Austin Jenkins, Author at Northwest Public Broadcasting

Washington Is Sending Youth In Crisis To Out-Of-State Boarding Schools; Taxpayers Pick Up The Tab

By Austin Jenkins May 24, 2022

Robin Marie and her 13-year-old son Brennan pose for a photo earlier this spring at a restaurant in Texas. Marie was visiting her son who's living at an out-of-state residential treatment facility paid for by his local school district and the state.

Some parents with kids in crisis in Washington are making a heart wrenching decision. They’re sending their children to out-of-state therapeutic boarding schools. And taxpayers are picking up the tab. While these are outlier cases, they highlight ongoing gaps in in-state services — gaps that were laid bare during the COVID pandemic. Read More

Case Of Missing Washington 5-Year-Old Highlights Secrecy Around CPS Cases

By Austin Jenkins May 12, 2022

Missing 5-year-old Oakley Carlson, left, next to an image of her former foster parents Erik and Jamie Jo Hiles of Elma, Washington. The couple has concerns about how Washington's Department of Children Youth and Families handled Oakley's child welfare case and the decision to return the girl to her biological parents.

There are more questions than answers in the case of a missing former foster child from Grays Harbor County. Five-year-old Oakley Carlson has been unaccounted for since February of last year. Police say her parents aren’t cooperating with the investigation. Oakley’s former foster mom questions why Oakley was sent back to live with her parents after more than two years in Read More

Washington Attorney General Announces $476M Settlement With Opioid Distributors

By Austin Jenkins May 4, 2022

Attorney General Bob Ferguson announces an agreement with three major opioid distributors to settle a lawsuit that had gone to trial, but had not yet concluded. Under the agreement, the state and local governments will share a $476 million settlement to address the ongoing public health fallout from the opioid crisis.

Three large opioid distributors will pay the state of Washington $476 million as part of an agreement to end litigation that began more than three years ago. Continue Reading Washington Attorney General Announces $476M Settlement Read More

Washington Seafood Company Fined Following COVID Death

By Austin Jenkins April 26, 2022

A graphic from the state of Washington depicts different forms of face coverings. A Pierce County fish processing plant has been fined for not complying with the state's workplace mask mandate, resulting in the death of an employee from COVID last year.

A Sumner, Washington seafood company that makes imitation crab and other products has been fined $56,000 in connection with a 2021 COVID outbreak that left one employee dead. Continue Reading Washington Seafood Company Fined Following COVID DeathRead More

Washington Lawmakers Of Color Announce Departures, One Calls The Work Environment ‘Toxic’

By Austin Jenkins April 26, 2022

State Rep. Kirsten Harris-Talley, a south Seattle Democrat, is one of three lawmakers of color who are not running for reelection after just one full term in office. In an op-ed, Harris-Talley described the legislative work environment as toxic and said she had been betrayed by House Democratic leadership.

In recent years, Washington’s Legislature has grown more diverse. And majority Democrats have emphasized diversity and equity as core values. But now three members of color, out of nearly 30, are stepping down from the Legislature after serving just one full term. One of them describes the legislative work environment as toxic. Read More

Employees Say State Insurance Chief Used Racist Slurs, Mistreated Staff

By Austin Jenkins April 19, 2022

Former staff allege that Democrat Mike Kreidler, Washington's longtime elected insurance commissioner, has mistreated staff and used offensive and racist language in conversation, which stands in contrast to his record of advocating for marginalized communities.

Washington’s long-time elected insurance commissioner has used offensive terms in the workplace to describe people of different races and ethnicities, as well as people who are transgender. That’s according to former agency insiders who’ve come forward in recent weeks. Meanwhile, other former employees are giving new accounts of what they say is Commissioner Mike Read More

FOLLOW UP: After 5 Months Stuck In The Hospital, Washington Teen With Autism Sent To South Carolina Facility

By Austin Jenkins March 29, 2022

Matthew, a 14-year-old who is autistic and nonverbal, watches YouTube and holds a fidget device. After being removed from his group home last September, Matthew was stuck in a hospital in Everett for more than five months while the state of Washington and advocates looked for appropriate placement options for him. He eventually ended up… Read More

