Joseph O’Sullivan, Shauna Sowersby honored for watchdog reporting

The Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, a Seattle-based human rights group, filed a lawsuit against U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement in federal court on Tuesday, alleging violations of the Freedom of Information Act.

The complaint, filed in the Western District of Washington, challenges ICE’s failure to turn over public records relating to sexual abuse incidents at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, which is run by the GEO Group, a private detention services company.

“We’ve received … sporadic reports over the years of instances of either physical abuse or sexual abuse at the facility,” said Aaron Korthuis, staff attorney for the NWIRP. “There was a more recent one that we heard about, and heard that it got reported to 911 – and that I think in particular spurred our desire to file a more comprehensive request for information at the facility, and that’s what led to the lawsuit.”

An ICE spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment, but has previously indicated the agency does not discuss matters related to ongoing litigation. 

On Oct. 2, the NWIRP filed a public records request under FOIA in order to access an array of documents ensuring both ICE and GEO’s implementation and compliance with the Prison Rape Elimination Act. 

Some of these documents entail: audits regarding NWIPC conducted pursuant to the PREA; written reports on sexual abuse incidents; results and findings from GEO’s annual sexual abuse reviews at the facility; records of disciplinary actions taken in response to sexual assault allegations; and the outcomes of any sexual abuse allegations within the facility.

The lawsuit states that six days after the request was filed, ICE acknowledged it had received it – and said it would invoke a 10-day extension of FOIA’s 20-business-day requirement, meaning ICE’s response would have been due by Nov. 13.

Korthuis said the goal with this case is to empower those unable to legally advocate for themselves due to lack of immigration status, and “shed light on what people need to do if they’re trying to hold the agency accountable and learn what works, what their rights are, and what they can expect in that process.”

State and federal officials have officially signed off on an agreement changing the legal cleanup schedule at the Hanford nuclear reservation, which houses the most radioactively contaminated waste in the Western Hemisphere. 

Officials say the agreement, signed last week, will accelerate the cleanup of the site’s nuclear waste while maintaining safety. The project has busted budgets and deadlines in recent decades.

Last April, after four years of negotiations, the feds and state came to a tentative agreement to a 35-year legal contract governing Hanford’s cleanup, which includes how to deal with 56 million gallons of radioactive fluids and sludges in 177 leak-prone underground tanks roughly seven miles from the Columbia River.

The U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington Department of Ecology have spent the past eight months seeking public input and tweaking the tentative agreement.

In the early 1990s, state and federal officials decided Hanford tank waste should be mixed with glass flakes and melted together so the radioactive substances cannot escape for 10,000 years, a process called glassification. The original $4 billion glassification plant was supposed to be ready by 2009 and the work completed by 2019. The budget for glassification now is $17 billion and is expected to reach possibly $30 billion, according to various reports.

Currently, Hanford’s legal target calls for glassifying all wastes by 2052. DOE has internally moved those targets back to 2069,  according to a 2021 report by the Government Accountability Office. That date was not reflected in the changed legal agreement, but those deadlines could be changed in the future.

The new agreement keeps the previous timeline of starting to glassify less-radioactive tank wastes this year. Work on processing the 5 million to 6 million gallons of high-level wastes, which hold most of the radioactivity, is scheduled to start in 2033. However, the low-level waste glassification plant set to start operating this year can handle only roughly half of the wastes, which means a second plant will have to be built.

The finalized agreement also allows Hanford to use a new technology called grouting — mixing low-level wastes from 22 tanks within a type of cement. This technology has not yet been perfected with chemically complicated Hanford tank wastes. Other technologies and auxiliary plants are also covered in the new agreement. 

“More tank waste will get retrieved, treated, and disposed through 2040 and beyond. This is the best way to ensure surrounding communities and the Columbia River are protected,” said state ecology director Laura Watson in a press release.

 “This historic agreement … establishes an achievable plan for our Hanford tank waste mission for the next 15 years,” said DOE’s Hanford manager Brian Vance in the same news release.

