This week on the show Crystal is joined by Senator Karen Keiser, Washington State Senate President Pro Tempore and one of the busiest women in the Washington State legislature. They discuss what happened in the past legislative session this year, as well as changes that will be worked toward next year. Highlights include more than a dozen public safety bills passed, protection of essential workers during the pandemic, attempts to rectify Washington State’s upside-down tax code, worker protections in the unprecedentedly hot conditions we’ve experienced due to climate change, passage of the Working Families Tax Credit, supporting childcare workers as we face a massive childcare shortage, and more. This was indeed a busy legislative session!

As always, a full text transcript of the show is available below and at officialhacksandwonks.com.

Find the host, Crystal Fincher on Twitter at @finchfrii and find Senator Karen Keiser at @karenkeiser1. More info is available at officialhacksandwonks.com.

 

Resources 

"What would it cost to house and provide treatment for Seattle's homeless?" by Scott Greenstone at The Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/homeless/what-is-the-cost-to-house-and-provide-treatment-for-seattles-homeless/ 

"With 12 New Laws, Washington State Joins Movement to Overhaul Policing" by Austin Jenkins from NPR: https://www.npr.org/2021/05/18/997974519/a-dozen-police-reform-bills-signed-into-law-in-washington-state 

"A year after George Floyd's murder, what's changed in Washington state?" by Melissa Santos from Crosscut: https://crosscut.com/news/2021/05/year-after-george-floyds-murder-whats-changed-washington-state 

"With the Washington Legislature halfway through its session, here's where policing bill stand" by Joseph O'Sullivan from The Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/washington-legislature-passes-bill-requiring-police-officers-to-intervene-if-they-witness-excessive-force/ 

"Washington Legislature charts 'new beginning' in climate change fight" by Levi Pulkkinen from Investigate West via Crosscut: https://crosscut.com/politics/2021/05/washington-legislature-charts-new-beginning-climate-change-fight 

"Inslee signs off on capital gains tax for wealthy and tax rebate for lower-income workers in Washington" by Jim Brunner from The Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/inslee-signs-capital-gains-tax-for-wealthy-and-tax-rebate-for-lower-income-workers-in-washington/ 

"Return to Work? Now With Child Care Still in Limbo, Some Parents Say." by Claire Cain Miller from The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/05/upshot/covid-child-care-schools.html 

"2021 heat wave is now the deadliest weather-related event in Washington history" by John Ryan from KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/stories/heat-wave-death-toll-in-washington-state-jumps-to-112-people 

"Washington Joins Oregon, California, British Columbia In Passing Low-Carbon Fuel Standard" by Courtney Flatt from KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/stories/washington-joins-oregon-california-british-columbia-in-passing-low-carbon-fuel-standard 

"The HEAL Act gives WA a path to environmental justice" by Jennifer Calkins from Crosscut: https://crosscut.com/opinion/2021/03/heal-act-gives-wa-path-environmental-justice 

The Front and Centered Coalition: https://frontandcentered.org/ 

"Relief slow to reach King County renters as evictions set to resume" by David Kroman from Crosscut: https://crosscut.com/news/2021/06/relief-slow-reach-king-county-renters-evictions-set-resume 

Hacks & Wonks interview with Pierce County Councilmember Derek Young: https://www.officialhacksandwonks.com/listenpodcast/episode/32ca17ec/seattle-pay-attention-to-pierce-county-a-conversation-with-pierce-county-council-chair-derek-young 

Hacks & Wonks interview with Senator and King County Executive Candidate Joe Nguyen: https://www.officialhacksandwonks.com/listenpodcast/episode/1e38d0ac/meet-senator-and-kc-exec-candidate-joe-nguyen-again