Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Inside Olympia

This week on Inside Olympia ... Is there any room left in politics for moderates? And what is the future of the Republican Party in Washington State? I sit down with former Secretary of State Sam Reed and Chief Historian John Hughes to discuss the new book: "Mr. Mainstream: Sam Reed's Half Century of Public Service and Ccivility.

On this episode of Inside Olympia....Austin Jenkins sits down with Health Benefit Exchange CEO Ingrid Ulrey and State Medicaid Director Charissa Fotinos.  

Host Austin Jenkins does an in-depth interview with Dan Wilson of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and Claire Davis of WA Wildlife First.

Will Washington's new capital gain's tax survive the courts? We debate that question with two University of Washington law professors. And we check in with the chair of the Liquor and Cannabis Board on the State of Washington's cannabis industry.

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 state House of Representatives, years in which he played a key role in enacting changes to policing laws. He discusses his decision to step down, and possible future plans.

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.

On this week's episode of Inside Olympia …. We continue our in-depth look into how Washington manages its fish and wildlife populations.  On the program for the full hour is the agency head of the Department of Fish and Wildlife Department Kelly Susewind.

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 legislation approved by the 2021 Legislature? And what's potentially on tap for 2022? We discuss policing policy with Reps. Roger Goodman and Gina Mosbrucker.

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.

This week, the first interview in a three-part series on the management of fish and wildlife in Washington state. Host Austin Jenkins sits down for the full hour with Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission Chair Barbara Baker, and Commissioner Jim Anderson.

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.

Host Austin Jenkins talks COVID, policing policy and more with Senate Democratic Majority Leader Andy Billig of Spokane and Senate Republican Minority Leader John Braun of Centralia.

The COVID delta variant is surging in Washington, stretching hospitals and the health care system to their limits. Host Austin Jenkins discusses the latest COVID developments with the WA Dept. of Health's Acting Chief Science Officer, Dr. Scott Lindquist, and Washington State Medical Association President Dr. Nathan Schlicher.

Austin Jenkins sits down and discusses Washington's transportation infrastructure with the Secretary of the Washington State Department of Transportation Roger Millar.

Host Austin Jenkins sits down with the first director of the state's office of equity Dr. Karen Johnson, and the Labor & Industries director Joel Sacks.

On this episode of Inside Olympia...From Hanford cleanup to salmon-harming toxins to the state’s carbon pollution credit program … The Department of Ecology is the regulatory agency in charge. How is ecology managing the state’s most pressing environmental hazards? On the program this week is the Director of Ecology Laura Watson.

Host Austin Jenkins interviews WA Department of Children, Youth & Families Secretary Ross Hunter, and Lisa McLean, executive director of the 2021 WA State Redistricting Commission.

State Epidemiologist Scott Lindquist with the latest on the state's battle against COVID, and WA Lottery's Kristi Weeks on Washington's "Shot of a Lifetime" vaccination lottery.

Austin Jenkins goes in-depth with Dept. of Commerce Director Lisa Brown on the eviction moratorium, broadband expansion, aerospace and more.

In-depth interviews with two of Washington's statewide elected officials: Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck, and Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler.

In the second of a two-part series, we get perspectives from law enforcement organizations on policing bills passed by the 2021 Legislature. Guests: Criminal Justice Training Commission Interim Executive Director Monica Alexander, and WA Fraternal Order of Police Vice President James Schrimpsher.

Police reform legislation was one of the most high-profile and contentious issues of the 2021 legislative session. We discuss with Democratic State Rep. Jesse Johnson of Federal Way and Republican State Sen. Mike Padden of Spokane.

We dig into the Supreme Court's "Blake" decision decriminalizing drug possession, and the Legislature's response. Guests: Sens. Manka Dhingra and Ron Muzzall, Reps. Lauren Davis and Gina Mosbrucker.

Majority Democrats and minority Republicans offer starkly different reviews of the 2021 legislative session. We sit down with Democratic House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, Senate Democrat Majority Leader Andy Billig, Senate Republican Leader John Braun, and House Republican Leader JT Wilcox.

Rep. Melanie Morgan, chair of the Members of Color Caucus, on Democrats' focus on equity in the 2021 Legislature. Plus, first-term state Reps. David Hackney and April Berg.

We go in-depth with Steve Sinclair, who is retiring as secretary of the Washington Department of Corrections. Plus, Joanna Carns, the director of the state's recently created Office of Corrections Ombuds.

On this episode of Inside Olympia....Host Austin Jenkins discusses veterans' services and housing with the Director of the WA State Department of Veterans Affairs David Puente.

This week on Inside Olympia we talk with two first-term Republican representatives, Peter Abbarno of Centralia and Mark Klicker of Walla Walla.

It's budget time at the State Legislature, as lawmakers look to approve three state budgets: operating, capital, and transportation. This week we cover two of the three: we go into the details of the state operating budget with Senate budget leads Christine Rolfes and Lynda Wilson, and talk about the capital or construction budget with State Reps. Steve Tharinger and Mike Steele.

We discuss adult and juvenile criminal justice with Senators Jeannie Darneille and Chris Gildon. Plus, an interview with first-term State Representative Tarra Simmons, who went from incarcerated felon to law student to attorney to the State Legislature.