Government

The official inauguration of President Obama is on Monday, January 21, but the party is happening this coming Sunday. What happens after that? Well, only time will tell, but with four more years of President Obama, what do you want from him? What would you like to see the president accomplish in the next four years? Ross Reynolds hears from listeners about their priorities for the president.

The new state legislative session is well underway, and a few state senators are planning to reintroduce what’s known as the Reproductive Parity Act. The bill would require insurers who cover maternity care to also cover abortions.

Last year’s version of the bill died in the Senate due to Republican opposition. This year it's getting another chance, and it already has the support of Governor Jay Inslee, who mentioned it specifically in his inaugural address.

Attorneys for Staff Sergeant Robert Bales say they’re unsure if they’ll pursue a mental health defense in the case. 

But if they do, the judge has ordered that the soldier must undergo a so-called sanity board review.

Bales is accused of murdering 16 Afghan civilians and wounding six others in an overnight rampage last March.

Some lawmakers in Olympia want to make the Department of Licensing an immigration checkpoint.
A proposed bill would require people to prove they are lawfully in the United States in order to get a driver’s license.

Seattle’s Mayor Mike McGinn will have a fight on his hands this campaign season. Seattle City Councilmember Bruce Harrell announced he is now joining the mayor’s race. That brings the number of candidates challenging the mayor to six.

Do people vote based on race? That’s a question the Washington Legislature will likely tackle this session, as supporters of a state Voting Rights Act prepare to push the measure again this year. The law would aim to strengthen minority representation in places with a large population of Latinos or other racial group.

A group of teachers at Ballard High School in Seattle has come out in support of Garfield High School teachers' refusal to give students the district-mandated Measures of Academic Progress standardized test. The teachers say the test is useless and shouldn't factor in to teacher evaluations. Ross Reynolds talks with educators and education experts on both sides of the issue.

Today marks the start of the Washington State Legislature’s 2013 regular session. Lawmakers have their sights set on education as a top priority — they'll be looking at both funding and measuring student success. They’ll also be working with a new governor, Jay Inslee, and a new balance of power in the state Senate. Publicola's Josh Feit joins us with a preview.

Correction: An earlier version of the story stated that buildings cannot be nominated for landmark status if they are too small. The story has been corrected to say that while small buildings can be nominated, they do not automatically trigger a landmark review.

South Lake Union in Seattle was once home to timber mills, commercial laundries, warehouses, even a factory making Ford Model Ts. It’s now being targeted for major new development, with the city’s mayor proposing raising building heights dramatically in the low-rise district. But historic preservationists say the plan does not adequately address the area's unique history and they worry it will result in the obliteration of many of the old buildings that provide the city’s connection with the past.  

Teachers at Garfield High School in Seattle say they have voted overwhelmingly to refuse to administer a district-wide standardized test. A statement from Garfield teachers called the test a waste of time and money.