Parental rights: approved by voters, dismantled by Democrats.
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Parental Rights? Not If Claire Wilson Has Her Way
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Democrats in Washington are gutting Initiative 2081, the Parental Bill of Rights, which they originally passed to avoid a public vote they knew they’d lose. Sen. Claire Wilson’s “clean-up bill” (SB 5181) strips parents’ rights to access their kids’ medical information and delays informing them of crimes against their children by up to 72 hours. Wilson’s claim that this isn’t an overhaul is laughable—it’s a calculated move to undermine parents and nullify voter intent. This betrayal highlights a troubling trend where lawmakers pretend to approve initiatives only to rewrite them later. Meanwhile, the mainstream media stays silent, voters are left powerless, and parents across the state are stuck with the fallout of political gamesmanship. Read more at KTTH.
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Inslee’s Parting Gift: $15 Million for a Danish Project—Because Washington Taxpayers Deserve to Foot the Bill for Foreign Energy
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On his last day in office, Governor Inslee decided to use $15 million of Washington’s cap-and-trade funds to bankroll a Danish investment firm’s renewable energy project in Central Washington, because why not throw away taxpayer money on a foreign company just before you leave? The Goldendale project, set to harm sacred tribal sites, is getting an additional $10 million from Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, which Inslee thought was perfectly fine, even though the Yakama Nation isn’t happy with the pittance offered for the damage. Inslee, clearly in a rush to secure his “green energy” legacy, ignored the tribe’s concerns and tried to make a questionable deal with no guarantee that the new governor would even honor it. It’s almost as if he thought spending money on this overseas project was more important than dealing with the state’s budget deficit—hey, it’s not like this will haunt the next
administration, right? In the end, Inslee’s grand gesture is just another example of him using Washington’s funds to appease out-of-state interests on his way out the door. Meanwhile, Copenhagen gets to sit back and enjoy the spoils of this last-minute handout, while the people of Washington are left to clean up the mess. Read more at Capital Press.
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New Year, New Ways to Tax You
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Democrats are back with House Bill 1334, a sneaky attempt to let municipalities jack up property taxes by tweaking the inflation math and adding up to 3% for population growth. By swapping to the Consumer Price Index (CPI)—which conveniently results in higher inflation rates—the bill could push property tax hikes to a whopping 5-6% annually. After failing to erase the 1% cap with last year’s SB 5570, it seems they’re now just trying to tax around it. Read more at the Washington Policy Center.
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Killing Initiatives with a Smile: SB 5283’s Real Goal
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Senate Bill 5283, sponsored by Sen. Valdez (D), pretends to “protect” Washington’s initiative process but effectively sets it up to fail. By requiring signature gatherers to verify under penalty of law that every signee’s information is correct—something they can’t realistically do—this bill makes gathering signatures a legal minefield with fines and jail time attached. It’s a blatant attempt to kill initiatives while maintaining a facade of fairness, with Let’s Go Washington’s Brian Heywood pointing out the double standard: voters don’t even need ID, but signature gatherers must meet impossible standards. This follows years of legislative and legal efforts to chip away at direct democracy in Washington, leaving voters with fewer ways to bypass the political elite. SB 5283 isn’t about protecting the process—it’s about shutting it down. Read more at Center Square.
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A Tax on Rights: HB 1386 Targets Gun Owners, Not Crime
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To cover their $16 billion budget shortfall, Washington Democrats want to slap an 11% excise tax on firearms and ammunition, pushing total taxes to a staggering 33%. While they claim it’s for gun violence prevention, a paltry $22.9 million of the projected $165.8 million revenue would actually fund those efforts—the rest gets funneled into the general fund to clean up their financial mess. The tax punishes low-income, law-abiding gun owners while doing nothing to address crime or illegal firearms, potentially driving more people to the black market. With Washington courts rubber-stamping Seattle’s failed gun tax, HB 1386 could set a dangerous precedent for taxing away constitutional rights. Read more at Center Square.
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Sue Your City, Courtesy of HB 1380
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House Bill 1380, sponsored by Rep. Gregerson (D), invites homeless individuals to sue municipalities over vague public land use rules, with taxpayers footing the bill for attorney fees and damages. The bill’s ambiguous language ensures endless lawsuits, draining city budgets and driving up property and sales taxes—all while doing absolutely nothing to solve homelessness. Spokane, already grappling with a growing homeless crisis, can thank its own Reps. Hill and Ormsby for co-signing this fiscal train wreck. Read more at the Washington Policy Center.
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