Under measures in the state House and Senate, the fines for using hand-held devices while driving may double. House Bill 1371 seeks to expand the current state law to make it illegal for drivers to hold any personal electronic device in their hands while driving. The fine for doing so – currently $136 – would double. House Bill 1631 would impose even stricter rules for driving. Under the bill, engaging in any activity that could interfere with safe driving – including eating and drinking coffee – would violate state law.

House Bill 1562 – which concerns the Washington Food Policy Forum – is currently in the House Agriculture and Natural Resource Committee. Though meant to sound appealing, the policy “exaggerates Washington’s food insecurity, ironically targets agriculture as the cause for food insecurity and obesity, and focuses on counterproductive local food programs as the remedy.” The Washington Policy Center lists the policy’s six critical flaws that must be addressed.

Senate Bill 5726 seeks to move teachers and other school employees into the state employee health plan. While not a money-saving plan, the proposal would “add more people to the state insurance pool and make insurance more affordable for school employees with families.” Estimates indicate that 9,000 more school employees and 30,000 dependents would benefit by gaining health insurance under the bill. The proposal may, however, hit a speed bump in the form of the Washington Education Association (WEA) since the policy change would result in the “loss of some — but not all — bargaining power at the local level.”

Last week, the state House Committee on Appropriations met in executive session and approved HB 1843 – the House Democrats’ proposal to change the way the state funds K-12 education. It appears that Senate Republicans and House Democrats will have a long road ahead of them on the education issue. For now, the debate will be moved to the back burner until after the first policy bill cutoff deadline this Friday.

A state legislative task force faced with the job of recommending solutions for Washington’s K-12 school-funding problems is facing criticism after spending more than $500,000 with little to show for it. Apparently, lawmakers have not been able to agree on what to do with data provided by a consulting firm they hired – our taxpayer dollars in action.

Protesters against the Dakota Access oil pipeline blocked all northbound I-5 lanes in Bellingham near Lakeway Drive on Saturday afternoon. They managed to block the freeway for about an hour before Washington State Patrol cleared them off the road. The protest caused a multiple vehicle rollover crash that resulted in at least one injury. Charges are reportedly being considered by the Whatcom County prosecutors.

Last week, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco refused to re-instate President Trump’s executive order temporarily banning travel from seven pre-dominantly Muslim countries listed by the previous administration as high-threat areas. Following the ruling, Jay Inslee took the time to let Trump know that “we [as in, Washington State] beat you.” Legal analysts believe the case will ultimately be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.