Yesterday, the state Senate heard testimony on SB 5692, a bill that would make Washington a right-to-work state. Big labor—spurred by a wave of recent defeats across the country—did everything in its power to shut down the public discourse by bussing hundreds of workers to Olympia in protest. When that strategy failed, unions resorted to heckling and attempting to discredit right-to-work advocates – of course, they had the support of Senate Democrats.

Republican state Rep. Matt Manweller is sponsoring a bill that would aid immigrants in a meaningful way. HB 1361 would remove a significant barrier to success for low-income workers and immigrants by eliminating of costly and unnecessary occupational licenses. Public testimony occurred yesterday.

Republican State Rep. Melanie Stambaugh wants to reduce the cost burden of textbooks on students. Many students spend between $500 to $1,000 on textbooks each year. Stambaugh’s solution would expand an existing open education resource pilot program—educational materials and resources that are free and available to anyone—to Evergreen State College, Central Washington University, Washington State University, University of Washington, Western Washington University, and Eastern Washington University.

Hedge fund manager Chris Hansen and his group are once again pushing for the partial closure of Occidental Avenue South to make way for a popular project, building an arena in hopes of attracting an NBA team. Last year, the Seattle City Council blocked the request due to “potential traffic interference with a nearby freight shipping terminal and other related concerns.”

The housing market in King County may have slowed, but that doesn’t mean the Seattle-area has lost its place as one of the hottest home markets in the country.  With an increase if 6.9 percent from the year prior in January, the median price of a home in King County experienced the slowest growth in a year and a half. However, the Eastside is not experiencing a similar slowdown – the median price for a home is up about 14 percent.

Though Alaska Air’s acquisition of Virgin America is moving forward, certain questions remain unanswered. Notably, whether Alaska Air Group will retain Virgin America’s distinct identity. The decision concerning the brand will be announced on March 29. Despite the uncertainty, the acquisition has proved to be highly beneficial for Alaska Air.

Waddell’s Pub and Grille North in Spokane has made the decision to implement a service charge of 3 percent on each bill rather than being forced to raise their prices. The owners point to Washington’s $11 minimum wage hike as the cause. The new law does not allow the restaurants to pool their tips at the end of the night to include the kitchen staff. The 3 percent charge will ensure kitchen staff also receive tips.

The Seattle City Council’s decision to punish Wells Fargo due to the bank’s role as a lender to the Dakota Access Pipeline project has drawn sharp criticism. As KIRO Radio’s Jason Rantz points out, Wells Fargo employs numerous Seattleites. Yet, the city council is more than willing to hurt the business to make a “meaningless political point that doesn’t impact DAPL one iota.” It is a purely ideological move that hurts working families.