Making Democracy Work® Recognizing the vital role of local news in our democracy—including to provide accurate information that enables us to govern ourselves—the League of Women Voters of Washington believes it is the responsibility of the government to provide support for conditions under which credible local journalism can survive and thrive. Issue Team Chair: Dee Anne Finken, dfinken@lwvwa.org |
2025 Local News and Democracy Legislation
Bills in green are supported. Bills in red are opposed by the League. Bills in black the League is watching.
SB 5400/HB 1836 Supporting local news journalism. SB 5400, sponsored by Sens. Liias and Boehnke, would help address the local news decline in Washington state in a meaningful way by funding the employment of news journalists to cover civic affairs in underserved communities. New dollars would come from for-profit social network sites and internet search portals and websites that gross more than $5 million annually. These firms don’t compensate news outlets for the original content they produce and which the social network, search portals and websites use on their own platforms.
SB 5458/HB 1060 Concerning newspapers and eligible digital content. This bill requires newspaper printers and publishers who were exempted from Business & Occupation taxes for 10 years by way of the passage of SB 5199 in 2023 to submit a complete annual tax performance report.
SB 5551 School library information and technology program. Senate Bill 5551 seeks to strengthen school library information and technology programs by requiring access for every student to a library program led by a certified teacher-librarian.
HB 1727 School library information and technology programs. This features provisions similar to SB 5551, although it has not been labeled as its companion.
HB 1170 Informing users when content is developed or modified by artificial intelligence. HB 1170 would require content users to clearly identify content that has been artificially produced and would provide AI detection tools at no cost to consumers.
SB 5637 Student access to information about media literacy and civic education. The bill calls for media literacy instruction to be included in the (1/2-credit) civics education course required of high school graduates in Washington. The LWV supports media literacy but is concerned mandating the teaching of both civics education and media literacy is a single1/2-credit course would result in insufficient instruction.
Other Bills
Bills in green are supported. Bills in red are opposed by the League. Bills in black the League is watching.