Explore every episode of the podcast Inside Olympia

This week on Inside Olympia....Austin Jenkins discusses the 5-year-old Career Connect Program with individuals from Partnership for Learning and the Chehalis School District.

Legislative budget writers watch his quarterly state revenue forecasts closely, to see how much revenue will be available to fund the state budget. Host Austin Jenkins sits down with state economic forecaster Dave Reich, who leads the Washington's Economic and Revenue Forecast Council.

Host Austin Jenkins interviews outgoing Washington State Department of Corrections Secretary Cheryl Strange.

This week on Inside Olympia...we breakdown the election results with Democratic State Representative Joe Fitzgibbon and Republican Senator John Braun.

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.  

An in-depth interview with Adutant General Gent Welsh, who leads the Washington National Guard, Military Department and Emergency Management Division.

Washington's Office of Insurance Commissioner is open for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century, as current Commissioner Mike Kreidler will not run for reelection. Vying to replace him are two state senators: Democrat Patty Kuderer and Republican Phil Fortunato. Learn about their priorities for this important but often overlooked statewide office, this week on Inside Olympia.

On this week's show....He came from one state that pioneered the legal use of recreational cannabis -- Colorado -- to another pioneering state, Washington. Meet Will Lukela, the director of the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board.

This week Austin Jenkins sits down with retiring legislators Karen Keiser and Mike Padden.

This week on Inside Olympia...Roger Rogoff, director of the state's Office of Independent Investigations, which is set to begin examining police deadly force cases.

On this week's Inside Olympia ... What will it take to create a robust and comprehensive behavioral health system in Washington? Why is it taking so long to get there? And what are the barriers to success? On the program for the full hour this week, Amber Leaders, Co-Chair of the Joint Legislative Executive Committee on Behavioral Health.

Host Austin Jenkins sits down for an interview with Washington's 2024 Elementary School Principal of the Year, Dr. Cathy Sork of Dorothy Fox Elementary in Camas.

Host Austin Jenkins sits down with 2024 Washington Teacher of the Year Blaire Penry. Penry, from the Auburn School District, has been interviewed by Bill Gates, and has a lot to say about online learning, artificial intelligence in the classroom, equity and diversity in education, and more.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

On this week's episode of Inside Olympia … How is Washington State's government working to combat the fentanyl crisis? We talk with Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah, and Sue Birch of the State Health Care Authority.  Also, what lessons were learned from covid? And how concerned should we be about bird flu? Dr. Shah discusses those and other priority issues for the State Department of Health.

Host Austin Jenkins sits down for an in-depth interview with retiring former House Republican Leader and State Representative J.T. Wilcox, of Yelm.

Host Austin Jenkins sits down for an in-depth interview with retiring legislator Andy Billig, Senate Majority Leader from Spokane.

A statewide drought emergency has been declared. How low is the snowpack? And what are the implications for fish, farms and people? We ask representatives of the Department of Ecology and Agriculture.

Host Austin Jenkins sits down for an in-depth interview with State Department of Commerce Director Mike Fong.

An interview with Washington Department of Social and Health Services Secretary Jilma Meneses.

Interviews with State Representatives Jamila Taylor and Kevin Waters.

An exit interview with retiring State Senator Sam Hunt, plus a discussion on K-12 public schools with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal.

Host Austin Jenkins interviews Washington Health Care Authority Director Sue Birch about the work of the HCA's Health Care Cost Transparency Board.

On this episode of Inside Olympia...We recap the legislative session with Lt. Governor Denny Heck. Plus we meet Megan Matthews, Director of Washington's Office of Equity. 

On this week's episode of Inside Olympia....It’s been more than half a century since Washington voters approved the Public Records Act. Now a new report from the Washington Coalition for Open Government warns the spirit and letter of that law are being undermined. We talk with the Mike Fancher, the nonprofit’s president about recommendations for strengthening it.

Host Austins Jenkins interviews WA's Long-Term Care Ombuds Patricia Hunter and Family and Children's Ombuds Director Patrick Dowd.

