After grappling with unexpected officer separations over the past three years, SPD is still not hiring enough officers to replace those who have left. While the rate of officer separations has become more predictable and is steadily decreasing, the department is now on track to hire even fewer recruits than last year.

The department had 1,002 fully trained officers at the end of 2023, but new estimates expect that number to drop by 10 officers to 992 by the end of 2024. SPD’s original 2024 staffing plan assumed 120 hires and 105 separations. SPD is now planning for 20 fewer hires and five fewer separations in 2024.

The new projections reflect changes realized in the first quarter. The projections are not adjusted for future months (April-Dec 2024), which are likely to produce fewer hires than previously planned.

‘Personally alarmed’: Seattle police chief presents ideas as officer numbers sink

SPD staffing woes have impact on public safety metrics

SPD’s staffing woes are having a noticeable impact on public safety metrics. Response times for emergency calls are worsening as the department struggles to maintain adequate staffing levels. SPD’s response time goal for a priority one call is a 7-minute median time, meaning half of the calls were over 7 minutes and the other half were less than 7 minutes.

A priority one call is when someone’s life could be in danger. Priority two is still an emergency but not life-threatening, potentially resulting in an injury. Priority three is a non-emergency incident like a noise complaint or illegal campfire, requiring an officer to respond to take a follow-up report.

From January to March 2024, the median response time citywide was 7.9 minutes, with an average response time of 11.4 minutes. For priority two calls, the median was 33.1 minutes, and the average was 75.7 minutes. For priority three calls, the median was 81.8 minutes, and the average was 154.5 minutes, more than 2.5 hours.

Comparing the first quarter of 2024 to the same period last year, all five precincts lagged behind their 2023 average and median response times for all priority calls, except in the Southwest Precinct, which improved priority two call times. The West Precinct, which is in downtown Seattle, had the best median response time at 6.3 minutes, while the Northwest Precinct, the largest geographically in the city, had the worst median time at 9.8 minutes.

Council President Sara Nelson expressed concern over reassigning detectives and beat cops to patrol due to staffing issues.

“If we have removed the investigators and put them into patrol, that means we can’t do proactive policing; we are just responding to emergency calls,” Nelson said.

‘SPD is dying’: What Seattle police officers are saying during exit interviews

SPD faces budget issues

Compounding these issues is SPD’s budget management. As of the first quarter of 2024, the department has already spent 24% of its annual overtime budget. Projections suggest that SPD may overspend its overtime budget by the end of the year. The current hiring shortfalls have inadvertently provided salary savings of $3 million that could be used to offset the potential overtime budget overspend. However, this balance is precarious and may shift if hiring improves and overtime spending continues to rise.

Council member Rob Saka questioned the need for executive protection for Chief Adrian Diaz, suggesting it could represent a cost-saving measure if reduced.

“We normally would expect to have executive protection for the mayor versus chiefs of police without a response to a specific threat,” Saka said.

The impact of the recently passed CB 120776, aimed at improving SPD’s recruitment and retention, has yet to be felt due to delays and the recent approval of a 23% retroactive pay raise for officers. SPD’s ability to manage its budget effectively in the coming months will largely depend on its success in recruiting new officers and controlling overtime expenditures. The department’s leadership is under pressure to address these challenges promptly to prevent further deterioration of response times and to maintain public safety.

Matt Markovich often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, or email him here.

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“I’ve been living in my van, couch-surfing and showering at my gym,” he said. “None of this makes sense to me, and I ask myself every day who wins in this situation.”

Roth was informed that a backlog of unlawful detainer cases in King County is pushing his court date back by six to eight months.

More on Roth’s tenant: Seattle homeowner’s ‘nightmare’ situation resolved one year later

He’s not alone.

King County Superior Court Presiding Judge Ketu Shah reported a 24% increase in hearings for unlawful detainer cases, resulting in months-long delays before hearings are set. King County has seen cases rise from an average of 57 per month in 2021 to 622 per month in 2024. As of March 31, 2,151 cases are pending, with only about a dozen resolved per day.

King County is struggling with this workload due to a constitutional requirement that unlawful detainer cases must be heard by a constitutional commissioner. Each county is limited to three commissioners, regardless of population size.

“This is where our system is broken,” Democratic Sen. Mark Mullet, D-Issaquah, who is also running for governor, said. “We have 39 counties; some have 40,000 people, and some, like King County, have 2.3 million people — they all have a three-commissioner limit. We need to change the constitution.”

Republican King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn agreed.

“It might have made sense in 1889, but King County has a third of the state’s population,” Dunn said. “Three commissioners just aren’t going to get it done.”

A change to the constitution requires a two-thirds vote in both the state House and Senate. Dunn attributes the rise in unlawful detainer cases to the expiration of pandemic-era tenant protections.

“Most of those provisions have sunsetted, even in Seattle, and now landlords have the legal right to remove tenants from their property,” Dunn said.

Additionally, state legislators have assigned more duties to constitutional commissioners, including cases regarding guardianship, right to counsel and domestic violence protection orders.

“This is the trifecta that’s created our current headache and misery,” Mullet said.

More from Matt Markovich: Washington Republicans face internal feud over endorsements ahead of elections

Senate Bill 6210, sponsored by Mullet, proposed authorizing “statutory commissioners” to hear unlawful detainer cases and included $5.25 million to fund these positions. However, it was defeated due to additional requirements for income limits on state-funded legal representation in evictions.

Mullet believes a “clean bill” focusing solely on increasing constitutional commissioners would garner bipartisan support. Dunn is also seeking funding in the 2025 King County budget for more commissioners, pending legislative changes.

“I have a lot of anxiety if we don’t fix the system,” Mullet said. “We will end up with people not wanting to be housing providers in Washington because they feel there’s no certainty.”

Matt Markovich often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, or email him here.

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The court, in a 5-3 decision, denied Pierce County Prosecutor’s request to reinstate Carter’s original life sentence. In a dissenting opinion, three justices stated that the court’s decision means “an adult homicide offender could receive a sentence of zero months.”

More from WA Supreme Court: State commissioner to decide on high-capacity magazine ban

Carter was convicted in 1998 for the murder of Corey Pittman during a gang-related shooting. He also received four counts of first-degree assault with firearm enhancements and a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm.

In 2021, the State Supreme Court ruled that life without parole for 18- to 20-year-old offenders is unconstitutional as it does not consider the mitigating qualities of youth. Carter, who became the subject of a documentary, subsequently filed a motion for resentencing, citing his youthfulness at the time of the crime.

The Pierce County Superior Court agreed and resentenced him to 30 years in prison.

During the resentencing, Carter expressed remorse for his actions and their impact on the community and Pittman’s family. Pittman was a college student and president of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Club at the time of his death.

The documentary “Since I Been Down” highlights Carter’s rehabilitation and his efforts to help others in the justice system. The Supreme Court upheld the Pierce County Court’s decision to resentence Carter to 30 years.

Prosecutors argued that the state legislature had not set sentencing requirements for 18- to 20-year-old offenders convicted of aggravated murder, leaving judges without discretion.

