As Many States Move To Outlaw Abortion, Washington State Democrats Look For Ways To Strengthen Abortion Protections

By Austin Jenkins
Protesters gather in Seattle after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade
Protesters gather in Seattle after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade CREDIT: Casey Martin / KUOW Photo Listen (Runtime 4:16) Read While the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, the right to abortion is protected under Washington state law. But Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee and fellow abortion rights supporters are looking… Read More

See Ya! Washington Police Say Drivers Aren’t Stopping For Them; Cite Pursuit Restrictions

By Austin Jenkins
This Washington State Patrol dashcam video from April captures a white BMW with a stolen license plate failing to stop for a trooper in Olympia. The driver took off at a high rate of speed, but the trooper didn't give chase. Police in Washington say they're seeing a big spike in drivers failing to stop for their lights and sirens following passage of a law that severely restricts when police can engage in a pursuit.
Since January of this year, more than 900 drivers have failed to stop for a Washington State Patrol trooper trying to pull them over. The patrol and other police agencies around the state say they’ve never seen such blatant disregard for their lights and sirens. The change in driver behavior comes after state lawmakers passed strict new rules on when police can engage in Read More

Out-Of-State Fuel Tax Runs Out Of Gas in WA Legislature

By Tom Banse
Traffic on I-95 passes oil storage tanks owned by the Colonial Pipeline Co. in Linden, N.J. An cybersecurity attack has shut down Colonial Pipeline, a major transporter of gasoline along the East Coast. CREDIT: Mark Lennihan/AP
A controversial tax on Washington State fuel shipped to other states was shot down by lawmakers CREDIT: Mark Lennihan/AP Listen Read A proposed tax on gasoline and diesel delivered to out-of-state customers from Washington refineries has gone by the wayside. The Washington House of Representatives voted Tuesday to jettison and replace the tax after strong… Read More

WA Dems Ignore Complaints About Out-Of-State Gas Tax

By Tom Banse
The 400-mile Olympic Pipeline carries gasoline, diesel and jet fuel from refineries in northern Washington state.
The 400-mile Olympic Pipeline carries gasoline, diesel and jet fuel from refineries in northern Washington state, such as BP Cherry Point shown here, to a distribution hub in Portland, Oregon. CREDIT: Tom Banse Listen Read Majority Democrats in the Washington Legislature appear unbowed by complaints from Oregon, Idaho and Alaska over a targeted new fuel… 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
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
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

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

By Austin Jenkins
Washington Secretary Of State
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
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