Washington in Focus

Insurance advocacy groups in Washington state are pushing back against a new study released by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner highlighting the recent increase in insurance claim complaints. According to the OIC, its Consumer Advocacy Program received 467 complaints in April 2023 compared to the average of 287 per month. As of May, claim handling issues were documented in over 80% of all complaint reasons.

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Washington State University President Kirk Schulz has been accused of interfering with an ethics violation investigation after a complaint was made against two employees in relation to a request for proposal to develop a police use of force database for the Attorney General's Office.

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Renton officials are discussing ways to improve public safety in the area as violent crime rates continue. Overall crime in Renton increased by 6.4% from 2021 to 2022, according to a report from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. There were 7,852 reports of crime in 2021 and 8,353 in 2022. One noticeable statistic from the report is the 133% increase in murders within Renton’s city limits. There were three murders in 2021 and seven in 2022. 

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The Spokane City Council, having recently approved millions in spending for the new labor contract with the Spokane Police Guild, is asking Mayor Nadine Woodward and her administration for answers on the 2024 budget.  “We need the best information that we can get to make those difficult decisions. It’s never been about us versus them. We just don’t want to set you up, or the city up, for this financial structure that we cannot sustain,” said Councilmember Betsy Wilkerson during last Monday’s city council meeting approving the guild contract. 

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When mankind is set to explore Mars and the Moon in the future, the Washington state space industry will play a big role, while potentially generating astronomical dollars in economic impact. According to the Puget Sound Regional Council, the State of Washington’s space industry has an economic impact of $4.6 billion annually and supports 13,103 jobs within the state.

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Spokane County commissioners asked the hard questions and came up with few answers about the efficacy of millions of dollars spent on homelessness only to see more people on the streets. The frustration came after a strategic planning meeting Monday, with commissioners getting bogged down in details about the implementation of an interlocal agreement regarding a new regional homeless authority.

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Washington state experienced the eighth largest increase in home prices in the past seven years, according to a new study put out by Texas Real Estate Source. Washington building industry advocates say the increase is due to a regulations that have prevented supply from keeping up with demand.

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The city of Seattle is preparing to host the 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game and is expected to generate millions of dollars for the downtown community. The All-Star Game festivities start on Friday, July 7 and run through Tuesday, July 11. According to Visit Seattle, the upcoming events will generate over $50 million in economic impact to the community.

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After an hour-long public study session, the Spokane City Council adjourned to a closed-door executive session to discuss “potential litigation and collective bargaining negotiations,” as Council President Breean Beggs put it. Nearly 30 minutes later, council emerged from chambers with a solution to one of those two topics and commenced a special legislative session.

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A city of Seattle proposal limiting the ability of companies to deactivate app-based workers has drawn criticism from businesses, community leaders, and customers themselves. At a June 27 meeting of the Public Safety and Human Rights Committee, numerous individuals testifying on the proposed ordinance warned it would undermine safety for customers and discourage them from reporting inappropriate behavior.

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