TheRepublic.com - Washington state government News

Inslee signs $8.7 billion transportation budget

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:31:58 -0400

OLYMPIA, Washington - Gov. Jay Inslee signed off on an $8.7 billion transportation budget Monday that puts money toward maintaining state roadways and continues spending on existing big-ticket projects.

1 killed, 2 injured in collision near Sequim

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:24:59 -0400

SEQUIM, Washington - The Washington State Patrol says one person was killed and two critically injured in a collision Monday morning on Highway 101 near Sequim.

Rifle missing from Grant County sheriff's office

Thu, 16 May 2013 15:22:39 -0400

EPHRATA, Washington - The Grant County sheriff's office says a military-style rifle is missing.

McKenna portrait hung alongside other former AGs

Wed, 15 May 2013 20:55:05 -0400

OLYMPIA, Washington - A portrait of former Attorney General Rob McKenna is now hanging alongside those who preceded him as Washington state's top lawyer.

Wash. lawmakers look to make recall process easier

Wed, 15 May 2013 19:07:25 -0400

OLYMPIA, Washington - Washington lawmakers are considering ways to make it easier for citizens to recall elected officials, holding a work session Wednesday that explored the hurdles people face when they try to pursue such a campaign.

Justices review $100M award for home care workers

Tue, 14 May 2013 17:19:18 -0400

SEATTLE - Justices on the Washington Supreme Court are considering whether the state should have to pay a $100 million verdict awarded to some 22,000 home care workers who were shortchanged by a rule that was in effect from 2003 to 2007.

Inslee narrows top priorities for special session

Mon, 13 May 2013 20:08:18 -0400

OLYMPIA, Washington - Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has narrowed his list of top priorities for lawmakers to address in a special session, saying Monday that the Legislature must focus on the operating budget, a transportation-funding package and new legislation to crack down on drunken drivers.

Wash. lawmakers return to Capitol to finish budget

Sat, 11 May 2013 15:26:31 -0400

OLYMPIA, Washington - Washington lawmakers return to the Capitol Monday to finish their work on a two-year state budget, but with no deal reached during their two-week interim, the special legislative session could take its full allotted 30 days, if not longer.

Justices weigh death penalty in Carnation killings

Fri, 10 May 2013 15:36:14 -0400

OLYMPIA, Washington - The state Supreme Court is considering whether prosecutors should be allowed to seek the death penalty against two people accused of killing a family of six in Carnation on Christmas Eve 2007.

Justices reinstate award for alleged communist

Thu, 09 May 2013 20:22:09 -0400

OLYMPIA, Washington - Washington's Supreme Court has reinstated a $310,000 jury award to an Olympia man who sued five fellow Vietnamese-Americans for defaming him by calling him a communist.

Wash. senator's son pleads guilty to rape

Wed, 08 May 2013 20:43:17 -0400

OLYMPIA, Washington - The son of a Washington state senator has pleaded guilty to rape after a younger boy reported a series of incidents that occurred at the lawmaker's home.

'Runaway' bus kills 2 in I-405 crash in Kirkland

Tue, 07 May 2013 15:11:36 -0400

SEATTLE - The driver of a Sound Transit bus says the brakes failed and he was unable to avoid hitting a car Monday night on an Interstate 405 transit ramp, killing two people.

2 killed in crash on Highway 410 at Sumner

Fri, 03 May 2013 15:42:04 -0400

SUMNER, Washington - The Washington State Patrol says a pickup truck somehow crossed over a jersey barrier on Highway 410 and collided with an oncoming car about 6 a.m. Friday near Sumner.

Wash. law lays out proper handling of dropped pot

Fri, 03 May 2013 14:39:53 -0400

OLYMPIA, Washington - Washington state is making changes in state law to deal with a legal ambiguity related to the proper handling of marijuana inadvertently left at stores that have pharmacies.

Malloy writes $1,234 check for Washington dinner

Thu, 02 May 2013 21:04:55 -0400

HARTFORD, Connecticut - Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on Thursday reimbursed People magazine $1,234.62 for being the publication's guest at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner after a potential gubernatorial rival questioned whether the trip violated ethics laws.

Woman killed in I-5 crash in Seattle

Thu, 02 May 2013 08:01:04 -0400

SEATTLE - A woman was killed in a crash on Interstate 5 in Seattle late Wednesday night when a car hit a barrier and she was ejected.

Wash. seeks to prevent underage liquor purchases

Wed, 01 May 2013 20:37:25 -0400

OLYMPIA, Washington - Washington Gov. Jay Inslee approved a change to state law Wednesday that requires retailers to place stringent controls over alcohol sales at self-checkout machines.

Wash. makes swift changes to definition of pot

Wed, 01 May 2013 18:08:30 -0400

OLYMPIA, Washington - Washington finalized swift changes to the state's definition of marijuana Wednesday after prosecutors and crime lab scientists expressed concern about the technical aspects of a voter-approved legalization initiative.

As special session looms, many issues unresolved

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:11:32 -0400

OLYMPIA, Washington - With the Washington state Legislature set to convene a special session on May 13, Gov. Jay Inslee, House Democrats and the Republican-dominated Senate majority will be tasked with working toward a budget deal. But that likely won't be the only contentious matter the parties will take up next month.

2 women killed in Vancouver crash

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:01:13 -0400

VANCOUVER, Washington - Police say two Vancouver women died when a pickup truck crashed into a tree and light pole early Saturday in Vancouver.

Wash. lawmakers adjourn, face special session

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 23:08:22 -0400

OLYMPIA, Washington - Washington lawmakers adjourned their 105-day legislative session Sunday without coming to an agreement on a new two-year budget, and Gov. Jay Inslee quickly called them to return again in two weeks to complete the work.

Wash. Senate approves tax break for disabled vets

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 19:14:50 -0400

OLYMPIA, Washington - Washington lawmakers have approved a tax exemption for disabled veterans who need vehicle modifications.

Wash. Senate wants earlier revenue forecast

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 18:24:22 -0400

OLYMPIA, Washington - The Washington state Senate wants to get its revenue forecast earlier in the year.

House Democrats approve Wash. tax package

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:03:23 -0400

OLYMPIA, Washington - Democrats in the Washington state House moved ahead Wednesday with a plan that would increase tax revenue by $900 million over the next two years, staking out their position for the Legislature's final budget negotiations.

Wash. Senate OKs K-12 funding bill

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:08:27 -0400

OLYMPIA, Washington - The Washington state Senate has passed a measure that would help fund K-12 education by lowering the state's debt limit and eliminating voter-approved cost-of-living raises for schoolteachers.