AG Appeals Capital Gains Tax Ruling To WA Supreme Court

By Austin Jenkins March 25, 2022

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson takes capital gains tax appeal straight to the state Supreme Court OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL Listen Olympia Correspondent Austin Jenkins reports on the Washington State AG’s appeal of a decision to stop a new proposed capital gains tax / Runtime: 50 seconds Read The legal battle over Washington’s capital… Read More

WA Gov. Inslee Signs Gun Bills Into Law

By Austin Jenkins March 23, 2022

Gov. Inslee signs new gun laws, including one that limits high capacity gun magazines Listen: Austin Jenkins reports on reaction to Gov. Inslee signing three gun-related bills into law / Runtime – 1:52 READ Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday signed into law three gun-related bills, including one that will prohibit the sale of gun… Read More

Washington Lawmakers Adjourn 60-Day Session After Passing Budget & Transportation Package

By Austin Jenkins March 11, 2022

Democrats in the Washington State Legislature are proposing more spending

The WA Legislature adjourns its 60 day session Listen: Capitol Correspondent Austin Jenkins wraps up the legislative session / Runtime: 4 minutes Austin Jenkins/NW News NetworkExcept for a few visitors and lobbyists, the rotunda of the Washington state Capitol was quiet on the last day of the 2022 session. For the second year in a… Read More

Democrats In Olympia Strike Deal On Updated Spending Plan

By Austin Jenkins March 10, 2022

Washington’s Democratic-majority legislature approves 2-year budget plan with new spending and less tax cuts Read Listen: Olympia Correspondent Austin Jenkins reports on the budget deal. (Runtime: 59 seconds) Majority Democrats in the Washington House and Senate on Wednesday have struck a deal on an update to the state’s two-year budget. The agreement comes with Read More

Bills Dying In Final Days Of WA Legislative Session

By Austin Jenkins March 8, 2022

Many bills are dying in the final days of the WA legislative session Listen Read This is the final week of Washington’s legislative session. But already a number of proposals have met their demise – especially following a key cut-off deadline on Friday. A big topic of conversation this year was emergency powers reform. Current… Read More

Rally Against COVID restrictions at WA State Capitol

By Austin Jenkins March 5, 2022

Hundreds rally at Washington State Capitol

Hundreds gathered Saturday at the Washington State Capitol to protest COVID mandates. Photo Credit: AP Listen Read Washington’s mask mandate will lift next Saturday. But that didn’t stop hundreds of people from rallying at the state Capitol Saturday in opposition to COVID-related restrictions. There was music, and a small convoy of honking big rigs. But… Read More

Gov. Inslee Signs Police Reform “Fix” Measures

By Austin Jenkins March 4, 2022

Washington Gov. Jay Inlsee with a mask on at a press conference

Gov. Jay Inslee, pictured in this file photo, signed two measures that “fix” issues in the state’s police reform laws Listen Read Washington Governor Jay Inslee has signed into law two so called “fixes” to last year’s sweeping police reform measures. One makes clear that police can use 50 caliber or greater less-than-lethal rounds. The… Read More

Washington’s Longtime Insurance Commissioner Accused Of Mistreating Staff

By Austin Jenkins March 3, 2022

Washington's longtime insurance commissioner, Mike Kreidler, is facing allegations that he verbally mistreats staff and that his behavior is destabilizing the office. One top staffer filed a formal complaint in February accusing Kreidler of bullying him and antagonizing staff. The complaint said Kreidler is "not fit to lead" and should consider stepping aside. Kreidler responds that he has high standards for his staff, but also said he will work to be more careful in how he deals with people. He said he has no plans to resign is position.

