Our Northwest Economy

It’s Kitzhaber Versus Dudley For Oregon’s Top Political Job

PORTLAND – Former Oregon governor John Kitzhaber will take on former NBA basketball player Chris Dudley in the race for governor this fall. Kitzhaber and Dudley won their primary races [last night] Tuesday night.

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Washington Supreme Court Says Libraries Can Filter Internet Computers

The Washington Supreme Court ruled [today] Thursday that public libraries may put Internet filters on their computers. Some librarians are cheering the ruling and say it could lead more libraries around the state to limit access to porn and other controversial material.

Wash. Governor Signs Law Ordering State Furloughs

OLYMPIA, Wash. – It will be lights out at the Washington governor's office, drivers' license offices and other state agencies on Monday, July 12th. That's because of legislation signed [today] Tuesday by Governor Chris Gregoire. But under the new furlough law, many other Washington state services will remain open that day. The legislation requires a series of furloughs, but also includes many exceptions. At the least, Gregoire hopes state employees and their unions agree to take the same day off each month.

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Not-So-Special Session Enters Week Four in Olympia

OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington Legislature is inching closer – ever so slowly -- to a deal on balancing the state budget. [Today] Monday marks the start of week four of what was originally billed as a one week overtime session. Correspondent Tom Banse reports.

Wash. Corrections Secretary Demands Changes To Parolee Compact

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Washington's Secretary of Corrections will make the case [tomorrow] Wednesday for permanent changes to the interstate compact on parolees. This stems from the murders of four Lakewood [Washington] police officers last November by Arkansas parolee Maurice Clemmons.

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Otter Allows 'Freedom of Conscience' Bill to Become Law

The "freedom of conscience" bill approved by the Idaho State legislature will become state law without the Governor's signature. [Glenn Mosley reports. 1:02 SOQ]

Idaho Governor Butch Otter did not sign the bill, but nor did he veto it. That means the "freedom of conscience" bill approved by Idaho state lawmakers in the just concluded legislative session will become law.

Otter said in a letter to State Senate President Brad Little on Monday that forcing health care professionals to provide services they find morally objectionable is unacceptable. The Governor had his concerns about the bill, however. He also said that negatively impacting patients' rights, especially when it comes to end-of-life decisions, is equally problematic.

Otter wrote that greater care must be taken to ensure that decisions within living wills and powers of attorney concerning end-of-life testament are honored.

Concern over living wills and other end-of-life instructions prompted the American Association of Retired Persons Idaho to say on Tuesday that now you can learn about someone else's conscience on your death bed. The organization listed the new law as one of its "losers" from Idaho's 2010 legislative session.

[I'm Glenn Mosley reporting.]

Copyright 2010 Northwest Public Radio

Kulongoski Nears End Of Bill Signing Career

SALEM, Ore. – Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski said [today]Monday that he might veto a trio of bills. That includes a controversial measure that would allow psychologists to prescribe certain medications. Kulongoski is in the home stretch of his role of putting the final signature on new state laws. And he's kept pretty quiet about it.

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Idaho Lawmakers Adjourn; Fail To Ban Texting While Driving

The Idaho legislature adjourned for the year last night [Monday]. Lawmakers spent much of the final day on a last-minute attempt to ban texting while driving. But in a surprise, the bill failed. [Inland Northwest Correspondent Doug Nadvornick reports.]

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WA: New Cell Phone Ban Takes Effect June 10th

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Starting June 10th, police officers in Washington will be able to pull over drivers who've got a cell phone pressed to their ear. Same goes for people who text while behind the wheel. Governor Chris Gregoire [today] Friday signed legislation making it a primary offense.

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WA Special Session Enters Week Three

OLYMPIA, Wash. – It was only supposed to last seven days. But [Today] Monday marks the start of week three of the Washington legislature's overtime session. Majority Democrats remain deadlocked over whether to raise the state sales tax. However there are signs of softening. [Olympia Correspondent Austin Jenkins has this update. 1:02]

The longer the special session drags on, the more Governor Chris Gregoire ratchets up her rhetoric. Here she is Friday.

Chris Gregoire: “I'm just disgusted. Nothing is going on that I can tell. No matter how many offers I've given for compromise, they haven't resulted in a compromise. Time's up.”

Gregoire is talking about her fellow Democrats in the legislature. For the most part, the House and Senate have agreed on a rewrite to the state's two-year budget. They've also settled on the bulk of an $800 million tax package to help close a nearly $3 billion hole. But there's still one major sticking point. That's whether to raise Washington's sales tax. The Governor and House say no. The state Senate, yes. But Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown says she's starting to look for an alternative to the sales tax.

Lisa Brown: “We're going to look and see if we can come up with something that comes up with the needs of both the House and Senate.

Brown offers no specifics. But a coalition of labor and social service advocates has an idea. They're calling for a tax hike on soda pop to break the budget bottleneck. [I'm Austin Jenkins in Olympia.]

Copyright 2010 Northwest News Network