Austin Jenkins / NW News Network
Originally published on March 12, 2021 3:44 pm
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Washington’s 105-day legislative session has crossed the halfway point and a key deadline for policy (non-budget) bills to clear their chamber of origin has passed. Majority Democrats are moving swiftly to enact a pandemic-era agenda focused on issues like tax reform, police accountability, racial equity and global climate change. Minority Republicans, meanwhile, are seeing a few of their bills advance while also objecting to much of what Democrats are pushing forward. So, what’s moving and what’s not? Let’s take a look.
Budget and Taxes
March 17th will bring the next quarterly tax revenue forecast, followed by House and Senate budget proposal unveilings. The forecast lets budget writers know how much the state can expect to collect from taxes over the next four years. After a bleak forecast last June because of COVID, the September and November forecasts were surpri
Morning Wire: Capital gains tax, ERFC review, Bills moving DJ Wilson March 9, 2021
It’s been a busy few days ahead of the first house of origin cut off today. Things will narrow considerably from here on policy questions. Fiscal and budget questions will pick up steam later this month when budgets come out from both chambers.
It’s a time when the adage by former Republican leader Rep. Richard DeBolt sits in the back of my mind. “Forget what you’ve heard. The Democrats are not the enemy. The enemy is the Senate.”
Bicameralism at its best.
1. House of origin cutoff: what passed, from where, and from whom?
Washington statewide agency would investigate police use of force
Washington s Office of Independent Investigations would examine police actions that result in death or serious injury, in a proposal that passed the state House. Author: Lionel Donovan (KING) Updated: 7:41 PM PST March 6, 2021
OLYMPIA, Wash. Washington lawmakers are considering a proposal that would take use-of-force investigations out of the hands of law enforcement officers and turn them over to an independent agency.
HB 1267 has made its way through the House of the Washington State Legislature. The bill would create an Office of Independent Investigations to examine the use of deadly force by law enforcement.
UpdatedThu, Mar 4, 2021 at 6:13 pm PT
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Police follow protesters as they move through the city during racial justice protests on November 3, 2020 in Seattle (David Ryder/Getty Images)
OLYMPIA, WA Washington s top lawmakers are debating the creation of a new agency, one which would independently investigate deadly uses of force by the state s law enforcement officers.
On Wednesday, House Bill 1267 passed the House on a vote of 57-39. If approved by the Senate, the bill would create the Office of Independent Investigations an agency serving under the governor, comprised of non-law enforcement personnel and tasked solely with reviewing incidents in which police kill civilians.
With 8 dead and hundreds injured, Tacoma grapples with how much police force is too much msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.