Mike Kreidler, Washington’s longtime insurance commissioner, is facing allegations that he verbally mistreats staff. Current and former employees say it’s part of a pattern that’s gotten worse in recent months and is contributing to high turnover in the office. Kreidler says he has high standards for his staff, but said he will work to be more careful in how he deals with Read More

Judge Throws Out Washington’s New Capital Gains Tax

By Austin Jenkins March 2, 2022

Gov. Jay Inslee on May 4, 2021, signed into law a new capital gains tax and an expanded version of the state's Working Families Tax Exemption which has never before been funded. CREDIT: TVW/screenshot

Gov. Jay Inslee on May 4, 2021, signed into law a new capital gains tax. Listen Read Washington’s attorney general says he will appeal after a judge in Douglas County tossed out the state’s new capital gains tax. In his ruling, Judge Brian Huber said the capital gains tax on the sale of such things… Read More

Washington State Mask Mandate To Be Lifted Early

By Austin Jenkins February 28, 2022

People wearing masks. Noam Galai/Getty Images

Washington State’s mask mandate will end early CREDIT: Noam Galai/Getty Images Read With COVID cases and hospitalizations dropping fast, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Monday that the state’s indoor mask mandate will lift on Saturday, March 12, 10 days earlier than previously announced. Oregon and California were also expected to adopt the March 12 Read More

Dems propose bigger state budget

By Austin Jenkins February 22, 2022

Washington Legislative Staffers Stage Sick-Out After Unionization Bill Dies

By Austin Jenkins February 22, 2022

In an act of labor solidarity, scores of Democratic staffers in the Washington Legislature staged a “sick-out” Wednesday after a bill that would have allowed them to unionize failed to advance before a key cutoff deadline. Continue Read More

Washington mask mandate to end March 21

By Austin Jenkins February 17, 2022

Gov. Inslee announces the end of indoor mask mandate

Gov. Inslee has announced Washington's indoor mask mandate will end on March 21,with a few exceptions Continue Reading Washington mask mandate to end March 21Read More

Washington Legislative Staffers Stage Sick-Out After Unionization Bill Dies

By Austin Jenkins February 17, 2022

Democratic staffers in the Washington Legislature staged a "sick out" on Wednesday after a bill that would have allowed them to unionize failed to advance before a key legislative deadline.

Inslee’s Bill To Criminalize Lying About Elections Appears Dead

By Austin Jenkins February 16, 2022

In January, Gov. Jay Inslee took the unusual step of testifying in a legislative committee in favor of a bill he requested to make it a crime for elected officials and candidates for office to incite lawlessness by making false statements about elections. That bill failed to clear the Washington Senate before a key cut-off deadline on February 15.

A measure backed by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee that would have made it a crime for elected officials and candidates for office to incite lawlessness by making false statements about elections appears to have died in the state Legislature. Continue Read More

Washington Governor Says Announcement On State Indoor Mask Mandate Coming Next Week

By Austin Jenkins February 10, 2022

Isaac Williams, 6, wears a mask as he prepares to receive a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on Tuesday, November 9, 2021, at Seattle Children's Hospital in Seattle. Wash. Gov. Inslee said on Feb. 9, 2022 that he’s lifting outdoor masking requirements.

As states from Oregon to New York announce plans to end mask mandates, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday announced that he’s lifting outdoor masking requirements and plans to announce next week a date when the face-covering rules for public indoor spaces and schools will be lifted. Read More

As Red States Impose New Restrictions On Voting, Blue Washington Presses Ahead With Expansions

By Austin Jenkins February 3, 2022

Majority Democrats in the Washington Legislature are considering ways to expand access to voting as voting-rights legislation is stalled in Congress and many Republican-led states impose new restrictions.

As the 2022 midterm elections loom, a partisan battle over access to the ballot box continues to be fought in Congress and in state legislatures across the country. Red states are passing new restrictions, while many blue states are making voting more accessible. That includes Washington. Read More

A Torrent Of Support For Curbing Inslee’s Emergency Powers As Lawmakers Take Public Testimony

By Austin Jenkins January 29, 2022

Washington’s COVID-19 state of emergency is approaching its two-year anniversary. Under current law, the governor has broad emergency powers. But the Legislature is considering new restrictions on that authority. Continue Read More

Washington State Patrol, Criticized For Lack Of Diversity, Removes Psychologist From Hiring Decisions

