Friday, February 17

Bipartisan bill to rollback WA vehicular pursuit laws advances
Laws regarding vehicular pursuits in Washington state could again get a makeover under legislation that passed out of committee on Thursday. The House Community Safety, Justice, and Reentry Committee voted nearly unanimously to pass the measure. Sponsored by Rep. Alicia Rule, D-Blaine, and Rep. Eric Robertson, R-Sumner, the substitute version of House Bill 1363 would restore the reasonable suspicion threshold for police to pursue drivers they believe have committed one of six particular crimes. Officers could also engage in pursuits if the suspect poses a “serious risk of harm to others” under the proposal. Continue reading at The Olympian. (Getty Images)

Should rent be stabilized? Washington lawmakers hear the pros and cons
A pair of rent stabilization bills are making their way through the Washington state Legislature. Rent stabilization is very different from rent control. Rent stabilization permits landlords to set the rent at any level that they want, before the renter rents from them. Rent stabilization allows landlords to raise the rent to whatever they want after a renter leaves a unit. While the renter occupies the unit, however, rent increases would be capped at 3% to 7% per year. The idea aims to guard against massive rent increases. Continue reading at KUOW. (Chris Robert)

Washington Students May Get Free Breakfast and Lunch
Democratic State Representative Marcus Riccelli of Spokane introduced House Bill 1238 which would provide meals to all requesting students without charge. In Washington, the House Committee on Education has advanced HB 1238, and it has been referred to the Appropriations Committee. After the House Appropriations Committee, it can head to the floor for a vote. The state constitution says providing basic education to all students is a primary duty of the Legislature. HB 1238 would include free meals for all in the legal definition of basic education. Continue reading at Seattle Medium.

Associated Press
Starbucks’ CEO declines appearance before Senate on anti-union efforts

Axios
State looks to tame poorly regulated pet insurance (Walen)
Exhibit spotlights Japanese Americans’ resistance to incarceration

Bellingham Herald
This Whatcom city is gifting the first 10 residents that build ADUs on their property

Capital Press
Solar company forges ahead in Washington counties with moratoriums

The Daily News
Inmate dies awaiting trial in Cowlitz County Jail

Everett Herald
House committee steers controversial vehicle pursuit bill forward (Fosse, Lovick, Goodman, Farivar)

News Tribune
Third jury – first with Black jurors – weighs if alleged ‘Lakewood 4’ driver aided killer
Puyallup Tribe plans entertainment district on site of former Tacoma casino, records show

Olympian
Right turns on red would be limited in WA under bill (Saldana, Liias)
Bipartisan bill to rollback WA vehicular pursuit laws advances (Farivar, Rule, Simmons, Dhingra)

Peninsula Daily News
Housing shortage top priority for Clallam County

Puget Sound Business Journal
Hundreds of unhoused people in downtown Seattle moved into apartments
When it comes to federal contracting, the rich are getting richer
Industrial construction costs in Seattle outpace most other US metros

Seattle Medium
Washington Students May Get Free Breakfast and Lunch (Riccelli)
WA State Bill Proposes Fairer Tax (Frame)
Jaywalking Citations Target Minorities (Alvarado, Street, Reed, Fitzgibbon, Simmons, Berry, Bateman, Mena, Ramel, and Macri)

Seattle Times
WA lawmakers could make Lunar New Year an official state holiday (Thai, Mena)
Making the case in Olympia for ending information sharing from WA prison officials to ICE (Saldaña)
Editorial: Mandate that WA clergy report child abuse, without exceptions
Sen. Claire Wilson: WA cannot neglect sex trafficking victims