Democratic staffers in the Washington state Legislature unanimously approved a two-year contract days before the start of the 2025 session, but the terms will not go into effect until this summer.

Legislative assistants, communications staff and policy analysts in both chambers began unionizing after winning the right to organize in 2022. Republican staffers were the first to approve a contract when they reached a deal in September. 

Democratic staffers, who are represented by the Washington Public Employees Association, had voted down a previous offer. 

“These agreements secure vital protections and improvements for current staff, and make significant progress towards a stronger, more supportive work environment,” WPEA President Amanda Hacker wrote in a statement on Jan. 10 announcing the agreement.

Josie Ellison, a communications specialist with the House Democratic Caucus, said support swung from 0% to 100% between September and January, largely due to protections the unit won in the grievance process that allow for arbitration over contract disputes.

“We feel really strongly that we need an external third party,” Ellison told Cascade PBS in an interview.

Ellison was surprised the sides reached a deal after staffers turned down the offer in the fall. The contract also includes a wage increase of 3% in 2025 and 2% in 2026, the same offer given to other state employee unions. The contract goes into effect July 1, 2025, after the session is set to end. 

“It’s a big relief,” Ellison said. “It’s a contract a year sooner than we thought.”

Democratic lawmakers in Olympia are once again pushing to cap the amount landlords can raise rents in Washington, a year after a similar effort fell short. 

On Thursday, state Rep. Emily Alvarado, a Seattle Democrat, prefiled House Bill 1217 — a “rent stabilization” proposal that would prevent landlords from raising rent by more than 7% annually for existing tenants. It would also limit various types of rental fees and require landlords to provide at least 180 days’ notice for rent increases over 3%.

During a news conference Friday morning, Alvarado and other progressive lawmakers described the proposal as a key step toward protecting renters and fighting homelessness in Washington. 

The bill is largely identical to the rent stabilization bill Alvarado sponsored last year, which passed the House but died after a contentious battle in the Senate. 

Alvarado and her progressive colleagues said they’re optimistic the proposal has a better shot at passing this year. Two Democrats who played a key role in blocking the bill on the Ways and Means Committee last year won’t be returning to the Senate this year.

“We have a good sense of stronger support in the Senate,” said state Rep. Nicole Macri, a Seattle Democrat who is co-sponsoring the new bill.  

Macri also pointed to the results of a Cascade PBS/Elway poll released Thursday, which found that 68% of respondents favored limits on the amount that landlords can raise rent each year. 

At a legislative preview event on Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader John Braun, a Republican from Centralia, argued that a cap on rent would disincentivize private development and ultimately worsen the housing shortage. He said his Republican colleagues would likely oppose the bill. 

“We may have a good short-term effect … but we will stop the building” of private development, Braun said. 

Alvarado said Friday that her bill takes a “balanced approach” that protects tenants while also encouraging more housing supply. She noted that residential construction would be exempted from the rent cap if it's less than 10 years old, and that landlords could still raise rent any amount between one tenant and the next.

Facing a $12 billion budget shortfall over the next four years, Governor-elect Bob Ferguson announced on Thursday a goal of $4 billion in budget cuts, along with $1.3 billion worth of new programs that he wants to see in the 2025-27 biennial budget.

The $12 billion predicted shortfall is likely the Legislature’s biggest problem in the upcoming 105-day session that begins Jan. 13.

“Washingtonians expect that we will increase revenue as a last resort,” Ferguson said. “I will not start contemplating additional revenue options until we have exhausted efforts to improve efficiency.”

At a Thursday press briefing, Republican legislative leaders contended that the shortfall can be fixed solely by budget cuts with no new taxes. Meanwhile, Democratic legislative leaders countered that some cuts can be made, but some new, yet-to-be-determined taxes are inevitable. Democrats control both the House and Senate.

Governors’ budget proposals are outlines of an individual governor’s suggestions and priorities. The Legislature has the power to set the budget, and the governor has the power to veto some or all of that document.

At the Thursday press briefing, Ferguson called for a cut across all state agencies, averaging about 6%, which would trim $4 billion from the shortfall. Not all agencies would individually have to cut 6%. Some might cut more and some might trim less, he said. 

