The Capitol Buzz is a weekday summary of online news stories from across the state, highlighting policies, politics and other issues that affect Washingtonians.
BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR
- EU threatens to tax $20 billion of US goods over Boeing aid (AP/The Seattle Times)
- Ailing Boeing 737 Max customer Jet Airways of India cancels all flights (Puget Sound Business Journal)
- OPINION: More companies need transparency on sexual-harassment cases (Ruchika Tulshyan (founder of Candour, an inclusion strategy firm/The Seattle Times)
- EDITORIAL: Was Boeing deal ‘great’ or a ‘mugging’? Which way, Jay? (Yakima Herald)
CAPITAL BUDGET
CENSUS
- King County population growth hits decade low, census data shows (The Seattle Times)
- Clark County keeps growing, though pace has slowed (The Columbian)
COMMUNITY & FAMILY ISSUES
CONGRESS & FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
COURTS, CRIME & LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Memorial service set for slain Washington sheriff’s deputy (AP/The Columbian)
- Service scheduled for deputy DeRosier (The Daily News)
- Non-violent robbery no longer subject to three strikes law (MyNorthwest)
- Man sentenced for his 28th felony — criminal impersonation (The Everett Herald)
- Suspect in Montesano standoff dies from wounds (The Vidette)
- Emphasis patrol to honor memory of Centralia teen killed in 2017 DUI crash (The Chronicle)
EDUCATION & SCHOOL SAFETY
- Queer, Indian and an immigrant, now he’s creating a path for others in STEM (Crosscut)
- Over 400 homeless Renton students ‘not a crisis’ says school officials (MyNorthwest)
- School board approves staff reductions in Aberdeen (The Daily World)
- OPINION: Don’t blame Legislature for school districts’ budget problems (Sen. Mark Schoesler/The Spokesman-Review)
- COLUMN: Teachers union’s greed causing massive deficits, layoffs across state (Dori Monson/MyNorthwest)
- COLUMN: Do Washington school districts want even more property tax money? (Jason Rantz/MyNorthwest)
ENERGY & UTILITIES
- Washington Senate passes pair of energy bills — and more await negotiations (The Seattle Times)
- Is there room for hydrogen-powered cars in a future that looks electric? (NW News Network)
- Governor signs Sen Hawkins’ hydrogen power legislation (NCW Life Channel)
FISH
- Grays Harbor shellfish area at risk of closure (KXRO Radio)
- Limits on these salmon will affect local fisheries this summer (The Bellingham Herald)
GUN RIGHTS
HEALTH CARE
- Washington state moves closer to a crackdown on vaccine exemptions (The Seattle Times)
- Senate votes to end personal exemption for measles vaccine (The Spokesman-Review)
- State Senate passes a bill that eliminates the ‘personal preference’ vaccination exemption (KOMO Radio)
- Gov. Inslee signs measure to codify some Affordable Care Act health care rules (AP/The News Tribune)
HIGHER EDUCATION
HOMELESSNESS
HOUSING
- March housing: Vacancy, price and building permits all holding steady (The Wenatchee World)
- Housing is most urgent question for Seattle council candidates looking to fill vacant seat (KUOW Radio)
LEGISLATURE
- Abolishing death penalty, plastic bag ban among failed Washington bills (KING TV)
- Legislation to repeal death penalty dies in the House (Seattle P-I)
- How a WA lawmaker used a fake kidnapping to sway a vote (Crosscut)
- Getting eyeball tattoos to be illegal in Washington (Columbia Basin Herald)
- Former Sen. Margarita Prentice, ‘a force’ who fought for farmworkers, dies at 88 (The Seattle Times)
- Permanent daylight saving time passes state Senate 46-2; here’s what’s next (The Seattle Times)
- EDITORIAL: It’s past time to end twice-yearly time change (The Everett Herald)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
- Kennewick councilman will not appeal censure. Watch the ‘consequences play out,’ he says (Tri-City Herald)
- Douglas County adopts policy referring to projects as “tax payer funded” (iFiberOne TV)
MENTAL HEALTH
- Mental health network proposal advances in state Legislature (AP/The Columbian)
- Senate gives unanimous approval to new mental health care hospital at UW (The Spokesman-Review)
MILITARY & VETERANS
OTHER STATES
- Advocacy group alleges Oregon’s foster care system ‘revictimizes children’ (Northwest Public Broadcasting)
- How fast are Oregon counties growing — or shrinking? All 36, ranked (The Oregonian)
- Portland area’s population growth is losing steam, census numbers show (The Oregonian)
POLITICS
LOCAL
- Spokane firefighter and mayor candidate reprimanded for engaging in campaign activities while on duty (The Spokesman-Review)
- Yakima city council takes action against member Kay Funk (KIT Radio)
NATIONAL
PRIVACY
TAXES
- Legislature votes to adopt another payroll tax (AP/KGMI Radio)
- OPINION: Want to save small businesses? Fix WA’s tax code (Elena Nebreda, owner and founder of Local Kisses From, and Will von Geldern, Director of Advocacy and Communications at Ventures/Crosscut)
- OPINION: Advisers can help find creative solutions to limit additional tax burdens (Kristi Mathisen, managing director, tax and financial planning at Laird Norton Wealth Management/Puget Sound Business Journal)
TRANSPORTATION
