Being a parent is nonstop hard work, which makes following city, state, and U.S. decision-making circles challenging. Here are highlights of Washington political news from the week behind us and what’s up this coming week, February 17-25, 2025.
It’s a ‘Yes’ for Seattle schools levies
Let’s start with a shout-out to the voters who stood behind students, teachers, and education last week in what appears to be a landslide victory for two Seattle Public Schools levies. As of Friday, 78 percent of voters approved Proposition 1, a levy renewal supporting the district’s daily operations, and 72 percent approved Proposition 2, the building renovation and safety levy.
Those who opposed Proposition 2 worry that it opens up the possibility of future school closures. Although it will take more time to tally all votes, it appears voters put aside the politics of an SPS funding debacle and year-long school closure debate to focus on ensuring kids have what they need to learn. The Seattle’s Child editorial board endorsed both levies.
Get those birth certificates changed now
Kudos to the Washington State Department of Health for supporting gender affirmation. A huge move in Washington political news, in response to the Trump administration’s anti-transgender orders, the department has put a fire under processing times for sex designation changes on birth certificates. The process for changing gender designation on a birth certificate can take up to 10 months, but Gov. Bob Ferguson announced last week that requests are now being processed in three business days and delivered in two weeks.
Legislature hits first major deadline
Tuesday, Feb. 13 marked an important deadline in Washington political news: it was the cutoff for passing most bills out of the House or Senate chamber where they originated. Here are are some of bills of importance to families that remain alive, according to The Washington State Standard.
Education
- A bill requiring all Washington public, charter and tribal schools to stock medication that can reverse opioid overdoses has cleared the Senate and is awaiting action in the House.
- A Senate bill requiring schools to have bleeding control kits for traumatic injuries, such as wounds from a shooting is now in the House.
- A House bill to implement a K-12 Indigenous history and culture curriculum will move on to the Senate.
- Bills regarding funding for K-12 public schools are not impacted by the first bill cutoff; expect the debate to continue.
Housing
- A bill to cap annual rent increases at 7 percent and restrict late fees passed the House and goes to the Senate.
Guns
- A Senate bill to ban open carrying of firearms in parks, bus stations, libraries, zoos, aquariums and local government buildings moves to the House.
- Two House measures now move to the Senate: one requires gun owners to report the loss or theft of a firearm within 24 hours and the other places new security and other rules on firearm dealers.
Time to worry about bird flu? Not quite, but stay alert
It was late in coming due to all the shenanigans of the Trump administration’s federal department and employee shake-ups, but a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published last week shows that bird flu (H5N1) is, in fact, spreading to humans. Currently there are 68 known cases of animal-to-human transmission and officials told The Washington Post that “there are H5N1 cases we are missing.” According to San Francisico’s SFGate, two of the infected are children (both recovered). Public health experts have criticized the administration for delaying the report for weeks, a move akin to withholding critical public health information about bird flu. But the flu is raising red flags among health officials countrywide. Here’s what to watch for as outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Repeal cap on Washington property tax hikes to fund schools?
Speaking of school funding in Washington political news, if Democratic state lawmakers have their way, the legislature will end a voter-approved limit on annual property tax increases to add $181 million to public school and local government coffers.
Last week, the House Finance Committee held a public meeting on House Bill 1334, a measure that would repeal the 1 percent cap on annual growth for property tax collections. The bill would allow state and local governments to levy up to 3 percent tax hikes.
“When it comes to the basic services that our constituents need to do anything, all of these duties have literally been kneecapped by a 1 percent cap on revenue growth. What else is capped at 1 percent? Nothing,” Rep. Gerry Pollet (D-Seattle), the bill’s sponsor, told the committee. The hearing began this year’s debate on the idea, which has failed to win legislative approval in the past for fear it will jack up housing and basic living costs.
Washington parental rights discussions go viral
State Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen (D-Seattle) was not prepared for Washington political news to go viral, and the furor over how he described a Washington law (enacted 1985) limiting parental power.
“Kids over 13 have the complete right to make their own decisions about their mental health care,” the Seattle Democrat told a Fox News reporter during a Feb. 5 television interview. “Parents don’t have a right to have notice; they don’t have a right to have consent about that.”
Then the clip went viral on X. And Elon Musk weighed in.
Pedersen said his comments, made as state Democrats seek to make changes to Washington’s parental “bill of rights” measure, were taken out of context. It was the first time, he told the Washington State Standard, that “somebody deliberately edited my comments to mislead.”
