Author Archives: mollyrosbach
Are restaurants, coffee shops, coming to your park-and-ride?
Sen. Steve Hobbs proposed a bill to allow state-funded park-and-ride lots to contract with private vendors to lease some of the space in the lot. The revenue collected from the lease agreements would first go toward maintenance and management of … Continue reading
Lawmakers look to trim ‘safety net,’ plug deficit
With a $550 million shortfall in the current budget, and a $5 billion hole to fill in the next biennium, Washington state is targeting programs that are a huge cost to the state, such as the Basic Health Plan and … Continue reading
Bill aims to make cougar-hunting program permanent
Washington lawmakers want to make permanent a pilot program that allows the use of hounds in cougar-hunting. However, voters in 1996 passed an initiative banning the use of dogs, except in public safety or livestock depredation instances, on the grounds … Continue reading
Posted in Associated Press, The Seattle Times
Tagged Fish & Wildlife, Politics, WA 2011 Legislature
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State’s war re-enactors want to up black powder limits
Washington state currently limits the amount of black powder a private citizen can store or transport to 5 pounds, but Civil War re-enactors want to up that number to match federal limits of 50 pounds. They need the smoke, they … Continue reading
Posted in Associated Press, Seattle P-I, The Seattle Times
Tagged Politics, WA 2011 Legislature
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Wash. bill lets private schools give driver exams
Rep. Dave Upthegrove, D-Des Moines, wants to cut wait times at the DOL by contracting out driver’s licensing exams to the private driving schools that already handle driver training. HB 1635. Also at: SeattlePI.com
Posted in Associated Press, Seattle P-I, The Seattle Times
Tagged Politics, WA 2011 Legislature
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Lawmakers weigh stricter signature-gathering rules
To guard against signature fraud, allegedly coming from paid signature gatherers working with various initiative campaigns, Washington lawmakers want to require paid signature gatherers and signature-gathering businesses to register with name, address and photo with the Secretary of State. Initiative … Continue reading
Posted in Associated Press, Seattle P-I, The Seattle Times
Tagged Politics, WA 2011 Legislature
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State lawmakers want amendment to guard pension funds
In the face of a $6.9 billion unfunded liability from two closed pension plans from the ’70s, the State Treasurer and a bipartisan coalition of legislators want to amend the state constitution to ensure yearly contribution rates to current pension … Continue reading
Posted in Associated Press, Seattle P-I, The Seattle Times
Tagged Politics, WA 2011 Legislature
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Bill tightens legal services for immigrants
In response to recent cases of “notarios” taking advantage of immigrants seeking benefits, lawmakers introduced bills in the House & Senate, requested by Attorney General Rob McKenna, aiming to tighten the language specifying who’s authorized to assist immigrants in legal … Continue reading
Posted in Associated Press, The Seattle Times
Tagged Crime, Politics, WA 2011 Legislature
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Wash. anti-gang bill meets opposition at hearing
Attorney General Rob McKenna’s proposed anti-gang bill went up against stiff opposition from community activists and civil rights groups at a packed House hearing on Wednesday. The bill outlines injunctions that could be made against gang members or suspected gang … Continue reading
Posted in Associated Press, Seattle P-I, The Seattle Times
Tagged Crime, Politics, WA 2011 Legislature
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Wash. redistricting commission holds first meeting
After Washington was awarded a 10th Congressional seat in Dec. 2010 following a 14.1 percent population growth over the past decade, the citizen redistricting commission has until the end of 2011 to redraw Congressional and legislative boundaries in the state … Continue reading
Molly Rosbach 