The primary issues before the Supreme Court were whether the superior court had the authority to impose determinate sentences for aggravated first-degree murder and to resentence Carter’s other convictions.

More from Matt Markovich: Washington Republicans face internal feud over endorsements ahead of elections

Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis, writing for the majority, affirmed the superior court’s authority to resentence Carter and upheld its decision to vacate his original sentence. However, Justice Barbara Madsen, in her dissenting opinion, warned that the majority’s ruling could lead to “an adult homicide offender receiving a sentence of zero months,” conflicting with the statute’s intent to harshly punish homicide offenders.

Carter is now out of prison. House Bill 1325, introduced in January to allow early release for those who committed crimes before 25 and are serving long sentences, failed to advance in committee.

Matt Markovich often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, or email him here.

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The divide will become even more apparent as the Mainstream Republicans of Washington hold their annual Cascade Conference from May 31-June 2 in Yakima.

In four of the most prominent races in the state — U.S. Senate, governor, 4th Congressional District and state lands commissioner, there was only one overlapping endorsement between the Mainstream Republicans and the Washington State Republican Party.

Over 1,800 delegates made their endorsements in late April during the party’s annual convention in Spokane.

It featured raucous debates with many delegates sporting MAGA hats and waving Trump banners.

But before the convention, Mainstream Republicans of Washington released its endorsements of former U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert for governor, incumbent Dan Newhouse for the 4th Congressional District, and former former U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler for state lands commissioner. The current commissioner, Democrat Hilary Franz, is running for the 6th Congressional District seat.

Delegates at the convention endorsed Semi Bird instead of Reichert for governor, Jerrod Sessler instead of Newhouse in the 4th District, and Sue Kuehl Pederson instead of Herrera Beutler for state lands commissioner.

Both groups endorsed Dr. Raul Garcia as the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in the race against Democratic incumbent Sen. Maria Cantwell.

It was the first time convention goers endorsed candidates so early in the election cycle, even before the candidate filing period had ended, and delegates did not follow the Mainstream Republicans’ endorsements.

More from Matt Markovich: Signature gathering begins for initiative to keep natural gas in Washington

Reichert left the convention claiming his own party and the event were in a state of “disarray.”

“Our priority is supporting electable candidates, not necessarily the popular ones,” Mainstream Republican Chairwoman Deanna Martinez  said to KIRO Newsradio.

Panelists listed for the Cascade Conference do not include Bird, Sessler, or Pederson. Reichert will be the conference’s keynote speaker Saturday night.

‘The Republican Party is a big tent’

State Republican Party Chairman Rep. Jim Walsh says the public should not read too much into the different sets of endorsements.

“The Republican Party is a big tent, and we have all kinds of perspectives. We are at the beginning of the process,” Walsh said to KIRO Newsradio.

He presided over the Spokane convention and is listed as a moderator and speaker at the Cascade Convention.

“I represent everybody who is moderate, right-of-center politically in Washington, and there are increasingly more and more of those people,” Walsh explained.

By the nature of his job as state party chairman, Walsh sees himself as the peacemaker and coalition builder in support of all Republican candidates.

Martinez, on the other hand, sees her group as backing the candidates that are electable in a state that currently holds the longest streak of Democratic governors in the nation. The last Republican elected as governor of the state of Washington was in 1980.

Voters are not required to list a political party preference when they register to vote.

A January 2024 Crosscut/Stu Elway poll of 403 respondents statewide indicated 53% would register as a Democrat or are independent leaning Democrat. The poll also showed 34% would register  Republican or are independent leaning Republican and 13% declared to be independent. (A PDF of the poll results can be seen here.)

Republicans can ill afford to fracture their vote in what is clearly still a very blue state.

‘Discriminatory practices’: Seattle police captain sues city, Chief Adrian Diaz

When asked if she’s satisfied with the current direction of the Republican Party in the state, Martinez replied, “That’s a big question to answer.”

She added, “Am I satisfied? No, I don’t think anybody is satisfied because we really need to work together. Not that we are not, but I think certain areas of the state may not agree with some of what we stand for.”

A gamble to endorse candidates so early

State Republicans took a gamble by endorsing candidates at the April convention so early in the election cycle.

Walsh said the gamble was worth it.

“Yes, I think it was. It activated a lot of new voters. A large majority of delegates on the floor of that convention were first-time delegates. They were people new to the political process. Getting them involved and activated is critically important,” Walsh said.

Martinez believes the intention to endorse candidates early on is a good step to minimize the number of candidates in each race.

“I don’t know if it was successful,” says Martinez.

Both Martinez and Walsh agree the “disconnect” among Republicans is being made a bigger issue than it really is.

While Walsh is trying to be all things to all Republicans, Martinez stresses the party needs to focus its support on the most electable candidates.

“Beating the Democrat is all that really matters,” says Martinez said.

Matt Markovich often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, or email him here.

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That’s three out of four people surveyed.  That’s a lot.

And 7 out of 10 people were not confident in their own abilities to detect a fake picture, video or audio.

So, who should we trust going forward?

In the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, Walter Cronkite was called the most trusted man in America. (And yes, I’m dating myself when I say I grew up watching him as a kid.)  He was an inspiration of why I got into news.

He died 15 years ago: 92 years old.

What would he think of artificial intelligence (AI) in our world of opinionated “news” outlets (and that’s news in quotes)?

How people put trust into cheating sports starts, politicians who lie blatantly without hesitation and leaders of industry who do the same? (And they’re all not fake, they are real people.)

Who would Cronkite – the most trusted man in America – who would he trust?

The answer may be in an old Ronald Reagan Cold War phrase we should keep in mind: Trust, but verify. It’s a phrase that’s neither Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative,  but just common sense.

It’s now incumbent on for all of us to do just that. Don’t believe everything you see and hear right away. I think that’s what the poll is telling us.

Unfortunately, “That’s the way it is, Friday March 6th, 1981. … Good night.”

I could not have ended this commentary any other way.

Matt Markovich often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, or email him here.

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Captain Eric Greening, a 30-year veteran of the department is alleging that Diaz retaliated against him for reporting “discriminatory practices within SPD to Chief Diaz and others in the Department,” the lawsuit says. (The lawsuit can be viewed as a PDF here.)

The retaliatory actions include “rejecting Mr. Greening’s applications for the positions of Deputy Chief and Assistant Chief; abolishing the Collaborative Policing Bureau, which Mr. Greening led; demoting Mr. Greening from his position as an Assistant Chief to the rank of Captain; and transferring Mr. Greening to the Force Review Unit, where he oversees a small number of staff members and has no direct contact with the public,” the lawsuit reads.

Greening is claiming the actions have resulted in financial damages in the form of “lower pay, loss of reputation, diminution of future career opportunities, and emotional distress.”

Recent coverage: Seattle mayor hires firm to probe SPD sexual harassment, discrimination claims

It’s the third lawsuit against Diaz involving racial and sex discrimination going back to when he was named interim chief in September 2020 following the resignation of Chief Carmen Best.   He was named permanent chief two years later.