What did Pedersen actually say when he referred to a 1985 Washington law concerning behavioral health services for minors? Here’s the transcript:
- Reporter question: “Where do you come down on the right of parents to know what they want to know about their child’s academic life, their health care, everything?”
- Pedersen’s answer: “If it’s about their mental health care, we’ve drawn a line, I think, at age 13 in the statute and say that kids over 13 have the complete right to make their own decisions about their mental health care. Parents don’t have a right to have notice; they don’t have a right to have consent about that.”
Protest, yes, but you may want to leave kids at home
Should you take kids to protests in Seattle? After a Seattle City Council vote last week, you may want to think hard about it. While the Seattle Police Department (SPD) is not allowed to use chokeholds and guns on crowds gathered in protest, the Council this week re-authorized the department’s use of “less lethal” crowd control tactics, including blast balls, pepper spray, tear gas, and pepper balls.
Such agents are hard on anyone, but the risks to children are higher and can include long-lasting neurological damage, according to new reports. One positive: the Seattle mayor must declare a civil emergency, and the SPD chief must give the go-ahead, before police can use these tactics.
King County Executive “all in” for parks
King County Executive Dow Constantine recently announced a proposal to renew the King County Parks Levy, funds that would allow the county parks department to enhance park safety, ballfields, playgrounds, and aquatic centers. If approved, the proposed levy would also lead to more open spaces and expansion of regional trails connected to public transit.
Constantine’s plan needs approval by the King County Council and wouldn’t appear on King County ballots until August. Among other things, Constantine’s proposal aims to invest in upgrades at Marymoor Park in Redmond and Weyerhaeuser Aquatic Center in Federal Way. It would also provide funding for educational programs at Seattle Aquarium, Woodland Park Zoo, and the Seattle Waterfront, design and build Skyway’s first community center, create a premier sports complex in South King County, and be a vehicle for essential city and park district pass-through funding. It would cost taxpayers about 11 cents more per day starting in January 2026.
WA legislature considers strengthening youth labor laws
As more teenagers are getting hurt at work, one state representative has proposed toughening youth labor laws. The legislation, House Bill 1644, comes as some other states, mostly Republican-led, have rolled back labor protections for young workers. The bill would set minimum penalties for youth labor violations, prohibit companies with multiple serious safety violations from hiring minors, and require inspections before authorizing certain work permits for minors.
According to data from the state Department of Labor & Industries, workers’ compensation injury claims from minors jumped 60 percent between 2009 and 2023. In that same period, employment among 16- to 19-year-olds grew 38 percent, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Last year, about a third of all Washington residents in that age group held jobs.
“We know that minors are more likely to get hurt due to their lack of experience,” Rep. Mary Fosse (D-Everett), a prime sponsor of the bill, said when she introduced it in the House’s Labor & Workplace Standards Committee last week. “These kids are also – unfortunately – more likely to be taken advantage of due to that lack of experience.”
Follow the damn law
Late last week in Washington political news, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson reconfirmed the vow to protect the state from the Trump administration-caused “chaos,” especially attempts to freeze congressionally approved federal funds. Ferguson said he would continue to defend state policies that protect transgender rights, undocumented immigrants, and the climate.
He wasn’t alone, standing with 20 state leaders at a news conference. Attorney General Nick Brown was on the governor’s side. He had a more direct message for President Trump:
“Follow the damn law,” Brown said. “It’s not that hard, but time and time again, this president has exhibited his disdain for the U.S. Constitution.”
RFK, Jr. approved despite Sen. Patty Murray’s dire warnings
As public health officials across the U.S. raise the alarm about a potential bird flu pandemic–and the country’s lack of preparation for another life-threatening virus — U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) continued to sound the alarm about making Robert F. Kennedy Jr. the nation’s health chief. Murray told The Seattle Times last week that in a private meeting with Kennedy, he made bizarre claims:
“He said 99 percent of COVID deaths were in people who were vitamin D deficient; he said we ‘haven’t done safety studies on vaccines’; and he said ‘there is an entire generation of damaged children,'” Murray said. “I was really stunned … I walked out from my meeting with him because he threw out so many nonsense, nonsensical questions and statements, that it was head-spinning.”
Despite Murray’s warnings, Congress approved Kennedy last Thursday to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Two terms. It’s the law
We don’t need to weigh in on this one. The Seattle Times has done it for us. Except to say it is against the U.S. Constitution for a president to hold the office for more than two terms: Trump muses about a third term, over and over again | Analysis.
