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The Washington House of Representatives recently passed HB 2303, a bill that says companies can’t force workers to get microchips under their skin. It's now making its way through the Senate. At …
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By Rob Richards
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3/3/26
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Based on what we’ve seen from the Senate’s majority Democrats, the final version of the new operating budget that emerges from Olympia this year will top out at over $80 billion.
If so, …
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By Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia
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2/27/26
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In the first months after cancer treatment ends, people often ask the same question: How does it feel to be done?
It’s an understandable question. We like clean endings. We like the idea that …
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By Wayne Fournier
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2/27/26
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It didn’t take long for majority Democrats in our state Legislature to jump off the affordability bandwagon.
Just five days before this year’s session convened, my counterpart on the …
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By Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia
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2/20/26
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Washingtonians value clean air, clean water and responsible environmental stewardship. Our farmers, ranchers, shellfish growers and skilled trades workers depend on it. So do our families.
But …
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By Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Chehalis
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2/20/26
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Washington lawmakers deserve credit for taking meaningful steps to confront the growing threat of illicit tobacco and vapor products. Stronger enforcement tools, clearer penalties, and a renewed …
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By Preston McCollam / Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney
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2/20/26
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As I approach the two-year mark since completing cancer treatment, I’ve found myself reflecting more than I expected. Not because of a scan or an appointment, but because of people.
Recently, …
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By Wayne Fournier
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2/18/26
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It takes 33 votes to advance a constitutional amendment in the Washington State Senate. In a universe where the Washington Legislature cared about the rule of law and honoring state supreme court …
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By Jason Mercier / Mountain States Policy Center
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2/18/26
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A new bill in Washington state would target parked vehicles for expired registration. Senate Bill 6172 could be voted on by the Senate soon. The measure received backlash from local radio and online …
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By Bob Pishue / Mountain States Policy Center
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2/17/26
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In the Washington state Senate’s tax bill, SSB 6113, a small paragraph poses devastating consequences to our communities: it would create a new tax on advertising that has until now been …
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By Ellen Hiatt / Washington Newspaper Publishers Association
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2/13/26
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Republicans still seem to be alone at the state Capitol when it comes to knowing what “affordability” truly means.
The proof is in the nearly 70 bills proposed or reintroduced by majority …
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By Sen. John Braun, R-Chehalis
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2/13/26
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Thurston County is shaped by the state government in Olympia, fast-growing urban areas along I-5, and our rural communities from the Black Hills to the Nisqually Valley. We need to remember that our …
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By Rob Richards
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2/9/26
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Washington has long been a high-cost state for employers, but new data show the state is increasingly losing its competitive edge in key areas.
Job growth is stalling, the business climate …
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By Kris Johnson / Association of Washington Business
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2/6/26
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For more than a decade, Democrats in Olympia have complained our state’s tax code is overly regressive. That claim is made again, predictably, in Senate Bill 6346, the legislation they filed Feb. 3 …
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By Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia
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2/6/26
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Last month, I found myself in a committee hearing room in Olympia, listening to a panel of labor-union officials testify in favor of sharp restrictions on initiative signature drives. They said …
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By Sen. Jeff Wilson
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2/5/26
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In the 1990’s, the Clinton administration gutted welfare programs, taking benefits away from millions of people, especially working mothers in our country who needed them to survive. They created …
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By Rob Richards
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2/3/26
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I said it in my last column, and I’ll say it again: leadership isn’t about being the brightest light in the room. It’s about making sure the room is lit well enough for everyone else to see — …
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By Wayne Fournier
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2/2/26
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Peter Abbarno commentary: Local challenges, local solutions — building a stronger community together
As your representative, I have always believed that the best solutions to our challenges don’t come from a top-down approach in Olympia. They come from listening to neighbors, understanding local …
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By Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Chehalis
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1/30/26
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Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson recently delivered his annual State of the State address in front of the legislature in Olympia. His message: prepare for taxes to go up and say goodbye to …
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By U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse
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1/29/26
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Years ago, stopping in Olympia for dinner, my son drove past the Capitol where a protest against proposed gun legislation had taken place. As I sat in the passenger seat, I glanced toward the …
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By Julie McDonald / For The Chronicle
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1/26/26
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