Capitol  Buzz

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Boeing to set up a new 737 MAX assembly line in Everett (The Seattle Times)
• Noncompete agreements cost Seattle-area man a new job, lawsuit says (The Seattle Times)
• Movies set, but not filmed, in Washington are common. That might start changing. (KNKX Radio)

CORONAVIRUS

• President Biden to end COVID-19 emergencies on May 11 (AP)
• Do rapid COVID tests still work? (The New York Times/The Seattle Times)

COURTS (STATE)

• Inslee appoints lower valley native to Yakima County Superior Court (KNDO/KNDU)

CRIME

• Tragedies like Yakima Circle K shooting may fall through legislative cracks (KAPP/KVEW)

DAMS

• OPINION: What if there was another possibility in WA’s Snake River dam debate? (Michael Harrington, former Fisheries Engineer/Tri-City Herald)

EDUCATION

• Students First Program legislation introduced in WA House (Columbia Basin Herald)
• Lawmakers eye reforms to address special education students sent out of state (InvestigateWest/Kitsap Sun)
• Low-income families in rural areas can’t afford driving schools, but help may be on the way (KNDO/KNDU)
• OPINION: Success in our public schools will require a commitment by our whole community (Tim Browning, Centralia School Board member/The Chronicle)

ELECTIONS

• Lawsuit challenges WA ballot signature verification (KONA Radio)

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• Klicker introduces bill to boost renewable energy workforce (KWHT Radio)

ENVIRONMENT

• Legislature looks to clean Spokane River PCBs with new proposal to regulate the chemicals (The Spokesman-Review)
• Climate change could turn Seattle into an umbrella city (Axios – Seattle)
• Washington and Oregon may regulate the wild West of crypto mining (Crosscut)
• WDFW seeking public feedback on Yakima River Delta restoration (KNDO/KNDU)

FISH

• Bills push for improving salmon habitat (Washington State Journal/The Reflector)
• Research continues on pinniped predation in Salish Sea (Skagit Valley Herald)

GUN RIGHTS

• Permit-to-purchase, assault weapons ban pass out of Washington House Committee (The Center Square)

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• WSU program aims to address shortage of rural pharmacists, ‘the most accessible health care providers in America’ (The Spokesman-Review)
• State health leaders weigh in on proposed bill to lower legal blood alcohol content levels (KEPR TV)
• Washington Senate Bill seeks to legalize psilocybin for therapeutic use (KAPP/KVEW)
• Robot joins the ranks at Spokane hospital (KUOW Radio)
• Tacoma warned of active TB case; TPCHD could seek court order after patient declines meds (The News Tribune)
• Hospitals brace for more patients who can’t pay, Moody’s says (The Seattle Times)
• OPINION: The anesthesiologist assistant model is not a good fit for WA (Rishelle Zhou, practicing certified registered nurse anesthetist and member of the Washington Association of Nurse Anesthetists/The Seattle Times)

HIGHER EDUCATION

• UW’s Sisterhood Initiative aims to build community for women of color (The Seattle Times)

HOMELESSNESS

• Homeless services could face cuts in WA’s 2023 legislative session (Crosscut)
• Homeless programs need more money, Inslee says (Washington State Journal/Lynden Tribune)
• King County Homeless Authority’s 5-year plan estimated to cost $11.8B to carry out (The Center Square)
• Number of homeless tent encampments in Seattle dropped 13% in second half of 2022 (The Center Square)
• After rapid rise, Everett’s Pallet hits milestone: 100 shelter villages (The Everett Herald)
• 118-unit hotel to become enhanced homeless shelter for those in Thurston County (KOMO TV)

HOUSING

• Missing middle housing bills back on Legislature’s table (The Columbian)
• 12th District representatives have concerns about governor’s housing referendum (KOZI Radio)
• Survey seeks input on future of housing in North Bend (Snoqualmie Valley Record)

LAND USE & PROPERTY RIGHTS

• Eminent domain could be used to secure new well site near Judd Street in Lacey (The Olympian)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Bill pushes hiring, retention bonuses for state troopers, aims to improve traffic safety (FOX 13)
• WACOPS calls on state lawmakers to adjust police reform legislation (KAPP/KVEW)
• Battle brewing in Olympia over reversing police pursuit reforms (KPQ Radio)
• Bill aimed at changing traffic stops intended to reduce fatalities, increase racial equity (KING TV)
• Lawmakers debating bill that would limit law enforcement’s ability to make ‘low-level’ traffic stops (KIRO TV)
• Officer who struck, killed pedestrian with patrol vehicle identified (The Seattle Times)

LEGISLATURE

• Washington Gov. Inslee open to drug, police pursuit law changes; defends vax mandate (The Center Square)
• Washington’s overfunded public pension system could cost taxpayers, officials say (The Center Square)
• ‘Right to repair’ bill would give consumers access to parts, info needed to fix their electronics (MyNorthwest)
• Rep. Chris Corry co-sponsors parental bill of rights (KLCK Radio)
• Senate hears testimony on bill seeking to prioritize finding parole violators in Washington state (KHQ TV)
• Washington considers doubling cap on cottage food sales (Capital Press)
• Prominent lobbyist barred from WA Capitol after ruling he stalked state representative (The Seattle Times)
• COLUMN: No right turns on red gets a look, a bid to expand sports betting arrives (Jerry Cornfield/Everett Herald)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• North Bend aims to lower housing costs with SEPA exemptions (Snoqualmie Valley Record)

MEDIA

• The Center Square adds proper citation to five stories (The Center Square)

MENTAL HEALTH

• First public behavioral health facility of its kind in Washington unveiled at Maple Lane (The Chronicle)

MILITARY & VETERANS

• Abbarno bill to expand veterans employment tax credit scheduled for committee hearing (The Chronicle)
• U.S. Navy halting some dry dock ops in Washington state (KONA Radio)

OPEN GOVERNMENT

• EDITORIAL: WA lawmakers and cities want to keep the public in the dark (The Seattle Times)

OTHER STATES

• Proposed Oregon bill would bring back some pandemic-era renter protections, aim to reduce nonpayment evictions (The Oregonian)

SCHOOL SAFETY

• Bellingham superintendent addresses criminal investigation against vice principals (KGMI Radio)
• Former Eastmont coach sentenced to five years in prison for raping player (The Wenatchee World)

SOCIAL MEDIA

• COLUMN: Kia is getting sued for thefts, but why not TikTok? (Dave Ross/MyNorthwest)

STATE GOVERNMENT

• Community rallies against plan to house sex offenders near Tenino (KING TV)
• ‘Unacceptable:’ State workers get death threats over planned sex offender housing facility near Tenino (FOX 13)

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

• Lynnwood opioid treatment clinic opens despite community concerns (MyNorthwest)

TRANSPORTATION

• Washington Legislature considers bill to lower blood alcohol limit to 0.05% for DUIs (The Spokesman-Review)
• Governor Inslee, state agencies throw support behind bill to lower DUI threshold in Washington (KXLY TV)
• Washington communities get $9M to reverse trend of traffic fatalities (FOX 13)
• WSDOT breaks ground to fix one of worst chokepoints in WA (MyNorthwest)
• Like I-5, Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge needs to be replaced (The Columbian)
• Orcutt, other lawmakers back legislation creating special Mount St. Helens license plate (The Chronicle)
• Chelan County PUD plans for increased electric vehicle use (The Wenatchee World)
• EDITORIAL: Impaired-driving bills warrant sober study (The Columbian)

WILDLIFE

• Tiny parasite found in bighorn sheep lambs (NW News Network)