Another Washington state legislative session is now underway in Olympia. For just 60 days, lawmakers will sift through hundreds of bills on issues ranging from housing and transportation to climate… Read More
With time running out on the legislative session, Washington state lawmakers approved a $59 billion state budget including a tax on capital gains that has divided the region’s tech community.… Read More
Washington state legislators this week approved a new tax on capital gains. But the bill, SB 5096, was held up in the state Senate late Thursday where it must pass… Read More
A bill that would give local governments and public agencies the ability to offer retail internet services appears headed to a floor vote in the Washington state House of Representatives.… Read More
The Washington state legislature passed a bill establishing new guardrails on government use of facial recognition software. The bill cleared both chambers of the state legislature Thursday, hours before the session ended,… Read More
Washington state’s legislature passed a bill imposing new restrictions on non-compete agreements late last week, which employers use to restrict workers with sensitive business information from taking jobs with similar… Read More
Microsoft wants the Washington state legislature to prioritize STEM education, criminal justice reform, workplace equity, cloud computing for the public good, and the Cascadia Innovation Corridor. The company’s president and… Read More
Seattle takes first steps toward an income tax The Seattle City Council unanimously approved a motion that establishes a timeline to begin consideration of an income tax bill by May 31, with… Read More
A trimmed-back bill to change what is allowed in non-compete agreements passed the Washington House 97-0 Wednesday. It now goes to the state Senate. House Republicans negotiated changes in the… Read More
Washington state has until Friday to pass a bill that would help residents in rural areas get Internet access. House Bill 1938 would make it legal for public utility districts… Read More
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Texting while driving is illegal under Washington state’s distracted driving law. But by the letter of the law, checking your Facebook feed or using Snapchat or other apps on your smartphone… Read More
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Would you be in trouble if an orca popped up out of Puget Sound beneath your drone? Should other maritime critters, such as humpback whales, be given their… Read More
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Cybercrime became more of a crime. But proposed tax-breaks and gender-pay-equity bills died in committee. That’s how a few bills affecting the technology industry fared this year in… Read More
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Business groups are lining up in opposition to a bill in Washington state that would forbid commercial interests from obtaining or selling biometric information from individuals without their consent. “Biometric… Read More
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Business interests lined up Monday against two Washington House bills that seek to ban some or all non-compete provisions from employment contracts. The Washington Technology Industry Association,… Read More
Every April, there was to be a show of symmetry in Washington state. This month, Big Tobacco made its annual delivery of millions of dollars to the state, a cash… Read More
The Washington state Legislature completed its session on time March 13 after 60 days. Lawmakers passed a supplemental operating budget that added more than $100 million to K-12 schools, approved… Read More
Olympia’s water is legendary, giving rise to one of the region’s best beer slogans ever. But Washington’s capitol may soon be known for something else: broadband. The city of 46,000… Read More