacated by Barbara Bailey
ISLAND COUNTY -- Dave Hayes, a sergeant in the Snohomish County Sheriff's Department and president of a statewide law enforcement organization, has launched a campaign to succeed state Rep. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor.
Date: 04/04/2012 | Local News
Rob McKenna leaps into fray over state budget
OLYMPIA -- As a budget deal continued to elude lawmakers Monday, Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna jumped into the fray with his ideas on how to reach agreement in the special session and who is to blame for the continuing impasse.
Date: 04/03/2012 | Local News
Police officer to seek Bailey's seat
Dave Hayes, a sergeant in the Snohomish County Sheriff's Department and president of a statewide law enforcement organization, has launched a campaign to succeed state Rep. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor.
Date: 04/02/2012 | The Petri Dish
Gregoire signs political advertising bill into law
OLYMPIA -- Political advertisements for and against ballot initiatives will have to name the top five donors to the political committee putting out the ad thanks to a bill signed into law Friday by Gov. Chris Gregoire.
Date: 03/30/2012 | Northwest
State GOP Senate leader has tumor in abdomen
OLYMPIA -- The top Republican in the state Senate will undergo surgery to remove a tumor in his abdomen, saying in a statement Friday that he is optimistic the procedure will be a success.
Date: 03/30/2012 | Northwest
Gov. Gregoire says budget negotiations are 'tenuous'
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire said Friday that she's in the process of finishing a compromise proposal for lawmakers to consider as part of their budget negotiation, and says that while talks are improving, they are "tenuous."
Date: 03/30/2012 | Northwest
Val Stevens to retire after 20 years in Legislature
Republican state Sen. Val Stevens of Arlington, one of the Legislature's most steadfast conservatives who worked tirelessly on improving the state's child welfare system, said Thursday she will not seek re-election this...
Date: 03/29/2012 | Local News
Stevens to retire, Pearson to seek her Senate seat
Republican state Sen. Val Stevens of Arlington will not seek re-election and Rep. Kirk Pearson, R-Monroe, said today he will run for the seat.
Date: 03/29/2012 | The Petri Dish
Governor plans marathon session of bill signing
Gov. Chris Gregoire intends to spend several hours Thursday signing bills into law.
Date: 03/28/2012 | The Petri Dish
'Duty to develop' bill raises concerns in Alaska
JUNEAU, Alaska — A bill intended to get more oil in the trans-Alaska pipeline would instead have a chilling effect on leasing and “kill development,” the executive director of the Alaska Oil and Gas Association said.
Date: 03/27/2012 | Northwest
Rep. Bailey to challenge Sen. Haugen for seat
By Jerry CornfieldHerald WriterOAK HARBOR -- Republican state Rep. Barbara Bailey began campaigning Monday to unseat Democratic state Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen in a contest that could decide the political control of the Senate.
Date: 03/27/2012 | Local News
Some Snohomish parents opt out of standard tests
SNOHOMISH -- Dozens of Snohomish parents are making a statement against budget cuts to education by keeping their kids from taking state exams this spring.
Date: 03/26/2012 | Local News
Gay marriage opponents not afraid to gather signatures
Two years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court grappled with whether people who signed a state ballot petition should remain anonymous.
Date: 03/25/2012 | Local News
Why covering the state Capitol is a Herald priority
In a budget of billions, it was a relatively small amount.Still, last week the state cut checks to state senators for $15,570 in per diem payments for the first week of the special session.Even though those senators hadn't met even once.
Date: 03/25/2012 | Here at The Herald
Gregoire signs Wash. transportation budget
OLYMPIA -- Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire on Friday signed into law a supplemental transportation budget with $57 million in new spending paid for by increased fees related to driving.
Date: 03/23/2012 | Northwest
Teachers blast Senate bill on health care change
SNOHOMISH -- They worried about proposed changes in their health care. They fretted about the potential loss of their ability to bargain.Nearly 1,000 teachers rallied Tuesday evening at Glacier Peak High School to let state lawmakers know how they feel about those issues.
