Bill protecting youth from unscrupulous employers signed into law
EVERETT—As more youth enter the workforce, House Bill 1644, sponsored by Rep. Mary Fosse (D-Everett), increases penalties for companies that violate child labor laws, and makes it easier for the state to bar problem employers (a.k.a. bad actors) from hiring young workers. Companies with three or more serious, repeat or willful safety or youth labor violations […]
Ferguson signs into law four new bills introduced by Snohomish County legislators
OLYMPIA—Of the 35 new bills signed by Governor Bob Ferguson into law on Monday, April 21, 2025, four were introduced by legislators from Snohomish County. Below is a breakdown of those four new laws: House Bill 1081: Introduced by Representative Brandy Donaghy (D-Snohomish) to protect homeowners from predatory solicited real estate transactions Governor Bob Ferguson […]
Latest deadline in Washington Legislature fells more bills
More legislation fell by the wayside Friday, February 28, in the Washington Legislature, including bills on signature gathering for ballot initiatives, free school meals and ballot box tampering. Friday was the deadline for bills to pass through fiscal committees, like Senate Ways and Means and House Appropriations. With a multibillion-dollar deficit hanging over the session, […]
RIP: Bills that didn’t survive the WA Legislature’s Policy Committee deadline
OLYMPIA—Bills dealing with cow burps, the state flag, and changes to police traffic stop standards are among the first to land in the legislative graveyard this year in Olympia. This session, lawmakers in the state House and Senate have introduced nearly 1,800 bills. To stay alive, much of that legislation needed to get voted out […]
Snohomish County state lawmakers talk 2025 legislative priorities
EVERETT—Under the theme “One County, One Voice,” Representative Mary Fosse (D-Everett) moderated a bipartisan forum hosted by the Economic Alliance Snohomish County (EASC) on December 5 at Elks Lodge in Everett where panelists discussed housing affordability, behavioral health, childcare, economic development and labor force, transportation, infrastructure, and public safety. With Washington state facing a projected […]
Public invited to 2025 Legislative Kickoff: “One County, One Voice”
EVERETT—Economic Alliance Snohomish County (EASC) will host the Legislative Kickoff on Thursday, December 5, 2024, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Elks Lodge #479 in Everett. Presented by Boeing and Republic Services, this annual event connects local business leaders and elected officials to advocate for policies that drive economic success in Snohomish County. Under […]
How wealthy is your elected official? Looking at politicians’ worth amidst 14% wage increases
Washington state-level lawmakers are set to receive up to a 14.7 percent wage increase following the proposed 2025/26 salary schedule adopted by the Washington Citizens’ Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials on October 10. The final vote is scheduled for February 5, 2025. Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck is advocating for the higher pay stating that […]
Snohomish County Therapeutic Courts celebrates 25 years of adult recovery
EVERETT—DJ Rivera, brother to Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Whitney Rivera, had a normal childhood growing up, but when his father passed away around his seventeenth birthday he turned to drugs and alcohol. His life quickly spun out of control until it culminated with being arrested on December 8, 2005, for a controlled substance. Instead […]
WSDOT awards Port of Everett a $4.3 million CCA grant to electrify South Terminal
EVERETT—The Port of Everett was one of 11 recipients awarded a capital grant, funded with Climate Commitment Act (CCA) funds, by the Washington Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) Port Electrification Program. The Port of Everett was awarded the $4.3 million competitive grant in August to be used to help fund a $5.8 million project to construct […]
Green-maritime manufacturer Echandia opens first US-based facility in Marysville
MARYSVILLE—Leading Swedish provider of maritime battery systems, Echandia, opens its first US-based production facility in Marysville, adding over two dozen living-wage jobs to the region’s expanding Cascade Industrial Center (CIC)—a 4,000-acre manufacturing and industrial zoned land approved by the state legislature to attract businesses to the cities of Marysville and Arlington. “I would really like […]
