Latest Washington Headlines

All the headlines from our Washington Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Washington Declares Drought Emergencies in a Dozen Counties

Jul 26 2023 // A drought emergency was declared in a dozen counties of Washington state because of early snowmelt, a lack of spring rain and low-flowing streams.Some wells in Whatcom County in the northwestern part of the state are dry,...

Viewpoint: Washington’s Aggressive Approach to Preventing Intoxicating Hemp Cannabinoids May Be Good for Other States

Jul 25 2023 // Like other states across the country, Washington has been grappling with how to regulate intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoid products that are being innovated faster than state lawmakers can respond.The state has decided...

Washington’s Legal Cannabis Farms Reopen After Pesticide Concerns Halted Operations

Jul 18 2023 // A big mound of fresh dirt sits at Terry Taylor`s marijuana farm in the high desert of north-central Washington state. Each hole for a new plant gets filled with the clean soil.Large swaths of recently installed landscape...

Washington Proposed Rule Beefs up Refinery Worker Protections

Jul 17 2023 // The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries is proposing updated workplace safety rules for petroleum refineries designed to prevent catastrophic events like the 2010 explosion that killed seven workers at...

Washington Commissioner Sends Climate Risk Disclosure Survey to Insurers

Jul 7 2023 // Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler sent out his annual Climate Risk Disclosure survey, requiring insurance companies with more than $100 million in written premiums in the United States in 2022 to respond, his...

Washington Insurance Commissioner Issues $40K in Fines For Violations

Jul 6 2023 // Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler issued $40,863 in fines in June against insurance companies and insurance producers for violations of state insurance laws and regulations.Following are the parties fined and...

Help Arrives to Battle Growing Wildfire in Washington

Jul 5 2023 // Authorities have more than doubled the number of people battling a wildfire that has burned structures and forced the evacuation of homes in southwestern Washington near the Columbia River Gorge. The blaze that began...

Washington Proposed Rule Update Beefs up Refinery Worker Protections

Jun 27 2023 // The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries is proposing updated workplace safety rules for petroleum refineries designed to prevent catastrophic events like the 2010 explosion that killed seven workers at...

Washington Rule Requires Insurers to Tell Policyholders Why Their Premium is Going up

Jun 22 2023 // Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler adopted a rule requiring insurers to explain premium increases to their policyholders “in language they can understand.”“If your insurance company is going...

Braidwood v Becerra and Its Impact on Preventive Service Access

Jun 14 2023 // This post is part of a series sponsored by AgentSync. Since Congress passed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, it’s faced many challenges, and the newest comes from a court case recently decided by a judge in...

Washington Workshop to Address Increased Auto Insurance Complaints

Jun 14 2023 // Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is holding a workshop to hear from consumers, insurers and other parties on the reasons about auto and homeowners insurance issues being reported “at a record...

Washington Commissioner Issues $398K in Fines

Jun 8 2023 // Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler issued fines in April and May totaling $398,500 against insurance companies for violations of state insurance laws and regulations.Following is a list of reported violations...

Washington Paying $3.1M to Settle Suit Over Evidence

Jun 8 2023 // Washington state is set to pay $3 million to settle a lawsuit over alleged severe neglect at an adult family home – in addition to more than $300,000 in penalties levied by a judge for wrongful withholding of...

Washington Lawsuit Alleging Falsified Arrest Report Settled For $250K

Jun 5 2023 // A lawsuit filed by a Washington oyster farmer accusing a former county deputy of falsifying an arrest report and urging a person to lie during a domestic-violence investigation has been settled for $250, 000.Gerardo...

Washington Commissioner Fines Airbnb for Acting as Unauthorized Insurer

Jun 5 2023 // Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler fined Airbnb $20,000 for acting as an unauthorized insurer in the state.Kreidler also ordered the vacation rental company to obtain a surplus lines insurance policy to...

$3.1M Settlement Reached in Fatal Shooting of Black Man in Washington

May 31 2023 // Officials in Tacoma, Washington, will pay $3.1 million to the family of a Black man who was fatally shot by police during a traffic stop in 2019.The City Council announced the settlement with the relatives of 24-year- old...

Washington Startup’s Ex-CFO Accused of Diverting $35M, Losing It in Crypto

May 24 2023 // The former chief financial officer of a Seattle, Washington-based startup took $35 million of his employer’s money without permission and lost it by investing in cryptocurrency before the crypto market crashed last...

Questions Raised Over Virginia State Police Being Allowed to Investigate Itself

May 23 2023 // Late last year, with the Virginia State Police under scrutiny after authorities said a former trooper kidnapped a 15-year-old California girl and killed three members of her family, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced he had...

US Imposes Sanctions on Hundreds of Targets in Fresh Russia Action

May 19 2023 // The United States and its partners on Friday announced new penalties aimed at punishing Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, intensifying what is already one of the harshest sanctions efforts ever implemented.Washington...

Washington’s Proposed Wildfire Smoke Designed to Protect Workers from Dangers

May 19 2023 // The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries filed proposed permanent wildfire smoke rules and launched a formal process for public input designed to protect people who work outdoor jobs like construction,...