OLYMPIA… The state Senate’s majority Democrats today passed a $78.6 billion operating budget that relies on the largest tax increase in state history, after rejecting the smaller, no-new-taxes, no-cuts budget proposed by Senate Republicans. The “$ave Washington”...
By John Braun Special to the Times In 2021 our state’s bipartisan, voter-created Redistricting Commission set Washington’s current legislative and congressional boundaries. In August, a federal judge ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in Soto Palmer v. Hobbs, who...
9/27/2023... A court says Latino representation in an Eastern Washington Legislative District is insufficient under the Voting Rights Act. State Republican legislative leaders say there’s a clear path forward, but Democrats aren’t willing to follow it. Tracy Ellis...
Violent crime increased by 8.5% in 2022. Murders rose by nearly 17% in one year. Robberies were up 18% in 2022 and over 12,000 more cars were stolen last year compared to 2021 totals. The new Yakima Valley Local Crime Lab just...
An effort is underway to help support the next generation of farmers by expanding the state’s farm-internship program. Tracy Ellis reports.
State House Democrats are reportedly planning to kill a bill that aims to help Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People. Tracy Ellis reports.
![VIDEO: [un]Divided: DUI driver kills two kids in ‘preventable’ crash, featuring Sen. Nikki Torres](https://src.wastateleg.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Torres-Video.png)
State Senator Nikki Torres says a crash that killed two foster kids could have been prevented had law enforcement been able to pursue the suspected drunk driver. She joined Brandi Kruse on the unDivided Podcast. https://youtu.be/S33KtSGYG1s
Sen. Nikki Torres spoke at a rally at the state capitol that preceded Senate approval of a police pursuit reform bill expanding the authority of officers to chase fleeing suspects. KIRO TV COVERAGE FOX 13 COVERAGE https://youtu.be/0RKwWxzs3U0
A shockingly large number of Native Americans have turned up missing or murdered in Washington – a bill that passed out of state Senate aims to address that. Laudan Espinoza has more.
Sen. Nikki Torres talks to KTTH Radio’s Jason Rantz about cracking down on organized retail theft, the latest on bills that make it easier for police to pursue suspects, and missing and murdered indigenous women and people.
Sen. Nikki Torres talks with KONA Radio’s The Bottom Line about banning homeless encampments near schools, fighting organized retail theft, helping missing and murdered indigenous women and people, preserving water rights for farmland and economic development,...
A bill that would invest 200 million dollars to expand broadband capacity in underserved rural areas is being considered by the state Senate. Tracy Ellis reports.
