This blog examines another question that the webinar’s attendees also raised: Can localities prohibit and/or impound and ...

Washington State has seen a major push to update local comprehensive (comp) plans, with revisions to development regulations and procedures necessary to implement the new policies. Local governments ...

Washington is home to approximately 130 data centers, 10th-highest of any US state. As proposals for large data centers continue to increase, Washington local governments face major policy challenges.

This year the Washington State Legislature continued to consider and pass new laws intended to strengthen and protect our state’s election systems. These changes address access to elections services, ...

The 2026 legislative session included bills addressing updates to the small works roster, prevailing wages, independent contractors, and energy projects. This blog summarizes three bills that will ...

Editor's note: Since the publication of this blog, the Drug Enforcement Administration issued Schedules of Controlled Substance: Temporary Placement of 7-Hydroxymitragynine Above a Specified Threshold ...

Counties in Washington State have land use and permitting authority over housing development in unincorporated areas but have faced challenges due to limitations of rural sewer and water services and ...

Agency use of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) is on the rise. ALPRs can be an effective investigative and enforcement tool given their ability to quickly capture and transmit vehicle data to ...

As I mentioned in PRA 2025 – A Year in Flux in January, we have been watching the progress of SB 6002 (aka “The Driver Privacy Act”) in the Washington State ...

Sauna in Bellingham’s Bloedel-Donovan Park. Photo provided courtesy of the author. As Pacific Northwesterners look for relief from dark, rainy winters, mobile saunas have found a natural home in city ...

Local government officials sometimes discover they have made procedural errors in assuming office—perhaps because of a missed or unfiled oath, an improperly timed appointment, or a residency issue ...

As municipalities grapple with the caseload standards established by the Washington Supreme Court for public defense services, it’s important for cities, towns, and counties to familiarize themselves ...