AGRICULTURE & WATER

• EDITORIAL: Labor shortage spurs Mid-Columbia farmers to get innovative (Tri-City Herald)

BUDGET & TAXES

• ‘Are you rich?’ Pam Roach plays hardball on I-1185 (Crosscut)

BUSINESS, LABOR & ECONOMY

• The honey bucket index (Crosscut)
• Port of Vancouver to extend potash push (The Columbian)
• Damaged Shell drilling rigs to be shipped to Asia — not Seattle — for repairs (The Seattle Times)
• OPINION: State missing out on tourist dollars (The Columbian)
• EDITORIAL: Repeal paid family leave insurance (The Seattle Times)

COURTS, CRIME & LAW ENFORCEMENT

• The Drone Ranger: Mike McGinn sparks debate on role of urban technology (Crosscut)
• Drone warfare: Olympia vs. robot (Crosscut)
• Human trafficking events planned (Daily Record)
• Moses Lake drug trafficker gets 16 years in federal prison (Tri-City Herald)
• Bail raised to $500K for felon on firearm charges (The Everett Herald)

EDUCATION (K-12) & SCHOOL SAFETY

• All senators back $544 million for schools (AP/The Olympian)
• Washington school safety funding wins OK (The Spokesman Review)
• Teachers union declares no confidence in school facilities process (The Daily News)
• BLOG: State Senate passes bill funding school panic buttons, other security measures (Brian Rosenthal/The Seattle Times)
• BLOG: Senate to consider school bonds (Jordan Schrader/The News Tribune)
• BLOG: Senate authorizes $544 million for school construction, panic alarms in schools (Christina Salerno/TVW)
• OPINION: Give school nurses tools to care for students with severe allergies (Michael San Soucie/The News Tribune)

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• House committee OKs bill for conduit projects (Tri-City Herald)
• BLOG: Inslee skeptical of proposed changes to renewable energy policy (Chris West/TVW)

FAMILY ISSUES

• BLOG: Bill would extend waiting period for divorces (Chris West/TVW)

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

• Pros, cons of going less postal (The Daily News)

GUN RIGHTS

• Dem, GOP senators clash at latest hearing on guns (AP/The Seattle Times)
• Universal gun checks proposal gains support In Washington legislature (NW News Network)
• BLOG: Senate Democrats introduce six bills on guns and mental health (Brian Rosenthal/The Seattle Times)
• OPINION: A call for responsible gun ownership (Cheryl Stumbo/The Seattle Times)

HEALTH CARE

• Washington State pays for more than half of births (NW News Network)
• Eastern State Hospital passes review (The Spokesman Review)

HIGHER EDUCATION

• Baird seeks answers for college challenges (The Columbian)
• BLOG: Sen. Shin introduces bills to improve access to higher ed (Evan Smith/The Everett Herald)

LEGISLATURE

• State Senate newcomers learn an old lesson in gift-giving (The Seattle Times)
• BLOG: Under the Dome: Today is Tuesday, Feb. 12, the 30th day of the 105-day legislative session. (Brad Shannon/The Olympian)

MARIJUANA

• Legislators want to use pot money for preschool program (The News Tribune)
• Pot revenue still unsure, but spenders are ready (The Olympian)
• Bill would tell stores how to handle dropped pot (AP/The Seattle Times)
• Big crowd expected at relocated marijuana forum (The Spokesman Review)
• BLOG: Spokane legalizes pot possession (The Spokesman Review)
• EDITORIAL: State’s new pot law still clouded by questions (The Spokesman Review)

STATE GOVERNMENT 

• State’s requests for technology near $400 million (The News Tribune)
• BLOG: Sen. Baumgartner’s sequel on contracting out targets state Motor Pool, custodians, real-estate brokering (Brad Shannon/The Olympian)
• BLOG: Legislation would add drug testing for welfare clients (Chris West/TVW)
• BLOG: Inslee: ‘Disruptive change’ turns to predictable continuity (Seattle P-I)
• COLUMN: There’s a right way and wrong way for government to sell out (Peter Callaghan/The News Tribune)

TRANSPORTATION

• Commissioners consider anti-CRC resolution today (The Columbian)
• Kitzhaber to Oregon lawmakers: new I-5 bridge is vital (The Columbian)
• Oregon legislature to discuss Columbia River Crossing today (AP/The Columbian)
• Activists revive group to fight I-90 bridge tolls (The Seattle Times)
• Activists want rail line to stay (The Everett Herald)
• Both sides testify at the Oregon Legislature as Columbia River Crossing gets first hearing (The Oregonian)
• Transportation package would keep up what we have, and a little more (Kitsap Sun)
• EDITORIAL: Helping inform motorists (The Columbian)

Read our policy on which stories we include in this daily service here.

Washington State House Republican Communications
www.houserepublicans.wa.gov
455 John L. O’Brien Building
P.O. Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600