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Last week, a federal circuit court judge in Texas invalidated the Food and Drug Administration’s longstanding approval of the abortion medication mifepristone. Washington state was a step ahead – Gov. Jay Inslee announced last Friday that the state had already purchased a multi-year supply.
“Our decision to act with foresight to acquire mifepristone was clearly the right decision,” said Inslee. “Substantiating the outrageous character of that Texas decision was a statement by the American Medical Association; ‘it flies in the face of science and evidence.’”
This week, the governors of California and Massachusetts announced similar maneuvers to stockpile abortion medication. And on Friday, the Biden Administration asked the United States Supreme Court to temporarily block the Texas judge’s ruling. The Biden Administration asserted that no judge had ever invalidated the FDA’s approval of a drug based on the court’s own assessment of a drug’s safety, and petitioned to allow the drug to remain in use while the FDA’s approval of mifepristone is challenged through proper channels. For now, the Supreme Court has granted a temporary stay.
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson is also leading a separate mutli-state legal challenge where a federal judge in Eastern Washington issued a ruling to maintain access to the medication.
“As the first state to vote to preserve the freedom of choice, we are comfortable in the role of leading the nation,” said Inslee.
A technical bill supporting the state’s ability to distribute its supply of mifepristone is moving forward through the Legislature, passing the Senate Friday.
Inslee discussed the situation with MSNBC on Wednesday.
 Increasing numbers of newcomers to picturesque Skamania County are pressuring the housing market. Most of the county is protected federal land, and there’s very little buildable land. The governor has endorsed housing investments and policy that would help locals like Connie (left) stay local.
The drive on State Route 14 into Skamania County takes visitors down winding cliffside roads along the Columbia Gorge. Beacon Rock and other fascinating formations tower overhead. Kite surfers float above the Columbia River. In the other direction, the sprawling Gifford Pinchot National Forest stretches north for fifty miles. Mount St. Helens looms in the distance. Million-dollar views and outdoor amenities abound in Skamania County, and tourists and remote workers are arriving in droves.
For locals, it’s a mixed blessing.
Tourism is an important industry, but the housing market has been badly pressured. Homes rival King County prices. Rental unit inventory is near-zero. Protected forests and timber lands leave very little buildable land, so housing can only be built within narrow boundaries.
Gov. Jay Inslee has proposed historic investments in housing this session. Only by “going big” can the state meet the scale of the housing crisis. He’s also backed smart housing policies that would expedite permitting and promote density in certain cities.
Inslee visited Skamania County Tuesday to meet with housing experts, service providers, and local officials. He asked what they needed for their community to thrive, and the answer was clear: housing density. Infrastructure and sewer would accelerate new development. Middle housing would create new housing within existing communities. Investments in assisted living and memory care would help indigent seniors stay where they’ve always lived.
As the legislative session winds down, the governor continues to encourage the Legislature to rise to meet the challenge of the housing crisis. Washingtonians in every region would benefit.
 Gov. Jay Inslee and Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz helped local kids plant trees on the Washington State Capitol campus on Wednesday to celebrate Arbor Day.
Friday, April 28 is Arbor Day, a reminder of the vital importance of trees to communities. Across the United States, schools and municipalities will host tree-planting and tree-gifting events so that more trees might root, sprout, and beautify.
The Department of Enterprise Services hosted an early Arbor Day celebration at the Washington State Capitol on Wednesday. Local students and kids from the new Capitol Childcare Center got their hands dirty by planting new trees on the campus grounds.
“With climate change, planting more trees in both urban and rural areas is more important than ever,” said Inslee. “We are going to need more trees, more forests, and more urban greenery to help protect against the impacts of a changing climate.”
Statewide, municipalities are adopting new policies to protect urban canopy. The City of Seattle Thursday launched a new tree-planting program. The City of Lakewood recently overhauled its tree code. The City of Spokane’s “SpoCanopy” program seeks to restore community tree coverage. Representatives from the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the City of Seattle, and nonprofits formed a new statewide “tree equity” collective. DNR has also issued grants to support community tree-planting programs.
At both the state and local levels, tree preservation efforts are blossoming.
Wednesday, April 12, was the final day for bills to pass out of their opposite chamber, leaving the remaining days of session for concurrence votes and budget-related bills. The governor has already signed nearly 100 bills, and will likely sign close to 500 bills total for the 2023 session. The last day of session is April 23.
In a media avail this week, Gov. Jay Inslee expressed optimism about the results of the session, with legislators poised to deliver historic new housing polices, gun safety legislation, protections for abortion care, and continued progress on climate change. As one example, he highlighted HB 1110, also known as the “middle housing bill.” The new policy plays a major role in the state’s efforts to address an acute housing shortage and will allow duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes to be built in certain areas that have historically been restricted to single-family housing.
Other highlights from the week include:
Proposed EPA rules would accelerate EV adoption, reduce emissions
The Biden Administration proposed new rules Wednesday that would significantly limit air pollution from vehicles and result in two-thirds of all new passenger cars, and one-quarter of new heavy trucks, going all-electric by 2032. Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gases in the U.S. Electric vehicles account for only about 6 percent of vehicles sold in the United States (and 10 percent in Washington state), so the proposed rules challenge the auto industry to commit to electrification and to emissions reduction.
Eric Pettigrew appointed as director of the Washington State Lottery Commission
On Tuesday, Gov. Jay Inslee appointed Eric Pettigrew director of the state Lottery Commission. Pettigrew is currently the vice president of government relations and outreach at Seattle Kraken Hockey, and he formerly represented Washington's 37th District in the state House of Representatives.
Michael Fong appointed as director of the Washington State Department of Commerce
On Wednesday, Gov. Jay Inslee appointed Michael Fong to direct the state Department of Commerce. Fong is currently the regional administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration, appointed by President Joe Biden. Fong has additional experience working at the city, county and national levels in Washington state.
Arianne True named as poet laureate
Writer, teacher, editor, and multimedia artist Arianna True has been named poet laureate by the Washington State Arts Commission. Poet laureates serve a two-year term and raise awareness for poetry through readings, lectures, and presentations.
"A lot of folks feel like poetry is something for the elite, or something they can’t really understand," True told the Seattle Times. "I would love to completely debunk that as much as I can."
Colbert digs “Doctor Governor Legal Pharmacist” Inslee
CBS’ The Late Show host Stephen Colbert riffed on Gov. Jay Inslee’s maneuver to proactively purchase a supply of mifepristone this week. Inslee responded with a good-natured rendition of the comedian.
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