Jake Goldstein-Street/Washington State Standard
Stories
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Former Microsoft CEO’s philanthropy will donate up to $170M a year for free preschool in WA
The Ballmer Group on Wednesday committed hundreds of millions of dollars for free preschool in Washington, a massive philanthropic contribution amid state budget cuts and federal rollbacks.
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Need for speed: Plan to unclog WA public records system gets mixed reviews
Washington’s attorney general is seeking to reduce public record backlogs as concerns grow over transparency and agencies strain from surging requests.
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Conservative group sues to overturn rewrite of WA parental rights law
School board directors and parents are suing Washington state to block a Democrat-backed law overhauling rights for public school students and their parents.
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New map tracks measles exposures across Washington
Afraid you may have been exposed to measles? Washington’s Department of Health is launching an online tracker showing locations where people with the disease visited.
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Sticker shock: WA health insurance buyers confront steep price hikes
The roughly 300,000 Washingtonians who buy health insurance through the state’s online marketplace are set for a rude awakening as they begin shopping for plans.
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Washington AG pushing new law to protect workers from immigration raids
Washington’s Democratic attorney general is looking at a new way to shield the state’s immigrant workers amid the Trump administration’s aggressive deportation agenda.
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Washington’s paid leave program heads toward a fiscal cliff
Washington’s innovative paid family and medical leave program could be hundreds of millions of dollars in the red within a few years, unless the Legislature acts.
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Washington’s minimum wage to top $17 in 2026
Washington state’s minimum wage will surpass $17 per hour in 2026.
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New sales tax on services in Washington takes effect Wednesday
A slate of other tax and fee hikes also kicks in Oct. 1, including on major financial institutions and to fund transportation.
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WA lawmakers faced with $570M decision on surging lawsuit payouts
A Washington agency that manages the state’s lawsuit payouts is seeking a one-time infusion of nearly $570 million to address skyrocketing liability costs.