Trooper Christopher M. Gadd, 27, was killed in a high-speed crash on Interstate 5 near Marysville, Washington, in March 2024. Raul Benitez-Santana, a 33-year-old illegal alien from Mexico, now faces charges of vehicular homicide and vehicular assault. According to authorities, Benitez-Santana was driving over 100 mph while under the influence of alcohol and marijuana when he struck Trooper Gadd’s parked cruiser on the shoulder of the freeway at approximately 3 a.m.
Governor Bob Ferguson signed a controversial new law that allows cities across Washington state to designate certain residential roads as “shared streets” with speed limits as low as 10 miles per hour. Senate Bill 5595 permits pedestrians to walk in the middle of these streets, eliminates traditional jaywalking laws, and mandates that vehicles yield to bicycles, which must yield to pedestrians.
On Monday, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson signed Senate Bill 5041 into law, allowing striking workers to receive unemployment benefits starting in 2026. The controversial move, backed by labor unions, permits workers involved in strikes or employer lockouts to claim benefits between 15 and 21 days after a work stoppage begins.
After more than a year of broken promises and mounting frustration, Washington state farmers are finally exempt from fuel taxes tied to the Climate Commitment Act (CCA). On Thursday, Governor Bob Ferguson signed Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1912 (ESSHB 1912) into law, fulfilling long-delayed exemptions for agricultural producers.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson is visiting the Tri-Cities on Thursday to sign 11 bills into law, but several high-profile and controversial measures—particularly those involving parental rights, student privacy, and healthcare costs—are noticeably absent from his schedule.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson has signed into law a sweeping measure that gives the state expansive new oversight authority over all privately run ICE detention facilities, including the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma. House Bill 1232, backed by Democrat lawmakers, authorizes unannounced inspections by the state Department of Health and imposes fines of up to $1 million annually for violations—defined solely by the agency.
The Department of Justice has joined a lawsuit defending Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner after he defied the state's sanctuary policies to cooperate with federal immigration officials.
Newborn babies in Washington are testing positive for drugs at a rate far above the national average, with many suffering from neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) caused by in-utero drug exposure. In Spokane County, the rate is nearly 3.5 times the national average, making it one of the hardest-hit areas in the country.
Washington State Senator Bill Ramos, a Democrat from Issaquah, passed away unexpectedly Saturday evening during a trail run. He was 69 years old. His death has shocked colleagues on both sides of the political aisle and left a notable void in the state’s legislative body.
