WA Democrats drop push for business tax to cover Medicaid costs

OLYMPIA [Jake Goldstein-Street]—Washington state Democrats are likely abandoning plans for a new tax on employers like Walmart and Amazon, whose workers get health coverage through Medicaid.  The proposal came amid recent federal cuts to the program, which provides insurance for low-income Americans. The Senate’s budget committee was set to vote on advancing the legislation last […]

Tension rising over how to spend revenue from proposed WA income tax

OLYMPIA [Bill Lucia] — A day after the Washington state Senate approved an income tax on millionaire earners, Gov. Bob Ferguson said he’s still not satisfied with the bill. He’s previously preached the need to pump a significant portion of the proceeds toward tax relief. On Tuesday, he said lawmakers hadn’t gone far enough and […]

DOJ sues Washington over law requiring priests to break Confession seal

The United States Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Washington State on June 23, challenging Senate Bill 5375, a new law that requires clergy, including Catholic priests, to report child abuse or neglect, even if learned during the sacrament of Confession. The DOJ argues the law violates the First Amendment’s Free Exercise of Religion […]