Senate Republicans are pushing a bill – SB 5533 – that would “prohibit contributions to gubernatorial candidates from labor unions that collectively bargain with the state.” According to the Washington Policy Center, the bill will go a long way to “promote honest and open government” by eliminating a key conflict of interest: “the practice of governors negotiating state employee contracts with the state employee unions who helped elect them.”

The Department of Ecology is facing criticism for an outdated, ineffective regulation on agriculture it insists on upholding. The Washington Policy Center reports that, under current regulations, cattle feedlots are “unduly scrutinized” despite an agriculture exemption including “small cattle herds, horses, goats, sheep, and dairies.” The current policy is outdated and means cattlemen are “threatened with fines up to $10,000 per violation.” The House (HB 1299) and Senate (SB 5196) currently have bills proposing a fix to the problem.

Republican State Senator Ann Rivers has proposed a bill – SB 5816 – that would designate Sasquatch as the “official cryptid or crypto-animal” of Washington State. Adding a little humor in an otherwise exhausting legislative session, the bill recognizes the creatures “immeasurable contributions to Washington state’s cultural heritage and ecosystem.”

A handful of Senate Democrats are pushing an alternate proposal to fund Washington’s K-12 schools in satisfaction of the McCleary decision. The proposal is touted as the “middle-ground solution” between the House Democrat and Senate Republican proposals. The plan would make the current local tax levies permanent, those levy dollars would go to the state which would then send money to the districts. Any additional funds a district needs would be met through a levy-equalization assistance fund – an added $750 million every two years. Under the plan, the state would charge sales tax on purchases made online to bring in the added revenue.

The scandal at the Port of Seattle continues. A new report reveals that “executives and managers at the Port of Seattle received the bulk of the $4.8 million in Port bonuses that the state auditor has deemed illegal.” The biggest payouts went to the senior leadership team that handled the bonus program. The Port is investigating the payouts and has pledged to “enact changes to ensure a similar scenario doesn’t play out again.”

A federal judge denied a request for a temporary restraining order on how Seattle and Washington state “clean up and evict people from unauthorized homeless encampments.” The request was brought by plaintiffs who were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington. They accused “the city and the state transportation department of violating the constitutional rights of people living outdoors by seizing and destroying their personal property without sufficient notice and process.” The city and state argued that the sweeps were needed to keep people clean and safe.

Last year, Lincoln County commissioners approved a resolution to open collective bargaining sessions to the public. In a power-bid, big labor (Teamsters Local 690) filed a suit alleging the resolution constituted an unfair labor practice. The Washington Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) ruled in favor of Lincoln County last month, rejecting the union’s argument and stating that “there was nothing in state law, the constitution or Lincoln County’s existing contract with county employees that prevented future negotiations from being open to the public.” On Monday, Teamsters Local 690 announced that they will not appeal – open collective bargaining sessions in Lincoln County are here to stay.

According to KIRO Radio’s Jason Rantz, Seattle City Councilmember Mike O’Brien may have lost his mind – though, arguably, that’s not news. Last week, during a meeting of the council’s Sustainability and Transportation Committee, O’Brien “pretended that the City of Seattle is so dangerous for pedestrians and bicyclists that it’s an ‘act of bravery’ just walking across the street.” O’Brien is currently pushing for more bike lanes – hence his insane position. But, his claims don’t match reality. Rantz points out that, in 2014, the Liberty Mutual Insurance Pedestrian Safety Index rated Seattle safest in the country.