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Politics Senate: Native school mascots can stay with local tribe's OK (Photo Gallery) (Video)

By LAUREN GAMBINO, Associated Press Published: Apr 10, 2013 at 2:36 PM PDT Last Updated: Apr 10, 2013 at 2:44 PM PDT

Some lawmakers say the Oregon Board of Education went too far when it banned Native American school mascots.

Politics State House leaders target tax breaks in their budget

By MIKE BAKER Associated Press Published: Apr 10, 2013 at 1:05 PM PDT Last Updated: Apr 10, 2013 at 3:52 PM PDT

Democrats in the state House proposed a budget plan Wednesday that would eliminate a variety of tax breaks to help pay for education and avoid some of the cuts to social services recently approved by the Senate.

Politics Legislature OKs underage alcohol tasting bill

By Associated Press Published: Apr 10, 2013 at 10:32 AM PDT Last Updated: Apr 10, 2013 at 10:32 AM PDT

The Washington state Legislature has passed a measure to allow 18-year-olds to taste — and spit out — alcohol in certain classroom settings.

Politics Lifetime driving bans among stiffer penalties mulled for DUIs

By RACHEL LA CORTE Associated Press Published: Apr 9, 2013 at 2:20 PM PDT Last Updated: Apr 9, 2013 at 5:39 PM PDT

Lawmakers are considering tightening up the state's laws against driving under the influence after two recent cases that left three dead and two - including an infant - critically injured.

Politics Oregon bill would put Pledge in classroom every day of week (Video)

By KATU.com Staff Published: Apr 9, 2013 at 9:15 AM PDT Last Updated: Apr 9, 2013 at 9:15 AM PDT

An Oregon lawmaker has proposed a bill that would change that, requiring schools statewide, including public charter schools, to allow students to recite it every school day.

Politics 'Outrageous' late pay hikes boost Wash. pensions by millions

By MIKE BAKER, Associated Press Published: Apr 7, 2013 at 8:20 AM PDT Last Updated: Apr 7, 2013 at 8:20 AM PDT

The pay increase for first responders was much larger than workers received in any other pension system in the state and more than double the average raise for all workers who departed over that time period, according to the AP's analysis.

Politics State Senate makes another try to pay for education

By DONNA GORDON BLANKINSHIP, Associated Press Published: Apr 4, 2013 at 3:46 PM PDT Last Updated: Apr 4, 2013 at 3:46 PM PDT

People who have been clamoring for years for more money for Washington public schools got a taste of what they were asking for when a coalition of state senators released their budget proposal this week.

Politics State House issues 'no-frills' transportation budget

By JONATHAN KAMINSKY, Associated Press Published: Apr 4, 2013 at 3:55 PM PDT Last Updated: Apr 4, 2013 at 3:55 PM PDT

The Washington state House released a scaled-back transportation budget proposal Thursday, with Transportation Committee chairwoman saying she plans to unveil a revised revenue package to pay for new projects next week.

Politics Report: Experimental police tactics backfired with anarchists (Photo Gallery) (Video)

By Joel Moreno Published: Apr 4, 2013 at 9:54 AM PDT Last Updated: Apr 4, 2013 at 9:54 AM PDT

Masked anarchists ran wild in Seattle's streets last May Day, and now nearly a year later we're learning why police command allowed the violence to run unchecked for so long.

Politics State eyes rules to ban marijuana at bars (Video)

By GENE JOHNSON Associated Press Published: Apr 3, 2013 at 2:07 PM PDT Last Updated: Apr 3, 2013 at 5:38 PM PDT

Washington state officials said Wednesday it's not OK for bars to allow marijuana use, and they plan to take steps to address that.

Politics 'Bare bones' transportation budget plan relased by senators

By JONATHAN KAMINSKY,Associated Press Published: Apr 3, 2013 at 2:08 PM PDT Last Updated: Apr 3, 2013 at 2:29 PM PDT

A bipartisan group of Washington state senators released a transportation budget proposal Wednesday that both sides call "barebones."

Politics Does anyone enforce rules about the smell of medical marijuana? (Video)

By Dan Cassuto, KATU News and KATU.com Staff Published: Apr 2, 2013 at 10:30 AM PDT Last Updated: Apr 26, 2013 at 1:54 PM PDT

A Southeast Portland couple says their neighbors’ medical marijuana plants are making them sick, and they want the city to step in and do something about it.

Politics Governor signs tuition bill for young immigrants (Photo Gallery)

By Lauren Gambino, Associated Press Published: Apr 2, 2013 at 12:25 PM PDT Last Updated: Apr 2, 2013 at 9:54 PM PDT

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber has signed into law a bill allowing young illegal immigrants to pay resident tuition at the state's seven public universities.

Politics Oregon bill: DMV could issue temp. driver's licenses to illegal immigrants

By KATU.com Staff Published: Apr 2, 2013 at 9:58 AM PDT Last Updated: Apr 2, 2013 at 10:00 AM PDT

A bill that will allow the state Department of Motor Vehicles to issue short-term driver's licenses to people who can't show they are residents of the United States, including illegal immigrants, will be introduced today at the state Capitol in Oregon.

Politics Senator: Abortion insurance bill won't move forward

By JONATHAN KAMINSKY Associated Press Published: Apr 1, 2013 at 3:27 PM PDT Last Updated: Apr 2, 2013 at 6:22 AM PDT

Despite a majority of Washington state senators having signed a letter in support of a measure requiring insurers to cover abortion, a key lawmaker said Monday that it will not advance from her committee.