Capitol  Buzz

OUR NEWS RELEASES FROM THIS WEEK

• Rep. Suzanne Schmidt appointed ranking Republican of House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee
• Rep. Eric Robertson appointed ranking Republican member on House Consumer Protection and Business Committee
• Rep. April Connors promoted to assistant ranking Republican on Appropriations Committee
• Rep. Gina Mosbrucker to serve on Congressman Dan Newhouse’s Central Washington Fentanyl Task Force
• Dent receives award for his legislative work in aviation/airport issues

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Spokane’s a better place for new grads than Seattle, index finds (Axios – Seattle)
• What does Amazon’s job boom in E. Oregon mean for Tri-Cities? Here’s what we know (Tri-City Herald)

CANNABIS

• Washington bans pot-based hiring discrimination for most employers (The Center Square)

CAPITAL BUDGET

• $1.4 million in state funding secured for Spokane Police Academy expansion (The Center Square)

CONGRESS

• Deadline looming, Biden and McCarthy narrow in on budget deal to lift debt ceiling (AP)
• WA Rep. launches task force against fentanyl in central Washington (MyNorthwest)
• House passes bill backed by McMorris Rodgers, Biden to crack down on fentanyl (The Spokesman-Review)
• McMorris Rodgers calls out Spokane VA $35 million deficit (The Center Square)
• Sen. Murray pledges work to invest in South Park flooding prevention, climate resilience (KING TV)
• EDITORIAL: Rep. Derek Kilmer strives for constructive change in Congress (The Seattle Times)

CORONAVIRUS

• UW researchers identify common symptoms for diagnosing long COVID (Crosscut)

COURTS (FEDERAL)

• As Supreme Court weakens Clean Water Act, what does it mean for WA? (The Seattle Times)

COURTS (STATE)

• Jury acquits Pierce County man whose rights were violated in South Hill assault arrest (The News Tribune)

CRIME

• KTTH Freedom Series: Seattle, Bellevue have dramatically different approaches to crime (MyNorthwest)
• Businesses take stand against rise in crime (FOX 13)
• Convicted sex offender named person of interest in Spokane teen girl’s death (KXLY TV)

DAMS

• Nelson Dam removal provides new start on the Naches River (Yakima Herald-Republic)

EDUCATION

• Seattle Middle School shifts to virtual instruction after student contracts measles (MyNorthwest)

ELECTIONS

• EDITORIAL: Washington remains at cutting edge of elections (The Columbian)

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• Washington state council taps brakes on natural gas ban in new buildings (Puget Sound Business Journal)
• Despite disparities, Washington state ranks 15th in EV charging station access (The Center Square)

ENVIRONMENT

• Versatile goats use their voracious appetites for more than just weed management and fire prevention (The Spokesman-Review)
• Grays Harbor included among $4.5 million in awards to address contaminated brownfields sites (KXRO Radio)
• OPINION: Collaboration with Indigenous communities is critical for climate resilience (Tom Wooten, chairman of Samish Indian Nation/The Seattle Times)

FISH

• Non-profit petitions for Chinook salmon to receive federal protection (MyNorthwest)

HANFORD

• New leader named for massive Hanford nuclear waste project in E. Washington (Tri-City Herald)

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• Gov. Inslee gives thumbs up to Pullman residency program (The Lewiston Tribune)
• Monroe health care workers picket for new contract (The Everett Herald)
• Multiple Taco Bells in Snohomish County struck with hepatitis A case (MyNorthwest)

HIGHER EDUCATION

• Clark College proposes $3.08M in cuts (The Columbian)
• Western Washington University breaks ground on carbon neutral academic building (The Center Square)

HOMELESSNESS

• Encampment near Seattle senior living community has become an ‘occupation,’ residents say (KOMO TV)
• Proposed location for Vancouver’s fourth Safe Stay draws mixed reviews (The Columbian)

HOUSING

• Seattle-area mortgage payments cost nearly double the rent (The Seattle Times)
• ‘Real people being represented’: Seattle’s social housing board is just getting started (KUOW Radio)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Washington State Patrol experiencing historic staffing shortage (KIRO TV)
• Seattle police killings rose under federal oversight, according to data analysis (The Seattle Times)

LONG-TERM CARE

• 200,000 eligible Washingtonians have less than a week to opt out of payroll tax program (The Center Square)
• EDITORIAL: WA paychecks will take a hit this summer. Long-term care tax is about to get real (Tri-City Herald)

MENTAL HEALTH

• $8M in behavioral health grants to benefit children, youth, families (The Everett Herald)

MILITARY & VETERANS

• Navy report details how jet fuel contaminated USS Nimitz water supply (Kitsap Sun)

OTHER STATES

• Soaring corporate income tax revenue surprises states (Pluribus News)
• Republicans’ walkout of Oregon Senate threatens to kill hundreds of bills (The Oregonian)
• Oregon Gov. Kotek, lawmakers move to add $300 million to public school funding (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
• Portland to clear sidewalk tents to settle suit with people with disabilities (AP)

PARKS

• Here’s how to visit Mount St. Helens despite the landslide that’s blocking the north road (The News Tribune)

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

• Washington prosecutors, judges preparing for state drug possession law to go into effect (KING TV)
• Seattle City Attorney hopes to prosecute public drug use and possession cases (FOX 13)
• Seattle taxpayer-funded program’s mission includes ‘using drugs safely’ (The Center Square)
• COLUMN: State Senator passes law to screen drug offenders prior to release (Max Gross/MyNorthwest)

TAXES

• WA’s new capital gains tax brings in far more than expected (The Seattle Times)
• State rakes in nearly $850M from capital gains tax (Washington State Standard)

TECHNOLOGY

• Regulators take aim at AI to protect consumers and workers (AP/MyNorthwest)

TRANSPORTATION

• First ‘visualization’ drawings released for replacement Interstate 5 Bridge (The Columbian)
• Here are the most unsafe, congested Thurston County roads, according to a new study (The Olympian)
• New stretch of US 12 north of Lowden and Touchet set to open Friday afternoon (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)
• Wetlands bridge adds delay and $72 million to light-rail project (The Seattle Times)

WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSE

• BLM: Seasonal fire ban in effect in Washington, Oregon (The Columbian)
• ‘Don’t be the spark:’ Early predictions point to a manageable fire season, but you should still remain cautious (The Spokesman-Review)

WILDLIFE

• Reports of bears seen wandering the streets of Issaquah (MyNorthwest)
• State says program to combat sea lion population in Columbia River working — it’s just hard to tell (The Daily News)
• EDITORIAL: Golden eagles are losers in race to build wind farms (Capital Press)

WOLVES

• Attack on dog won’t be counted against Washington wolf pack (Capital Press)