Quick Look

More than $3.67 million in funds will be made available to help Washington libraries and museums

OLYMPIA–Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State, announced that more than $3.67 million will be made available to help public, academic, and tribal libraries and museums statewide. Apply online starting June 14, 2021.

Initial claims for regular benefits decreased

OLYMPIA–There were 8,868 initial regular unemployment claims (down 12.1 percent from the prior week) and 386,317 total claims for all unemployment benefit categories (up 1.2 percent from the prior week) filed by Washingtonians, according to the Employment Security Department (ESD) during the week of May 30 – June 5.

State Supreme Court hears legal challenge of Inslee’s veto powers

By Sen. Mark Schoesler

OLYMPIA–The state Supreme Court this week heard oral arguments over a legal challenge to the governor’s use of vetoes. The case is Washington State Legislature v. Jay Inslee. What’s shocking is that, even with this case going before the high court, Inslee has again abused his veto authority! This past month he issued partial vetoes to strike down language that would have made the implementation of his two main climate-change measures–House Bill 1091 and Senate Bill 5126–contingent on passing a new state transportation-spending plan. The part of the “high-carbon fuel standard” bill (HB 1091) Inslee vetoed was less than a full section, which caused an outcry by legislators on both sides of the political aisle.