Greening was serving as assistant chief of the SPD’s Special Operations Bureau, overseeing SWAT, the Hostage Negotiation Team, Harbor Patrol and other special units when Diaz became interim chief.

Less than a year into the interim role, Diaz assigned Greening to the Police Collaborative Policing Bureau and remined there until July 2023. He also served as acting chief during that time according to the lawsuit.

The complaint says Greening was the only Black sworn member of SPD’s command staff from August 2020 until July 2023.

The lawsuit says Greening brought several issues of “discrimination and disparate treatment within the SPD to the attention of Chief Diaz; Rebecca McKechnie, human resources manager for the SPD; and Dr. Amarah Khan, executive director of the Office of the Employee Ombud for Seattle.

He allegedly told Diaz about the “appearance of segregation” within SPD because the responsibility of community outreach was being “solely on female and BIPOC officers.”

‘SPD is dying’: What Seattle police officers are saying during exit interviews

Greening filed a complaint with the Lisa Judge, inspector general with the Seattle Office of Inspector General (OIG) for Public Safety in September 2023 and that investigation is still open.

The lawsuit is asking for compensatory damages including reputational harm and emotional distress.

We are have reached out to SPD for a comment and have not heard anything back at the time this story was published.

Matt Markovich often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X or email him here.

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The legislation sponsored by Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson calls for an independent commission to establish testing standards and to “seek” a public safety testing service used by law enforcement agencies in King County and neighboring areas. She is referring to a test used by other law enforcement agencies that reportedly has a higher passage rate than the one Seattle uses.

“SPD continues to lose more officers than it’s able to hire, and 2023 was no exception,” Nelson said when introducing her legislation a month ago.

A memo to council members, written by Seattle City Council Staff Analyst Greg Doss, for the upcoming vote indicates that investments in police officer recruitment starting two years ago have not increased hiring.

“SPD yielded approximately half of its annual hiring targets, reaching a high of only 61 hires out of 1,948 applications in 2023, a conversion rate of 3%,” Doss wrote.

Ninety-seven officers left the force in 2023, resulting in a net loss of 36. Applications in the past five years have declined from a high of 3,118 in 2019, before the Black Lives Matter and George Floyd protests, to a low of 1,895 in 2022. However, the conversion rate of applicants becoming police officers has remained at the same 3% level.

‘SPD is dying’: What Seattle police officers are saying during exit interviews

Seattle police test used to screen applicants

For the last two years, Nelson and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell have been exploring ways to improve police recruiting. One of the screening elements for new applicants is a test administered by the city’s Public Safety Civil Service Commission.

The test is mandatory for all applicants and is intended to measure a person’s behavioral response to certain situations.

“You actually don’t have to have knowledge of what a police officer is all about to pass the test,” Public Safety Civil Service Commission Director Andrea Scheele said.

The test has been in place since 2012 when the SPD was under the full consent decree for biased police practices.

“There are several components, some are cognitive, some are emotional intelligence assessments. They determine if applicants meet the minimum qualifications important for becoming an entry-level police officer,” Scheele said.

The test is the second test in the application process, which includes a physical agility test, oral board interview, background check, medical evaluation, psychological exam and a polygraph test. It’s up to SPD to determine what to do with the applicant’s test results.

“We give the list of passing candidates and their contact information to Seattle Police and it takes over from there,” Scheele said.

The current test comes from the National Testing Network (NTN) but is not widely used by neighboring agencies or throughout the country. Twenty-seven agencies in the state use the test, but another 160 use the Public Safety Test (PST) provided by competitor, Industrial Organizational Solutions.

More news: Seattle passes contract with SPD amid concerns over lack of public comment

SCC president calls test ‘competitive disadvantage’

With so many agencies competing for the same qualified candidate, Nelson called the testing situation “a competitive disadvantage.” She compared the Public Safety Test to the college SAT test, whose results can be distributed instantly to all agencies where an applicant wants it sent.

“When they take the PST test once, it’s on file and they can designate which agencies get that score. And if they have to use a test that nobody else is using, that’s a disincentive to include Seattle in their application process,” Nelson said.

Another factor at play is the passage rate. Scheele said 70% of those who take Seattle’s NTN test pass. The pass rate for the Public Safety Test is 90%, according to the Seattle Times, quoting the company’s founder Jon Waters.

KIRO Newsradio has not yet independently confirmed the 90% number.

With a higher passage rate, more applicants could move on to the other evaluations SPD requires to become an officer. If an applicant fails Seattle’s NTN test, a job with SPD is most likely out of reach.

Nelson initially asked for her legislation to mandate a switch to the Public Safety Test but backpedaled after staff legal counsel reportedly told her the move would be overstepping the council’s boundaries on Scheele’s independent Public Safety Civil Service Commission.

Alternative test being discussed

Nelson is now asking Scheele to review the PST test as an alternative for SPD applicants.

Report: Seattle mayor hires firm to probe SPD sexual harassment, discrimination claims

Scheele said she is in the process of her “due diligence” validating and reviewing modifications to customize the PST to meet Seattle’s standards.

“I’ve been feeling pressure for some time to work as hard as I can to help the City of Seattle hire more qualified police officers, but this pressure is not new, it’s in a different form for sure,” Scheele said.

The commission can take input on what should be included in the test but has sole discretion over what goes into the test. Nelson does not believe that using the PST with its higher passage rate would lower the standards for becoming an SPD officer.

“I have not seen any reason why using this test would result in a lowering of standards,” Nelson said. “There is no evidence for that.”

Doss told council members that Snohomish County and the cities of Lake Forest Park and Kennewick used both tests in their hiring process.

“I don’t think anyone wants to lower the standards of that exam,” Scheel said.

Matt Markovich often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email him here.

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Initiative 2066, backed by the Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW), aims to repeal parts of a new state law that accelerates Puget Sound Energy’s shift away from natural gas. (A PDF of Initiative 2066 can be seen here.)

Backers say it also protects natural gas and all energy choices across the state.

“It’s to protect natural gas and propane service statewide by restricting any state, county or city entity from banning, restricting or disincentivizing the use of natural gas for existing or new customers in areas where natural gas is available,” Greg Lane, executive vice president of the BIAW, said.

The BIAW, Washington Hospitality Association (WHA), Washington Realtors, and Associated General Contractors are part of the coalition supporting the initiative.

Let’s Go Washington, which is led by hedge fund executive Brian Heywood and successfully qualified three Republican-backed measures for the November ballot, will assist with the signature gathering effort, Lane said.

“We are protecting choice from everybody so everybody can choose any energy resource they think is best for their home or business,” Lane said.

More from Matt Markovich: What I learned this legislative session is citizens can break a 1-party rule

Potential impacts of a natural gas ban

WHA President Anthony Anton explained Asian restaurants have shown a particular worry of any natural gas ban.

“They are the third most common cuisine in the state and a lot of them have woks and base their cuisine or cooking background on open flame,” Anton said. “There are just not a lot of alternatives from them to lean on.”

In addition, the measure would overturn recent changes to Washington’s energy code that encourage the installation of electric heat pumps in new houses, apartments, and commercial buildings.

