Stateline Headlines

Washington state unveils its planned pot rules

Wash. lawmakers look to make recall process easier

State releases draft rules for pot industry

Want a marijuana license? Here are some of the rules you might have to follow

State budget writers bound by pasts, not vision

Wash. lawmakers look to make recall process easier

Washington state lawmakers look to make recall process easier

Rick Garza will lead Liquor Control Board handling marijuana licensing

Small local theaters raise glass to bill's signing

Extending SR 167, 509 questioned

Washington Supreme Court reviews $100 million award for home care workers

Washington Senate committee approves tougher impaired driving law

Washington State Liquor Control Board announces Rick Garza will lead agency’s day-to-day operations

Washington Gov. Inslee signs bills making it easier for certain businesses to serve alcohol

Not So Fast: Tax Revenue Estimates From Legal Marijuana May Not Materialize

Proponents of legalized recreational marijuana touted millions in taxes that could be collected. But don’t count that money yet.

Predator fish in cross hairs

Special session could drag on

Lawmakers still tinkering with budget plans

Budget plans in flux at start of Legislature's special session

Gov. Inslee gives priorities for special session

Washington lawmakers return to Capitol for special session

Washington Gov. Inslee narrows priorities for legislative special session

Special session could drag on to the bitter end

Lawmakers to consider changes to estate-tax law

Hackers retrieve personal data in Washington State

State courts office hacked; breach fixed

State to compensate people wrongly convicted

Inslee signs felony firearms registry bill

Washington proposal would allow more small stores to sell liquor

Export coal deal stalls as companies renegotiate

Inslee signs law to turn around struggling schools(2)

State to compensate people wrongly convicted

Inslee signs law to turn around struggling schools

Gov. Inslee declines request for another CRC review

Washington Gov. Inslee signs bill for registry of gun offenders

Inslee signs bill on nonpartisan top-two elections

Inslee signs law allowing for takeover of schools

Top two vote getters in nonpartisan races advance to general election under Washington bill signed into law

Washington Gov. Inslee signs school accountability bill

Washington school districts to develop enhanced emergency response system under new law

A scarlet tax letter

West braces for fire threat

Nothing special — or costly — about session

Gov. Inslee encourages support for nonprofits

State teachers union flexing sizable political muscle again

Inslee OKs parking, bus breaks for state workers

Old pension rules benefit Gregoire

State Sen. Don Benton for environmental post? Really?

Wash. law lays out proper handling of dropped pot

Gregoire for president? Some think so

State law attempts to make jobs program affordable

Gregoire benefits from old Washington pension rules

Inslee signs alcohol amnesty law for minors

Report: No Easy Options for Feds in Legal Marijuana States

The federal government may not have much choice but to continue its mellow attitude toward legal marijuana in Washington and Colorado.

Should States Get Out of the Booze Business?

Pennsylvania is as close as it has ever come to privatizing liquor sales following a House vote in March. Tricky questions await the Senate as it considers whether to modernize or dismantle the state’s multifarious system.

States Seek Legal Limits on Domestic Drones

Lawmakers in nearly half the states are working to set legal limits on the use of drones, before they become a key part of domestic policing.

Advocates for Climate Action Urge Insurers to Join Up

Some are pushing the insurance industry to not only to crank up the volume on its longstanding calls for hardier building and safer land use in disaster-prone areas, but also to push for cuts to the carbon emissions.

Debt Ceilings Without Drama

Most states have rules that limit how much they can borrow. Unlike Congress, however, state lawmakers have almost never used the limits to engage in high-stakes political confrontations – at least not yet.

Colorado Preps for Recreational Marijuana

Colorado voters amended the state’s Constitution this November to legalize recreational marijuana use. That’s left the state’s established medical marijuana community apprehensive about its future.