By Austin Jenkins January 27, 2022

Daniel Clark, psychologist for the Washington State Patrol

The Washington State Patrol permanently stripped its staff psychologist of his power to approve or reject trooper candidates, a role that for nearly 30 years shaped the agency’s ranks. Continue Reading Read More

With His Signature, Inslee Pauses WA Cares Program For 18 Months

By Austin Jenkins January 27, 2022

Austin Jenkins / NW News Network The WA Cares program would provide workers a lifetime benefit of up to $36,500 to pay for long-term care, including in a nursing home. On Thursday, Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law a bill that delays the start of WA Cares for 18 months to give state lawmakers time to make changes to the program. A second bill signed by Inslee will allow certain categories of workers to opt out of paying the payroll tax that will fund the benefit.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday signed into law a bill that delays the start of a controversial long-term care benefit program known as WA Cares for 18 months. A second measure signed by Inslee will allow certain workers to opt out of the first-in-the-nation program. Read More

Showing Or Selling A Fake COVID-19 Vaccine Card Could Become A Crime In Washington

By Austin Jenkins January 24, 2022

A sign outside Linda's Tavern in Seattle in late July 2021 asks customers for proof of vaccination against COVID-19.

A proposal in the Washington Legislature would make it a crime to use or sell a fake COVID-19 vaccination card. The sponsor says he wants to deter people from even considering the ruse, but he also wants to send a signal to prosecutors to prioritize these cases as a matter of protecting public health. Read More

Washington House Votes To Delay Long-Term Care Tax For 18 Months

By Austin Jenkins January 20, 2022

Washington House Democrats voted Wednesday to delay implementation of WA Cares for 18 months. The first-in-the-nation program is designed to provide long-term care benefits, ranging from in-home personal care to nursing home care, to Washington workers. The program is funded by a payroll premium that was supposed to kick-in this January. Under the legislation, the tax would instead begin in July 2023.

Following widespread criticisms and voter pushback, the Washington state House on Wednesday voted to delay the collection of a new payroll tax to fund a state-run, long-term care insurance program called WA Cares. Continue Reading Washington Read More

Inslee Deploying 100 National Guard To Help Hospitals, Orders Pause On Non-Emergency Procedures

By Austin Jenkins January 13, 2022

Washington National Guard soldiers walk through the Food Lifeline Covid Response Center on Tuesday, April 21, 2020, along East Marginal Way South in Seattle.

Following the lead of Oregon and other states, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Thursday that he will deploy 100 members of the National Guard to assist hospitals struggling to respond to a spike in COVID-19 patients due to the highly-contagious omicron variant. Read More

Election Offices And School Board Meetings Could Become Weapons-Free Zones In Washington

By Austin Jenkins January 13, 2022

A law passed last year banned the open carry of firearms at the Washington state Capitol and at demonstrations anywhere in the state. Now, state lawmakers are considering restrictions on guns at school board and local government meetings, as well as at election-related locations.

Guns and other weapons would be banned from election-related locations and at school board meetings in Washington under a pair of proposals that received a public hearing in the Democratically-controlled state Legislature on Wednesday. Read More

5 Things To Know About Washington’s 2022 Legislative Session

By Austin Jenkins January 12, 2022

The Washington Legislature convenes Monday for a 60-day election year session. Unlike last year, the Capitol building is once again open to the public and there's no security fence or National Guard presence (both were put in place following the events of January 6). But, because of COVID-19, the Legislature will still meet mostly remotely, at least to start.

A year ago, a chain link fence, National Guard members and scores of state troopers surrounded the Capitol in an unprecedented show of defensive force. The temporary bulwark and troop deployment was a response to the January 6 pro-Trump mob attack on the U.S. Capitol, a major security breach that same day at the governor’s residence in Olympia and threats by far-right Read More

As Omicron Soars, Inslee Announces Expanded Testing And Mask Distribution To Keep Schools Open

By Austin Jenkins January 5, 2022

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee says the state is racing to expand access to testing, masks and vaccines, but has no immediate plans to impose new rollbacks, mandates or restrictions in the face of an unprecedented wave of new COVID-19 cases driven by the omicron variant. Read More

Omicron Scrambles Plans For Start Of Washington’s Legislative Session

By Austin Jenkins January 3, 2022

A limited group of masked state senators participated in person on the opening day of Washington's 2021 legislative session. Other senators joined remotely. The 2022 legislative session may look similar in light of rising COVID-19 cases.

