Civic – Page 3 of 65

Jan 16, 2026, 10:27 AM

What Microsoft has learned about housing, and why it’s urging the state to unlock commercial land

Microsoft is supporting a Washington state bill to open up underused commercial land for housing, asserting that the larger crisis is solvable only if lawmakers unlock land faster, streamline permitting, and treat housing as a connected system rather than a series of one-off projects. Read More

Jan 14, 2026, 1:39 PM

Big tech takes a backseat to big science in Washington governor’s annual address

While AI is generating all the buzz, it was Washington state’s climate tech and healthcare innovation that got shoutouts in Gov. Bob Ferguson’s State of the State address. Read More

Jan 12, 2026, 8:10 AM

5 new proposals to regulate AI in Washington state, from classrooms to digital companions

Washington state lawmakers are taking another run at regulating artificial intelligence. The proposals come as Congress continues to debate AI oversight with little concrete action, leaving states to experiment with their own guardrails. Read More

Jan 9, 2026, 8:39 AM

Microchipped at work? Washington state bill aims to ban employers from using ‘dehumanizing’ tech

House Bill 2303 seeks to prohibit employers from requiring, requesting or coercing employees to have microchips implanted in their bodies as a condition of employment. Read More

Jan 6, 2026, 9:45 AM

Wi-Fi on the water: Washington State Ferries explores public internet service with new pilot program

A limited pilot would provide Wi-Fi at a single terminal and on a single vessel. WSF currently offers no public internet service anywhere in its ferry system. Read More

Dec 29, 2025, 12:13 PM

Joe Nguyen named Seattle Chamber president and CEO after leaving Washington state Commerce role

A tech veteran who previously worked at Microsoft and Expedia, Nguyen served in the Washington State Senate representing Seattle’s 34th Legislative District. Read More

Dec 19, 2025, 8:12 AM

From AI to drones, Redmond police chief builds a high-tech department in Microsoft’s backyard

Darrell Lowe, a 30-year law enforcement veteran, views Redmond as the ideal staging ground for a new era of policing that capitalizes on technological advancements. Read More

Dec 16, 2025, 10:03 AM

Washington and 35 other states reach settlement with Hyundai and Kia over lack of anti-theft tech

The Korean automakers must equip all future vehicles sold in the U.S. with engine immobilizer anti-theft technology. Read More

Dec 15, 2025, 10:34 AM

Washington joins lawsuit opposing $100K fee for H-1B visas allowing foreign STEM and medical workers

Washington is part of a newly filed lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging the legality of a $100,000 fee for new H-1B visas. Read More

Dec 4, 2025, 8:24 AM

Crypto ATM startup Coinme hit with cease-and-desist order in Washington state

Washington state regulators allege that the startup improperly claimed more than $8 million in customer funds as its own income. Read More

Dec 4, 2025, 8:00 AM

Seattle-area startup Govstream.ai raises $3.6M to improve city permitting processes using AI

The company says its technology answers questions, checks documents, compares plan sets, and helps move applications through review faster. Read More

Dec 3, 2025, 8:00 AM

Amazon will pay $3.7M to settle labor claims in Seattle for alleged gig worker ordinance violations

Amazon Flex denied the allegations from the Office of Labor Standards but is paying more than 10,000 affected workers. Read More

Dec 1, 2025, 2:30 PM

Washington state AI task force lays out blueprint for regulation, suggests grant program for startups

Washington state is moving to set its own regulatory framework for artificial intelligence in the absence of federal legislation, laying… Read More

Nov 21, 2025, 1:11 PM

AI bargaining bill returns as Washington lawmakers weigh new rules for public employers

This story first appeared in the Washington State Standard. Washington state lawmakers next year are set to again discuss whether… Read More

Nov 21, 2025, 9:15 AM

Washington has the pieces for a quantum ecosystem. Now the state needs a game plan — and money.

