Local News

The GOP-led majority in the Senate held a preemptive news conference Thursday to blame Democrats for potentially dragging the Legislature into special session – four days before the regular session is set to end. “We are calling on the House of Representatives to do their job,” said Senate Deputy Republican Leader Don Benton, of Vancouver. “The…

Updated with Republican reaction State Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens, says a House bill requiring health-insurance plans to cover abortions has the 25 votes needed to pass the Senate. He released a letter Monday with the signatures of 25 senators, as a hearing was being held in the Senate on House Bill 1044….

The Associated Press OLYMPIA — A key Washington state lawmaker says state funds are too scarce to extend college aid to illegal immigrants. The statements by Republican Sen. Barbara Bailey dim the prospects of the measure supporters call the Washington Dream Act. Writing Friday in Washington Focus, Bailey said the state makes too many promises it can’t…

Tuition rates for international students attending Washington’s state universities would increase by 20 percent if state Senate moves forward with a bill proposed by Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Medina. Tom intends the tuition increase to go toward Washington’s Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program, which is in need of additional funding. Tom argued that the bill isn’t an attack on…

Good morning. Tuesday marked the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. NBC and the Wall Street Journal took the opportunity to offer a poll that shows a new majority now favors abortion. The poll is interesting, because poll numbers on this topic have been bopping around in recent years. Take a look.  In Olympia, meanwhile,…