This guest column was published in The (Tacoma) News Tribune April 9, 2016. After this column appeared, the Senate completed its investigation, revealing information about the conduct of the executive branch that was not mentioned in the governor’s report. By Sen....
This guest column was published in the Seattle Times, March 14, 2016. By Sen. Mark Miloscia, R-Federal Way In 2005, as chair of the state House of Representatives’ housing committee, I passed legislation to dramatically increase spending for the homeless while...
This guest column appeared in the Seattle Times, Feb. 24, 2016. After this column appeared, the Senate completed its investigation, revealing information about the conduct of the executive branch that was not mentioned in the governor’s report. By Sen. Mike Padden,...
Public charter schools would remain available to Washington students under bipartisan legislation passed today by the Washington State Senate. The plan, sponsored by Sen. Steve Litzow, directs charter school funding to come from the state’s Opportunity Pathways...
By Sen. Linda Evans Parlette, R-Wenatchee In a short time, we begin a legislative session in which anything can happen – more true in 2016 than in most years. The key thing to remember is that, at least on the Senate side, we will hold true to the priorities that have...
This guest column was published in the Seattle Times, Jan. 3, 2016. The Legislature tackled cybersecurity during the 2016 session by passing Senate Bill 5628. The bill directs the state chief information officer to devise a process to detect and respond to...
This guest column was published in The (Tacoma) News Tribune, Dec. 28, 2015. Ultimately the Indeterminate Sentencing Review Board denied Timothy Pauley’s request for early release. The board instead noted the egregiousness of the crime, observed that Pauley’s...
This guest column was published in Crosscut, Oct. 21, 2015. In June 2016, the Inslee Administration released a new plan to impose carbon-cap regulations without a vote of the Legislature. By Sen. Tim Sheldon, D-Potlatch A couple of weeks ago, Gov. Jay Inslee announced...
This guest column was pubished in The (Spokane) Spokesman-Review, Oct. 4, 2015. During the 2016 legislative session, opportunities for remote testimony were expanded as the Senate added Skype capabilities to its communication apparatus. Further upgrades to switching...
This guest column was published in The (Tacoma) News Tribune, Aug. 13, 2015. In June 2016, the Inslee Administration released a new plan to impose carbon-cap regulations without a vote of the Legislature. By Sen. Sharon Brown, R-Kennewick, and Sen. Tim Sheldon,...
This guest column was published in The (Vancouver) Columbian, Aug. 8, 2015. As a result of Senate Bill 5974, the Legislature revisited the issue in 2016 and passed legislation (SB 6405) allowing supplemental veterans’ health insurance to be offered in the state of...
If ever there was a legislative session that proved Otto von Bismarck right, it is the one we just finished. Von Bismarck is the former German chancellor we always quote about legislating and sausage-making: “Laws are like sausages – it is better not to see them being...