Date: 03/22/2012 | Local News
No budget deal, but some lawmakers taking pay
This is the 11th day of the special session, and lawmakers still have no deal for plugging a $500 million hole in the budget.In case you're wondering, you didn't miss much in those first 10 days aside from a bit of posing, posturing and pointing fingers.
Date: 03/22/2012 | Local News
Many senators collect per diem in special session
Updated Thurs. March 22, 2012:The number of state senators receiving per diem checks for the first week of special session is dropping.On Wednesday, I wrote about the senators who would be getting "session subsistence" checks for the entire week.
Date: 03/21/2012 | The Petri Dish
Governor signs collaborative schools bill into law
OLYMPIA -- Beginning next fall, a handful of struggling Washington state public elementary schools will become teacher training laboratories modeled after medical residency programs.
Date: 03/20/2012 | Northwest
Gregoire signs child abuse reporting bill into law
OLYMPIA -- Most college and university personnel will soon be required to report suspected cases of child abuse to the authorities.
Date: 03/20/2012 | Northwest
Governor signs tribal retrocession bill into law
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire has signed into law a bill that opens the door for dismantling state jurisdiction over American Indian tribes.
Date: 03/20/2012 | Northwest
Blue Alerts will alert public when officer is injured, killed
OLYMPIA -- Washington will soon join the growing number of states that let the public know when a law enforcement officer is injured or killed and the suspected offender is on the loose.
Date: 03/16/2012 | Local News
Gregoire: No budget, no bills
A fuming Gov. Chris Gregoire vowed today to begin vetoing bills unless lawmakers settle their differences and deliver her a supplemental budget.
Date: 03/15/2012 | The Petri Dish
Gregoire to meet with budget writers Thursday
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire will meet with the Legislature's key budget writers Thursday morning, a move she says is necessary because of a continued impasse in budget meetings between her and legislative leaders.
Date: 03/14/2012 | Northwest
Range of bills to get new life in special session
OLYMPIA -- Washington state lawmakers said Wednesday that bills to be taken up in the 30-day special session called by Gov. Chris Gregoire will include some that aren't needed to pass the budget.
Date: 03/14/2012 | Northwest
Don't balance budget by raiding art collection, artists urge
A proposal to sell off some of the state's art collection to balance the budget isn't getting rave reviews among artists or lawmakers.But the state's pressing need for money coupled with a special session means critics can't bury the idea yet.
Date: 03/14/2012 | Local News
Budget impasse continues at special session
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire met with key lawmakers on Tuesday in a continuing effort to broker a deal on the state budget impasse, but no breakthrough has yet been reached.
Date: 03/13/2012 | Northwest
Special legislative session begins
OLYMPIA -- A special session of the Washington Legislature started Monday, but only a handful of lawmakers were in town while Democratic and Republican leaders try to come to an agreement over the supplemental budget.
Date: 03/12/2012 | Northwest
Bill would open way for Klickitat energy plan
YAKIMA -- A bill awaiting Gov. Chris Gregoire's signature would open the way for an ambitious $2.5 billion plan to create a large generating plant along the Columbia River.
Date: 03/10/2012 | Northwest
Roadwork ahead
Transportation budget includes higher fees to fund projects
Date: 03/10/2012 | Local News
Gregoire: Special session to begin Monday
A special session to deal with a state budget deficit will begin at noon Monday.
Date: 03/09/2012 | The Petri Dish
As expected, Legislature's work isn't done
OLYMPIA -- Lawmakers arrived in January knowing they needed to balance the budget and they were going home Thursday without having done the job.That means they'll be back soon for a special session.
Date: 03/09/2012 | Local News
Gregoire signs bill revamping teacher evaluations
SEATTLE -- Gov. Chris Gregoire on Thursday signed a measure that will add improvement in student test scores to the list of factors that principals use to evaluate teachers.The law also changes the way principals are evaluated, adding teacher feedback as an element of their reviews.
