Our community is reeling with anger and frustration following the killing of yet another unarmed, non-threatening black man by police officers, this time in Minneapolis. We are heartsick at the senseless killings of George Floyd, Manuel Ellis, Breonna Taylor, and ...
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The last few weeks have been difficult and emotional for people here in Seattle and across the world. Our response to COVID-19 has required us all to alter our lives drastically for a common goal: to reduce the rate of ...
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By Jamie Pedersen Special to The Times For more than a decade, the Washington State Legislature has been building a more sustainable and robust foundation for the education of our state’s 1.1 million public school students. We have made substantial ...
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We passed the halfway mark this week on our 60-day legislative session in Olympia. The pace has been intense as we considered more than 1,800 bills on subjects ranging from homelessness and behavioral health to education and gun violence. We ...
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Fewer businesses will be asked to foot the bill for higher education programs after Gov. Jay Inslee signed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6492 on Monday. The bill will restructure the business and occupation tax and surcharges put in place by ...
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The Legislature has passed a bill changing the business-and-occupation tax to increase funding for a new program to make college more affordable to students across Washington. Democratic House lawmakers Wednesday night approved Senate Bill 6492, 52 to 45. No Republicans ...
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Often the best ideas for new laws originate with friends and neighbors who are willing to tell their stories and put in hours of work to develop and advance legislation. One example close to my heart this week is the ...
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Last week I had the opportunity to celebrate the re-opening of the recently renovated Lincoln High School (the first new comprehensive high school in our city in nearly 60 years) and attend the re-opening of Town Hall Seattle after two ...
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Controversial bills grab most of the headlines. But every year, the Legislature passes – usually with overwhelming bipartisan support – dozens of bills to modernize and improve state law in a wide range of areas. Since 2010, I have served ...
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Thanks to the work and leadership of many survivors of sexual assault in our state, the Legislature took action this year to make it easier for survivors to seek and achieve justice. I am grateful for the courage survivors demonstrated ...
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