Democrats took emergency powers reform to the end of the rainbow—then dumped it like a pot of fool’s gold.

Democrats Stall Emergency Powers Reform—Again, Because Accountability Is Scary

Despite a golden opportunity to finally rein in the governor’s emergency powers, Democrats let the clock run out on SB 5434, ensuring the issue remains unresolved—just like the last four sessions. The bill had bipartisan support and even Bob Ferguson claimed he was open to limits, but surprise! When push came to shove, Democrats made sure nothing changed. They gutted the bill in committee, removing legislative oversight while pretending to add accountability, and then conveniently ran out of time to pass it. Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen basically shrugged, blaming Republicans for not accepting their watered-down version, while Ferguson made vague promises that he’d totally be responsible with his powers (scout’s honor!). Meanwhile, some Democrats apparently didn’t like Ferguson even pretending to support reform, proving they’d rather keep their unchecked authority than actually govern responsibly. Republicans called out the nonsense, with Sen. Sandy Short pointing out that the revised bill made things even worse, and Sen. John Braun exposing that Democrats prefer to dodge responsibility instead of standing up for their constituents. At this point, it’s clear that legislative Democrats don’t want reform—they want an indefinite free pass for the governor to rule by decree. Read more at Center Square.

Washington Democrats Want Big Tech to Bail Out Local News

Struggling local journalism? Don’t worry—Washington lawmakers have a plan: slap a tax on big tech and funnel the cash into newsrooms. Senate Bill 5400 would hit platforms like Google and Facebook with a 1.22% tax, raising millions to help news outlets hire more journalists. Naturally, media organizations are all for it—after all, free money is always nice. Supporters claim tech giants profit off journalism while contributing nothing, so it’s only fair they pay up. But opponents point out a slight problem: the tax would divert $20 million from low-income college students, a detail lawmakers don’t seem too concerned about. Critics also argue the bill unfairly targets social media, ignoring the broader issues behind journalism’s decline. If passed, the tax would kick in by 2026—because nothing says “saving journalism” like making the government the middleman. Read more at MyNorthwest.com.

Democrats Discover Math: Maybe We Should Check Those Carbon Numbers More Than Twice a Decade?

Democrats in Olympia have been throwing taxpayer dollars at climate projects with little to show for it, so now even they admit it might be useful to check the numbers more than once every five years. Thankfully, Republican Sen. Matt Boehnke’s bill to require annual carbon emissions reporting sailed through the Senate unanimously. Turns out, despite all the grandstanding and costly programs, Washington still isn’t hitting its emissions goals, unless you count the artificial drop caused by locking everyone in their homes during COVID. Meanwhile, their beloved Climate Commitment Act funnels billions into a bureaucratic slush fund, with a pathetic 11% actually going toward emission reduction. Now, the House gets to decide if they’re willing to face reality or keep pretending their policies are working. Read more at Center Square.

Democrats and Bureaucrats Give Themselves Big Raises—Will Voters Let Them?

While Washington taxpayers struggle with rising costs, state lawmakers, judges, and top officials are cashing in on double-digit pay hikes—unless voters stop them. Thanks to an unelected commission, Gov. Bob Ferguson will rake in $234,275 a year, while legislators will see a cozy 16% bump, conveniently boosting their salaries to nearly $73,000. Naturally, the only thing that could stand in the way is a citizen referendum, requiring over 154,000 signatures by May 13 to let voters have a say. Past efforts to block these raises have failed, but with public frustration mounting over government waste and out-of-control spending, this time could be different. Of course, the commission framed it as just a “cost-of-living adjustment,” but when was the last time the average Washington worker got an automatic 16% raise? If nothing changes, the raises take effect July 1—just in time for taxpayers to foot the bill. Read more at the Washington State Standard.

Democrats Finally Remember Their CCA Promise to Farmers—Years Too Late

Washington Democrats made big promises to exempt farmers from their costly Climate Commitment Act fuel taxes, but—shockingly—they never followed through. Rep. Tom Dent’s bill, which finally attempts to fix this bureaucratic disaster, passed the House with overwhelming support, proving that even Democrats can’t deny how badly they botched this exemption. Former Gov. Jay Inslee clearly never cared, and the Department of Ecology conveniently ignored its legal duty to create a pathway for farmers to get relief. Now, with Gov. Bob Ferguson in charge, Dent says he’s actually being listened to—though whether that leads to real action remains to be seen. The bill aims to simplify the exemption process and make it easier for farmers to get the fuel they need without paying extra for the privilege of growing food. Some Republicans, like Jim Walsh, argue Dent’s bill doesn’t go far enough and want a stronger version, but at least this is a step toward holding Democrats accountable for their broken promises. Now it’s up to the Senate to decide whether they’ll finally fix this mess—or keep pretending farmers can just eat the cost. Read more at Center Square.

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