Wait for new WA ferries grows even longer with selection of Florida shipyard Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson celebrated the state’s award of a $715 million contract for three hybrid electric ferries in July as a milestone in his drive to improve the nation’s largest ferry system. But under that contract, Washington State Ferries riders will wait a year longer than planned for a new plug-in vessel to bring some relief to the stressed-out system. Continue reading at the Washington State Standa...| Washington State House DemocratsWashington State House Democrats
Data difficulties complicate WA’s effort to close educational achievement gaps Work to close educational achievement gaps for several minority groups in Washington state is being hindered by a lack of data, according to people involved in the yearslong effort. A new series of achievement gap studies was released in June. These suggest some marginal improvement in closing achievement gaps for several minority groups over the past 16 years, but that more work is needed to support students of ...| Washington State House DemocratsWashington State House Democrats
Supreme Court shoots down challenge to WA carbon market The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a high-profile challenge to Washington’s Climate Commitment Act, marking yet another victory for the state’s keystone climate policy. The lawsuit claimed that the state law discriminated against privately operated natural gas plants (public utilities receive allowances free) and unfairly treated it as an out-of-state business. Continue reading at the Seattle Times. (J. Scott Applewhit...| Washington State House DemocratsWashington State House Democrats
Speaker Laurie Jinkins (D-Tacoma), released the following statement regarding a break-in and vandalism at the Legislative Building in Olympia: “Last night, an intruder broke into the Legislative Building in Olympia and caused damage to the Rotunda, State Reception Room, and various flags through vandalism and fire. This attack on our state Capitol building is deeply troubling to me, and House and Senate leadership are working closely with law enforcement and Capitol security to fully invest...| Washington State House DemocratsWashington State House Democrats
Federal judge slaps down Trump attempts to move California, Texas troops into Portland A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from sending National Guard troops into Portland from any state, saying that the administration had acted in “direct contravention” of her previous order, which halted mobilization of Oregon National Guard troops. U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, issued her first temporary restraining order on Saturday. But on Sunday morning, t...| Washington State House DemocratsWashington State House Democrats
Trump administration yanks funding for Northwest green hydrogen project The Trump administration on Wednesday nixed funding for the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub and several hundred other federally-subsidized clean energy projects in Democratic-led states. Democratic politicians from Oregon and Washington state immediately cried foul and vowed to challenge what they called an “illegal” clawback of Congressionally-directed spending. The tri-state Northwest hydrogen hub launched last year ...| Washington State House DemocratsWashington State House Democrats
FACT FOCUS: Democrats did not shut down the government to give health care to ‘illegal immigrants’ President Donald Trump and other high-ranking Republicans claim Democrats forced the government shutdown fight because they want to give free health care to immigrants in the U.S. illegally. Democrats are trying to extend tax credits that make health insurance premiums more affordable on marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, and reverse Medicaid cu...| Washington State House DemocratsWashington State House Democrats
How the government shutdown could disrupt daily life The government shutdown is underway — and it could disrupt your daily life. The big picture: Millions of people won’t get paid during the shutdown, and federal agencies may slow down, disrupting daily life. The first shutdown since 2019 could be unusually disruptive if President Trump and budget director Russ Vought use it to reshape the federal workforce. Generally, federal functions deemed “essential” — including health programs...| Washington State House DemocratsWashington State House Democrats
Trump’s big bill is prompting urgent action in some Democratic states, but not in Republican ones New Mexico lawmakers are to open a special session Wednesday to boost funding for food assistance and rural health care — actions the Democratic governor contends are needed to “minimize the damage from President Trump’s disastrous bill” cutting federal taxes and spending. The special session follows one in Colorado, where the Democratic governor asserted Trump’s tax cuts wreaked havo...| Washington State House DemocratsWashington State House Democrats
Oregon sues to block Trump from sending National Guard to Portland| Washington State House Democrats
Months of deportation fears have shaken Northwest Latino cultural events ahead of Hispanic Heritage Month| Washington State House Democrats
WA homeless patients have a lot to lose under Trump’s Medicaid changes| Washington State House Democrats
OLYMPIA – Earlier this week, Representative Sharon Wylie (D-Vancouver) was appointed to the Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE) Best Practices Advisory Group, replacing former House appointee and now-State Senator Tina Orwall. | Washington State House Democrats
How King County is reshaping its mental health crisis response system| Washington State House Democrats
Washington state agency under fire for sharing drivers’ data with ICE| Washington State House Democrats
WA’s new rent cap set just below 10% for 2026| Washington State House Democrats
Civil rights, democracy hits put Black America in ‘state of emergency,’ National Urban League says| Washington State House Democrats
Advocates for immigrants sue to stop courthouse ICE arrests| Washington State House Democrats
After a child care worker is detained by ICE, a community is left reeling| Washington State House Democrats
Pacific Northwest cities swelter as summer nights get hotter| Washington State House Democrats
How Latinos in Washington are coping with ICE crackdowns: ‘I don’t really have time for therapy’| Washington State House Democrats
Seattle Pride’s ‘louder’ theme celebrates trans youth| Washington State House Democrats
Latest News| housedemocrats.wa.gov
House Bill 1921 proposes to modernize how we fund our transportation system in Washington, by replacing the per gallon gas tax with a pay by mile system. The reason this change is needed is because fuel efficiency of cars continues to grow, leading to a decline in gas tax revenues, putting our roads and bridges at risk.| Jake Fey
OLYMPIA – In an age where personal data has become the new gold rush, Rep. Shelley Kloba (D–Kenmore) has introduced the People’s Privacy Act to protect the autonomy, safety, and privacy of Washingtonians. This landmark legislation empowers individuals to take back control over their most valuable asset—their personal data—and ensures that companies can no longer profit at the expense of consumer rights. | Washington State House Democrats
