 Gov. Jay Inslee, legislators, and regional leaders called for action on carbon pollution from transportation as they asked the Legislature to pass a clean fuel standard this session at the SeaTac Airport Friday.
Inslee called the clean fuel standard one of the most promising solutions to the climate emergency facing the world.
"The Clean Fuel Standard is the cheapest and best opportunity we have, bar none, to reduce carbon pollution from transportation at this scale," Inslee said. "Let me repeat that: there are no other policies that do as much, with as low a cost, to reduce carbon pollution from transportation."
Alaska Airlines announced its support for the policy, citing benefits for the production of sustainable aviation biofuel. Three years ago, Alaska Airlines flew the first commercial flight partially fueled by a biofuel made from wood waste from forestry thinning. A clean fuel standard would connect Washington to the regional market already in place throughout the rest of the West Coast.
Read: The Seattle Times — At Sea-Tac airport, where emissions are rising, Gov. Inslee pitches clean-fuel standard
 The nation’s newest — and most generous — Paid Family and Medical Leave Program went into effect the first week of January, ushering in significant change to how Washington workers can care for themselves and their loved ones while bringing home a paycheck. One week in, the program has already seen thousands of applicants.
“What a great way to start 2020,” Gov. Jay Inslee said. “This program is a life-changer for our workers who often feel torn about being there for their families, being there for their jobs and taking care of themselves. I’m proud of Washington’s progress today as we roll out a program that will change lives.”
Read the rest of the story on the governor's Medium page.
Learn more or file an application through the Employment Security Department website.
 Gov. Jay Inslee presented newly appointed Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis to the state Supreme Court Monday by saying she's the right person for the job.
Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis is the newest member of, and is the first Native American justice appointed to, Washington's highest court.
"When we announced this appointment in December, Judge Montoya-Lewis said she has stood up to people – since high school – who unfairly claimed that her success was merely based on her heritage instead of her drive, hard work, and intelligence," Inslee said. "Let’s put that to rest today as she becomes Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis. She is here because she’s the best person for the job.
Justice Debra Stephens, a native of Spokane, was also sworn in as the new chief justice of the court.
Read: The Bellingham Herald — Montoya-Lewis sworn in as Washington’s first Native American Supreme Court justice
Watch: KING 5 News — Washington’s first Native American Supreme Court Justice sworn in
The reports out of the border crossing at Blaine are deeply alarming. Washingtonians who happen to be Iranian-American were detained at the Canadian-U.S. border for extended periods of time for no other reason than their ethnicity or country of origin.
"This is wrong and rife with constitutional and moral problems. No one should be treated differently due to where they come from, how they look or what language they speak.
"What Americans endured over the weekend in Blaine is unacceptable. This will not stand in Washington state, and we will continue to push for answers to ensure that it does not happen again. We've learned time and again that we cannot trust the Trump administration."
Read the rest of the statement on the governor's website.
First Lady Trudi Inslee thanked state workers for their recent technology improvements to the Women, Infants, and Children Program, for food benefits, Tuesday in Olympia. Inslee said the recent changes serve as great examples of how government plays an essential role in the social safety net.
"Jay and I have always championed efforts to reduce food insecurity, especially among children," Inslee said. "I’ve been told almost half of all babies on Washington are on the WIC program. This is just one reason why it’s so important to get kids nutritious, healthy meals on a consistent basis. A huge thank you to everyone here who made this WIC change come to pass."
Participants can now use WIC cards and the WIC Shopper app when they head to the grocery store. Washington’s WIC program introduced the tools earlier this year to reduce stigma, improve efficiency and improve the participants’ shopping experience.
Read more about the changes on the governor's Medium site.
Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson sent a letter Dec. 31 to the Department of Homeland Security in opposition to a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) proposal that would increase fees for immigration-related services.
The USCIS proposal would:
- Increase fees for DACA renewal and work authorization
- Establish a fee for asylum
- Increase costs to apply for naturalization
- Increase burden on the state of Washington and local non-profit organizations
The letter concludes with, "It can take months for a low-wage individual to save enough to pay a filing fee, and those who are retired, unemployed, living with a disability, or in school face even more difficulty. Failing to take any of this into consideration will be another signal by the administration of its disfavor of any form of immigration."
Read the full letter.
 The governor's office published 71 stories in 2019. The state’s new public health care option snagged the No. 1 most-read story this year — surpassing the rest by thousands of views.
Other stories that generated a lot of interest were stories around the Title X program for women’s health care coverage, more than two genders on ID cards, vaping changes, a new Native American Supreme Court judge, deadly force law and — no surprise — the announcement that Washington ranks as the best state in the nation.
Visit the governor's Medium site for a look back at the top 12 posts that interested our readers the most in 2019.
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