Washington Ledge

New restrictions on gun magazines and so-called "ghost guns" take effect in Washington on July 1.

While the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, the right to abortion is protected under Washington state law. But Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee and fellow abortion rights supporters are looking for ways to strengthen that protection.

Across the country, backers of former President Donald Trump are making election integrity a campaign issue. So far, that issue has not dominated Washington’s election for secretary of state — the state’s top election official position. But mistrust in voting systems is an issue in some local races this year.

Gov. Jay Inslee and the state Democratic Party on Friday joined calls for Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler to resign after his office fired an employee who had complained in February about Kreidler's treatment of staff. Kreidler said he won't step down.

A key staffer in Washington's Office of Insurance Commissioner has been fired more than four months after he formally complained about the treatment he and other staff received from Mike Kreidler, the state's elected insurance commissioner.

Since January of this year, more than 900 drivers have failed to stop for a Washington State Patrol trooper trying to pull them over. The patrol and other police agencies around the state say they’ve never seen such blatant disregard for their lights and sirens. The change in driver behavior comes after state lawmakers passed strict new rules on when police can engage in pursuits.

Some parents with kids in crisis in Washington are making a heart wrenching decision. They’re sending their children to out-of-state therapeutic boarding schools. And taxpayers are picking up the tab. While these are outlier cases, they highlight ongoing gaps in in-state services — gaps that were laid bare during the COVID pandemic.

There are more questions than answers in the case of a missing former foster child from Grays Harbor County. Five-year-old Oakley Carlson has been unaccounted for since February of last year. Police say her parents aren’t cooperating with the investigation. Oakley’s former foster mom questions why Oakley was sent back to live with her parents after more than two years in foster care. The governor's office and the Department of Children Youth and Families won't answer questions about the case citing privacy laws and the ongoing law enforcement investigation.

Three major opioid distributors will pay the state of Washington and local communities $476 million to end an ongoing lawsuit. The agreement announced Tuesday comes after the state attorney general rejected a previous settlement offer last summer.

A Sumner, Washington seafood company has been fined $56,000 for not complying with Washington's mask mandate. State investigators linked the death of an employee to a November 4, 2021 staff meeting where most of the attendees were unmasked.