The initiative explicitly states that the state code “may not in any way prohibit, penalize, or discourage the use of gas for any form of heating, or for uses related to any appliance or equipment, in any building.”

“We want to give technology more time to give us some options,” Anton said.

Strippers, book bans, guns: Examples of partisan divide persist in Olympia

To qualify for the ballot, supporters must submit signatures from at least 324,516 registered voters to the office of the Washington Secretary of State by 5 p.m. on July 5.

Lane says they are targeting the collection of at least 405,000 signatures to provide a buffer for invalid signatures.

“I am very confident that we are going to hit that goal. The response from the public has been extremely visceral that natural gas is going to get shut off to their homes and businesses,” Lane said.

Matt Markovich often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email him here.

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U.S. District Judge Robert J. Bryan threw out the lawsuit Wednesday filed by International Partners for Ethical Care Inc. and Advocates Protecting Children. The judge ruled that their claims lacked sufficient evidence of concrete harm.

The lawsuit targeted Senate Bill (SB) 5599, which permits shelters for homeless or runaway children and offers assistance in accessing gender-affirming treatments without parental notification.

Bryan emphasized that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate how the law directly harmed them or their children, dismissing their allegations as speculative and conjectural.

The groups, along with ten unnamed parents, argued that SB 5599 violated parents’ constitutional rights to direct the care and upbringing of their children, as well as their religious freedoms, due process, free speech, and equal protection rights. They contended that the law coerced “gender-confused” youth into seeking treatment against parental objections and allowed the state to facilitate transitions without parental consent.

More news: Transgender employee suing Boeing for harassment, unsafe work environment

However, the state of Washington countered, saying the plaintiffs lacked standing, as none of them alleged that their children were seeking gender-affirming care, had run away or had been impacted by the law’s modified notification requirements. This argument ultimately swayed Bryan’s decision to dismiss the case.

SB 5599, enacted in 2022, expanded the circumstances under which shelters could refrain from notifying parents or guardians about a child’s whereabouts or activities.

In cases involving youth seeking reproductive healthcare or gender-affirming care, shelters are now permitted to delay parental notification if there is a compelling reason to do so, such as concerns about abuse or neglect if the parent is informed.

The decision underscores the ongoing legal battles surrounding transgender rights and parental authority.

Past rulings concerning gender-affirming care

In a historic move, the U.S. Supreme Court made its first foray into the contentious debate over gender-affirming care by ruling in April that Idaho can enforce its ban on providing puberty blockers or hormones to minors. The decision, which saw a 6-3 majority in favor of allowing enforcement, marks a significant milestone in the legal trajectory of transgender rights.

However, the court notably refrained from delving into the constitutionality of the ban, focusing instead on procedural matters and the scope of judicial authority.

Meanwhile, in Ohio, Franklin County Judge Michael Holbrook issued a temporary injunction, blocking the enforcement of a law set to ban gender-affirming care for minors and transgender girls’ participation in school sports. The judge’s decision cited concerns about the law’s compliance with legislative procedures and the requirement that state laws address a single issue, rather than bundling disparate measures together.

In another pivotal ruling, a federal appeals court in Virginia declared West Virginia’s ban on transgender girls participating in girls’ sports competitions to be in violation of the rights of one teen athlete. The decision allows 13-year-old Becky Pepper Jackson, who identifies as a girl, to continue competing on her school’s track and field teams.

However, the broader implications of the ruling remain uncertain, as Attorney General Patrick Morrisey affirmed that the ban remains in place for others, pending further legal proceedings.

Other politics: King County faces property tax hike to save public health clinics from closing

These legal developments come amid a broader trend of Republican-led efforts to pass state restrictions targeting transgender individuals. While the pace of legislative action has slowed compared to previous years, measures targeting transgender people continue to advance in state legislatures across the country.

In Tennessee, lawmakers recently approved a bill requiring public school employees to notify parents if their student identifies as transgender, adding to similar laws already in place in several states.

In Alabama, legislators are pushing forward with legislation to define gender based on reproductive systems rather than gender identity, reflecting ongoing efforts to codify narrow definitions of sex and gender into law.

KIRO Newsradio has asked representatives of the plaintiffs in the Washington case for comment and has not received a response.

Contributing: Geoff Mulvihill, The Associated Press

Matt Markovich is an analyst and reporter who often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email him here.

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However, the request is raising privacy concerns about how the information collected can be accessed by the public and used in investigations of other crimes. The Seattle City Council’s (SCC) Public Safety Committee heard the request by SPD on Tuesday but will not take any action until SPD returns and addresses privacy concerns raised by council members.

Seattle Police are asking the council for $280,000 and approval to expand Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology to the entire fleet, which includes its 270 cruisers, six police boats and other non-cruiser vehicles.

If approved, the initiative would mark a significant shift in surveillance practices within the city.

Other news: Seattle council member wants public input over police contract vote before it passes

The expansion would utilize high-definition in-vehicle video cameras, also known as “dashcams,” to continuously scan and analyze license plates within their view. Currently, SPD uses ALPR to recover lost or stolen cars, enforce parking, issue Amber and Silver Alerts and aid in other active investigations involving missing persons.

The SCC approved the initial ALPR program in 2021, limiting it to only 11 police vehicles. One of the vehicles was demonstrated by Seattle Police Captain John Britt, who told the council that the system works.

Seattle police captain recovers dozens of stolen cars with ALPR tech

“While I am not an officer out on routine patrol, in those two years, I have recovered about 24 stolen vehicles, just myself. And that includes driving to and from work, heading out to grab lunch, or attending other meetings,” Britt said.

Software deciphers the plate number and then instantly cross-references license plate numbers against databases including the Washington Crime Information Center, the FBI’s National Crime Information Center, and SPD’s internal investigations.

If a match is found, the patrol officer must verify license plate accuracy and confirm with dispatch before any action may be taken, according to a presentation made by SPD to the council. But Britt told the council the technology cannot read the state represented by the plate.

“The technology has not yet advanced to the point where it can distinguish between different states. So, it’s only reading the characters on the license plate itself. So that human in the loop aspect is critically important to that,” Britt said.

Supporters highlight the expansion’s potential to enhance public safety and police accountability but others, including several council members, expressed concerns about the expansion’s impact on civil liberties, particularly among historically marginalized communities.

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Stakeholders worry about misuse of license plate tech

During the public comment period, which concluded in late 2023, various stakeholders expressed apprehensions about increased surveillance, data retention periods and potential misuse of ALPR data by government agencies.

Former King County Superior Court Judge and now freshman council member Cathy Moore said she had deep concerns about the 90-day retention policy of all information collected and residing on a third-party service provider, which is part of SPD’s plan.

“We are now opening the door to public records requests from people potentially placing domestic violence victims at risk, that would potentially increase stalking, harassment, people who are being targeted because of their immigration status, their ethnicity, their religious identity, as well as reproductive care,” Moore said.  “I am very uncomfortable voting on this until we have addressed the retention issues under the Public Records Act.”

