Washington News & Current Events | Public News Service

The late Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman was remembered at a

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Expert fears political violence becoming 'part of the game'

Washingtonians cannot help but feel the emotional weight of political violence after this weekend's assassination of a top Democratic state lawmaker i…

Research shows students of color are more likely to be suspended and also less likely to receive support with schoolwork while they are out of class. (jovannig/Adobe Stock)

Child rights advocates: New WA school discipline rules roll back protections

Washington's Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction has revised its public school discipline policies, and advocates for children said …

The Washington legislature passed a number of bills this session aimed at protecting queer and trans rights, including a controversial bill that expands students' privacy in regards to counseling they receive at school. (Mitch/Adobe Stock)

WA group highlights Black trans performers for Pride Month

June is Pride Month, and Washington's Lavender Rights Project is celebrating with a Black Trans Comedy Showcase. This is the largest fundraiser of …

According to 2025 Kids Count Data Book, nationally nearly one in three children live in households burdened by high housing costs and Washington follows the trend. (Louis-Photo/Adobe Stock)

Report ranks Washington down in overall child well-being

Washington state has dropped to 16th in the nation for overall child well-being, according to the 2025 Kids Count Data Book, a national report …

Advocates for rent stabilization rallied on the state Capitol steps in March. (Caleb Ewings Photography)

WA’s new rent stabilization law brings immediate relief

Gov. Bob Ferguson has signed Washington's first rent stabilization law and renters and advocates who fought for the bill are breathing sighs of …

The new Washington law triples penalties for employers who delay workers' compensation payments. (Courtney H/peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)

New WA law aims to reel in workers' comp abuse

Workers' rights advocates are celebrating a new law mandating "good faith and fair dealing" in Washington's workers' compensation system. They said …

Allen Institute scientists Trygve Bakken (left) and Jonathan Ting (right) discuss research figures and data related to enhancer AAV tools. (Jenny Burns/Allen Institute)

WA scientists create new tools to treat brain diseases

Researchers from Washington and across North America have teamed up to develop a powerful new set of biological tools which could be a game changer fo…

Health care is the fastest growing industry in Spokane, Washington, with nearly 4,000 jobs created locally in the last five years. (imtmphoto/Adobe Stock)

Spokane coalition aims to diversify the city's economy

By Laura Aka for WorkingNation.Broadcast version by Isobel Charle for Washington News Service reporting for the WorkingNation-Public News Service Coll…

Research shows less than one ounce of alcohol each day is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. (encierro/Adobe Stock)

WA expert weighs in on higher rates of women binge drinking

As Women's Health Month winds down, experts in alcohol abuse are speaking out about an increase in binge drinking among women over the past five …

Nearly 20% of Washington's labor force is foreign-born. (DisobeyArt/Adobe Stock)

Fear of detention prevents some WA migrants from getting food

Immigrants' rights advocates are voicing concerns that migrant communities in Washington may be avoiding visiting food banks or getting food assistanc…

Oregon and California have created prescribed burn liability funds to help reduce the risk for landowners and contractors. (David Elkins/Adobe Stock)

WA to see more prescribed burns thanks to new liability fund

Washington lawmakers have created a new Prescribed Burn Liability Fund to help make controlled burns less risky on public, private and tribal lands …

Since its inception in 1965, Head Start has served nearly 40 million children and their families. (Save the Children)

Head Start supports WA parents, celebrates 60 years

This Sunday is the 60th anniversary of Head Start, the federally funded preschool program supporting more than 12,000 children, up to age four…

Green Hill School is the largest state-run juvenile detention facility in the state, and has been plagued with overcrowding and understaffing in recent years. (Darya/Adobe Stock)

New WA law reels in felony convictions for incarcerated youths who fight

Advocates for juvenile justice reform in Washington are celebrating the passage of House Bill 1815. The law redefines "prison riot" and lets judges …

Supporters call for the release of Alfredo 'Lelo' Juarez Zeferino. As of their most recent update in March, ICE is currently detaining more than 46,000 people across the country. (C2C)

WA immigration rights advocates call for release of union organizer

Immigrant rights advocates are calling on state leaders to do more to protect Washington farmworkers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement…

As WA air quality worsens, Congress rolls back protections

Air pollution in Washington is getting worse, according to a new report citing transportation emissions as the primary culprit. Eight of the 12 …

Since Seattle's Democracy Voucher program was implemented in 2017, data show campaign donations from large contributions, over $250, have decreased by 93%. (Suriyo/Adobe Stock)

WA voting rights advocates push for democracy vouchers state-wide

Seattle's City Council voted last week to put the city's Democracy Voucher Program on the ballot to be renewed in August and supporters of the program…

Research shows if Washington households saved about $95 a month, collectively they could erase the<br />taxpayer burden while ensuring themselves a decent standard of living in retirement. (Uwe/Adobe Stock)

WA on track to state retirement savings program

More than 1 million private sector workers nationwide have joined state retirement savings programs, which advocates for seniors said is a key step …

An American Heart Association program is helping Washington food pantries tailor their supplies by adopting nutritional guidelines for the food they distribute. (Adobe Stock/AI)

WA food pantries implement new policies to provide healthy nutrition

Research shows people experiencing food insecurity often suffer from chronic health conditions due to a lack of proper nutrition. Now, a group of …

Immigrants make up 16% of all workers in the construction industry in Washington state. Removing thousands of workers from the labor force would increase the cost and limit the total construction feasible during a historic housing shortage. (Soleila/Adobe Stock)

New report: Mass deportations would harm WA economy

A new report warned mass deportations of undocumented immigrants in Washington would lead to labor shortages and make many goods and services more exp…

The Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River in Washington is the largest in the Bonneville Power Administration system. (Will/Adobe Stock)

BPA urged to focus on salmon, clean energy in market choice

A major player in the Northwest's energy landscape is considering changes in the future as extreme climate events make power delivery in Washington mo…

The Young Activist Leaders Program provides a place for young people to ask questions, educate each other, and explore social justice work together. (Carlo/Adobe Stock)

WA youth: Money for medicaid, not war

A group of Washington youths, fresh from a grassroots leadership development program, is speaking up against the Trump Administration's plans to cut …

In the last two years, more than 100,000 jobs in EV manufacturing have been created. (Andrey Popov/Adobe Stock)

Congressional vote could slow WA's electric vehicle transition

Congress is voting this week whether to roll back states' authority to set their own, stricter clean car and truck emissions standards, which could …

Secure Rural Schools and Communities Act funding pays for job training programs like welding and carpentry, a post-high-school counselor and a therapist, among other things in Skamania County. (EFStock/Adobe Stock)

Rural WA counties face challenges without key federal funding

By Claire Carlson and Lane Wendell Fischer for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Isobel Charle for Washington News Service for the Public News Ser…

The report found Washington needs to almost double its number of school psychologists in order to meet the recommended minimum. (peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)

WA investments in school mental-health services slowly helping

Washington has done well enacting some policies that improve school mental-health systems in the last year, while still falling short in other areas…

Seasonal allergies are getting worse in part because increased CO2 in the air triggers plants to produce more pollen. (gamelover/Adobe Stock)

WA's advanced pollen tracking tool can help allergy sufferers

Washington's pollen season is starting earlier and lasting longer, thanks to climate change, with research showing airborne pollen levels across the …

An average of 40 people per year have been killed by police in Washington state since 2015. (AlexanderIO/Adobe Stock)

Police reform advocate: WA must do more to reduce deaths

Five years after George Floyd's murder by a white police officer sparked nationwide protests and demands for police reform, progress remains slow…

When cows eat plant cover faster than it can regrow, it erodes and degrades the soil beneath, making it more susceptible to runoff and other undesirable consequences. (Saed/Adobe Stock)

WA cattle grazing can harm 'food webs'

By Seth Millstein for Sentient Climate.Broadcast version by Isobel Charle for Washington News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service C…

King County reported more than 16,000 people experiencing homelessness last year, which is more than half the state's unhoused population. (Mallivan/Adobe Stock)

Unique approach to helping WA homeless youth 'highly effective'

A unique approach to preventing youth homelessness in Washington is proving highly effective, with more than 93% of participants still housed one …

IRS Direct File was piloted in 12 states last year, but this year it's available in 25 states. (PeakPoints/peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)

For now, WA residents can e-file taxes directly with IRS

Washington is one of 25 states where people can use the online "IRS Direct File" system, to file their income-tax returns with the Internal Revenue …

Wolves are not expert hunters, only succeeding about 10% of the time, but their presence keeps deer and other animals from destroying too much plant life. (Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife)

Wildlife advocates decry WA wolf population decline

Wildlife advocates are alarmed by a new report from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife showing the state's wolf population fell nearly 10%…

Democratic lawmakers' proposed state budget includes increasing the payroll tax for large employers, generating about $2.3 billion a year. (Tada Images/Adobe Stock)

Working people in WA call for higher taxes on the rich

Washington lawmakers and Gov. Robert Ferguson disagree about how to address the state's $16 billion revenue shortfall. The House and Senate have …

Nearly 100 protests are planned on Saturday in Washington and Oregon. (Danita Delimont/Adobe Stock)

Thousands to rally across WA on Saturday to protest Trump policies

More than 1,000 protests against the policies of the Trump Administration are set for this Saturday across the country, with 50 planned in Washington …

Last year, more than 15 organizations and some Washington state legislators asked the Department of Corrections to stop punishing incarcerated people for participating in the legislative process. (LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS/Adobe Stock)

Groups advocate for more civic engagement in WA prisons

A bill known as the Act for Civic Engagement did not make it out of committee in Olympia before the deadline but advocates for people who are incarcer…

Legislation across the country seeks to block transgender people from receiving health care, education, and even the right to publicly exist. (zera ruzgar/Adobe Stock)

WA advocates honor Trans Day of Visibility

Today is the International Trans Day of Visibility, to recognize the contributions of transgender people in society -- and raise awareness of the …

Washington state officials have been ordered to issue new regulations to keep the runoff from concentrated animal feeding operations, also known as factory farms, from polluting nearby streams and waterways. (Adobe Stock)

Court orders WA to rewrite CAFO dairy operation permit regulations

The Washington State Pollution Control Hearings Board is ordering state officials to rewrite pollution discharge permit regulations for concentrated a…

The Assessment found droughts from the last year impacted Western Washington the most, where reports noted lower flows from natural springs and water-stressed trees. (Sam Judy/Adobe Stock)

New data detail WA's water year

The Pacific Northwest Water Year Impacts Assessment, an important resource for managing drought and other climate extremes, was published today…

Legislation failed to pass this session which would have capped health care providers' fees at $50 for patients and their advocates to access their records. (xixinxing/Adobe Stock)

WA patients face huge fees to access medical records

Patient's rights advocates are working to restrict huge fees some Washington patients must pay in order to access their complete medical records…

Eighteen states currently have guidelines for, or a directive to develop, a statewide climate resilience plan to protect and recover from extreme weather events like wildfires. (khomlyak/Adobe Stock)

New research to measure WA's climate resilience

In the face of the severe effects of climate change across the country, new research offers a framework for how to measure Washington's climate …

Kayaker and artist Gabe Newton will show his artwork depicting the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales at

Coalition plans legislative push to support Columbia Basin Restoration

A coalition of conservationists and tribal nations is pushing for support of the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative by state officials in Olympia…

A new poll found large majorities of Americans, across party lines, see Medicaid as

WA caregivers rally against Medicaid cuts

This week, workers who provide in-home and nursing home care rallied against cuts to Medicaid. Washington's Medicaid, known as Apple Health…

Research shows there is a direct correlation between unstable housing and food insecurity. (FamilyWorks Food Bank)

Advocates say WA rent stabilization bill important for ending hunger

While affordable housing advocates across the state have been cheering on Washington's rent stabilization bill in Olympia, so have organizations …

The Northwest ICE Processing Center is the largest immigrant detention center in the Western U.S., and is nearing its 1,900-person capacity. (Sundry Photography/Adobe Stock)

Amid increased activity, pressure to close WA ICE detention center

A year after the death of detainee Charles Leo Daniel, a 61-year-old Trinidadian migrant, legislators and human rights advocates continue pushing to …

Data show the percentage of people who say they adhere to or support Christian Nationalist ideals has remained stable since 2022. (vectorfusionart/Adobe Stock)

WA groups work to counter Christian Nationalism

Nationwide, it is estimated about one-third of Americans either adhere to Christian Nationalist ideals or sympathize with them. Groups working for …

Nearly a third of working-age Washington households have earnings which do not meet the minimum<br />cost of living. (Johannes/Adobe Stock)

Bills aim to revamp WA's regressive tax codes

A package of legislation in Olympia aims to reduce growing wealth inequality by reforming Washington's tax code. With the nation's second-most …

Started in 2019, the Tribal Foundational Public Health Service is designed to foster a more equitable, prevention-focused public health system for tribes. (jokekung/Adobe Stock)

Cuts looming for WA tribal public-health funding

Washington state's Tribal Foundational Public Health Service is the first dedicated funding for tribes to advance public health initiatives. In Gov…

First- and second-generation immigrants comprise nearly a third of all students enrolled in higher education in the U.S. (Drobot Dean/Adobe Stock)

How WA campuses can prepare for ICE

On President Donald Trump's second day in office, his Secretary of Homeland Security rescinded a Biden-era rule barring Immigration and Customs …

Black and Native American youth are largely overrepresented in juvenile facilities compared to their white counterparts. (Sophon_Nawit/Adobe Stock)

Act would give incarcerated WA youth a second chance

Several bills working their way through the Washington Legislature focus on reforming the state's juvenile legal system, including one known as the …

Indigenous people are incarcerated at a rate four times higher than white people.(Framestock/Adobe Stock)

WA legislators weigh voting rights for incarcerated people

More than 14,000 incarcerated people in Washington are not able to vote and two bills in Olympia aim to change it. One bill would make voting more …

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