(The Center Square) – A recent report from the Washington State Auditor’s Office concludes law enforcement agencies are following the rules regarding civil asset forfeiture. The performance audit also notes law enforcement agencies could be more transparent about seizing assets like automobiles, cash and guns in the course of criminal investigations and how people can get their property returned. Civil asset forfeiture is a process in which police can take assets from people suspected of involvement with crime or illegal activity without necessarily charging the owners with wrongdoing. Asset f ..read more

(The Center Square) – More than 50 demonstrators turned out in front of Redmond's City Hall Tuesday evening, protesting what they claim is a lack of transparency and public input regarding the planned construction of six-story, 100-unit housing facility that aims to get people out of homelessness. Opponents of the housing project became further disgruntled at Redmond city officials for cutting public comment time from three minutes to one minute during an April 9 city council study session. The campaign, Safe Eastside, organized the rally outside of city hall, calling out the Redmond City Coun ..read more

(The Center Square) – Washington Supreme Court Commissioner Michael Johnson heard arguments on Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge Gary Bashor’s decision last week that the state’s high-capacity magazine ban is unconstitutional. Attorney General Bob Ferguson sued Gator's Custom Guns in Kelso in September, alleging the establishment offered to sell high-capacity magazines 11,408 times since July 2022 – when it became illegal under state law to manufacture, distribute, sell or offer for sale gun magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. Johnson issued a stay, halting Bashor’s decisi ..read more

(The Center Square) – State agencies and other recipients of programs that are funded by the Climate Commitment Act are being directed to use a recently approved new logo and messaging. The directive comes as the CCA is facing a potential repeal by voters in November with Initiative 2113. Some are questioning the use of taxpayer dollars for the new campaign, saying its politically inspired, but Gov. Jay Inslee's office tells The Center Square there is nothing political about the messaging. “It’s pretty standard for major infrastructure programs to have related branding programs or websites ass ..read more

(The Center Square) – The Spokane Valley City Council has repealed and replaced its Governance Manual, reigniting conflicts between new Councilmember Al Merkel, whose conduct toward city staff is being investigated, and his peers. More than 20 sections of the Governance Manual, a guide for the city council on how to act and conduct official business, were revised at Tuesday night's meeting. Merkel said he believes the changes are an attempt to bypass his comments and questions about certain agenda items. His status on the council has been the center of attention for much of the community, and ..read more

(The Center Square) – The Snohomish County Council rejected in a 2-2 vote a proposed resolution calling on the Washington State Legislature to “consider the harmful impacts” of a newly-enacted law affecting Puget Sound Energy, which provides natural gas to 150,000 homes in the jurisdiction. This session the Legislature passed House Bill 1589, which tasks PSE with consolidating their electrical and natural gas plans to be submitted to the State Transportation and Utilities Commission. Although initially written to explicitly prevent new natural gas service from PSE and later removing it’s legal ..read more

(The Center Square) – While 28 candidates for governor have filed with the Public Disclosure Commission, only one is currently facing independent expenditures in opposition. Public records surfacing on past actions of Republican candidate Misipati Semi Bird have roused the ire of former supporter Mike McKee, who has set up a website at Bird-Docs.com to explain his change of heart. “Semi is a phenomenal speaker and we talk the same language about school boards and the mess that our schools are in,” McKee said last week. “He’s a very knowledgeable guy. But I can’t support him anymore.” McKee sai ..read more

(The Center Square) – On Wednesday afternoon, Commissioner of the Washington Supreme Court Michael Johnson will consider a temporary hold issued by him on Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge Gary Bashor's ruling last week saying the state's high-capacity magazine ban was unconstitutional. Attorney General Bob Ferguson sued Gator's Custom Guns in Kelso in September, alleging the establishment offered to sell high-capacity magazines 11,408 times since July 2022 – when it became illegal under state law to manufacture, distribute, sell or offer for sale gun magazines that hold more than 10 rounds ..read more

(The Center Square) – Lawmakers are hoping recently passed legislation will stem the tide of stolen catalytic converters in Washington state. This session, the Legislature passed House Bill 2153, which Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law, which requires catalytic converters to marked by dealers so they are traceable if stolen. It goes into effect on April 1, 2025. A catalytic converter is a device used to reduce the emissions from an internal combustion engine. There's a significant black market trade in catalytic converters because of the valuable rare metals – platinum, palladium and rhodium – t ..read more

(The Center Square) – A proposed bill that would increase the hourly minimum wage in unincorporated King County to $20.29 was given a do-pass recommendation on Tuesday by the King County Transportation, Economy and Environment Committee. Employers with 15 or fewer employees and an annual gross revenue of less than $2 million would have an hourly minimum wage rate of $3 less ($17.29). The reduction would decrease annually by 50 cents until no reduction remains. Employers with more than 15 employees but fewer than 500 employees would have an hourly minimum wage rate of $2 less ($18.29). The redu ..read more