Homeless camps wouldn’t be allowed near schools, preschools, child care centers and other early-learning facilities under a bill introduced by Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima. Senate Bill 5882 would prohibit cities, towns and counties from permitting sanctioned or unsanctioned homeless tent camps or other encampments within 1,000 feet of a public...

“On time and on budget” is how I describe the 2014 legislative session that ended March 13 in my latest Olympia Update. Read here about session, my bill Gov. Inslee signed prohibiting minors from using tanning beds and what I’ve been up to since returning home from Olympia.

Small, rural school districts could transition to a money-saving, four-day school week if a bill proposed by Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, becomes law. Senate Bill 6242 would make permanent a 2009 pilot program set to expire this year that allows up to five school districts with fewer than 500 students...

This year, I’ve proposed Senate Bill 6242, which will hopefully make permanent the pilot program that allows smaller school districts (those with less than 500 students) to move to a four-day school week. Since the pilot program is due to expire this year, my bill will implement the four-day option...

Another issue I’ll be focusing on this session is education reform. Our smaller school districts are often overburdened by regulations and requirements handed down from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) in Olympia. My goal is to introduce two bills that will help streamline operations for our...

After a series of unprecedented procedural maneuvers Friday evening, minority members of the Washington State Senate Republican Caucus joined with three like-minded Democrats to temporarily gain a philosophical majority and introduce a sustainable budget proposal that doesn’t depend on gimmicks, tricks or tax increases. Central Washington senators say not only...

State lawmakers today approved several budget bills designed to narrow the state’s $1.1 billion budget gap during an emergency six-hour special session. Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, voted in favor of the bills, saying he supports this first step toward fiscal sustainability. “This is just a first step,” King said. “The...

The Senate today took a break from voting on the 99th day of its scheduled 105-day session to unanimously approve a resolution recognizing the career of Ben Soria, who is stepping down June 30 after nine years as Yakima School District superintendent and 21 years of service as a school...

Sen. Curtis King and Rep. Charles Ross have scheduled a pair of town hall meetings for Saturday, March 29. The meetings will be in southeast Yakima from 10 to 11 a.m. and in West Valley from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Ross, R-Naches, and King, R-Yakima, will report to residents of...