As the SCC deliberates on CB 120778, an ongoing review by Council Central Staff aims to identify specific policy options. The committee is slated for a second hearing on May 28, 2024, where further amendments may be considered.

Matt Markovich is an analyst and reporter who often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email him here.

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It does not include cities within the county that can set their own minimum wage.

Currently, the minimum wage in Washington State is $16.28 per hour. The $20.29 per hour wage affects businesses with 500 or more employees. Businesses employing 15-499 workers must pay a minimum wage of $18.29. Smaller businesses with fewer than 15 employees and annual gross revenues under $2 million must pay a minimum wage of $17.29.

The ordinance takes effect for businesses with 500 or more employees on Jan. 1, 2025. The remaining businesses must raise their minimum pay incrementally until 2030 when all businesses will pay the minimum wage with inflation adjustments.

According to the Puget Sound Regional Council, there are about 4,100 businesses that would be affected by this new minimum wage.

Other news: Seattle passes contract with SPD amid concerns over lack of public comment

Critics echoed the common themes opponents of minimum wages have argued for years: businesses will pass the higher wage costs to consumers in higher product prices and small businesses will shut down.

Since the ordinance affects only unincorporated King County, critics argue businesses with competitors just down the road in a city with a lower minimum water will be at a disadvantage.

When Seattle passed its $15 minimum wage in 2013, it gave small businesses a seven-year phase-in period by factoring in total compensation. Currently, the minimum wage in Seattle is $19.97 an hour.

Jacob Andrew of Cascadia Pizza told council members an amendment sponsored by Council member Reagan Dunn that would base the minimum wage on total compensation — including wages, tips and costs of health care benefits — is needed to keep small businesses alive.

That amendment failed in a 6-2 vote.

An amendment that would limit the wage to urban areas of unincorporated areas of the county and not be imposed in rural forest land also failed on a 6-2 vote.

King County now joins Seattle, Tukwila, SeaTac and Renton in setting a minimum wage that goes above the state requirement.

Matt Markovich is an analyst and reporter who often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email him here.

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During President Biden’s weekend campaign visit to Seattle, I was told a picture with the president would cost me a minimum of $25,000. That got me thinking. 

There were no blocked freeways. No airport shutdowns. Not even a blocked hallway preventing me from moving around the picture taking of Sammy Sosa.

More political news: Both duplicate Bob Fergusons withdraw from governors race

Yes, there’s a difference between Sammy Sosa and the leader of the free world. But the purpose of the picture is important.

Planes at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac) were halted from taking off and landing. Interstate 5 (I-5) was blocked for close to an hour during 5 p.m. rush hour, all while the president chit-chatted with high-ranking Democrats on the tarmac with everyone else waiting.

The president was motorcaded to and from events both downtown and on the eastside just so people could get a chance to have their picture taken with him for money – campaign money.

Sometimes there’s an official reason for a presidential visit. Campaigns use this to offset the cost of moving the president from point A to point B, so they’ll include a campaign visit. It costs nearly $200,000 an hour to operate Air Force One, according to the White House.

But this weekend, there was no official reason for the president to be in Seattle. It was just a campaign stop to earn money for his re-election. And think about the thousands of people this visit inconvenienced, let alone the comparisons to the pro-Palestinian protesters being charged with the unlawful blocking of the roads entering SeaTac airport a while back.

More from Matt Markovich: Elected officials need accountability for their ‘generosity’ with our tax dollars

Maybe the president should sign a treaty next time he comes to Seattle to justify some of the inconvenience to all of us.

Or bring Sammy Sosa along – there’s an extra $55 he could earn.

Matt Markovich is an analyst and reporter who often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email him here.

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It has been confirmed by the Secretary of State that only AG Bob Ferguson will be on the ballot.

The Attorney General’s campaign said it sent cease-and-desist letters to Robert Benjamin Ferguson and Robert Arthur Ferguson in an effort to remove their names from the August primary ballot. During a press conference Monday morning, AG Ferguson said the two letters were left on their porches.

In the letters, he explained the legal implications of deceptive election and asked that they withdraw their names before 5 p.m. Monday, the deadline to legally withdraw names from consideration.

Robert Benjamin Ferguson was the first to rescind his name. Little is known about him but according to a statement on his campaign website, Robert Benjamin Ferguson was in the U.S. Army for 20 years and was proud to defend his country.

“The greatest threat to my family and myself would come from another that also carries my name,” said the statement. “I was faced with harassment and legal action if I did not withdraw from the race. I was publicly labeled a ‘threat to democracy’ by another candidate and his supporters. It is unfair to my family, friends and supporters to deal with bullish behavior by someone that is too afraid to stand toe-to-toe with me. For that reason, I rescind my candidacy.”

A couple of hours later, Robert Arthur Ferguson withdrew his name.

More on AG Bob Ferguson: Washington AG Ferguson investigating Catholic Church for alleged child sex abuse

AG Bob Ferguson was accompanied by former King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg in denouncing the efforts of Republican activist Glenn Morgan who reportedly recruited the two other Robert Ferguson’s to file to run for governor.

The goal is clear, according to Ferguson.

“(This is) to mislead voters and split my supporters three ways to depress my vote total and keep me from moving into the top two in the general election,” Ferguson said at a press conference Monday. “This is not an attack on me. It’s an attack on our election system. It’s an attack on our democracy. It’s an attack on the people to say to Washington to have a clear choice and to know who they’re voting for.”

Satterberg outlined the criminal penalties the two other Fergusons could face if a county prosecutor believes they intentionally filed for governor to mislead voters and split the vote — helping any republican challenger coinciding.

State law states misleading voters is a Class B felony that’s been on the books for 80 years.

“This is vandalism to the ballot, it’s a theft of the real Bob Ferguson’s reputation,” Satterberg said.

More from Matt Markovich: Elected officials need accountability for their ‘generosity’ with our tax dollars

Ferguson also said his campaign sent a 19-page letter (view the PDF here) to Secretary of State Steve Hobbs asking him to use the wide discretion his office has to make elections easier for voters to understand. He asked the secretary of state to list the occupations of each Ferguson next to their names and to list each candidate’s middle name or middle initial on the ballot.

Ferguson wants to group all the Fergusons together on the ballot — which may be the Attorney General’s most important ballot request.

Ferguson also called out the Republican challenger former Congressman Dave Reichert for not denouncing the move.

“He has not uttered a word about this. A man who seems to care about enforcing the law, he seems to only care about enforcing the law in certain situations if it benefits him politically,” Ferguson said.

KIRO Newsradio asked Glenn Morgan before the Ferguson news conference for an on-the-record interview about his next move. He said he would call us back later.

A spokesman for the Secretary of State office said Steve Hobbs would reserve comment until after the 5 p.m. withdrawal deadline had passed.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.

Matt Markovich is an analyst and reporter who often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email him here.

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He said sometimes it’s painful when he pulls out a couple of $20 bills, but he gives it away, asking no questions on how it will be used.

I’m not that generous and some might even say — I’m not that compassionate.