Washington State of the State Address 2013

OLYMPIA, Washington -- Jan. 16 -- Following is the prepared text of Gov. Jay Inslee's (D) 2013 State of the State Address

Bipartisan Coalition Takes Washington Senate From Democrats

Two Democrats teamed up with the chamber’s 23 Republicans to form a new “Majority Coalition Caucus,” the second time as many weeks that Republicans have claimed a share of power in a legislative chamber where they are in the numerical minority.

Best of #StateReads: Washington State Loses Women and Latino Lawmakers

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

After Election Day Confusion, Hawaii Gov Pushes Full Mail-In Voting

On the heels of an Election Day plagued by long lines and mass confusion, Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie says he’s pushing for major changes to voting on the islands —mainly, the elimination of the traditional Election Day altogether.

Openly Gay Lawmakers Selected To Lead Chambers

Oregon Representative Tina Kotek is poised to join openly gay lawmakers in Colorado and Washington as a leader of a state legislative chamber.

Democrats Win Montana Governor’s Race, Lead in Washington

Democrats have fended off at least one more Republican attempt to take back control of a governor’s office, and likely another.

Republicans Win Big in North Carolina Governor’s Race But Struggle Elsewhere

Despite heavy spending by outside groups in nearly a dozen races for governor, the partisan mix of Democrats and Republicans leading states appeared to change only slightly as a result of Tuesday’s elections.

In Some States, Election Season Could Linger Long After Tuesday

Here’s a look at several states whose elections may remain undecided long after Tuesday night.

School Ruling Roils Race for Washington Governor

School funding is playing an outsized role in the Washington gubernatorial race, but it may be a while before new money comes from Olympia.

Democrats Play Defense in Governors’ Races

The race for New Hampshire governor has the hallmarks of the biggest gubernatorial races this fall: heavy involvement from outside groups, a national contest stealing the spotlight and messages that echo themes from this year’s presidential campaigns.

Mussel Invasion Moves West

For more than two decades, mussel pests have threatened the water supply in the Great Lakes. Now they have crossed the Rocky Mountains.

A New Battleground in 'Right to Die' Debate

Advocates of physician-assisted suicide are taking on entrenched opposition as they seek a high-profile victory in Massachusetts.

A Marijuana Revolt?

Colorado, Oregon and Washington voters will decide this November if they want to decriminalize and regulate marijuana production and possession, which could generate millions in state revenue. But any of these initiatives would put the states in conflict with federal law, which classifies marijuana as a controlled substance with no acceptable medical use.

Democrats Seeking Comeback in State Legislatures

Republicans won landslide victories in legislative chambers two years ago. Democrats hope to reverse some of the results in November. In many states, though, it won’t be easy.

In Kansas Primary, Results Could Advance Governor’s Agenda

On a busy primary day in four states, conservatives in Kansas are looking to oust moderate Republicans, freeing up room for the governor to push his ambitious agenda.

States Find Laws Against Sports Head Injuries Tricky to Enact

Everyone wants to reduce the number of head injuries suffered by young athletes. But deciding just how to do that is more complicated than it might seem.

Courts Struggle to Maintain Safety

No one is sure why, but courthouses are becoming more dangerous every year. Better security is needed, but security isn’t cheap.

While Congress Stalls, States Worry About Highway Funds

A three-year standoff in Congress makes planning transportation projects harder for states.

Should States Be in the Liquor Business?

Several states that tightly control liquor sales are debating whether to turn them over to the private sector.

Infographic: A Turning Point for Gay Marriage?

Gay marriage supporters have won big victories in state courts and state capitals in recent years. Now, they’re hoping to extend that success to the ballot box.

States Move Slowly Toward Digital Textbooks

Despite enthusiasm for digital textbooks at the national level, states have been slow to get on board. But the movement is gaining strength.

How Two State Tax Systems Have (and Haven’t) Shaped Metro Portland

Washington has no income tax. Oregon has no sales tax. In some ways, that matters a great deal for the regional economy. In some ways, it doesn’t.

Fate of Ballot Measures Often Depends on the Wording

When a proposal comes before the voters, somebody has to produce the ballot language describing it. Sometimes, the people who write that language have other priorities than simply making it clear.

