Some of our state legislators have an anti-abortion bill on deck for next year, one that would mandate pro-life pregnancy center tactics for all abortion providers, and require our health department to produce videos showing natal heartbeat at all pre-viable stages of pregnancy. Just how bad and condescending is it? We have some choice paragraphs, and a list of all the sponsors, right here. more ›

Last night, the Legislature passed its liquor privatization proposal -- as Costco gears up to put its revised liquor privatization initiative on the November ballot. Here's what you need to know about these two very, very different proposals. more ›

The end of the Legislative Session dominates this morning's headlines -- 4Culture, pot, liquor -- but keep reading for an evacuated SIFF screening, what Tim Eyman is up to, some unhappy cops and a robbery at an Aurora Avenue KFC. more ›

Although Governor Christine Gregoire vetoed a bill providing medical marijuana provisions on Friday, the cause has many supporters in both state and city government--the fight is far from dead, even in this legislative session. more ›

Last week, the State House released its proposed 2011-2013 budget, one that slashes $4.4 billion in spending from education and health care, sparking protests and outrage. Last night, the Senate's Ways and Means Committee released their own, and it doesn't look too good, either -- it cuts $5.3 billion in spending and, unlike the House's plan (which raises money through leasing out the state's liquor distribution), it does not include any plans for raising revenue. more ›

A state operating budget for 2011-2013 was proposed in the State House Ways and Means Committee -- one that slashes $4.4 billion in spending, most notably from education -- $485 million of the cuts came from higher ed. The state is facing a $5.3 billion deficit. more ›

Happy Legislative Session opening day! Naturally, your friend and mine Tim Eyman is on the prowl with some new filings -- but he seems to be running out of ideas. First, he reintroduced his old $30 car tabs, which was at least somewhat of a forgotten classic. And today, he decided to cover all his bases by filing I-1053 again, reports the PI. Yes, the one that voters just passed by 64% in November that requires a two-thirds legislative majority to raise any taxes. Eyman says he's just re-filing in case his precious initiative is overturned -- gee, I wonder why he's worried, perhaps because his initiatives tend to be a pain in the ass for lawmakers and progress and have been declared unconstitutional before. If it's not overturned, he says, he'll wait until 2012 to bust out the initiative once more. more ›

Not so fast on the Mayor Nickels-bashing, claims the P-I. Turns out charges that he costs the city by not playing well with Olympia may be overblown, because Seattle’s legislators aren’t very good at helping Seattle themselves. more ›