Mike Luckovich, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Featured Stories

AP-State

For blind lawmaker, biography reflects in policy (Habib, Tarleton)

Columbian

Stonier's bills have focus on education (Stonier)

The Daily News

Federal budget cuts could affect state revenues (Sullivan)

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AP-State

House OKs compensation for wrongful convictions (Orwall)

State rule hurting small Wash. liquor stores (Ryu)

Wash. House OKs bill to encourage part-time hiring (Fitzgibbon)

Pro-gun rally at Wash. Capitol draws around 200

House OKs wine tasting bill for under 21 studies

House OKs telling stores how to handle dropped pot (Hurst)

2,500 expected Saturday at Olympia gun rally

Military vets may get Wash. license designation

Sen. Ranker's father to marry longtime partner (Ranker)

Wash. Senate OKs killing wolves without permit (Blake, Ranker)

Wash. House looks to mandate schooling by age 6 (Maxwell)

Wash. Senate endorses NRA child gun safety program

For blind lawmaker, biography reflects in policy (Habib)

State rule hurting small Wash. liquor stores (Ryu)

Wash. House votes to ban license plate flippers

Wash. House passes tow truck anti-gouging bill (Pollet)

House OKs compensation for wrongful convictions (Hurst)

AP-Federal

Lawmakers: Obama wooing might break budget logjam

Aberdeen Daily World

Smoking ban on county worksites pushed

Bellingham Business Journal

Statewide unemployment holding steady at 7.5 percent

Bellingham Herald

Proposed state bill could boost local marine service businesses  (Lytton, Morris, Ranker)

State rule hurting small Washington liquor stores  (Ryu)

Bothell Reporter

Bill would change Washington voter registration deadlines

Simple majority for taxes doesn’t mean legislators have a blank check | Editorial

Let schools protect students with severe allergies | Column

How did 1st District representatives for Bothell vote? (McAuliffe, Stanford, Moscoso)

North Lake Washington cities send letter to state requesting mitigation for tolling impacts

Columbian

49th District town hall will focus on CRC plan (Moeller, Wylie, Cleveland)

VIDEO: State Rep. Jim Moeller talks about legislative session (Moeller)

The Daily News

Legislative Roll Call Report (Blake, Takko, Hatfield)

Everett Herald

GOP senator says caucus eyeing $1 billion more for schools (Hunter, Billig)

Rule in state law making it tough for smaller liquor stores

Op-ed: Pilchuck River needs steelhead

Op-ed: Obama administration is putting Medicaid system at risk

Sargent Democrats need to reform filibuster now

Editorial: Fight human trafficking (Kohl-Welles)

Editorial: Hanford's historic legacy

Federal Way Mirror

Cartoon: Pick the Democratic legislator | Shiers

Islands’ Sounder

State's U.S. delegation renews 'Conservation Area' designation quest

Kitsap Sun

Is Bremerton fast ferry’s economic wake worth a tax hike?
Editorial: Make 'Sunshine Week' memorable for open government (Appleton, Seaquist)

Mercer Island Reporter

New legislation brings good news to Friends of Youth amidst federal budget cuts

News Tribune (subscription required)

Mission possible: Paring down Washington state college system costs

Editorial: Why isn’t gun-check bill racing through Legislature?

Olympian (subscription required)

Outsourced website no cost to state

Under the Dome: Today is Saturday, March 9 (Kline)

Blog: Gun-rights rally draws about 200 for speeches today opposing government’s reach (Pedersen)

Blog: Carrell’s bill adding protection for state-agency whistleblowers sails through Senate

Blog: Is DSHS secretary Quigley a force for ‘disruptive’ change at state’s largest agency? Senate to confirm him on March 18

Peninsula Daily News

Tharinger backs bill to allow counties to raise sales tax without a public vote (Tharinger, Van De Wege, Hargrove)

State House passes Tharinger's older-population study bill (Tharinger, Van De Wege, Hargrove)

EYE ON OLYMPIA: Derelict vessel bill passes state House (Van De Wege, Tharinger, Hargrove)

Port Orchard Independent

SCHLICHER | Cost of sequestration

ANGEL | Let's fix it, before we ever fund it!

Puget Sound Business Journal

Costco back in the forefront of minimum wage debate

NBA's Stern says Sacramento counteroffer falls short of Seattle Kings bid

Seattle Gay News

Doin' the tax man twist - Century Ballroom fights 'dance tax' with community's help (Murray)

Seattle Times

Reichert may differ with constituents on gun control, polls suggest

Op-ed: States must be involved in finding a repository for Hanford’s nuclear waste

Editorial: Solving Washington’s primary-care workforce shortage (Frockt)

Editorial: State lawmakers should listen to voters on I-1185 and the two-thirds tax law

Editorial: Keep Hanford nuclear cleanup a priority

Blog: Crisis in mental health beds in Washington headed toward lawsuit?