'Political Earthquake' in Washington State

TODAY'S TAKE: Republicans who are used to being the minority in the Washington Legislature are suddenly major players in state budget negotiations, scoring a victory that The Seattle Times calls "a political earthquake not seen in 25 years."

Congressional Wrangling Leaves Sales Tax Deduction in Question

TODAY'S TAKE: Residents of seven states without an individual income tax are watching the budget debate on Capitol Hill to see whether they will be able to keep writing off state sales taxes on goods they purchase.

Gay Marriage Appears Set to Pass in Washington State

TODAY'S TAKE: Majorities in both houses of the Washington Legislature have endorsed gay marriage, but the final decision likely will rest with the state's voters.

At Last, a State Budget Year When the Sky Is Not Falling

PART FIVE OF FIVE: After four years of epic budget woes, states are ready for an improved 2012. Some are even poised to add dollars back to programs they wish they never had to cut.

Medicaid: A Year of Excruciating Decisions

PART THREE OF FIVE: For state health officials, rising Medicaid rolls and declining federal support add up to only one scenario: a year of ever tighter budgets.

Washington State of the State Address 2012

OLYMPIA, Washington - Jan. 10 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Christine O. Gregoire's (D) 2012 state of the state address: Thank you. Let's observe a moment of silence for some who served Washington so well and who

Minimum Wage Set to Rise in Eight States

TODAY'S TAKE: Workers in eight states will see slightly larger paychecks beginning January 1, thanks to laws requiring minimum wages to rise with inflation.

States Struggle to Update Toxic Chemical Regulation

Unchanged for 35 years, the U.S. Toxic Chemicals Safety Act has left federal regulators without the tools to investigate many chemicals that could endanger human health. That burden has fallen to states, which have enacted a patchwork of regulations that environmentalists, policymakers and industry leaders all consider inadequate.

Revenue Increase on Table in Washington Special Session

TODAY'S TAKE: Lawmakers in Washington State return to Olympia today (November 28) to address a $1.4 billion budget gap. Among the proposals being considered is a sales tax hike pushed by Governor Chris Gregoire.

Seattle Police Test Taking Drug Offenders Straight to Treatment

A new pilot program gives police officers an alternative to clogging up jails with low-level criminals. Will it save taxpayer dollars?

Washington Liquor Vote May Open Doors Elsewhere

TODAY'S TAKE: Washington voters removed their state from the liquor business on Tuesday (November 8), giving momentum to similar efforts in other places, including one just across the border in Oregon.

Liquor Privatization Initiative Polls Well in Washington State

TODAY'S TAKE: Washington could become the first state since West Virginia in 1991 to sell off its retail liquor stores under a proposal facing the voters next week.

Hazardous Chemical Crackdown Gains Momentum in States

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT BEAT: In the absence of up-to-date federal legislation, states are writing their own rules about which chemicals are safe when contained in common products.

Boeing and Microsoft Boom, but Washington State Busts

Lawmakers in Olympia are finding that a common narrative about their state's economy - the notion that airplanes and software will carry the day - masks a more complicated and frustrating reality.

Washington State Braces for Bad News

TODAY'S TAKE: Lawmakers in Olympia are worried that a budget shortfall of $1 billion to $2 billion could emerge from a new state revenue forecast to be issued today (September 15).

Report: Six States Changing the Way Health Care is Governed

HEALTH BEAT: Fiscally strapped states are using more managed care, cutting doctors' fees and limiting drugs and medical services to contain rising Medicaid costs. A few are taking a broader approach to health care spending.

Crackdown on Illegal Immigrant Drivers Now Nationwide

TRANSPORTATION BEAT: New Mexico and Washington, the last two states that still issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, both recently stepped up efforts to make sure that license holders actually live in their states.

States Save by Moving Vets From Medicaid's Rolls to VA's

A federal database intended to track welfare cheats is helping states find veterans whose health care could be paid for by the federal government rather than the state.