Author: Carleen Johnson | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – A Thurston County Superior Court Judge on Friday dismissed on technical grounds the Building Industry Association of Washington’s lawsuit against the state regarding a voter-approved natural gas initiative. The case involves a lawsuit in which BIAW asked the court to direct the Washington State Building Code Council to modify state energy…

(The Center Square) – One month after his inauguration, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson held his second press conference on Thursday to discuss the state’s response to President Donald Trump’s flurry of executive orders and provide an update on related federal funding impacts. Ferguson was joined by other state leaders – including Attorney General Nick Brown…

(The Center Square) – Washington state Democrats are moving ahead with plans to pass legislation that would raise annual caps on property taxes to bring in hundreds of millions of dollars for public schools and public safety for cities and county governments. The House Finance Committee held a public hearing Tuesday on House Bill 1334, sponsored by Rep. Gerry…

(The Center Square) – Washington State Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, is standing by comments he made last week to a Fox News reporter about 13-year-old children making their own health care decisions without parents’ knowledge or consent. Pedersen’s comments went viral, drawing millions of views and reposts on social media. Elon Musk, head…

(The Center Square) – House Republicans in the Washington State Legislature offered up dozens of amendments Thursday during an executive session before the House Education Committee, but none were successful in slowing down a bill that critics say would undo a parents’ bill of rights initiative passed by lawmakers last year. House Bill 1296 would, according to the…

(The Center Square) – It wasn’t quite the rally that was intended, but about three dozen people from the Pierce County Republican Party and other concerned citizens showed up Thursday in Olympia to protest House Democrats’ decision last week to amend the votes required to end debate on the floor from a two-thirds majority to…

(The Center Square) – Washington state’s $45 million Electric Vehicle Instant Rebate Program for buying or leasing electric vehicles fell far short of promises to deliver environmental results and help middle-income people buy EVs, concluded a Washington Policy Center policy brief released on Wednesday. According to the Washington State Department of Commerce, the program provided up to $9,000…

(The Center Square) – Nine days into the 2025 session, majority Democrats in the Washington State Legislature have yet to tip their hand on several rumored tax increase proposals floated as part of a plan to fill a projected operating budget deficit of $12 billion to $16 billion over the next four years. Leaders of…

(The Center Square) – Under legislation floated for a second time in Olympia, students graduating high school would be required to receive financial education instruction. House Bill 1285 is meant to ensure that graduating students have a basic grasp of financial literacy, including things like balancing a household budget and understanding the interest on a loan.…

(The Center Square) – A 2024 settlement over water contamination at the Special Commitment Center for sex offenders on McNeil Island left the state of Washington footing a $7.325 million judgment in a class-action lawsuit brought by hundreds of residents of the center. Washington state Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, said the latest payout by the…