Senate unveils $1.5 billion state transportation budget proposal
OLYMPIA [By: Cassie Diamond] – Sens. Marko Liias, D-Edmonds, and Curtis King, R-Yakima, rolled out their bipartisan supplemental transportation budget Feb. 23, emphasizing its focus on preservation and maintenance, job creation and safety. Liias, the chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, said the supplemental budget prioritizes the preservation and maintenance of the state’s highways, bridges […]
WA governor’s $1B borrowing plan to buy new ferries sinks in Legislature
OLYMPIA [Tom Banse]—Budget writers in the Washington Legislature on Monday declared their intent to eventually buy more hybrid electric ferries to modernize the state ferry fleet. But newly unveiled House and Senate transportation spending proposals left at the dock a $1 billion borrowing request from the governor to pay the tab, raising doubts about when and how […]
WA Senate approves new bill lowering drunk driving limit to 0.05% BAC
OLYMPIA [Jerry Cornfield]—Washington took a major stride Wednesday toward slashing the state’s legal limit for driving drunk. A divided state Senate voted 26-23 to approve legislation to reduce the maximum allowable blood alcohol concentration for drivers from 0.08% to 0.05%. If it makes it through the House and into law, Washington would join Utah with the toughest […]
What’s on the agenda for Washington’s 2026 legislative session
With a looming $1.6 billion to $2.3 billion budget shortfall hanging over the Washington state legislature, House and Senate leaders and Governor Bob Ferguson presented differing proposals to address the issue. Three panels of House and Senate leaders discussed the state’s transportation budget and general fund, while Ferguson renewed his support for a “millionaire tax.” […]
Lawmaker proposes reallocating sales taxes for transportation budget
OLYMPIA (The Center Square)—Washington lawmaker, Senator Curtis King, R-Yakima, wants to shore up the state’s transportation budget by gradually increasing the proportion of sales taxes on vehicles currently dedicated to the general fund to be reallocated to the transportation budget over a six-year period. Proposed Senate Bill 5026 for the 2025 session offered by Senator King, […]
US Supreme Court denies request by Republican Latino voters to pause the Lasnik redistricting map
Washinton, D.C.—An emergency application for an injunction to the adoption of an alleged gerrymandered court-approved redistricting map ordered by Judge Robert Lasnik of the District Court of Western Washington, was denied on Monday, April 2, by United States Supreme Court Justices whom Justice Elena Kagan, assigned to the Ninth Circuit Court, referred the matter. As […]
Republicans fighting for Latino representation as WA state redistricting dispute heads to US Supreme Court
SEATTLE—On Friday, March 22, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the request to stay (put on hold) the adoption of a redistricting map ordered by Judge Robert Lasnik, of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, on March 15. The matter now heads to the United States Supreme Court where Justice […]
Clinton-appointed judge redistricts out Washington Republican lawmakers
SEATTLE—Judge Robert Lasnik, of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, ordered the adoption of a redistricting map that impacts the boundaries of 13 legislative districts—12 Republican and 1 Democratic—and which redistricts out several Republican and no Democratic lawmakers ahead of 2024 General Election. Judge Lasnik’s decision stems from a January […]
Legislators united in bipartisan effort for safer commutes on roadways
OLYMPIA, Wash., February 1, 2023—Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle joined Governor Jay Inslee to say they are backing a package of new laws aimed at safer roads by protecting workers, pedestrians and commuters. New bills would include reducing the blood alcohol concentration limit for operating a vehicle when driving, imposing more restrictions on […]
Washington Legislature hears proposed pay-per-mile tax
By Erin Freeman | Lynnwood Times Staff Olympia, Wash., – In its 2021 session, the Washington state legislature’s Senate Transportation Committee received a hearing on February 18 proposing a mileage-based tax on electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. The pay-per-mile proposal introduced by state Senator Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle) aims at initiating a shift in how the state pays […]
