- Washington state auditor’s report details unemployment fraud (KUOW Radio)
- March unemployment rate in Washington drops to 5.4% (AP/KOMO TV)
- COVID-19 vaccine eligibility opens to everyone 16 and older in Washington, but supply still lags demand (KING TV)
- Inslee says no to Pierce County’s request for more COVID-19 vaccine doses (The News Tribune)
- J&J COVID-19 vaccine pause to remain in place while officials seek more evidence on rare clots (KCPQ TV)
- Sonics fans hopeful after NBA owner mentions Seattle and new franchise in same sentence (KCPQ TV)
- Pierce County Exec: Rollback to Phase 2 will cost jobs at a crucial time (MyNorthwest)
- State lawmaker introduces bill to provide legal counsel to victims of violent crimes (MyNorthwest)
- Washington Senator: Phase 2 rollback is Inslee ‘enacting his full authority that we seceded to him’ (MyNorthwest)
- Centralia pot lab may be the first in WA to lose its license (Crosscut)
- COVID-19 tests provide crucial clues about how to fight coronavirus, but they’ve fallen in Washington state (The Seattle Times)
- Western State Hospital CEO who led Washington’s psychiatric facility through turbulence to step down (The Seattle Times)
- Former U.S. Attorney Brian Moran will investigate Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer (The Seattle Times)
- It was an old apple orchard. Now it could be the future of clean hydrogen energy in Washington state. (The Seattle Times)
- Group sues to stop Washington ban on using credit scores for insurance rates (MyNorthwest)
- Democrats want to drain the state’s Rainy Day Fund to help pay for COVID costs. Here’s what that might mean. (The Spokesman-Review)
- Time running out as lawmakers race to fix drug possession law tossed by state high court (KOMO TV)
- After 2020’s destructive wildfire season, infusion of state funding on the horizon (The Bellingham Herald)
- Washington moves forward to clear backlog of sexual assault evidence kits (Crosscut)
- Washington House Republicans push for a vote on emergency powers reform bill
- Governor signs bipartisan MacEwen bill aimed at helping hospitality industry navigate ongoing COVID challenges
- Two Rep. Young bills take big step closer to becoming law
- No counties should be moving backward, say legislative Republican leaders
- Rep. Alex Ybarra's statement on exclusion of H-2A farmworkers from housing sales tax exemptions
- Column: A billion here, a billion there (Sue Lani Madsen/The Spokesman-Review)
- Opinion: The ‘capital gains’ game: Whatever the spin, it’s an income tax (Jared Walczak, vice president of state projects at the Tax Foundation/The Seattle Times)
- Editorial: Newspapers vital to democracy, deserve boost (The Columbian)
- Opinion: Data doesn't support clean fuel standard claims (Alex Marcucci, managing consultant with Trinity Consultants/Puget Sound Business Journal)
- Editorial: Legislature should act to balance government (The Columbian)
- Rep. Mary Dye: Cap and tax -- a government 'grand heist' of your money
- Rep. Mark Klicker: Proposed agriculture overtime bill would hurt all sides
- Why Seattle and the rest of the state should care about U.S. Highway 2 | Rep. Carolyn Eslick
- Rep. Jacquelin Maycumber | Legislature reaches too far with ‘open carry’ ban
- Rep. Joe Schmick: Voter-approved ‘rainy-day fund’ on life support
- Inside Olympia: In-depth conversation with Steve Sinclair, who is retiring as secretary of the Washington Department of Corrections. Plus, Joanna Carns, the director of the state's recently created Office of Corrections Ombuds. (April 15, 2021)
- The Impact: Deeann Burtch Puffert, CEO of Child Care Aware of WA, discusses cost and availability of child care. Hilary Franz, Commissioner of Public Lands: Budgeting for disaster - a paradigm shift in how we pay to fight forest fires. (April 14, 2021)
- Legislative Review -- April 14, 2021
- Legislative Review -- April 5-9, 2021
- Inside Olympia: First-term Republican Reps. Peter Abbarno of Centralia and Mark Klicker of Walla Walla discuss their thoughts on a virtual legislative session, the urban-rural divide and working across the aisle with majority Democrats. (April 8, 2021)
- Wilcox: House Republicans will attempt to force vote on emergency powers bill
- It's time for a legislative role in emergency powers, Republican leaders tell media
- Barkis Breakdown: Homestretch of the 2021 virtual session, transportation taxes, and housing
- Rep. Jim Walsh shares remarks during floor debate on Senate Bill 5044
- Rep. Alex Ybarra shares remarks during House floor debate on Senate Bill 5296
Listen | Radio Interviews & Reports
- Rep. Walsh explains 'vaccine passport' ban, attempt to limit governor's powers
- Rep. Wilcox tells KTTH emergency powers should be subject to legislative approval
- Rep. J.T. Wilcox says Inslee's recent emergency decisions feel excessive, punitive
- Rep. Graham joins KTTH to talk about victim advocacy and public safety
- Rep. MacEwen discusses emergency powers reform on KVI
- Five hurdles Democrats face to pass an infrastructure bill (The Hill)
- Editorial: The Green New Deal, in disguise (The Wall Street Journal)
- Feds say pause in J&J Covid vaccine could last days (Politico)
- Texas sues Biden for rescinding Trump's 'Remain in Mexico' policy (The Hill)
- Billions in coronavirus aid is slow to reach renters and landlords (The Wall Street Journal)
The Current | A Caucus Email Update
- April 9, 2021: House Democrats’ 2021-23 operating budget legislation; emergency powers reform; transportation tax packages; and what to expect next week.
- April 2, 2021: Operating, transportation and capital budgets; the open-carry bill and debate; and what to watch for in the homestretch.
- March 26, 2021: State budgets; the income tax on capital gains; new guidance for social distancing in schools; real solutions for the Blake decision; and House Republican freshmen.
- March 19, 2021: State revenue forecast; the case for tax relief and against tax increases; safely reopening schools; House floor debate highlights; and major issues ahead.
- March 12, 2021: Senate Democrats pass an income tax on capital gains (Senate Bill 5096); the governor’s Phase 3 and K-12 education emergency proclamation announcements; reforming the governor’s emergency powers; providing tax relief to working families; and good House Republican bills that passed.