News

Both Republicans and Democrats agree on one aspect of today’s (Mon) bill signing establishing a Washington income tax: it’s historic. Tracy Ellis reports.

Governor should also bring lawmakers back to rework unaffordable budget OLYMPIA… Leaders of the state Senate Republican Caucus have called on Gov. Bob Ferguson to veto the income-tax bill passed by majority Democrats during this year’s annual session. In their letter requesting the veto, the Republican leaders also urged the governor to call legislators back...

Think about what it would be like for your school district to suddenly face closure. A state legislator says families in Prescott lived through that exact fear. Tracy Ellis explains.

Washington is losing residents and income at a pace lawmakers can’t ignore. Senate Republican Leader John Braun breaks down IRS migration data, rising costs, new taxes, and why businesses and families are reconsidering their future in the state. He also discusses ExitWA and shares a message of hope and engagement. TRANSCRIPT

Gov. Bob Ferguson has officially signed into law two critical pieces of legislation prime-sponsored by Sen. Keith Wagoner and designed to eliminate systemic bottlenecks that have delayed justice for both victims and the accused across Washington state. Senate Bill 5868 and Senate Bill 5880 both secured overwhelming bipartisan support during the 2026 legislative session. These...

If you’ve ever tried to track a college financial aid application, you know it can feel like a maze. A new Washington law aims to make that process a lot clearer for students and families. Tracy Ellis reports.

An effort to bolster Washington’s emergency- response capabilities reached the finish line this week as Gov. Bob Ferguson signed Senate Bill 6046. Introduced by Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley, the legislation formally establishes the Washington Division of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) as an official branch within the state Military Department. The measure, which passed the...

We’ve reached the end of the 2026 legislative session. Sine Die was Thursday, March 12 — and as always, there’s a lot to report. This is a longer update than usual, but it’s important you have the full picture of what happened this session and what it means for your family. Let me start with...

Washington’s 2026 legislative session ended with a historic income tax proposal, an $80 billion state budget, and major fights over agriculture, law enforcement, and business regulation. Senate Republican Leader John Braun joins Elephant in the Dome to explain what passed, what Republicans stopped, and what it could mean for Washington’s economy. Topics include: Washington income...

Sen. Keith Goehner joins KPQ to discuss Washington’s 2026 legislative session, highlighting budget deficits, new taxes, pension shifts, and limits on public input. He addresses impacts on education, agriculture, energy policy, and county governments while stressing the need for accountability, sustainable spending, and meaningful engagement with constituents.

A new Washington law aims to keep artificial intelligence from stealing your identity. Tracy Ellis explains.

OLYMPIA — Legislation sponsored by Sen. Matt Boehnke to strengthen protections against AI-generated impersonations and other digital misuse of a person’s identity was signed into law today, Monday, March 16, by Gov. Bob Ferguson. Substitute Senate Bill 5886 updates Washington’s personality rights law to address the growing use of artificial intelligence to create realistic but...