More from Markovich: Seattle’s budget woes just got worse with new labor agreements

I want to be a good steward of my hard-earned money. So when someone approaches me, I ask them questions like “What do you need the money for? If you need a meal, I’ll take you to that McDonald’s over there.”

When this has happened, nobody has taken me up on my offer.

So when King County dug into its pocket and pulled out $2 million last week to help house dozens of asylum seekers and refugees in Tukwila — I took a pause.

It’s the latest installment in the saga of the Riverton United Methodist Church that opened its grounds last year to asylum seekers from Venezuela. At first, the church didn’t reject anybody, but word got out, others started camping on their grounds and it got overwhelming.

Past coverage: Tukwila declares state of emergency to get support to asylum seekers

Supporters begged elected officials for help, to solve a problem of their own making.

The City of Seattle had already stepped in with hundreds of thousands of dollars for hotel rooms. Now the county is handing out $2 million more.

I’m not a heartless person, and people truly seeking a better life need help, but I expect elected officials to be good stewards of our hard-earned tax dollars and ask questions before digging deep into our collective pockets to hand out millions.

Maybe they’re being compassionate, just like my pastor friend.

But when it comes to our money, elected official’s “compassion” needs to be held accountable. How that money is being used? Is it being used wisely? Their track record is not that great.

Matt Markovich is an analyst and reporter who often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email him here.

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Labor agreements inked between 18 collective bargaining units and the City of Seattle are poised to exacerbate the city’s substantial budget deficit, adding an unexpected $47 million burden by year’s end.

This financial strain compounds an already looming General Fund shortfall projected at $230 million.

According to a new financial report, presented to the Seattle City Council this week by the City’s Budget Office, these labor contracts are anticipated to escalate expenses by an additional $280 million over the next four years.

The figures underscore the precarious financial predicament facing Seattle’s municipal administration. Contrary to expectations of deficit reduction, the city council may soon vote to increase it.

Seattle hasn’t fully recovered from its pandemic revenue issues, with tax revenues yet to rebound to pre-pandemic levels. Compounded by elevated inflation and a downtown workforce with the option to telecommute, the city’s revenue streams have not kept up with expenses.

Where will the money come from for Seattle’s budget?

It’s not so much as “show me the money” — it’s where’s the money to pay for these new labor agreements going to come from.

More from Matt Markovich: What I learned this legislative session is citizens can break a 1-party rule

All five of the recently elected city council members campaigned on promises to refrain from raising taxes to mitigate the deficit.

Meanwhile, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has not proposed any new tax measures to offset the escalating labor costs. Instead, he is advocating for austerity measures, depletion of reserves, and leveraging “unspent resources,” as detailed in the financial report.

In addition to the 18 union contracts affecting 7,000 workers, there exists a new agreement for non-represented employees to receive matching wage hikes.

The coalition agreements stipulate a 5% wage adjustment in 2023, followed by a 4.5% increase in 2024, with base wages indexed to the local Consumer Price Index in 2025 and 2026.

The retroactive payment of 2023 wage adjustments this year was unforeseen during the approval of the 2024 budget last November.

Before the council lies three legislative proposals for ratifying the 18 union contracts and the salary agreement with non-represented employees and for employees in discretionary pay programs.

Estimates provided by the city’s budget office and the city council’s central staff anticipate these agreements will further strain the city’s budget deficit.

The report projects a shortfall of $10.4 million in budgeted resources from the general fund for labor costs in 2023 and 2024.

How Mayor Harrell plans to offset the deficit

To offset this deficit, the mayor intends to allocate all available reserves and utilize “unanticipated unspent resources.”

When asked about this term, the Mayor’s Director of Communications, Jamie Housen, said it refers to unspent portions of the current year’s $7.8 billion budget.

“This happens annually and can be due to staff vacancies, projects that are completed under budget or other savings,” Housen said.

Harrell previously announced a hiring freeze at the start of the year. According to the report savings from the freeze, coupled with undisclosed unspent resources, “may be sufficient to address the portion of the incremental costs that exceed the reserves.”

Regarding the remaining $37 million required to fulfill this year’s labor agreements, Housen stated it would be sourced from non-general fund revenues, tapping into existing planning reserves and similar savings strategies such as the hiring freeze.

Housen also confirmed the mayor and council staff are exploring the possibility of reallocating Seattle’s Jump Start Payroll tax, nicknamed the “Amazon Tax,” for general fund purposes.

The tax is anticipated to yield $250 million annually and was established to deal with homelessness and fund affordable housing.

The city council could reprioritize the money for general fund purposes such as paying for city employee wage increases.

How the mayor and subsequently the city could will tackle the growing deficit won’t be fully addressed until the mayor reveals his 2025 budget in September.

New member chosen: Tanya Woo chosen to join Seattle City Council for citywide seat

In the interim, nearly all of the city’s 11,000 employees are slated to receive pay raises this year, with some benefiting from retroactive wage adjustments.

Expect more talk of belt-tightening in the coming weeks.

Matt Markovich is an analyst and reporter who often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email him here.

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Senate Bill 6105 is aimed at bolstering safety measures and rights for workers within adult entertainment establishments.

The bill navigates a complex landscape of concerns ranging from worker exploitation to alcohol regulations.

Advocates emphasized the need for comprehensive training, especially in alcohol-related enforcement, to safeguard employees and patrons.

It also requires the Liquor Cannabis Board to strip away lewd laws governing liquor license holders, thus opening the door for alcohol to be served at strip clubs.

Central to the bill was the plight of strippers, often marginalized and vulnerable to exploitation.

Representative Gerry Pollett (D-Seattle) says there are more strip clubs in his North Seattle district than any other legislative district in the state.

“The workers and the communities deserve and need these protections that are long overdue,” Pollett said just before the House floor vote.

Travis Mayfield: Strippers, strip club owners deserve equity under state law

Current rules established by the LCB say a liquor license holder could lose their license if anyone is nearly naked and engaging in physical contact. Removing the lewd law is needed for strip clubs to serve alcohol which means there are fewer restrictions on dancers.

The House approved a long list of changes to the original Senate bill including:

1. Employee Training: Mandatory training for adult entertainment establishment employees must be completed by March 1, 2025, with possible translation for non-English-speaking employees.
2. Customer Allegation Records: Written policies and procedures must be established for recording allegations involving customers, and establishments must make these policies available to the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) upon request. The requirement for annual reporting to L&I is removed.
3. Security Requirement: At least one dedicated security person must be present during operating hours, primarily tasked with monitoring interactions between entertainers and patrons. L&I is required to adopt rules regarding security personnel duties during peak operating hours.
4. Liquor License Inspection: L&I must conduct inspections within 90 days of receiving notice from the Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) regarding establishments applying for liquor licenses.
5. Age Restriction: The restriction on persons under age 21 accessing establishments serving alcohol now applies to all individuals, including employees, entertainers, contractors, and customers.
6. Leasing Fee Modification: The term “leasing fee” is expanded to include fees for access or use of premises or for conducting entertainment.
7. LCB Rule Preemption: The LCB is preempted from adopting rules restricting exposure of body parts or sexually-oriented conduct by licensees, employees, or patrons.
8. Effective Date: Workplace safety and fee-related provisions take effect on January 1, 2025, while other provisions take effect 90 days after the session’s adjournment.

