Washington is cracking down on the harassment and intimidation of referees and sports officials after Gov. Bob Ferguson signs Senate Bill 5272 into law. Jeff explains what changes, why the bill has been years in the making, and why he is not neutral on the issue: In addition to working high school and college games, he manages 80 umpires in King County.
Supporters of the bill point to rising abuse from adults on the sidelines, while critics warn severe penalties for young athletes can backfire. The law takes effect June 10, with enhanced penalties expected to be felt most next school year.
PLUS: Light rail service connecting Bellevue and Seattle across the I-90 floating bridge begins this weekend, a milestone Sound Transit leaders say has been decades in the making. Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine talks with Jeff about why the project arrived nearly three years late and over budget, the engineering challenge of running trains on a floating bridge, and what comes next as the region tries to catch up on a rail network voters approved years ago. He also addresses fare enforcement and a potential fare-gate pilot project as the system expands.
AND: The Senate moves to end a partial government shutdown affecting parts of the Department of Homeland Security, but the bill runs into resistance in the House. ABC’s Ben Siegel explains why hard-line Republicans are objecting to the Senate plan, how that could keep TSA staffing and airport lines, and why using ICE agents to fill checkpoint gaps is drawing controversy.
The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola explores the politics and issues of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most.
Subscribe at nwnewsradio.com or on your favorite podcast app.