Politics First bills drop ahead of Washington's 2025 legislative session Washington lawmakers have begun teeing up legislation ahead of the 2025 session. Permanent standard time, immigration policies and fentanyl penalties were among the proposals prefiled on Monday, Dec. 2. Washington State Standard
Law & Courts What's an 'entheogen'? Magic mushrooms are now a low priority in Olympia The Olympia City Council has knocked psilocybin, and similar drugs, down to a "low enforcement priority" for Olympia police, essentially decriminalizing the drugs in the city. Dyer Oxley
Law & Courts King County judge finds state agency in contempt for keeping teen in adult jail A King County Superior Court judge held the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) in contempt of court Friday for failing to transfer an 18-year-old convicted of robbery to a state juvenile rehabilitation facility. Ann Dornfeld
Government Why Washington state Democrats passed 3 Republican-backed voter initiatives Most of the bills lawmakers pass in Olympia include bipartisan support, but many Democrats are skeptical of, or outright oppose, these initiative measures. So why did Democrats join with Republicans to enact them? Jeanie Lindsay
Politics Strippers' rights win, tenants' rights lose: The fate of key bills in Washington state During the penultimate week of Washington's 2024 legislative session, lawmakers left behind some major bills, committees held public hearings and voted on some high-profile initiatives, and several measures crossed the finish line. Jeanie Lindsay
Government Washington rent stabilization bill hits dead end in Senate — again A hotly debated bill aimed at slowing rising rents in Washington has apparently stalled for the final time in the Legislature this year. Jeanie Lindsay
Rent ‘control’ bill claws its way back in Olympia With just around two and a half weeks remaining to get bills across the finish line this legislative session, a rough scene is playing out in Olympia. Libby Denkmann Jeanie Lindsay Sarah Leibovitz Noel Gasca
Government Bill swap, money talks, and initiative hints: A look at week 6 of WA's legislative session Washington lawmakers are entering the final weeks of this year's legislative session, meaning time is running out to tackle big policy questions, and budget proposals are finally coming into public view. Jeanie Lindsay
Politics Passing bills, bills, bills: Highlights from week 5 in the WA Legislature Reaching the halfway point of this year's legislative session, lawmakers approved several notable pieces of legislation this week, focused on elections, policing and public safety. Jeanie Lindsay
Arts & Life Olympia gets preview of Billy Frank Jr. sculpture slated for Washington, D.C. Washington state is primed to contribute to the arts in the other Washington in 2025, but first, Olympia got a sneak preview this week of a small-scale sculpture of Indigenous rights activist Billy Frank Jr. Mike Davis
