Washington State
Professor Investigated for Mocking a University 'Land Acknowledgment' Gets a $600,000 Settlement
The agreement follows a 9th Circuit ruling that the University of Washington violated Stuart Reges' First Amendment rights by treating his dissent as intolerable "disruption."
Will the Supreme Court Hear the 'Case About Swinging Dicks'?
Olympus Spa—an all-female, nude establishment in Washington state—sued after the government said it had broken the law by refusing to accept a preoperative transgender woman. But the case is more complicated than it looks.
Did Decriminalizing Drugs Lead to More Deaths in Washington and Oregon?
The Manhattan Institute’s Charles Fain Lehman overstates the evidence supporting that conclusion.
No, a New Study Does Not 'Lay To Rest' the Debate Over Drug 'Legalization'
The Manhattan Institute’s Charles Fain Lehman misstates the findings of a new paper to claim he was right all along.
Seattle's Socialist Mayor Laughs at Wealthy Residents Leaving To Escape High Taxes
“Bye!” Mayor Katie Wilson says with a wave to those who want out.
Self-Checkout Is Under Fire Across the Country. Is Theft Really the Reason?
The restrictions are often framed as a crime prevention measure. But the fine print points to a different motivation: adding union jobs.
Advocates for Asian Massage Workers Decry 'Sexist, Racist' Raids in Seattle
Bothell police set out in search of sex trafficking and ended up shutting down five businesses for code violations.
Seattle's Minimum Wage Laws Backfired on Uber and Lyft. Now the Union Wants To Limit Drivers.
As demand for trips has plummeted in the wake of the wage hikes, the Drivers Union is trying to limit the number of gig workers on the road.
Washington State Just Passed a 9.9% Income Tax on Those Making $1 Million
The new tax “is probably one of the biggest changes in Washington state political history since our founding,” says one state representative.
Tax the Rich All You Want. It Won't Fix the Deficit.
The problem is not that the government collects too little. It's that the government spends too much.
Washington's Millionaire Tax Is Economic Suicide
Washington has enjoyed decades of spectacular economic growth as a direct result of the absence of state income taxes. The new measure threatens to change all that.
The 9th Circuit Upholds a University of Washington Professor's Right to Mock 'Land Acknowledgments'
The appeals court ruled that administrators violated Stuart Reges' First Amendment rights when they investigated and threatened to punish him for constitutionally protected speech.
Seattle's Delivery Minimum Wage Failed Drivers and Raised Costs
Increased hourly rates corresponded with lower tips and fewer orders to share between drivers, leaving gig workers no better off than they were before the law passed.
Washington's State Capital Just Voted Against Increasing the Minimum Wage, Unemployment
Olympia residents apparently learned from Seattle’s experience that minimum wage hikes do not improve the welfare of the worst off in society.
Why Is Trump's Border Patrol Arresting Firefighters During a Wildfire?
Trump has promised to go after illegal immigrants "committing vile and heinous acts against innocent Americans." His record consistently says otherwise.
Trump's Immigration Crackdown Could Make Wildfire Season Deadlier This Year
Two firefighters were recently detained by federal law enforcement while fighting the Bear Gulch fire in Washington state. The arrests appear to be immigration-related.
Colorado Wants To Make Its Garbage Cleaner. A New Regulation Might Just Make It Pricier and Dirtier.
One rural county expects the regulation to cost its landfill almost $4 million up front, and an additional $1 million annually.
Campaign Finance Laws Institutionalize Corruption
Powerful political allies get a pass, while dissenters are crushed with massive fines. This isn’t a flaw in the system—it’s the point.
Why You Should Care About the Club World Cup (If Your Team or Rival Is In It)
Plus: a players union failure, immigration for the World Cup, and Welcome to Wrexham.
Female Nude Spa in Washington Can't Bar Transgender Clients With Male Genitalia, Federal Court Rules
Olympus Spa had sued on First Amendment grounds.
Seattle Schools Surveyed Students on Mental Health. Then Parents Discovered the Data Weren't Secure.
Schools across the country are gathering personal information and putting students' privacy at risk.
Seattle's Minimum Wage Hike Hurts Workers
Increasing the cost of labor decreases the quantity of labor demanded.
Tribal Sovereignty Saves a Homeless Shelter (For Now)
The Yakama Nation has won a temporary restraining order preventing the City of Toppenish, Washington, from closing its new cold weather shelter.
Washingtonians Uphold State's Climate Change Program
Initiative 2117 would have struck down the state’s cap-and-trade greenhouse gas emissions program, which has been criticized for its high cost and unclear results.
Washington Sued for 'Racially Conscious' Homeownership Program
Washington's Covenant Homeownership Program excludes certain applicants on the basis of race.
Seattle's 'Stay Out' Zones Will Curb Civil Liberties, Not Crime
The city plans to ban people accused of some drug and prostitution crimes from visiting designated areas.
This Activist Push To Destroy Dams Won't Save Fish—but It Will Waste Resources
Some politicians and environmentalists want to tear down Snake River dams in Washington state, even though they generate tons of electricity.
It Is Illiberal To Charge Teens With Felonies for Vandalizing a Pride Crosswalk
You don't promote acceptance by locking people up for victimless crimes.
Here's Why Government Should Stop Throwing Money at Green Energy
In California, which has a slew of renewable energy regulations, the cost of electricity increased three times faster than in the rest of the U.S.—and the state still doesn't even get reliable energy.
How To Yell 'Fire' in a Crowded Theater
Aside from narrowly defined exceptions, false speech is protected by the First Amendment.
A Study Finds 'No Evidence' That Decriminalization Boosted Drug-Related Deaths in Oregon
The researchers reached a similar conclusion about overdose trends in Washington, where penalties for simple possession were reduced in 2021.
Washington State Prison System Sued for Using Unreliable Drug Tests To Put Inmates in Solitary
Reason reported in 2021 how prisons use cheap field kits to test mail for contraband—and use the faulty, unconfirmed results to severely punish inmates.
Immigrants Can't Naturalize if They Own a Marijuana Dispensary, Court Says
Maria Elena Reimers has been caught in legal limbo for years.
Desperate To Avoid Decriminalization, Washington Legislators Lovingly Threaten Drug Users With Jail
The imminent expiration of a law that recriminalized drug possession triggered a bipartisan panic.
'Assault Weapon' Bans Look More Legally Vulnerable Than Ever
A preliminary injunction in Illinois may signal the demise of a long-running public policy fraud.
Washington's 'Assault Weapons' Ban Will Be as Impotent as Most Gun Laws
Once again, firearm-averse legislators chase after a restriction-averse public.
Washington Is Now the 10th State With a Logically and Constitutionally Dubious 'Assault Weapon' Ban
A federal lawsuit notes that the new law draws arbitrary distinctions and targets guns in common use for legal purposes.
State Lawmakers Help Farmers by Improving Consumer Access to Raw Milk
The raw milk restoration is underway.
