The word “showdown” conjures up images of the Old West, when one person would challenge another person to step out into the street to settle a disagreement. Recently the state Supreme Court set the stage for a constitutional showdown by doing something we’ve never seen: imposing a $100,000-per-day fine on the Legislature.
Also, the interim between legislative sessions is a time for lawmakers to collect information that may shape future legislation. An example of that comes from the state Traffic Safety Commission and its findings about drivers who are impaired not by a familiar adversary, alcohol, but a threat some of us have seen coming: marijuana.
Read about these developments and more in my Aug. 26 Report from Olympia!