One change specifically targets cities with a population of over 650,000 and counties with a population of 2 million. Only Seattle and King County met those requirements.

Seattle and King County could not enact local ordinances limiting payment collection by entertainers or restricting proximity between dancers and customers.

Other cities and counties would be allowed to do so.

National news: Dancers at Los Angeles bar to become only unionized strippers in US after 15-month battle

Years ago, Seattle had a four-foot ordinance between dancers and customers. A violation could result in a fine for the dancer.

Because of the long list of changes made in the House, the bill now goes back to the Senate for a vote.

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here. 

Contributing: Matt Markovich, KIRO Newsradio.

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Thousands of ideas are discussed; hundreds of them are written up as bills, but most of them die at the committee level.

Those that make it to the floor of either the House or Senate are considered the cream of the crop with the best chance of passage.

Washington is currently under one party rule – with Democratic majorities in the House and Senate and a Democrat in the governor’s mansion.

The same argument holds true if Republicans are in power.

So does the cream of the crop really become law?

The discussion of party-line votes

The question I was asked the most while covering this year’s sessions was, “Why do you always talk about party-line votes?”

In the state Senate, there are 29 Democrats, 20 Republicans. In the House, 58 Democrats, 40 Republicans.

That’s a substantial difference of nine more Democrats in the Senate and 18 more Democrats in the House than Republicans.

Those are good margins if some in the majority decided not to vote the party line.

And with Gov. Jay Inslee serving his final term, there’s no guarantee a Democrat will be in the mansion when the next legislative session begins in January.

After the Aug. 6 gubernatorial primary, the top two candidates will head into the general election on Nov. 5. The are expected to be Democratic Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Republican Dave Reichert, a former congressman.

There’s no guarantee Ferguson will be the next governor and inherit a Democratically led House and Senate.

The Democrats can pass bills without Republicans in legislative sessions

On paper, Democrats can pass any bill they want if they vote as a united unit, no Republican help needed.

It’s the job of House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, and Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, D-Spokane, to count votes in their caucuses and get caucus members lined up to vote for a Democratically sponsored bill Gov. Inslee will sign without hesitation.

Billig was asked during a press conference minutes after Sine Die, the conclusion of the session, about discussions within his caucus that led to bill’s life or death.

Strippers, book bans, guns: Examples of partisan divide persist in Olympia

He said his caucus is filled with diverse opinions and didn’t really go beyond that.

He acknowledged that some bad bills get through.

“Sometimes it means that bills that aren’t ready and ‘shouldn’t pass’ die. And that means sometimes the bills that ‘should’ pass might also die, with the idea that we’d rather kill a few good bills to make sure the bad bills die,” Billig said.

He went on to add, “We’ve let a few bad bills through, of course.” He snickered after he said that.

Citizen initiatives changed Democrats’ approach

With all that lead up, the most remarkable thing for me covering this legislative session were the final votes taken on three of the six citizen initiatives and the break that represented on one party rule.

When Democrats were faced with more than 400,000 people who signed initiatives that lift restrictions on police vehicle pursuits, prohibit personal income taxes, and create a “parents’ bill of rights,” they backpedaled.

For example, the initial police pursuit bill HB 1054 that led to complaints by police that criminals were getting away because they couldn’t be chased, passed the House and Senate in 2021 along party-line votes.

I-2113, which essentially repeals the pursuit laws back to a pre-2021 standard, passed the House 77-20 and the Senate 36-13. The vote means 38 Democrats in the House and 16 Democrats in the Senate joined all Republicans in the rollback.

More on I-2113: Lawmakers grant police more leeway in pursuing criminals

The passion to institute police reforms in 2021 following the 2020 death of George Floyd was met by hundreds of thousands of signatures.

Most of those Democrats that cast votes for the initiative – voted as a block to pass the initial pursuit bill three years earlier.

Why the turnaround?

One man, a wealthy hedge fund owner named Brian Heywood, paid for the signature gathering for all six initiatives via Let’s Go Washington and forced the Democrats’ hand to put three initiatives to a floor vote.

It says citizen action can break any majority’s one-party rule anytime and possibly at any level – city, county, state – and that’s the way it should be.

‘Doesn’t enhance public safety’: Bill allows speed cameras to ticket responding police

Matt Markovich is an analyst and reporter who often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email him here.

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ESHB 2384 is heading to Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk for approval after the House passed the democratically sponsored bill in a 55-38 party-line vote early Wednesday. (A PDF of the bill that passed can be viewed here.)

The original bill, which the House passed on Feb. 12, gave authority to cities and counties to deploy automated safety cameras, primarily in work zones.

The cameras could be deployed in projects for at least 30 days, and infractions may only be issued in the zones when workers are present.

After passing the House, it went to the Senate Transportation Committee chaired by Sen. Marko Liias, D-Edmonds, who rewrote the legislation and added several other uses, leading critics to say it’s more about revenue than traffic safety.

Strippers, book bans, guns: Examples of partisan divide persist in Olympia

Liias: Expansion meant to save people

Liias said the expansion is about reducing speed and saving lives.

“Our latest estimate for 2023 is it’ll be over 800 people killed on our transportation systems, an astounding number that we have to go back to the (1980s) to find a similar equivalent,” he said before the bill was passed out of the Senate along party lines.

The original version of Liias’ rewrite said speeding infractions could be issued to any type of law enforcement vehicle, fire engine or ambulance. Fire engines and ambulances were removed from the final rewrite, but law enforcement vehicles responding with lights and sirens can still be ticketed.

“Law enforcement vehicles going through these areas, responding to a call – it says they are not exempted and are subject to the fine, that makes no sense to me,” House Transportation Committee Vice Chair Representative Andrew Barkis, R-Olympia, said.

“Sen. Liias has assured me that since the police are the ones reviewing the cameras, they will be able to determine if they will give themselves a ticket or not,” Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, said rhetorically before the Senate vote.

The additional provisions stated that the traffic safety cameras mounted on Metro buses in King County can be used to issue infractions for stopping, standing or parking in bus zones.

The provision is limited to counties with populations over 1.5 million people. The only county that fits that description in the state is King County.

Any city with a bus rapid transit corridor may use automated safety cameras to detect restricted lane violators.

More from Matt Markovich: Lawmakers grant police more leeway in pursuing criminals

Barkis believes the bill is too broad and will generate infractions for people who are simply stuck in traffic.

“Anyone who has driven in downtown Seattle knows what a mess it is with its design of transit lanes, single lanes and bike lanes,” Barkis said. “You’re just trying to navigate from Point A to Point B and if you get stuck blocking something, you’re now going to get a ticket.”

More on the bill that allows speed cameras to ticket responding police

Any city or county may use automated cameras to detect ferry queue violators subject to consultation with the Washington Department of Transportation.

In cities with a population of more than 500,000 – like Seattle – cameras being used to detect restricted lane violations are made permanent.

