Politics Democrats in Olympia appear to say ‘no’ to capital gains tax At this point, the revenue proposal isn’t included in Washington lawmakers’ final budget deal. by Melissa Santos / April 26, 2019
Politics Olympia’s culture of secrecy reveals itself — again At WA's capitol, rushed budget votes and tight-lipped lawmakers have become a pattern. Some say the public loses. by Melissa Santos / April 26, 2019
Politics WA’s next Speaker of the House will 'almost certainly' be a woman Seattle’s Frank Chopp is stepping down after 20 years as House speaker. So far, women are the ones lining up to permanently replace him. by Melissa Santos / April 26, 2019
Politics Teens caught sexting in WA will no longer be treated as criminals Teens who send nude selfies will no longer face felony sex charges that carry a requirement to register as a sex offender. by Melissa Santos / April 24, 2019
Politics WA nears a first: Offering a public option for health insurance Lawmakers have already moved to protect pre-existing conditions. Now they may make Washington the first state to provide a public health care option. by Melissa Santos / April 24, 2019
Politics Fight over safe injection site in Seattle threatens opioid treatment bill A last-minute attempt to pull funding from agencies that run safe-injection sites is complicating things in Olympia. by Melissa Santos / April 19, 2019
Politics How a WA lawmaker used a fake kidnapping to sway a vote Sen. Tim Sheldon cited a Mexican kidnapping as an argument for keeping certain info about state and local politicians offline. One problem: it never happened. by Melissa Santos / April 18, 2019
Politics What would Seattle gain by hosting a presidential debate? Local Democrats, including Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, want the party's candidates for president to face off in Seattle. Here's why. by Melissa Santos / April 15, 2019
Politics What WA can expect after raising the tobacco age to 21 Here's what happened in other states and cities when they raised the age to buy tobacco. by Melissa Santos / April 12, 2019
Politics Could this plan tame Washington's wildfires — and pay for it, too? A new proposal at the state Capitol would provide a dedicated funding stream for wildfire prevention and firefighting. by Melissa Santos / April 10, 2019