Date: 03/08/2012 | Northwest
Senate passes college-school collaboration bill
SEATTLE -- The state Senate has approved an education reform bill championed by the governor, but ridiculed by some lawmakers as not doing enough to help kids.
Date: 03/08/2012 | Northwest
Democrats preparing a final run to pass a budget
As I reported today, Democratic leaders in the House and Senate are lining up to make one final play at pushing through a budget.
Date: 03/08/2012 | The Petri Dish
The Cappy Awards: 60 days of making law
The 2012 session of the Legislature officially ends at midnight.
Date: 03/08/2012 | Local News
Democratic plan may avoid special session
OLYMPIA -- Democratic lawmakers today may make a last-ditch effort to pass a budget by midnight when time runs out on the 2012 regular session.
Date: 03/07/2012 | Local News
2 cars per Discover Pass bill goes to governor
OLYMPIA -- The Washington state Legislature has passed a bill allowing one Discover Pass to be shared among two vehicles.
Date: 03/07/2012 | Northwest
Gregoire's prodding doesn't lead to deal on budget
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire wasn't ready Tuesday to give up on the idea of lawmakers reaching agreement on a budget in time to adjourn on schedule.But today she may be faced with the reality that a special session is inevitable.
Date: 03/07/2012 | Local News
Gregoire still sees chance to avoid special session
Gov. Chris Gregoire said today she's not giving up on lawmakers reaching agreement on a budget in time to adjourn on schedule Thursday.
Date: 03/06/2012 | The Petri Dish
Budget standoff likely means special session
OLYMPIA -- House Democratic leaders on Monday continued to stonewall Republican efforts to negotiate a budget deal, all but ensuring a special session later this year.
Date: 03/06/2012 | Local News
State House passes collaborative schools bill
OLYMPIA -- The Washington state House has passed a bill allowing a handful of struggling public elementary schools to become teacher training laboratories modeled after medical residency programs.
Date: 03/05/2012 | Northwest
State House passes supplemental transportation budget
OLYMPIA -- The state House has passed a supplemental transportation budget with $57 million in new spending over the next year on freeway projects, transit, the state patrol and the ferry system.
Date: 03/05/2012 | Northwest
Legislature passes rules for insurance exchange
OLYMPIA -- The Washington state Legislature has passed a bill setting rules for insurers preparing for the state's online insurance exchange.
Date: 03/05/2012 | Northwest
Bill modifying stormwater rules clears state Senate
OLYMPIA -- The Washington Senate has passed a bill that opponents say would weaken state rules aimed at curbing toxic pollution in state waters.
Date: 03/05/2012 | Northwest
Democrats don't have budget deal to offer GOP
b>Updated at 3:15 p.m.Turns out Democrats in the House and Senate have not reached any budget deals as I reported earlier.Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, whom I attributed the information, told me that I missed a nuance in his comments.
Date: 03/05/2012 | The Petri Dish
Fight in Olympia over solutions for toxic runoff
SEATTLE -- Environmentalists in Washington state are fighting last-minute legislative proposals they say will weaken rules aimed at keeping toxic pollution out of state waters.
Date: 03/04/2012 | Northwest
State House passes transportation budget
OLYMPIA -- The Washington state House has passed a transportation budget that would secure more than $50 million over the next year for immediate transportation needs.
Date: 03/03/2012 | Northwest
Toxic kids' products bill dies in state House
OLYMPIA -- A bill to ban a pair of potentially carcinogenic flame-retardant chemicals from children's products has died in the Washington state House amid budget intrigue in the Senate.
Date: 03/03/2012 | Northwest
GOP-crafted budget passes state Senate
OLYMPIA -- The state Senate passed a Republican-crafted budget early Saturday that fills a shortfall by spending less on human services, education programs and retiree pensions, sending less to cities and counties and not raising any general taxes.