The bill mandates cities and counties to post traffic safety camera restrictions and related policies on their websites and ensure that signage for camera locations is readily visible to drivers.

The fine amount cannot exceed $145 — double if the ticket is in a school zone — but those on government assistance can get a financial break.

Persons who receive a violation and are recipients of public assistance program benefits must be granted, upon request, a reduced penalty amount of 50%.

All revenue generated by each authorized camera use remains with the local government but must be used for camera program administration and traffic safety activities related to road repair.

In cities with populations of 10,000 or more, the money must also go to safety improvements in low-income neighborhoods with above-average rates of injury crashes.

“We put in new requirements regarding equity, where are the cameras being located and where the proceeds being invested so that traffic safety improves in the neighborhoods where the cameras are being used,” Liias said.

The expansion of who can authorize tickets

Currently, a sworn police officer must issue an automated safety camera violation after reviewing the video.

The bill expands that to “include any trained and authorized civilian employee” at the discretion of the local police department.

Liias says the expansion of who can authorize the ticket reflects the shortage of officers in large cities like Seattle, Spokane, and Bellevue.

“They don’t have enough law enforcement officers to fulfill patrols and sit at a computer and review these infractions,” Liias said.

Beginning four years after any new traffic safety camera is initially placed and in use, 25% of net revenue in excess of camera administration and infraction processing costs must be deposited into the state-run Cooper Jones Active Transportation Safety Account, with exceptions.

More from Olympia: Legislature unanimously passes bill to help over 35,000 veterans

An amendment to require voters to approve the use of automated safety cameras was voted down in the House.

Sen. Jeff Holy, R-Airway Heights, a 22-year police veteran, said the bill is nothing but a moneymaker for cities and counties.

“I dang well know the difference between something that enhances public safety and something that creates a revenue stream, this doesn’t enhance public safety,” Holy said.

Editors’ note: This story originally was published on March 7, 2024. It has been updated and republished multiple times since then.

Matt Markovich often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email him here.

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The ruling said districts must provide an education to students even if they are expelled.

The case centered around a high school student, M.G., who was expelled from Eisenhower High School in the Yakima School District No. 7 for having a “gang contract.”

Read the complete ruling here.

Court rules that students are protected

The court’s decision highlighted that Washington state law prohibits the indefinite expulsion or suspension of a student without providing them with the required procedural protections. It underscores the importance of due process in student disciplinary proceedings and highlights the need for school districts to adhere to statutory guidelines when imposing disciplinary actions.

‘Doesn’t enhance public safety’: Bill allows speed cameras to ticket responding police

The Yakima School District expelled M.G. on an emergency basis and later extended it to a long-term suspension without following the proper procedures outlined by law.

The Court of Appeals found that M.G. was indefinitely suspended in violation of his statutory procedural rights. They also determined that the case was not moot, as M.G. did not voluntarily withdraw from school following the district’s denial of his request to return to his regular educational setting.

M.G.’s situation arose after the district expelled him for allegedly violating a “gang contract” he had signed while in middle school.

In the ruling:

The basis for expulsion included M.G. wearing a red shirt, which is affiliated with the Norteño gang, and M.G.’s altercation with a student. Approximately two weeks later, the District converted M.G.’s 10-day emergency expulsion into a long-term suspension.

The expulsion was based on incidents involving his attire and an altercation with another student. Despite attempts to appeal the suspension and seek re-enrollment, M.G. faced obstacles, including being enrolled in an online learning program that did not meet his needs.

Legislative news: Controversial ‘Clean Energy Bill’ drops ban on natural gas, may face challenge

Supreme Court affirmed lower court ruling

The court’s decision affirmed the Court of Appeals’ ruling, stating that M.G.’s long-term suspension violated state law. The court also found that M.G. was entitled to compensatory education for the time he was excluded from his regular educational setting.

The district’s response to amicus briefs — legal documents filed in a court case by someone who is not a party to the case — were also addressed in the court’s decision, with some sections being struck down based on M.G.’s motion.

The decision can be viewed as a victory for student rights and may set a precedent for public school districts in the state that must provide an education to a student even though they were expelled.

Matt Markovich often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email him here.

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House passes ‘Clean Energy Bill’

Early Wednesday, at 2 a.m. to be exact, the House passed House Bill (HB) 1589, known as the “Clean Energy Bill.” But not before the Senate did a near-total rewrite of key provisions Friday. (A PDF of the passed bill can be viewed here.)

More background of the bill: End of PSE’s obligation to provide natural gas service closer to passing legislature

The most hotly contested topic was the future of natural gas service to its customers.

The original bill, written by House lawmakers, included a provision that would prohibit new residential and small commercial natural gas services after June 30, 2024.

The Senate version eliminated the prohibition on new hookups and contained provisions. It stated gas service to existing customers would continue.

Simultaneously, it included language that would merge Puget Sound Energy’s natural gas and electric into a combined rate structure. Critics said the combination would raise rates.

It was a move that the bill’s original sponsor in the House, Rep. Beth Doglio, D-Olympia, approved of just before the early morning vote.

“I want to make it clear — the gas ban has been removed and any person who lives in the state’s largest dual fuel utility will be able to get a hook up with new construction,” she said during a speech on the House floor. “And the obligation to serve remains intact.”

She said gas service will not be removed from homes and businesses that currently have gas service.

Rep. Doglio: ‘This is a big step for our state’

“This is a big step for our state. It sets our largest utility on a path to decarbonize in a way that protects our low-income families,” Doglio said. And at the same time ensures our children have a sustainable planet to live on, as well as their children and their children.”

But House Minority Leader Drew Stokesbary, R-Auburn, in a carefully scripted legal exchange with the Democratic House Speaker Pro Tem Tina Orwell, said the Senate rewrite of the bill is constitutionally flawed.

Last Thursday, the President of the Senate, Democratic Lt. Gov. Denny Heck, called the Senate version of the bill a “hot mess.” He brought up some of the same constitutional issues that Stokesbary brought up.

Eventually, Orwell disagreed with Stokesbary’s challenge and let the vote proceed.

During the floor debate, Rep. Greg Cheney, R-Battle Ground, addressed the constitutional challenge.

More on bills in Olympia: Guns, strippers and bans on book bans

“The added language in this version of the bill, to expand very expensive fees for ratepayers that were never included in the House version, is a fundamental constitutional failure baked right into this bill,” Cheney said.

Why people are criticizing the bill

Critics said rate increases baked into the bill will hurt Washington families who are already “overburdened” by utility prices.

It also incentivizes PSE to accelerate the depreciation of its natural gas equipment, thereby allowing the utility to collect more money from ratepayers to retire its natural gas equipment early.

“The working people of this state are tired of hearing big promises of decarbonization, but then having to live with the effects of bureaucratic fees that drive up the cost of living,” House Minority Floor Leader Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, said. “We must stop this bad policy.”

The House approved the Senate bill and its controversial changes 50-45, with seven Democrats joining all Republicans in voting against it.

Next, the bill will go to Inslee for his approval. It may be a bill he has to think twice about because it’s not what he had hoped for originally.

Matt Markovich often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email him here.

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