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State Capitol Building in Olympia. File photo

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RIP: Bills that didn’t survive the WA Legislature’s first major deadline

Bills dealing with cow burps, the state flag, and changes to police traffic stop standards are among the…

30th District State Rep. Kristine Reeves (D), at right, is seen at a campaign kickoff event in Sept. 2024 for a coalition called Flavors Hook Kids Washington, which seeks to end the sale of flavored tobacco products in the state. File photo

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WA lawmakers light up plan for cigarette tax hike

Bill’s sponsor, State Rep. Kristine Reeves (D-Federal Way), says it would help cover societal costs linked to tobacco…

Photo courtesy the National Park Service

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National Park Service firings hit Mount Rainier and more

Reduced staffing could mean closed campgrounds and trails as well as unsafe conditions, advocates said.

An apartment building construction site in Olympia, Washington in January 2025. (Photo by Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard)

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How Republicans want to fix WA’s affordable housing shortage

GOP state lawmakers are highlighting a package of 18 housing bills they support, as they oppose Democratic legislation…

(Jake Goldstein-Street/Washington State Standard
A new speed camera mounted on a trailer, shown in Olympia, will patrol work zones on Washington highways.

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WA to begin speed camera enforcement in roadwork zones

The Washington State Patrol will soon have a new tool to catch drivers speeding through highway work zones.

More than 131,000 drivers crossed the Interstate Bridge between Portland and Vancouver each day in 2021 compared to 33,000 in 1961. (Grant Stringer/States Newsroom)

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WA looks to raise $1.6 billion from tolls for new I-5 bridge

Washington state lawmakers set out Wednesday to raise $1.6 billion from tolls to help pay for construction of…

Washington state Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma, seen here on the Senate floor in 2024, is the lead sponsor of a bill in the 2025 legislative session that calls for making Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha state-recognized holidays in Washington. (Photo courtesy of Legislative Support Services)

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WA lawmakers consider bills to recognize two Muslim holidays

As-salamu alaykum, a greeting among Muslims that translates to peace be upon you, is how Sen. Yasmin Trudeau…

State Capitol Building in Olympia. File photo

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Bill to make clergy report child abuse advances in WA

Democratic-led effort to require clergy members in Washington to report child abuse or neglect, even when it is…

File photo

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Funding for crime victim services in WA is running short

With dwindling federal funds and a looming state budget shortfall, Washington lawmakers are trying to figure out how…

File photo

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WA could require bars to carry spiked drink drug tests

They’re not old enough yet to drink in bars, but a group of Washington students wants to make…

The charging port for a Rivian R1T Saturday afternoon during Drive Electric Earth Day in the Everett, Washington on April 23, 2022. (Kevin Clark / Sound Publishing)

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WA lawmakers consider opening direct-to-consumer EV sales

There’s bipartisan support for allowing other manufacturers of zero-emission vehicles, like Rivian and Lucid, to do so. Car…

John Houston, Jerry Evans and Shailene Houston speak to the Senate Law & Justice committee on Jan. 23 about the Houston Eminent Domain Fairness Act. Screenshot from TVW.org.

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Family’s fight for land justice continues with new bill

SB 5142 would protect property owners whose land is acquired by school districts via eminent domain.

President Donald Trump holds up an executive order after signing it during an indoor inauguration parade at Capital One Arena on Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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WA judge blocks Trump’s birthright citizenship order

A Seattle judge has granted Washington’s request to temporarily block Trump’s excutive order on birthright citizenship.