The state House passed a bill that, if Inslee signs it, would move up the presidential primary in our state to March 10. “We need to open up the presidential primary process to the greatest number of Washington voters possible,” said Rep. Ed Orcutt (R-Kalama). The bill passed largely due to liberal votes…just in time for Inslee’s run at the White House. The Senate passed the bill in January. (Seattle Times)

With bipartisan support, the House passed a bill aimed at stopping the practice of balanced billing or “surprise billing.” Balanced billing is when a patient is billed by an out-of-network provider for the difference between what their insurer reimbursed and what the provider charges. Some Republican members still had concerns. “If we do this wrong, we’re going to remove that incentive for the providers to ever negotiate better deals, and we’re going to raise the cost of health care for everyone,” Rep. Drew Stokesbary (R-Auburn) said. “And I know that’s not what any of us want to do.” (Washington State Wire)

Governor Inslee couldn’t be bothered to take a moment from campaigning to help celebrate one of the largest opening events in Snohomish County in years. Inslee, opting instead to appear on The View, was absent from the opening of Everett’s Paine Field passenger terminal. Instead attendees were graced with one of Inslee’s aides – the northwest regional representative for the governor’s office. (KING 5)

After weeks of a public feud between Mayor Jenny Durkan and Councilmember Kshama Sawant, the council rejected a resolution to further delay the nomination of Jason Johnson to lead the city’s Department of Human Services. “I’m angry,” said HSD Assistant to CSA Division Director Michael Taylor Judd. “I’m angry that Councilmember Sawant thinks that it’s okay to keep sending email blasts out directly to myself and our colleagues to our city addresses, advocating that we turn out like it’s a rally to oppose the confirmation process.” Johnson’s confirmation will now go before the council for an up or down vote. (MyNorthwest)

Local businesses owners say they were blindsided by the news that a Tri-City needle exchange is moving to a Kennewick neighborhood. Dance studio owner Wendy Robbins said she expects to see her business slow immensely as the clinic caters to lawbreakers and scares away her clientele. “This will bankrupt me,” she said. Other city leaders, including Mayor Don Britain expressed their displeasure with the location as well. (Tri-City Herald)

The Yakima City Council will review a youth gang prevention pilot program, an offshoot of a previous agreement between the city and a gang reduction and intervention program. The drafted agreement allows “intervention specialist” to work one-on-one with sixth-grade students involved in gang activity at Lewis and Clark Middle School and Franklin Middle School. The participating schools will not receive compensation for participation. (Yakima Herald)

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