So much for the best laid plans for Washington’s 2022 legislative session. The highly contagious omicron variant of COVID-19 has upended what was supposed to be a mostly in-person start to the 60-day session, at least in the House of Representatives. Read More

Once Again, Washington Lawmakers Sue Inslee Over Vetoes

By Austin Jenkins December 21, 2021

The Washington Legislature is suing Gov. Jay Inslee once again alleging he overstepped his veto authority earlier this year. The Washington Supreme Court recently sided with the Legislature in a similar case

For the second time, Washington lawmakers are suing Gov. Jay Inslee over his use of the veto pen. In a lawsuit filed Monday in Thurston County Superior Court, the Legislature asserts Inslee exceeded his veto power earlier this year when he line-item vetoed parts of the state transportation budget and eliminated a subsection of a low carbon fuels bill. Read More

Washington State Senator Doug Ericksen Dead At 52; Follows COVID Diagnosis

By Austin Jenkins December 20, 2021

Longtime Washington state Sen. Doug Ericksen, a Whatcom County Republican, has died following a COVID-19 diagnosis while traveling in El Salvador last month. Continue Reading Washington State Senator Doug Ericksen Dead At 52; Follows Read More

Inslee Orders Delay In Collection Of New Long-Term Care Tax From Workers

By Austin Jenkins December 17, 2021

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Democratic leaders in the state Legislature have announced a delay in the collection of a new payroll tax, set to kick-in on January 1, to fund a new long-term care benefit program called WA Cares. The delay will allow lawmakers time to make changes to the program to address concerns about workers who are required to pay the premium, but won't qualify for the benefit.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Democratic leaders in the Legislature announced Friday a delay in the collection of a payroll tax to pay for a new long-term care insurance benefit for workers. Continue Reading Inslee Orders Delay In Read More

He’s 13-Years-Old, Autistic And Stuck In The Hospital For The Holidays. He’s Not The Only One

By Austin Jenkins December 16, 2021

This hospital room at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett is where an autistic, non-verbal 13-year-old named Matthew is living while the state of Washington tries to find a community placement for him. He's been there since late September following a crisis in his group home. Advocates say Matthew's case is indicative of a growing problem of high-needs youth getting stuck in hospitals after they've been cleared for discharge.

It's a growing problem in Washington: kids with developmental disabilities and complex behaviors who are stuck in the hospital with no reason for being there. Usually, they end up in the hospital after a crisis or an incident. But once the child is medically cleared to leave, their parents or their group home won't come get them citing inadequate supports to manage the Read More

‘The Situation Is Dangerous.’ Parents Sound Alarm Over Troubled In-Home Care Provider

By Austin Jenkins December 7, 2021

Andrew Simmons, right, blows bubbles with his father Bo last spring. Andrew, who's profoundly autistic and mostly non-verbal, lives in a supported living home in Snohomish County operated by Aacres WA, a troubled state contractor. Bo Simmons says conditions in the home over the past year have deteriorated to the point of being dangerous for Andrew and his housemates.

Mysterious bruises. An unreported burn. Two vulnerable clients left alone overnight. These are just some of the complaints that families are leveling against Aacres WA — a troubled residential care provider that gets tens of millions of dollars a year from the state to care for people with developmental disabilities. Now state officials say they’re investigating. Read More

Washington Supreme Court Says Redistricting Commission Met Its Deadline, Declines To Redo Maps

By Austin Jenkins December 3, 2021

The Washington Supreme Court on Friday declared the state's redistricting commission had met its deadline and declined to exercise its authority to draft new legislative and congressional maps.

