Inside Olympia

In-depth interviews with State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti, and retiring State Rep. Jesse Johnson. The State Treasurer is pressing Congress to pass new banking laws that would help prevent robberies at cannabis stores. And, he wants the state to provide "baby bonds" to children from low-income and marginalized communities. Rep. Jesse Johnson is stepping down for family reasons after three years in...

The Evergreen State College is 50 years old. But recently it has struggled with declining enrollment. So how is the school celebrating its past and planning for its future? Austin Jenkins sits down with the college's Interim President John Carmichael and Executive VP Dexter Gordon.

In honor of Sunshine Week, host Austin Jenkins sits down for the full-hour with recently retired, long-time KIRO 7 Senior Political Reporter Essex Porter. His thoughts on the importance of covering politics and government, the future of local news, and more.

From housing and homelessness help to small business assistance, the WA Department of Commerce has played a key role in the state's response to the COVID pandemic. Host Austin Jenkins talks with Commerce Director Lisa Brown.

Behavioral health is again a top issue in the Legislature -- we discuss with State Sens. David Frockt and Keith Wagoner. Plus, we interview State Sen. Reuven Carlyle, who is stepping down after a legislative career marked by involvement in issues like climate change, data privacy, abolishing the death penalty, and foster care.

This week majority Democrats in House and Senate released their proposed supplemental operating budgets -- we discuss with Senate Ways & Means Chair Christine Rolfes, and the committee's ranking Republican, Sen. Lynda Wilson. Plus, the state's chief economist, Steve Lerch, talks about the state of the state's economy and the billions in new revenue in the latest state revenue forecast.

They're seemingly two of the most intractable problems in society: homelessness and substance abuse. What can state legislators do to address these crises? We talk with State Reps. Strom Peterson, Andrew Barkis, Lauren Davis and Dan Griffey.

Sen. Patty Kuderer and Jim Walsh debate firearms bills being considered in Olympia this year, including a measure that would prohibit the sale of high-capacity magazines. Plus, what climate-related proposals are moving through the Legislature? We talk with Reps. Joe Fitzgibbon and Mary Dye.

Our 4-week series of interviews with legislative leaders wraps up, as we talk with House Republican Minority Leader J.T. Wilcox. Plus, we discuss K-12 education bills and priorities with Reps. Sharon Santos and Alex Ybarra.

We continue our series with legislative leaders -- this week, Democratic House Speaker Laurie Jinkins (D-Tacoma). Plus, we discuss housing and homelessness legislation with Senators Patty Kuderer (D-Bellevue) and Phil Fortunato (R-Auburn).

Senate Republican Minority Leader John Braun discusses his caucus' priorities for the 2022 legislative session. Plus, Reps. Jesse Johnson and Gina Mosbrucker discuss "follow up" police reform bills, many of them making tweaks to bills passed in 2021.

Host Austin Jenkins interviews Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig of Spokane about the goals and priorities of the Senate Democratic Caucus for the 2022 legislative session. Plus, State Epidemiologist Dr. Scott Lindquist on the Omicron COVID variant and its impact on Washington state.

Host Austin Jenkins sits down with Washington State Governor Jay Inslee.

We go in-depth with State Attorney General Bob Ferguson -- on his lawsuit against opioid manufacturers, police accountability, the Arlene's Flowers case, and much more.

In-depth interviews with Sue Birch, who manages state Medicaid and many other health care programs as director of the WA Health Care Authority. Plus, State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler on his ongoing effort to ban credit scores from being used to set personal insurance rates.

Host Austin Jenkins interviews out-going Secretary of State Kim Wyman. She resigned to accept an appointment to serve as the Senior Election Security Lead for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the nation's lead for cyber, infrastructure, and election security.

The WA Redistricting Commission agreed on new state legislative and congressional district boundaries -- but a day after the statutory deadline. Now the redistricting plan is in the hands of the WA Supreme Court. What happened, and what's next? We sit down with Sarah Augustine, non-voting chair of the State Redistricting Commission. Plus, what grade do state lawmakers of both parties give policing...

They're two small state offices with big roles in the state's courts. We sit down with Jim Bamberger, director of the WA Office of Civil Legal Aid, and Larry Jefferson Jr., director of the WA Office of Public Defense.

This week Austin Jenkins hosts an in-depth interview with Washington State Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven Gonzalez.

What health insurance plans will be available next year on the private market? We talk with Pam MacEwan, CEO of the WA Health Benefit Exchange. Plus, WA Employment Security Commissioner Cami Feek on unemployment and long-term care insurance.

AUSTIN JENKINS DISCUSSES STAFF REDUCTIONS WITH STATE CORRECTIONS SECRETARY CHERYL STRANGE AND TEAMSTERS LOCAL 117 UNION PRESIDENT MICHELLE WOODROW.

Host Austin Jenkins interviews Jeannie Darneille, who is stepping down from the State Senate to become the state's first Assistant Secretary -- Women's Prison Division. Plus, Christopher Poulos of Washington's Statewide Reentry Council.

Washington's Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) is a small state agency with a huge role in funding outdoor recreation and conservation projects throughout the state, from soccer fields to salmon habitat. Host Austin Jenkins interviews Megan Duffy, director of the RCO, and Tara Galuska, who works within the RCO as the state's orca recovery coordinator.

A new long-term care insurance requirement will soon go into effect, affecting millions of Washingtonians. Host Austin Jenkins sits down with Ben Veghte, director of the WA Cares Fund, and Sens. Karen Keiser and Curtis King, who serve on the advisory commission which can recommend changes to the plan.

We continue our fall interviews with state legislative leaders. This week: the House of Representatives. Host Austin Jenkins sits down with Democratic House Speaker Laurie Jinkins and House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox.