Episodes

  • Washington Energy Choice Initiative Supporters Turn In 431,000 Voter Signatures

    Washington Energy Choice Initiative Supporters Turn In 431,000 Voter Signatures
    Jul 3 2024
    Backers of Initiative 2066 turned in more than 431,000 signatures Tuesday afternoon to the Secretary of State’s Office in Tumwater with the hope of getting the measure to protect energy choices like natural gas and propane on this November's ballot. The Building Industry Association of Washington, Let’s Go Washington and other partners held two news conferences on Tuesday, one at noon in Redmond and another at 3 p.m. at SOS headquarters to deliver signatures.
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    26 mins
  • Initiative to Repeal Cap-And-Trade May Already Be Lowering Carbon Auction Prices

    Initiative to Repeal Cap-And-Trade May Already Be Lowering Carbon Auction Prices
    Jun 28 2024
    A choice available to voters on the November ballot could already be saving them money at the pump. This November, voters in Washington state will have the final say on Initiative 2117, which would repeal the Climate Commitment Act and prohibit state agencies from implementing a cap-and-trade program. However, there is some evidence that I-2117 may already be impacting the price of carbon credits, given a major decrease in the price of carbon credits during this year’s first two auctions as compared to last year’s auctions.
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    27 mins
  • AGO Draws Criticism for Advising SOS on Ballot Issue Involving AG Ferguson

    AGO Draws Criticism for Advising SOS on Ballot Issue Involving AG Ferguson
    Jun 21 2024
    The Washington State Attorney General’s Office has drawn criticism for providing legal advice to the Secretary of State’s Office regarding a request by Attorney General Bob Ferguson through his campaign attorney to alter the order of candidates on the November election ballot. Last month, two men also named Robert Ferguson filed to run for governor. State election laws has the order of candidates listed on the ballot to be chosen at random. Both Robert Fergusons would have appeared above Attorney General Ferguson on the ballot.
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    25 mins
  • Law Banning Child Marriages in Washington State Now in Effect

    Law Banning Child Marriages in Washington State Now in Effect
    Jun 14 2024
    Washington is now the 11th state in the country to ban child marriages via a new law that went into effect on June 6 that makes it illegal for anyone under 18 to get married. House Bill 1455, passed by the Legislature this session and signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee in March, took effect on June 6. Prior to the new law, Washington was one of five states with no age requirement to marry. In those other states, children of any age can be legally married with permission from a judge, and 17-year-olds only need parental permission.
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    24 mins
  • Washingtonians Hope for Safer Streets on Eve of Police Pursuit Law Change

    Washingtonians Hope for Safer Streets on Eve of Police Pursuit Law Change
    Jun 7 2024

    Beginning Thursday, June 6, law enforcement officers in Washington can once again pursue someone if they have reasonable suspicion that person has violated any law. Lawmakers amended the stricter policy after a voter initiative was submitted to the legislature and was adopted into law earlier this year. The 2021 law that significantly restricted police came as part of a package of reforms which Republicans and law enforcement say gave criminals the upper hand and led to huge spikes in crime.

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    https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_279992a2-2364-11ef-80c1-07e8aec81eab.html

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    https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_ead41ec4-21d7-11ef-ae01-3705cdd938b9.html
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    24 mins
  • Seattle Police Chief Steps Down Amid Department Issues

    Seattle Police Chief Steps Down Amid Department Issues
    May 31 2024
    Police Chief Adrian Diaz is stepping down from his role as head of the Seattle Police Department amid an increasing number of issues within the department. Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announced the move on Wednesday, stating that Diaz “will be stepping aside to work on special assignments.”
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    24 mins
  • Internal Investigation: WSDOT Economist’s Claims He Was Forced Out Not Substantiated

    Internal Investigation: WSDOT Economist’s Claims He Was Forced Out Not Substantiated
    May 24 2024
    An investigation by a law firm on behalf of the Washington State Department of Transportation found no merit to most of a former employee’s claims he was pressured to lie about the impact of the Climate Commitment Act on gas prices – and forced out of his job because of it. Scott Smith, a former economist with WSDOT, claims he faced hostility and retaliation after refusing to keep quiet about his calculations last year showing Washington’s cap-and-trade program under the CCA, which went into effect last year, would increase gas prices by 45 to 50 cents per gallon.
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    24 mins
  • Inslee Makes His Case for Voters to Preserve Climate Commitment Act

    Inslee Makes His Case for Voters to Preserve Climate Commitment Act
    May 17 2024

    Full Story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_9e06a308-1162-11ef-9c04-07a36db3699b.html
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    24 mins