It’s ba-ack: Dems resurrect Low Carbon Fuels Standard, despite 2015 deal. Once again, Gov. Jay Inslee is pushing for a Low Carbon Fuels Standard that will raise your gas prices but deliver little to no actual environmental benefits. Now that sounds like a Jay Inslee-kind of plan. (Shift WA)

Four bills have been signed into law, around 100 measures have passed through at least one chamber, and around 3,000 measures are under consideration in this year’s legislative session – and it’s a “short session.” Check out a great rundown of what has been going on here. (Washington Policy Center)

Need help understanding your property tax increase in relation to the school levy on your ballot? The Washington Policy Center explained a 3-step process to help you figure out if you might be double-taxed on the February ballot here. (Washington Policy Center)

The potential upside of Gov. Inslee’s energy tax proposal is ridiculously overstated. If Washington reduced its GHG emissions to zero immediately, it would only change the global temperature by 2/1000 of a degree in the year 2100. Simply put – Inslee’s energy tax would harm our economy while having a miniscule effect on global temperature. “His tax on energy would shift employment away from energy-intensive sectors towards others, and in the aggregate would reduce employment by making the economy smaller. (The National Review)

Mary Robnett, a former Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor in Pierce County, is running against her old boss, incumbent Mark Lindquist. “I’m running because Pierce County deserves better. I’m not a politician, but I’m a professional prosecutor, and I think that’s what Pierce County needs,” she said. Robnett, who now works in the Sexually Violent Predators unit in the Attorney General’s Office, explained she “would put my client, Pierce County, ahead of my own personal interests. We have someone in the top job who has burned too many bridges and crossed too many ethical lines.” (The News Tribune)

Despite resigning due to sexual-abuse allegations, former Seattle Mayor Ed Murray is getting $115,920 a year – for the rest of his life. Taxpayers are footing the bill for Murray’s self-proclaimed “tiny pension” (read: massive pension) for the rest of his life. Murray still denies the allegations against him, despite a $150,000 settlement between one of his accusers and the City of Seattle. If you’re feeling a little outraged at this – you’re not the only one. (The Seattle Times)

The families of 12,000 Seattle students are scrambling again today for alternate transportation to school as 400 bus drivers continue to strike. Teamsters Local 174 is refusing to go back to work until it receives an offer with higher benefits from the school district’s bus vendor. “We were just really frustrated that they came back with such a poor quality proposal, and now here we are,” spokesperson Jamie Fleming said. (The Seattle Times)

Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes is pressing charges against former Seattle City Council candidate Sheley Secrest for listing fake contributions to her campaign in order to qualify for the city’s “democracy vouchers” program. A detective concluded that in reality, the money came from Secrest herself, not individual donors. (The Seattle Times)

Former SDOT Director Scott Kubly went on record to explain that he didn’t get fired, like some had wondered given the timing of his exit – two weeks after Mayor Jenny Durkan took office. “The job is draining. It’s a challenging job. You get incoming from all different directions. If you’re doing it right I don’t think you’re making anybody happy because you’re balancing a bunch of different competing priorities. You have 700,000 people who have a unique vision for the city. That’s exhausting. If you’re pushing as hard as you should, you’re going to wear yourself out,” he told Jason Rantz. (MyNorthwest)

WSDOT officials are promising a “night and day” change on I-405 by connecting HOV lanes between I-405 and SR 167. WSDOT’s Kim Henry said traffic between Renton and Bellevue is “going to be essentially free-flow within the express toll lanes and almost free-flow within the general purpose lanes.” We’ll see. (MyNorthwest)

Working Washington, a labor union front group, is going after Seattle businesses that are struggling after Seattle enacted union-backed policies. In what Jason Rantz warns is “a clear affront to speech,” the organization is attempting to convince the DOL to prevent businesses from charging a Seattle Fair Wage Act fee – calling it a “made-up charge [that] is certainly not a tax.” It is also calling for a boycott on the businesses in question. We’re just wondering – once these groups run businesses out of operation, will they settle for Seattle? Or do they plan on going for a toxic business environment that spans the entire state? (MyNorthwest)

Yakima County authorities filed suit in Superior Court to enforce a ban against marijuana businesses operating in unincorporated areas of the county. “This is the first step and we will be persistent and consistent in our efforts to enforce the ban that’s been in place. We would hope that those other people who are not in compliance…cease operations,” County Commissioner Mike Leita said. (Yakima Herald-Republic)

Enacting a capital gains income tax | HB 2967 | in committee | While Democrats prefer to call this a capital gains tax, the bill itself admits to being a “legally imposed income or excise tax paid by the taxpayer to another tax jurisdiction on capital gains.” Of course, how “legal” it is remains an open question. (Washington Policy Center)

Increasing the availability of assisted outpatient behavioral health treatment | SB 6491 | in committee | “We can’t wait until a patient’s substance use addiction, or mental health condition, deteriorates to the point of involuntary treatment to get them care,” bill sponsor Sen. Steve O’Ban (R-University Place) said. (Washington State Wire)

Establishing the capacity to purchase community long-term involuntary psychiatric treatment services through managed care | SB 6573 | in committee | “This bill would take the mechanical steps necessary to keep state hospitals largely dedicated to patients who have committed crimes and are waiting to stand trial and allow civil commitments to be transferred to private community facility.” (Washington State Wire)

Fixing the car-tab fee valuation system to reflect actual car value | HB 2132 & SB 5851 | in committee | This bill would return around $780 million to taxpayers and alter the way car tabs are calculated. “There’s a lot of special interest groups, particularly in the transit area, that are putting pressure on the Democrats not to pass anything. They don’t want to see their beloved agency Sound Transit lose any of its money,” bill sponsor Mark Harmsworth (R-Mill Creek) said. (MyNorthwest)

Fining people $250 who falsely claim their pets to be service animals | HB 2822 | in committee | A woman flying out of Newark recently attempted to bring a peacock on a flight as an emotional support animal – possibly raising the bar for the necessity of this bill (and for what lengths people will go to take advantage of policies in place to help others). (Bellingham Herald)

Concerning the exemption of property taxes for nonprofit homeownership development | HB 1532 | headed to Senate, companion: SB 5143 | 89-5-0-4 vote

Concerning housing authorities | HB 2261 | headed to Senate | 91-3-0-4 vote

Increasing the availability of housing for developmentally disabled persons | HB 2448 | headed to Senate | 94-0-0-4 vote

Concerning wastewater operator certifications | HB 2298 | headed to Senate, companion: SB 6352 | 94-0-0-4 vote

Allowing firms in BC to perform attest or compilation services for companies in Washington that are consolidated, subsidiary, etc of a corporate entity registered in Canada… | HB 2468 | headed to Senate, companion: SB 6256 |  94-0-0-4 vote

Capital Budget (House)

Promoting the use of surplus public property for public benefit | SHB 2382

Encouraging low-water landscaping practices as a drought alleviation tool | SHB 2485

Concerning publicly owned industrial wastewater treatment facilities | HB 2838

Early Learning & Human Services (House)

Concerning the baby court initiative | HB 2798

Expanding the provision of trauma-informed child care | HB 2861

Health Care & Wellness (House)

Concerning limitations on health care provider services imposed by health care entities | HB 2482

Preserving access to individual market health care coverage throughout Washington state | HB 2408

Concerning opioid use disorder treatment, prevention, and related services | HB 2489

State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections (Senate)

Requiring disclosure by entities that compensate for petition signatures | SB 5397

Concerning disclosure of contributors to online political advertising | SB 6075

Providing for approval of school district bonds by fifty-five percent of the voters voting | SB 6246

Concerning public access to the records of the legislature and judiciary | SB 6139

State Government, Elections & Information Technology (House)

Concerning election year restrictions on email updates from state legislators | HB 2961

Designating the pine mushroom as the official state fungus | HB 2365

Concerning campaign finance law enforcement and reporting | HB 2938

Finance (House)

Providing that the department of revenue is the secretary of state’s agent for specified legal entity renewals | HB 2929

Authorizing certain public transportation benefit areas to impose a sales and use tax increase approved by voters | HB 1410

Concerning authorizations of proposals for emergency medical care and service levies | HB 2627

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