Blog: Paine Field is on the budget sequester radar

Blog: House Republicans call for changes before considering gas tax

Blog: State House approves several election-related bills

Seattle Weekly

Unable To Pass Something Real, State Senate Instead Backs NRA's 'Eddie Eagle' (Chase, Frockt)

Spits or Swallowed Reprised: Senate OKs Measure To Let Students Taste Wine But Not Drink It (Hargrove)

South Whidbey Record

Automatic spending cuts could hit South End schools by fall

Spokesman Review

Sunday Spin: Silliness at the halfway mark

Sunday Spin2: Breathe deep, then hold it

Spin Control: Late-session inanity comes from both sides

Health care reform result of lawmakers, public workers, Seattle boy (Keiser, Cody)

Large dose of reform: Washington embraces Affordable Care Act

Editorial: Washington’s economic success grows from STEM

Tri-City Herald

State rule hurting small Washington liquor stores

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

State plans cleanup of grease globs that washed ashore on Maury

Voice of the Valley

Previous voter-approved amendments adding supermajority requirements to the Constitution

Walla Walla Union Bulletin (subscription required)

Editorial: Effort to shrink state's Supreme Court misguided

Yakima Herald Republic

State grant could hasten Greenway trail’s expansion

Editorial: New pot rules won’t please everybody

Letter: Pro: HB1817 gives us hope

Letter: Con: HB1817 a bad idea By Bob West Yakima

BROADCAST

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)

Hundreds of health care workers strike over increased medical costs

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)

Olympia hospital workers strike over healthcare costs

Gas prices up 25 cents in a month

KUOW FM

What Coal-Train Dust Means For Human Health In Pacific Northwest

MyNorthwest.com (KIRO FM)

Talking to teens about pot now that it's 'cool' in Washington

My new crusade: We need a new state motto!

NW Public Radio

Aspiring Pot Retailers Say Real Estate Is Hard To Find  (Hurst)

Washington Universal Gun Checks Measure Loses Pivotal Supporter  (Pedersen)

WEB

The Capitol Record

Measure over gun safety program stirs debate in Senate (Frockt, Chase)

Crosscut

Should it be easier to shoot Washington state's endangered gray wolves? (Ranker)

Capitol Week Ahead: Mid-session and the tension is high for bill sponsors (Hurst)

Pot legalization work is proving to be a big job

HDC Advance

Student-centered education legislation heading to Senate (Maxwell)

Publicola

Morning Fizz: Somewhat Negative

Schmudget

How the Stock Market Surge Can Help Fund Schools, Other Vital Services

Strong Social Policy: Good for Families, Good for the Economy

SDC Hopper

In The Loop. Education and gun debates spark eighth week of session

AUDIO: Gun safety issue makes brief appearance on Senate floor

Strike Two: Where are the jobs? (Keiser)

Strike One: An F in school funding (Rolfes)

Seattle PI

Deputies: Wanted felon who killed grandparents searched for gun shows

State rule hurting small Wash. liquor stores

Where government workers live in Wash.

Washington Ledge

Washington Universal Gun Checks Measure Loses Pivotal Supporter (Pedersen)

West Seattle Blog

All eyes on ferry-in-progress Samish during governor’s Vigor visit

Quote of the Day

“I am honored to be working on behalf of kids in schools across the state. I am working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to improve our schools and making higher education more affordable.”

Rep. Monica Stonier

Story of the Day

Rep. Gerry Pollet

Pollet rallies full House against predatory-towing

OLYMPIA — Citizens should never be slammed with charges upward of $2,000 to get their car back after being towed by a predatory towing company.

That’s the very message for which a Seattle lawmaker won broad support in a measure approved by the state House of Representatives today.

State Rep. Gerry Pollet rounded up a large majority of House colleagues needed to pass his House Bill 1625, 91-7, and the proposal now goes to the Senate for more discussion.

He pointed out that “the Towers Association has been willing to help pass this reasonable, statewide cap on tow-rates so that we can rein in predatory towing.”

Pollet’s measure says that the most folks would have to pay to get their car back for in- city tows will be will be between $150 and $256 (depending on how long it took to tow the car).

Stu Halsan, who represents the Towing and Recovery Association of Washington, said that “there needs to be a statewide standard that is fair to the operators and fair to the public.

“It’s best for the industry and for the consumer to have rates that are reasonable,” Halsan added, “and this bill is very important for the operators because they are concerned about their reputations.”

“Our state must implement reasonable safeguards protecting people from predatory-towing practices,” emphasized Pollet.

”It’s simply and unacceptably outrageous that some towing companies are charging folks more to recover their car that was parked in the wrong place than what a criminal is fined for a misdemeanor,” Pollet said.

“Parking your car in the wrong place for some fairly brief period of time is hardly what any reasonable person would call a serious offense. Frankly, it’s time for our state laws in this area to get real.

He said towing operators with a responsible track record shouldn’t be punished “and fewer people will lose their car when they are towed, with a reasonable cap on the charges, because towing companies can sell impounded vehicles if they are held more than 15 days.”

Pollet said that Seattle city officials agreed to support the statewide cap after being assured that the legislation doesn’t impact the legal defense of the city’s own recently adopted ordinance, which is being challenged in court.