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OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Lawmakers in Washington state have started a new legislative...

by Tim Gruver, The Center Square  | May 10, 2021 02:00 PM Print this article Eight Washington Democrats in the state Legislature have crossed party lines to call on Gov. Jay Inslee to reconsider his COVID-19 restrictions or face a special session. The letter, first obtained by Q13 Fox, is signed by eight Washington Democrats and four Republicans from the House and Senate. The letter follows Inslee's decision to halt further reopening statewide, leaving all but three counties – Cowlitz, Pierce and Whitman – in the state's least restrictive Phase 3. Those counties we...

Zeiger: A Call to Reform Emergency Powers Hans Zeiger   April 22, 2021   Following the 2016 Cascadia Rising exercise led by the Washington Military Department in preparation for a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake, I learned about limitations on the governor’s ability to respond to emergencies. While the governor had broad powers to prohibit activities “to help preserve and maintain life, health, property or the public peace,” he did not have the ability that many other governors had to suspend state statutes that could hinder an efficient emergency respons...

by Tim Gruver, The Center Square  | April 19, 2021 08:00 PM Print this article Washington Republicans made one last Hail Mary pass to restrict Gov. Jay Inslee's emergency powers in the final stretch of a historic legislative session. Calls to hand the reins of Washington's shutdowns from the grip of the governor over to the state legislature have bled across party lines since the onset of the pandemic. Critics on the left and right have condemned the shutdowns for failing to stop the state's rising caseload and decimating local businesses. In Olympia, more l...

Washington updates liquor laws to allow takeout booze for another 2 years Sign In FacebookTwitterEmail 2of3 3of3 While many Washington residents are more than happy to say goodbye to pandemic-born behavior, there's one welcome dining trend that will be sticking around for a few more years: takeout booze. In March, the state legislature approved House Bill 1480 to extend temporary alcohol sales privileges to license holders in the state, effectively allowing them to continue selling alcohol products for curbside pickup, takeout or delivery. Many bars and restaurants in the Emerald City quickly...