OLYMPIA — A proposed law requested by Gov. Jay Inslee would provide prepaid postage for all election ballots in the state of Washington.

OLYMPIA — The creation of a Statewide Broadband Office and an initial investment of $25 million into getting broadband into “every nook and cranny” was announced by Gov. Jay Inslee on Jan. 16.

OLYMPIA — “Bring Back Our $30 Car Tabs,” an initiative that would limit annual motor-vehicle registration fees to $30 except for voter-approved charges, was sent to the Legislature for consideration by the Secretary of State.

OLYMPIA — Three representatives from the Democratic caucus are sponsoring a bill to work towards reducing food waste by consumers and grocery stores in Washington state.

OLYMPIA — The House public safety committee heard public testimony on Jan. 22 on two bills that address the statute of limitations in certain felony sex offenses as well as another bill that would establish best practices for storing and processing of sexual assault kits.

OLYMPIA — Differences in water usage best practices during a drought and homeowners’ association landscaping requirements are the target of new legislation.

OLYMPIA — College students enrolled in an institution of higher education in Washington state could receive compensation for their athletic services, should House Bill 1084 become law.

OLYMPIA — Major state political parties, like Republicans and Democrats, are required to elect one Committeeman and one Committeewoman from each county. A House Bill proposes to eliminate gender designations from these partisan elections.

OLYMPIA — The public last week weighed in on a proposed law that would prohibit the state from accumulating pistol transfer applications containing personal information.

OLYMPIA — Following last week’s rapid-fire vote on a bill to exempt the Legislature from state public records laws, lawmakers are going into damage control with public backlash mounting.

OLYMPIA — A bill that would allow people at risk of suicide to voluntarily give up their gun rights passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 77-20 on Feb. 23. The bill passed the Senate unanimously on Jan. 24.

OLYMPIA — A bill that would ban bump stocks, a device that increases a weapon’s rate of fire, is a step closer to becoming law.

OLYMPIA — A bill to eliminate the death penalty in Washington state is a step closer to being signed into law.

OLYMPIA — Washington State lawmakers introduced a multitude of bills early this 2018 session on issues of gun regulation to address the multiple incidences of gun violence in the nation.

OLYMPIA — At the request of Gov. Jay Inslee, former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visited the state Capitol on Feb. 13 to advocate for the governor’s proposed carbon tax.

OLYMPIA — A bill prohibiting the criminal history question on job applications passed the Washington state House of Representatives with a 52-46 vote.

OLYMPIA — Just in time to meet the cutoff deadline to move bills out of committees, the state Senate Transportation Committee passed a bill that would lower car tab taxes, matching similar efforts in the House.

OLYMPIA — Proposed legislation would open the ability to file wrongful death lawsuits to citizens of other countries and to parents of adults.

OLYMPIA — Washington state’s health insurance market is increasingly volatile.

OLYMPIA — A proposed pilot project would partner mental health professionals and local law enforcement officers on calls that involve a mental health crisis.

OLYMPIA — The state Senate approved a measure that would provide greater access to birth control and other reproductive health services, including abortions.

OLYMPIA — A tax on carbon emissions proposed by Gov. Jay Inslee has taken a big step forward.

OLYMPIA — Democrats in the state Senate are pushing back against the Federal Communications Commission through a number of bills designed to protect net neutrality in Washington.

OLYMPIA — For the second year in a row, state lawmakers are pursuing legislation to ban the use of the death penalty in Washington.

OLYMPIA — With environmental activists threatening a carbon tax ballot initiative, some manufacturing and energy companies are opting to work with lawmakers on Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee’s recently proposed tax rather than flat out oppose it.

OLYMPIA — The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. was more than symbolic last week with the introduction of legislation aimed at protecting Washington state’s sanitation workers.

OLYMPIA — One of the year’s most important legislative battles in Washington state came to a surprisingly quick conclusion Jan. 18 when a water-use bill passed both chambers and was sent to the desk of Gov. Jay Inslee. It was signed by Gov. Inslee Jan. 19.

OLYMPIA — In an effort to tackle the opioid addiction epidemic, state legislators, Attorney General Bob Ferguson, and Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee are rolling out legislation to limit opioid prescriptions and invest in drug treatment infrastructure.

OLYMPIA — The state Senate passed several bills aimed at expanding access to voting and promoting minority representation in local governments through redistricting.

Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee expressed a defiant attitude toward U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who announced on Jan. 4 the rescinding of Obama-era guidelines that assisted the legalization of non-medical marijuana in Washington, seven other states and the District of Columbia.

A bill to be introduced this session would eliminate the death penalty in Washington state and require people convicted of first degree murder to serve life sentences without the possibility of parole.

OLYMPIA — While Democrats in the state Legislature have supported enacting a capital gains tax to fund public education in the past, they aren’t itching to pass one this legislative session now that they control both the statehouse and the governorship.

OLYMPIA — Hilary Franz became the state’s new Commissioner of Public Lands in January after being elected to office in November.