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Legislature

Wyman certifies Initiative 732, sending it to Legislature

Wyman certifies Initiative 732, sending it to Legislature

Secretary of State Kim Wyman has certified Initiative to the Legislature 732, which deals with carbon taxes. It was a close call, though, despite sponsors turning in 363,126 signatures, nearly 120,000 more than the bare number of valid voter signatures required (246,372). That’s because an unusually high error rate was discovered when election crews checked a 3 percent random sample of 11,061 signatures.  The error rate was 27.59 percent, well above the historic average of 18 percent. That was due…

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Wyman touts voter pre-registration for 17-year-olds

Wyman touts voter pre-registration for 17-year-olds

Secretary of State Kim Wyman, the state’s chief elections official, is proposing voter pre-registration for 17-year-olds as part of high school history and civics classes and events coordinated by the 39 county election offices. The legislation, HB2707/SB6340, was introduced in both chambers Tuesday with bipartisan support. The prime sponsors are Rep. Steve Bergquist, D-Renton, and Sen. Joe Fain, R-Auburn, with members from all four caucuses signing on. “We are excited at the prospect of expanding our outreach to young people…

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WA lawmakers convene 2016 session

WA lawmakers convene 2016 session

The 2016 election-year session of the Washington Legislature is under way. Gavels fell at noon to usher in a 60-day session, with lawmakers expressing hope that there will be no need for overtime. Last year they went into triple overtime that lasted until July. House Speaker Frank Chopp quoted Majority Leader Pat Sullivan: If the Seattle Seahawks could pull off a miraculous victory Sunday, surely the Legislature can wrap it up in 60 days. It’s true that there are a…

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Eyman and his nemesis file dueling initiatives

Eyman and his nemesis file dueling initiatives

Flanked by Mike and Jack Fagan, Tim Eyman files his latest anti-tax initiative. Andrew Villeneuve, an Eyman opponent who also filed an initiative Wednesday, stands in the background. Initiative king Tim Eyman visited our Capitol office to file his statewide initiative to the 2016 Legislature that would limit the duration of tax increases to one year if not approved by either a supermajority of the Legislature, or by voters. But minutes before Eyman’s arrival, his liberal nemesis, Northwest Progressive Institute’s…

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House9 recount confirms narrow edge for Lathim

House9 recount confirms narrow edge for Lathim

Secretary of State Kim Wyman says the recount of the close primary vote in House District 9 in the sprawling six-county district showed that not a single vote changed from the original tally. That means former Franklin County Sheriff Richard Lathim’s 47-vote margin over Democrat Kenneth Caylor stands. Lathim advances to the General Election, taking on fellow Republican Mary Dye, who was appointed to the House earlier this year to replace Rep. Susan Fagan. The outcome will not affect the…

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Non-binding tax advisory votes headed to WA ballot

Non-binding tax advisory votes headed to WA ballot

Four tax advisory votes will be on the statewide ballot this fall, including the transportation funding package, marijuana tax changes and closure of several tax preferences, Secretary of State Kim Wyman says. The votes, which are nonbinding, are an opportunity for voters to express support or opposition to revenue provisions in bills that passed in the recent legislative sessions. Legislators are not required to do anything with the results. The advisory votes are mandated under Tim Eyman’s voter-approved I-960. This…

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Library Jewel #2: 1890 legislators’ signatures

Library Jewel #2: 1890 legislators’ signatures

As House and Senate negotiators try to reach a compromise on the next two-year state operating budget, our second Library Jewel for June has a nice legislative tie-in from yesteryear: an autograph album that contains the signatures of the members of the 1st Legislature of Washington, 1890. The image above shows signatures of (top to bottom) state Reps. Joseph C. Painter of Touchet, Walla Walla County, Harry Hamilton of Conconully, Okanogan County, and Henry B. Day of Dayton, Columbia County….

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June Archives Treasures: Vote, baby, vote!

June Archives Treasures: Vote, baby, vote!

Now that we’ve finished showcasing the June edition of the Archives Jewels, we’re ready for you to vote on your favorite.  Your three contestants are a collection of Washington State Ferries schedule pamphlets going back decades, documents on Washington’s first territorial prison and photos of the Spafford murals being removed from the House Gallery in 1993. You can pick your favorite by going to our online poll (below), which will be open until this Friday at 5 p.m. State Ferries…

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Archives Treasure #3: Photos of Spafford murals removal from House

Archives Treasure #3: Photos of Spafford murals removal from House

Workers remove one of the Spafford murals. (Photos courtesy Washington State Archives) In the long history of Olympia’s Legislative Building, you’d be hard-pressed to think of a more controversial set of artwork that once graced (some would say disgraced) its walls than the Spafford murals. Called the Twelve Labors of Hercules, they were created by artist Michael Spafford. Soon after the first murals appeared on the walls above the House Gallery in 1981, critics voiced displeasure over them. Some called…

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