Washington Senate passes police arbitration bill

February 25, 2021 Elizabeth Wahl

SEATTLE (AP) — The Washington state Senate has overwhelmingly passed a bill to create a panel of arbitrators to review police discipline decisions and to better track law enforcement arbitration cases statewide.

The measure is part of an ambitious package of police reform legislation that lawmakers are considering this session following Black Lives Matter protests that erupted in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

The Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution Program: What You Need To Know

January 22, 2021 Elizabeth Wahl

In an effort to create a more equitable, less costly, and more efficient means for manufactured/mobile home community landlords and tenants to resolve disputes arising from the rights and duties articulated in the Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act (“MHLTA” RCW 59.20), the Washington State Legislature enacted RCW 59.30 back in 2007. It is presently administered by the Washington State Attorney General’s Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution Program (“MHDRP”).

Tenants and landlords in Spokane County can access a mediator and rental assistance before the eviction moratorium ends

November 17, 2020 Elizabeth Wahl

The end of 2020 is looming as the end of forgiveness for tenants who owe back rent to landlords, and court officials are pushing mediation to avoid a litigation logjam.

Spokane is one of six counties statewide that are part of a pilot program intended to get tenants and landlords to start talking about possible solutions to unpaid rent during eviction moratorium expiring Dec. 31. Two firms in Spokane County have received federal assistance funds to promote mediation for the estimated hundreds of renters who might otherwise be taken to court due to unpaid rent.