This $4 billion would be in addition to roughly $3 billion in one-time savings and deferred expenses identified in outgoing Gov. Jay Inslee’s proposed 2025-27 budget. Ferguson also proposes saving an additional $300 million by resolving disputes in a legal settlement with the tobacco industry. He also proposes eliminating another $75 million from the state’s regulatory and civil law enforcement agencies, including from the Attorney General’s Office. Ferguson is the outgoing Washington attorney general.

Meanwhile, Ferguson’s Thursday news release also listed $1.3 billion in new expenses.

That money includes $100 million in grants to local governments to increase the number of new well-trained law enforcement officers; $5 million to clear the backlog of approximately 15,000 cases at the Washington State Toxicology Laboratory; $600 million allocated to the state’s capital budget to build new homes, while reducing their costs to families; $20 million for ferry crew recruitment and retention; $480 million to guarantee school lunches for every Washington student and $100 million to expand child care eligibility for employees at small businesses.

This article was originally published by the Washington State Standard.

State Sen. Joe Nguyễn will be the new director of the Department of Commerce.

Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson last week announced Nguyễn’s appointment to lead the agency, which manages a budget of $7.9 billion and administers more than 100 programs in the areas of housing, energy, community and economic development, local government and business services.

Nguyễn will succeed Mike Fong, who was recently named Snohomish County’s executive director for economic development.

A White Center Democrat, Nguyễn represents the 34th Legislative District, which extends south from Seattle and includes Vashon Island. He was first elected to the state Senate in 2018 and reelected in 2022. In 2021 he challenged King County Executive Dow Constantine, a fellow Democrat, but lost.

Nguyễn is chair of the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee, where he’s worked on implementing major climate policies, including the Climate Commitment Act, and artificial intelligence legislation. He also vice-chairs the Ways & Means Committee.

“Senator Nguyễn brings experienced leadership and a strong record on fighting to improve the lives of Washingtonians to this critical agency,” Ferguson said in a press release. “I know he will help ensure state government works better for the people.” 

Nguyễn is the second sitting lawmaker Ferguson has chosen for his cabinet: Last week, the incoming governor named Rep. Tana Senn, D-Mercer Island, as the next leader of the Department of Children, Youth and Families.

Nguyễn’s appointment starts Jan. 15. His resignation from the Legislature will trigger a replacement process, with the King County Council giving final approval for another Democrat to take his seat. The legislative district he represents is a safe Democratic seat. He won reelection in 2022 with 86% of the vote.

The Washington State Standard originally published this article on Dec. 27, 2024.

For 12 days in 2025, the state won’t require a Discover Pass to park on state-managed lands.

On the “12 Discover Pass-free days,” people can park their vehicles on lands managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The first free day is Jan. 1, the Washington State Parks’ annual First Day Hikes event, part of a national event led by America’s State Parks.

Free days include Juneteenth, Veterans Day, World Mental Health Day and the birthday of Billy Frank Jr. (Nisqually), the late former chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission who fought for Native treaty rights during the “Fish Wars.”

Here is the list of the Discover Pass free days:

• Jan. 1 – New Year’s Day and First Day Hikes 
• Jan. 20 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• March 9 – Billy Frank Jr.’s Birthday
• March 19 – State Parks’ 111th Birthday
• April 22 – Earth Day
• June 7 & 8 – Free Fishing Weekend
• June 19 – Juneteenth
• Aug. 9 – Smokey Bear’s Birthday
• Sep. 27 – National Public Lands Day
• Oct. 10 – World Mental Health Day
• Nov. 11 – Veterans Day

These free days do not apply to Sno-Parks, which are winter recreation areas. During the winter season, November to April, visitors will need a Sno-Park permit. The free days also do not apply to overnight stays or renting the facilities.

The Discover Pass costs $30-$35 annually, or $10 to $11.50 for a one-day visit depending on when the pass is purchased. Normally, the pass is required to park on state lands managed by Washington State Parks, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.

Rep. Tana Senn, D-Mercer Island, will soon lead the Department of Children, Youth and Families after Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson selected the lawmaker as the new director of the agency. 

“Supporting kids and families has been a longstanding priority of mine,” Senn said in a statement released Dec. 18. “After more than a decade of shaping policy in this critical space, I am honored to be asked to serve as Secretary of the Department of Children, Youth and Families and look forward to creating direct, meaningful impact for our most vulnerable communities.” 

Senn, a lawmaker for the 41st Legislative District which includes Mercer Island and parts of Bellevue, Issaquah and Sammamish, has been a House representative since 2013. 

Currently Senn serves as the chair for the House Early Learning and Human Services Committee. She is also a committee member of the Joint Oversight Board for Children, Youth and Families, and Joint School Safety Summit Committee. Additionally, she sits on the House Technology, Economic Development and Veterans Committee, the House Appropriations Committee, and the Joint Legislative and Executive Committee on Behavioral Health.

During her time in the statehouse, Senn sponsored legislation to enact the Fair Start for Kids Act, a program that invested in making child care and early learning more affordable for Washingtonians. 

Senn will succeed current director Ross Hunter, who said in October that he would not seek reappointment to the position. Hunter has led DCYF since 2017.

Five years after first being spotted near Blaine, the northern giant hornet has been eradicated from Washington and the U.S., the state Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced.

The northern giant hornet was previously named the “Asian giant hornet,” and popularly known as the “murder hornet.”

In a news release on Dec. 18, the two agencies declared eradication after three years of no confirmed detections.

The hornet, which is non-native to the area, could have been a threat to honeybees and other pollinators and native insects. The hornets can kill a honeybee hive in as little as 90 minutes. The hornets also threaten human health as their sting is more dangerous than that of honeybees.

Two giant northern hornets were found in Whatcom County, in late 2019. After the initial detection, state, federal and international agencies, along with community members and groups in the state and Whatcom County, collaborated on a multiyear effort to eradicate the species.

The effort included a community trapping program, in which citizens built and set up hundreds of traps at their homes, and a research program to learn more about the species aimed at improving an eradication strategy.

In 2021, the Entomological Society of America changed the name of the hornet to its current name, the northern giant hornet. The move by the U.S.’s largest entomological society came after concerns from entomologists about the hornet’s previous common name, “Asian giant hornet,” and a popular nickname, “murder hornet.” At the time, with an increase in anti-Asian xenophobia and hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic, many entomologists felt the name would bolster anti-Asian sentiment.

Bellingham and Shoreline took major steps toward eliminating parking minimums for new housing construction citywide this week — the latest Washington cities to do so in an effort to boost housing supply. 

In Bellingham, City Council members voted 5-1 during a Monday committee meeting to support a proposal from Mayor Kim Lund to eliminate the parts of the city code that require developers to provide a certain number of parking spaces when building new housing. 

“Housing the people of this community, providing them choices and options is far better than housing vehicles,” said Blake Lyon, Bellingham’s director of planning and community development, during the Monday meeting.

Most American cities have parking space requirements for new development, but critics argue these restrictions make cities less friendly to pedestrians and add excessive costs to new housing construction. Port Townsend became the first Washington city to fully eliminate parking minimums in March this year, and Spokane followed suit several months later. 

Bellingham City Councilmember Lisa Anderson voted against the proposal. She said she had concerns that the change wouldn’t do enough to guarantee lower housing costs. 

“Things are always market rate,” Anderson said. “And the only way that we’re going to have potentially lower rent for some of these units is if we require it.” 

The one-year interim ordinance will go into effect in Bellingham following a public hearing and final vote by the Council on Jan. 13. 

The Shoreline City Council took similar action on Monday — voting 6-1 to add language eliminating parking mandates citywide to the city’s comprehensive plan. 

Councilmember Annette Ademasu said she had previously opposed the idea, but said on Monday that she changed her thinking “after hearing from residents and organizations and just looking at what our goals are for housing affordability, climate, equity and social justice.” 

A vote to fully remove parking mandates from Shoreline’s code is now slated for mid-2025.