Government

A new bill will be proposed this week in the Washington state Legislature that aims to limit access to the criminal records of juvenile offenders.

The Seattle Housing Authority is preparing to redevelop Yesler Terrace, a 30-acre site that houses 1,200 low-income residents near the city’s downtown. Vulcan Real Estate is one of two private companies competing to become the lead development partner. The Seattle Housing Authority Board is scheduled to choose the winning bidder today.

The Washington State Liquor Control Board is kicking off a series of six public hearings around the state. The board wants public input on how to create a legal, taxed distribution system for marijuana. Budding members of the new marijuana economy say they’ll be in attendance.

Chris Hansen announced Monday that his investment group has a "binding agreement" to buy controlling interest in the Sacramento Kings basketball team from the Maloof family. The announcement ends weeks of rumor and speculation. 

The official inauguration of President Obama is on Monday, January 21, but the party is happening this coming Sunday. What happens after that? Well, only time will tell, but with four more years of President Obama, what do you want from him? What would you like to see the president accomplish in the next four years? Ross Reynolds hears from listeners about their priorities for the president.

The new state legislative session is well underway, and a few state senators are planning to reintroduce what’s known as the Reproductive Parity Act. The bill would require insurers who cover maternity care to also cover abortions.

Last year’s version of the bill died in the Senate due to Republican opposition. This year it's getting another chance, and it already has the support of Governor Jay Inslee, who mentioned it specifically in his inaugural address.

Attorneys for Staff Sergeant Robert Bales say they’re unsure if they’ll pursue a mental health defense in the case. 

But if they do, the judge has ordered that the soldier must undergo a so-called sanity board review.

Bales is accused of murdering 16 Afghan civilians and wounding six others in an overnight rampage last March.

Some lawmakers in Olympia want to make the Department of Licensing an immigration checkpoint.
A proposed bill would require people to prove they are lawfully in the United States in order to get a driver’s license.

Do people vote based on race? That’s a question the Washington Legislature will likely tackle this session, as supporters of a state Voting Rights Act prepare to push the measure again this year. The law would aim to strengthen minority representation in places with a large population of Latinos or other racial group.

A group of teachers at Ballard High School in Seattle has come out in support of Garfield High School teachers' refusal to give students the district-mandated Measures of Academic Progress standardized test. The teachers say the test is useless and shouldn't factor in to teacher evaluations. Ross Reynolds talks with educators and education experts on both sides of the issue.