On this week's episode of Inside Olympia: Austin Jenkins sits down with DCYF Secretary Ross Hunter.

Artificial Intelligence is the topic of discussion on Inside Olympia this week. Austin Jenkins sits down with state legislators and the Chief Technology and Chief Privacy Officers for Washington State.

On Inside Olympia...we take a lookback at the Boldt decision and how that helped secure the fishing rights for tribes in Washington State.

Host Austin Jenkins talks with local leaders working to promote civility in politics and public discourse: Snohomish Council Council members Jared Mead and Nate Nehring, and Sean O'Brien of the Tri-Cities Civility Caucus.

This week Austin Jenkins sits down with members of the House Housing Committee and discusses what can be down about Washington State's housing crisis.

This week on Inside Olympia....Host Austin Jenkins sits down with House Leadership and discusses some of the hot topics in the State Legislature this year like housing, taxes, and the Climate Commitment Act.

Austin Jenkins sits down with Senate Transporttion Committee members Marko Liias (D-Edmonds) and Curtis King (R-Yakima) to discuss some of the hot button transportation issues in the state of Washington. Also State Traffic Enginner Dongho Chang talks with us about making roads and streets safer.

Host Austin Jenkins sits down with the chair and ranking Republican of the Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee: Democratic Senator Joe Nguyen and Republican Senator Drew MacEwen.

A full-hour, in-depth interview with Governor Jay Inslee. On the fentanyl crisis. Behavioral health. Housing and homelessness. Climate change, the Climate Commitment Act, and gas prices. Citizen initiatives regarding police pursuits, the capital gains tax and more. Recent escapes and other incidents at Echo Glen and Green Hill Schools. The I-5 Columbia River Bridge. The impact of inflation on transportation projects, from ferries to culverts. Republican criticisms of the governor. President Biden. The Israel-Hamas War.

This week on Inside Olympia ... It's been two years since lawmakers created an Office of Independent Investigations to investigate police deadly force incidents. How many investigators have been hired and trained and when will investigations begin? We get an update from Director Roger Rogoff.

This week: In-depth with Senator June Robinson, the new chair of the budget-writing Senate Ways & Means Committee. Plus, veteran State Senator Karen Keiser on her newly published "how to" book for beginning state legislators: "Getting Elected is the Easy Part."

On this episode of Inside Olympia Austin Jenkins sits down with retiring state economist Steve Lerch and Senate Republican Budget Lead Lynda Wilson (R-Vancouver).

We discuss the bi-state effort to build a new I-5 Columbia River Bridge with Project Administrator Greg Johnson, Washington State Rep. Paul Harris, and Oregon State Rep. Susan McLain.

This week Austin Jenkins sits down with Ingrid Ulrey CEO of the Washington State Health Benefits Exchange and Michael Furze with the State's Energy Office.

What role will hydrogen and nuclear have in the push to decarbonize Washington? How will federal infrastructure spending help with the transition away from fossil fuels? And what are the particular challenges to transitioning heavy industry to clean energy? On the program is Chris Green of the Washington State Department of Commerce.

A full-hour, in-depth interview with the director of Washington's Department of Labor and Industries, Joel Sacks.

We talk with the co-chairs of Washington's recently disbanded Tax Structure Work Group: Senators Noel Frame and Keith Wagoner.

On this episode of Inside Olympia ... We live in politically tumultuous and polarized times. What does that mean for the near and long term futures of the state's two largest political parties? And how are their new leaders charting choppy waters? On this week state Democratic Party Chair Shasti Conrad and Republican Chair Jim Walsh.

Washington is among the states with the highest credit ratings -- which is a sign of good fiscal health, and allows the state to get good interest rates on the bonds it sells. But the state also has a significant debt load. What does that right balance look like? Plus, why do so few Washingtonians have retirement savings, and what can be done about that? And what are the chances Congress will pass a cannabis banking law? On the program for the full hour this week, Washington State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti.