Washington Policy Blog

There has been a great deal of emotion related to the fight over transporting coal in Washington state, with environmental groups rallying their supporters against sending coal to China. While the focus has been on the potential impacts of tangible coal, what has gone unaddressed is the metaphorical toll that coal causes every day in Washington state.

Today, the Washington Policy Center is announcing an effort to reduce that psychic toll.

Executives at the Washington Education Association union (WEA) on Friday issued a hard-hitting email leveled against six bipartisan education reform leaders in the state Senate, two Democrats and four Republicans. WEA executives claim these lawmakers are “shirking their duty” to provide amply for the education of children living within the borders of our state, as the constitution requires.

When people who want more government regulations argue in favor of a new mandate on employers, one of the most used arguments the new rule won’t break the bank.  Taken in isolation, that is often true.  However, as Washington Policy Center has pointed out to lawmakers, these seemingly harmless regulations have a cumulative effect that eventually become so burdensome they cripple employers and prevent entrepreneurs from creating th

At noon today the final piece of the state's 2013-15 budget debate will fall into place as the March Revenue forecast is officially released. Due to the impact of the federal sequester, indications are that the currently projected nearly $2 billion increase in revenue for the next budget will be slightly reduced. While this will still mean revenues will be growing, it will likely fall short of funding the projected baseline spending increases and new policy adds Olympia would like to pursue.

Not only are title only bills (essentially blank pieces of legislation) not the most transparent way to introduce changes to state law (or perhaps too translucent) but they are used by lawmakers to circumvent the state Constitution. This is why it is disappointing to see 26 title only bills (13 in the House by Rep. Hunter and 13 in the Senate by Sen. Hill) introduced today. Budget chairs typically introduce title only bills so they "don't get stuck" at the end of session.

Here are some of the titles of the 26 title only bills (HB 2003-2015 and SB 5870-5882) introduced today: