The Capitol Buzz is a weekday summary of online news stories from across the state, highlighting policies, politics and other issues that affect Washingtonians.
OUR NEWS RELEASES FROM THIS WEEK
- Maycumber gives Republican response to Gov. Inslee’s State of the State speech
- Washington State House Republicans elect Rep. Morgan Irwin as Assistant Floor Leader
- Rep. Richard DeBolt seeks to transition state into a clean energy future
- Rep. Mary Dye discusses her groundbreaking broadband legislation
- Rep. Luanne Van Werven named lead on higher ed issues for House Republicans
CAPITOL BUZZ RADIO/AUDIO
AGRICULTURE & WATER
BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR
- Lawmakers push payroll tax for long-term care insurance plan (MyNorthwest)
- Walmart testing new tech as store remodels continue (The Bellingham Herald)
- OPINION: Trade war with China puts Boeing and U.S. economy at risk (Wang Donghua, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China to San Francisco/The Seattle Times)
COMMUNITY & FAMILY ISSUES
- Attorney General Ferguson to speak at Women’s March (The Wenatchee World)
- DSHS to distribute food benefits early because of government shutdown (The Olympian)
- Food banks are ready to help federal workers. But for how long? (Tri-City Herald)
CONGRESS & FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
- Herrera Beutler repeats wall-for-dreamers deal to end shutdown (The Chronicle)
- Kilmer cancels local town hall meetings for DC, schedules Facebook live event (KBKW Radio)
- EDITORIAL: Shutdown’s impacts are hitting hard and broadly (The Everett Herald)
COURTS, CRIME & LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Man comes forward with 27 guns stolen from Kettle Falls police chief (The Spokesman-Review)
- For a brief moment, Eyman was ready to settle with the state (The Everett Herald)
- Bill aims to abolish death penalty (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)
EDUCATION & SCHOOL SAFETY
- Issaquah School District employees authorize strike, claiming contract wasn’t honored (The Seattle Times)
- Vancouver schools keep kids at home following measles outbreak (KUOW Radio)
- WIAA will vote to bring two big changes to state classifications, including a socioeconomic factor (The Seattle Times)
- Amidst shutdown, kids still getting free or reduced-cost school lunches — for now (The News Tribune)
- Kennewick paraeducators approve contract, won’t strike (Tri-City Herald)
ENVIRONMENT, NATURAL RESOURCES & PARKS
- Navy dumps hazardous substances including copper, zinc into Puget Sound, Washington state AG says (The Seattle Times)
- Gov. Inslee to talk climate with former California governor (AP/KLCK Radio)
- Former California Gov. Jerry Brown visits Olympia to boost support for Inslee’s climate plan (The Seattle Times)
- State senator puts Inslee’s clean energy bill on fast track (KNKX Radio)
- Brown warns Washington lawmakers: Climate change will get worse (The Spokesman-Review)
FISH
- After 20 years and $1 billion spent on Washington state salmon programs, fish still declining, new report says (The Seattle Times)
- Inslee: Salmon runs continue to drop (Washington Ag Network/KONA Radio)
GUN RIGHTS
- Washington lawmaker wants to require firearm training before passing gun regulations (MyNorthwest)
- New report says 90% of guns used in crime obtained illegally (KIT Radio)
HEALTH CARE
- 14 confirmed cases of measles in SW Washington (KLEW TV)
- Hospice workers union has been seeking contract for 2½ years (The Everett Herald)
- Confluence Health invests in removing drugs (The Wenatchee World)
- EDITORIAL: Vaccines are essential (The Columbian)
HOMELESSNESS
- The $500M question: What do housing advocates think of Microsoft’s plan? (Crosscut)
- Project Homeless Connect set for Thursday (Columbia Basin Herald)
- Food bank leader worries downtown homeless camps are keeping hungry people away (The Olympian)
- Puyallup settles with four homeless people who brought ‘sweep’ lawsuit (KNKX Radio)
HOUSING
- King County property tax bills are coming, and the housing market slowdown won’t lower your bill (The Seattle Times)
- Analysis: King County council member talks Microsoft’s affordable housing pledge (KNKX Radio)
LEGISLATURE
- Trump’s undisclosed tax returns prompts new Washington bill ahead of 2020 election (KOMO TV)
- State lawmaker’s effort to compensate college athletes ‘a conversation starter’ (KNKX Radio)
- Democrats move forward on replacing Sen. Ranker (Skagit Valley Herald)
- State Sen. Joe Nguyen joins an increasingly diverse group of lawmakers in Olympia (KNKX Radio)
- Should razor clam be declared the official state clam? (The Spokesman-Review)
- State officials couldn’t become lobbyists as soon as they leave (The Spokesman-Review)
- 13th District Rep. Alex Ybarra: rocket scientist turned lawmaker (Columbia Basin Herald)
- Manweller’s replacement, Ybarra, already active at the capitol (iFiberOne TV)
- 2019 Session: Reps. Steele, Goehner on start of session, committee appointments (KOHO Radio)
- EDITORIAL: How to keep an eye on lawmakers during the 2019 session (Yakima Herald)
- EDITORIAL: Another Democratic leader skips an Inslee State of the State speech. Please burn that playbook (The News Tribune)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
- Concerned mayors meet with prosecutors over handling of felony cases (KIRO TV)
- City to resume sit-lie enforcement in February (The Spokesman-Review)
MARIJUANA
MILITARY & VETERANS
OTHER STATES
POLITICS
BALLOT MEASURES
STATE
NATIONAL
TAXES
- COLUMN: Unconstitutional income tax introduced in Legislature (Dori Monson/MyNorthwest)
- EDITORIAL: Only way to impose income tax is to change state constitution (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)
TECHNOLOGY
- Legislature looks to bring broadband to rural ‘black holes’ (Crosscut)
- Jay Inslee wants more high-speed internet in Washington. It’s needed in rural and tribal communities (Northwest Public Broadcasting)
- Kitsap County weighs guidelines for devices that support 5G (Kitsap Sun)
TRANSPORTATION
- Senator’s bill seeks direct elections to Sound Transit board (MyNorthwest)
- Despite 5th crash in 5 months at Tacoma I-5 construction zone, WSDOT will not make changes (KOMO TV)
- Bill introduced for high-speed rail authority in Northwest (MyNorthwest)
- Washington ferries report 25 million riders in 2018, most in 16 years (MyNorthwest)
- Sound Transit expansion southward could destroy Dick’s Drive-In Kent location (KCPQ TV)
TRIBAL ISSUES
WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSE
- Washington state wants to add firefighters and training academy to beef up wildfire response (The Seattle Times)
- Public lands commissioner unveils 10-year wildfire plan (Yakima Herald)
- Riverside School District says it’s time to cleanup 98-acre forest land to reduce fire risks (The Spokesman-Review)
- Government shutdown impacting wildfire season (KNDU TV/KNDO TV)
- US shutdown stalls training, other prep for wildfire season (AP/The Olympian)
WILDLIFE