Date: 03/03/2012 | Local News
State Senate GOP stages a budget coup, raising possibility of special session
OLYMPIA -- High drama gripped the state Senate on Friday when minority Republicans and three conservative Democrats seized control of the chamber to muscle through a budget plan.But their political triumph may force lawmakers into a special session.
Date: 03/03/2012 | Local News
Republicans in state Senate stage budget coup
OLYMPIA — High drama gripped the state Senate on Friday when minority Republicans and three conservative Democrats seized control of the chamber to muscle through a budget plan.But their political triumph may force lawmakers into a special session.
Date: 03/02/2012 | Local News
Budget drama in state Senate incites strong reactions among Democratic lawmakers
Here are excerpts of statements issued by Democratic lawmakers as the political drama unfolded Friday. Republican lawmakers planned to put out statements when all the votes had...
Date: 03/02/2012 | The Petri Dish
Abortion insurance bill dies in state Senate
OLYMPIA -- A bill to require insurance plans covering maternity care to also pay for abortions is likely stalled for this legislative session after it failed to advance to the floor Friday in the Washington state Senate.
Date: 03/02/2012 | Northwest
Legislature likes tire socks for snow traction
OLYMPIA -- Tire socks are fabric covers that slip over wheels to give drivers better traction in the snow.They originated in Scandinavia and now they may roll on Washington highways.
Date: 03/02/2012 | Northwest
Wash. House passes early learning bill
SEATTLE -- The state House has approved a bill essential to an expected $60 million grant from the federal government for early learning.
Date: 03/01/2012 | Northwest
Legislature approves child abuse reporting bill
OLYMPIA -- The Washington state Legislature has approved a bill sparked by the sex abuse scandal at Penn State University.
Date: 03/01/2012 | Northwest
State House passes budget; Senate vote next
OLYMPIA, Wash. -- The state House passed a supplemental budget Wednesday that relies on $400 million in delayed payments and reduced support for local governments while largely protecting basic education from further cuts.
Date: 02/29/2012 | Northwest
Proposed state budget avoids tax increases, school cuts, but still looking for votes
OLYMPIA -- Educators, prosecutors and providers of health and human services cheered Senate Democrats on Tuesday for their plan to rebalance the state budget without new cuts to schools, colleges and major social service programs.
Date: 02/28/2012 | Local News
State Senate passes bill for tribal retrocession process
YAKIMA -- The Washington state Senate has passed a bill that opens the door for dismantling state jurisdiction over American Indian tribes.
Date: 02/28/2012 | Northwest
'Burden' public-records bill appears to be dead
When stories are killed in the news business, they are described as having been "spiked."
Date: 02/28/2012 | Need to Know
State House OKs 2 cars per Discover Pass
OLYMPIA -- The Washington state House has passed a bill to allow two cars to share one Discover Pass, a $30, year-long parking pass for state parks.
Date: 02/28/2012 | Northwest
State Democrats agree: Delay payments to fix budget
OLYMPIA -- Democratic leaders throughout the Legislature are pushing hundreds of million dollars in delayed payments as a solution to the state's current budget shortfall, lawmakers said Tuesday.
Date: 02/28/2012 | Northwest
Senate Democrats to unveil budget proposal
Majority Democrats in the state Senate will unveil their operating budget proposal Tuesday morning and it doesn't look like Republicans are quite ready to attach their name to any of it.
Date: 02/27/2012 | The Petri Dish
State House passes bill pressuring sex ad sellers
OLYMPIA -- The Washington state Legislature on Monday approved a bill that goes after classified advertising companies that don't demand ID to ensure sex-related ads posted online don't feature children.
Date: 02/27/2012 | Northwest
State Senate OKs school funding lawsuit committee
OLYMPIA -- The state Senate has approved a plan to form a new committee to respond to the Washington Supreme Court's recent ruling on school finance.
Date: 02/27/2012 | Northwest
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