In a surprise order Friday morning, the Washington Supreme Court declined to take on the job of drafting new congressional and legislative maps. Instead, the court declared that the state's Redistricting Commission had finished its work on time last month. Read More

Inslee Offers Support For Temporary Delay In New Payroll Tax For Long-Term Care Program

By Austin Jenkins December 3, 2021

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said Thursday that he would support a delay in the implementation of a new payroll tax to fund a first-in-the-nation long-term care benefit program called WA Cares. Continue Reading Inslee Read More

More Than 630 Days And Counting. When Will Inslee’s State Of Emergency End?

By Austin Jenkins November 22, 2021

For nearly two years, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has operated the state under a COVID-19 state of emergency. Washington's emergency powers statute gives the governor broad authority to manage the state in times of crisis. Unlike in other states, the Legislature has limited opportunities to intervene and no role in renewing or ending the emergency.

For months, minority Republicans in the Washington Legislature have called for limits on the governor’s emergency powers. But now even some Democrats are expressing concerns about the open-endedness of the COVID-19 state of emergency and the limited role of state lawmakers. Read More

A Lone Holdout. Why Washington’s Secretary Of State Says She Didn’t Impose Vaccine Mandate

By Austin Jenkins November 3, 2021

Sec. of State Kim Wyman is Washington's only Republican statewide officeholder and the only one who didn't impose a vaccine mandate on her staff.

Washington has nine independently elected statewide officeholders. All but one of those elected officials has required their employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The holdout was the lone Republican. Continue Reading A Read More

Third Violent Incident Closes Parkway On Washington’s Capitol Campus

By Austin Jenkins October 28, 2021

Police tape blocks access to Deschutes Parkway on the edge of Washington's Capitol Campus on Wednesday, October 27. The Washington State Patrol was investigating a midday shooting that sent one man to the hospital. It was the third violent crime in the same area in the month of October.

For the third time this month, Deschutes Parkway, which curves past Capitol Lake along the edge of Washington’s Capitol Campus, has been closed due to a violent crime. Continue Reading Third Violent Incident Closes Parkway On Washington’s Read More

Are Washington Republicans About To Lose Their Nearly 60-Year Lock On The Secretary Of State’s Office?

By Austin Jenkins October 28, 2021

Potential candidates to replace Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman are already stepping forward after Wyman, a Republican, announced she will resign next month to take an election security position with the Biden administration. Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, will appoint Wyman's replacement. That could spell the end of a nearly six decades Republican lock on the Read More

Washington’s Prison Population Plummets During COVID Pandemic

By Austin Jenkins October 25, 2021

Washington’s prison population has dropped to levels not seen in nearly a generation. COVID is a major factor, but what’s not clear is whether the downward trend is here to stay. Continue Reading Washington’s Prison Population Plummets During COVID Read More

Will The Passes Get Plowed? Impact Of Vaccine Mandate Firings On State Services Not Yet Clear

By Austin Jenkins October 25, 2021

The Washington State Patrol and Department of Transportation closed I-5 near Tukwila and re-routed traffic off the freeway after a semi crash on Wednesday, October 20, 2021. Combined, the two agencies lost more than 550 workers as a result of Gov. Jay Inslee's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Roughly nine in 10 employees of the state of Washington are now vaccinated against COVID-19. Gov. Jay Inslee considers that a huge success and a win for public health. But his vaccine mandate has also led to the departure of hundreds of state employees. Now there are questions about the implications for some state services. Read More

Vaccine Rate Is 92% For WA State Employees

By Austin Jenkins October 21, 2021

Ninety two percent of Washington state employees are vaccinated against COVID-19. Continue Reading Vaccine Rate Is 92% For WA State EmployeesRead More

Washington State Patrol Loses 127 Staff To COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

By Austin Jenkins October 21, 2021

The Washington State Patrol says it’s lost 127 employees as a result of Governor Jay Inslee’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. That’s about six percent of the workforce. And it includes more than 70 troopers and other sworn members of the agency. Read More

Inslee’s Vaccine Mandate Survives Court Challenge To Block It

By Austin Jenkins October 19, 2021

Washington Governor Jay Inslee’s vaccine mandate has survived an 11th hour court challenge. On Monday, Thurston County Superior Court Judge Carol Murphy denied a motion for an injunction to block the mandate from taking effect. Continue Reading Read More

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