State Government

State Government

Oregon House Advances Bill Limiting Federal National Guard Deployments — With Implications for Southwest Washington

Oregon lawmakers have advanced a bill limiting federal authority to deploy National Guard units into the state — a move with regional implications for Southwest Washington due to Portland’s proximity and shared emergency planning concerns.

Source: Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Feed

Feb 20, 2026

Read More →

State Government

Washington Lawmakers Advance DUI Testing Overhaul With Potential Impacts for Cowlitz County

Washington lawmakers are weighing a proposal to let accredited private labs conduct DUI toxicology testing, a shift intended to ease statewide backlogs that also affect Cowlitz County courts and law enforcement.

Source: MyNorthwest

The Feed

Feb 19, 2026

Read More →

State Government

Washington Lawmakers Consider Ending Mortgage Lender Tax Exemption to Support Wildfire Prevention

Washington lawmakers are considering a bill to eliminate a long-standing mortgage lender tax exemption and redirect the revenue into wildfire preparedness efforts, addressing concerns about declining funding for the state’s wildfire response account.

Source: The Reflector

The Feed

Feb 19, 2026

Read More →

State Government

Oregon Senate Republicans End Brief Walkout as Debate Over Gas Tax Vote Intensifies

Oregon Senate Republicans ended a brief walkout Thursday as the fight over moving a statewide gas tax vote to the May ballot continues — a decision with clear cross‑border implications for Southwest Washington.

Source: Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Feed

Feb 19, 2026

Read More →

State Government

Key State Bills Miss Deadline as Olympia’s Cutoff Ripples Into Southwest Washington

Several statewide policy proposals — including bills on homelessness, child welfare, gun safety, and juvenile detention — failed to meet a key legislative deadline this week, with direct implications for communities in Southwest Washington.

Source: Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Feed

Feb 19, 2026

Read More →

State Government

Oregon Lawmakers Revisit Potential Reallocation of Kicker Funds for Education and Wildfire Response

Oregon lawmakers are weighing a proposal that would redirect part of the state’s kicker refund to education and wildfire mitigation, reflecting long-running debates over how surplus revenues should be used amid rising wildfire costs.

Source: KOIN

The Feed

Feb 19, 2026

Read More →

State Government

Key Statehouse Deadlines Halt Dozens of Bills With Local Implications for Southwest Washington

Dozens of bills failed to advance before a key legislative deadline in Olympia, leaving homelessness policy, child welfare reforms, firearm safety measures and other proposals off the table for 2026 — with notable implications for communities in Cowlitz County.

Source: The Reflector

The Feed

Feb 19, 2026

Read More →

State Government

Legislative Deadlock Leaves Key Child Welfare Proposals Stalled in Olympia

Bipartisan negotiations over how Washington should respond to child endangerment linked to parental drug use have stalled, leaving Cowlitz County caseworkers and families without anticipated policy updates.

Source: The Reflector

The Feed

Feb 18, 2026

Read More →

State Government

Oregon Capitol Tension Over Gun Bill Raises Questions About Legislative Conduct

A tense exchange between two Oregon Democratic lawmakers during debate over Measure 114 implementation has prompted a formal complaint and raised regional questions about legislative conduct and gun policy implications.

Source: Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Feed

Feb 18, 2026

Read More →

State Government

What Oregon’s Proposed Estate Tax Overhaul Could Mean for Southwest Washington

A proposed overhaul to Oregon’s estate tax could reduce how many estates owe taxes while increasing rates on the largest inheritances — a shift with potential impacts for Southwest Washington residents who own Oregon property or manage cross-border estates.

Source: Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Feed

Feb 18, 2026

Read More →

Columbia Countercurrent

Oregon House Advances Bill Limiting Federal National Guard Deployments — With Implications for Southwest Washington

Washington Lawmakers Advance DUI Testing Overhaul With Potential Impacts for Cowlitz County

Washington Lawmakers Consider Ending Mortgage Lender Tax Exemption to Support Wildfire Prevention

Oregon Senate Republicans End Brief Walkout as Debate Over Gas Tax Vote Intensifies

Key State Bills Miss Deadline as Olympia’s Cutoff Ripples Into Southwest Washington

Oregon Lawmakers Revisit Potential Reallocation of Kicker Funds for Education and Wildfire Response

Key Statehouse Deadlines Halt Dozens of Bills With Local Implications for Southwest Washington

Legislative Deadlock Leaves Key Child Welfare Proposals Stalled in Olympia

Oregon Capitol Tension Over Gun Bill Raises Questions About Legislative Conduct

What Oregon’s Proposed Estate Tax Overhaul Could Mean for Southwest Washington

Trending Now

Recent Updates

Categories