Washington needs more speed and a better strategy to help bolster the region’s quantum ecosystem, according to panelists who spoke this week in Seattle at a Tech Alliance event focused on quantum technologies. Read More

Nov 20, 2025, 10:45 AM

New UW President Robert Jones aims to dispel ‘job apocalypse’ fears and prep every grad for an AI future

UW President Robert Jones wants to expand computer science access for undergraduates and build new public-private partnerships to tackle society’s grand challenges. Read More

Nov 20, 2025, 6:54 AM

As Trump targets state AI laws, a new Seattle startup sees opportunity

Reports emerged Wednesday that the White House is preparing an executive order directing federal agencies to challenge or block state-level… Read More

Nov 19, 2025, 2:31 PM

‘We are not going anywhere’: Key Amazon exec reaffirms tech giant’s commitment to Seattle region

The comments by David Zapolsky, Amazon chief global affairs and legal officer, follow years of political disputes in Seattle over taxes and other policies that contributed to Amazon shifting more of its workforce to Bellevue, Wash., and Northern Virginia. Read More

Nov 18, 2025, 9:25 AM

Washington state cities turn off license plate reader cameras amid ruling on data access

The debate stems from the use of cameras made by Flock Safety, and whether the images and data collected are subject to release under Washington’s Public Records Act. Read More

Nov 12, 2025, 2:00 PM

Steve Ballmer’s philanthropy pledges around $1 billion for early education in Washington state

The Ballmer Group Philanthropy has pledged roughly $1 billion over the next decade to significantly increase preschool access for low-income families in Washington. Read More

Nov 4, 2025, 11:24 PM

Seattle tax hike on big businesses set to pass after early voting returns

Proposition 2 will reshape the city’s business and occupation (B&O) tax that applies to gross revenue — impacting both small startups and large tech companies such as Amazon. Read More

Nov 3, 2025, 12:52 PM

Seattle hiring AI officer to guide how the tech can improve city processes, partnerships and more

The new job is in line with the city’s recent release of an AI plan, which provides guidelines for Seattle’s use of artificial intelligence and its support of the AI tech sector as an economic driver. Read More

Nov 1, 2025, 7:00 AM

Teen finds a way to simplify lost and found with an app that uses AI in the search process

Bellevue High School freshman Neil Kumar’s app, FindIt, uses artificial intelligence to help people recover misplaced items and reduce waste. Kumar’s innovation is being piloted at Bellevue College as part of the city’s Civic Innovation Challenge. Read More

Oct 30, 2025, 11:47 AM

The ‘enormous barrier’ that threatens economic growth in the Pacific Northwest

Leaders in the Pacific Northwest are largely bullish on the region’s continued economic success — but one threat to the region’s fiscal progress worries them in particular. Read More

Oct 30, 2025, 8:30 AM

Slowly but surely, high-speed rail backers believe Cascadia mega-project will become a reality

Ten years into a dream to connect Vancouver, B.C., Seattle and Portland via a high-speed rail line, the plan is moving forward, and Cascadia Innovation Corridor leaders say the next decade could be a defining one. Read More

Oct 29, 2025, 9:16 AM

Microsoft’s Brad Smith makes nuanced AI pitch: Huge potential, real concerns, and a Jon Stewart clip

Microsoft’s Brad Smith addressed the crowd at the Cascadia Innovation Corridor’s annual summit, pitching AI’s potential benefits while acknowledging the hype. Read More

Oct 28, 2025, 9:22 AM

Ferguson’s AI balancing act: Washington governor wants to harness innovation while minimizing harms

Washington state Gov. Bob Ferguson is threading the needle when it comes to artificial intelligence. Ferguson made a brief appearance… Read More

Oct 28, 2025, 7:00 AM

Cascadia’s AI paradox: A world-leading opportunity threatened by rising costs and a talent crunch

A new report exploring the potential for the Pacific Northwest to stake its claim as the global leader in sustainable AI offers a paradoxical view. Read More

Oct 23, 2025, 12:33 PM

Seattle mayor says Microsoft and Amazon have a ‘moral obligation’ to give back to the city

Harrell’s comments reflect a delicate balance faced by city leaders — ensuring that Seattle’s global tech corporations continue to bolster the economy and tax base, while addressing the ripple effects on housing, transportation, and communities. Read More

Oct 22, 2025, 9:55 AM

Annual summit celebrates Seattle-Nordic tech connections from clean energy to Nobel Prize

Seattle’s annual Nordic Innovation Summit celebrates and strengthens the economic and social ties between the Northwest and Scandinavia. Read More