Articles by John Stang

Washington state’s tougher distracted driving law to take effect this year, ahead of schedule

TACOMA, Wash. — Cody Meyer, 23, was a flagger in bright yellow clothes for a private company installing fiber-optic cable on a… Read More

Washington state passes bill to prevent sale of biometric data without consent

OLYMPIA, Wash. — A bill to forbid businesses from obtaining or selling biometric information from individuals without their consent is now… Read More

Take the tablet off the steering wheel: Tougher distracted driving law set to pass in Washington state

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Using a smartphone or other device in almost any form while driving is on its way to becoming… Read More

Washington state debates new privacy bills after Trump clears way for ISPs to sell personal data

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The likelihood of the Washington Legislature limiting the ability of Internet service providers to sell customer data is boiling down… Read More

Proposed state tax on sale of personal data faces a fight from business groups

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Several business interests opposed a proposed Washington state tax on the sale of electronic personal information at… Read More

Scaled-back bill aimed at providing clarity on non-compete deals passes Washington House 97-0

A trimmed-back bill to change what is allowed in non-compete agreements passed the Washington House 97-0 Wednesday. It now goes… Read More

Bill would prevent businesses from selling biometric data without user consent

The Washington state House passed a bill 81-17 this week that would forbid businesses from obtaining or selling biometric information from individuals… Read More

Bill would let public utilities team with private companies on electric vehicle charging stations

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Representatives of Seattle City Light and other public utilities spoke Thursday in favor of a bill by Rep… Read More

Washington state legislators look to ban bitcoin in the pot business

Are bitcoins a transparent enough currency for Washington’s marijuana sales? It depends on who you ask. Sen. Ann Rivers, R-La… Read More

Look out, it’s Gov. Jay Inslee behind the wheel of a semi-autonomous electric car

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Genny Carter made Gov. Jay inslee check his wallet. Yep. He was carrying his driver’s license. Cleared… Read More

Climate skeptics from Washington state added to Trump’s EPA transition team

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Two veterans of the Washington state Senate have been added to President Donald Trump’s “landing team” for the Environmental… Read More

Should online poker really be a crime? High school math teacher makes case for legalization

OLYMPIA, Wash. — High school math teacher David Shick confessed his crime: playing poker online. Shick testified before the Washington Senate… Read More

Lawmakers want to update distracted driving law for Facebook and Snapchat era

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Texting while driving is illegal under Washington state’s distracted driving law. But by the letter of the law,… Read More

Fantasy football is a skill, Washington state lawmaker contends, making new push for legalization

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Skill or chance: Which is it when you play fantasy football? State Sen. Doug Ericksen, R- Ferndale,… Read More

Proposed no-drone zone for orcas gets a hearing in Washington state

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Would you be in trouble if an orca popped up out of Puget Sound beneath your drone? Should… Read More

Washington state grapples with obstacles to implementing ultrafast 5G wireless

OLYMPIA, Wash. — 5G sounds cool. Who doesn’t want a faster Internet? But real-world problems — including safety, costs and… Read More

New political reality? Why these lawmakers donned VR headsets in a committee hearing

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Legislators on the Washington state House Technology & Economic Development Committee were given some first-hand experience with virtual reality… Read More

State legislators grapple with drone privacy and safety issues as UAVs take off

OLYMPIA, Wash. — What’s the difference between photographing a piece of private property from a Cessna airplane and doing the same… Read More

Drone no-no: State legislation could ban flying over someone else’s property

Flying your drone over another person’s private property could get harder. A bill to forbid privately owned drones from flying… Read More

A no-drone zone for orcas? Killer whales would get 200-yard buffer under proposed law

OLYMPIA, Wash. — A bill introduced in the Washington Legislature would ban unmanned aerial drones from venturing within 200 yards of… Read More

Poop power: Vancouver, B.C., will test out biofuel made from sewage

Vancouver B.C. will soon use science from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash., to create biofuels out of sewage… Read More

As cars get more fuel-efficient, Washington state to test ‘road usage charge’ as alternative to gas tax

OLYMPIA, Wash. — For years, experts have debated how more fuel-efficient cars will affect the multibillion-dollar revenue stream from Washington… Read More

Washington Gov. Inslee pushes for broad adoption of new computer science education standards

TUMWATER, Wash. — Gov. Jay Inslee wants 50 percent of Washington’s schools to meet new computer education standards by early… Read More

Washington state and Washington D.C. are headed for a clash on climate change

A philosophical collision on climate change is inevitable between the two Washingtons. But how much that collision will affect Washington state is… Read More

Washington state lawmakers grapple with coming wave of self-driving vehicles

OLYMPIA, Wash. — A self-driving car crashes. Who is legally liable for the damage? The owner? The people in the car?… Read More

SeaTac aims to be national leader in jet biofuels, announces study with Richard Branson’s nonprofit

One big hurdle in getting airlines to use biofuels is the cost difference biofuels and petroleum-based fuels. Right now, petroleum-based jet fuels… Read More

Can biofuels take flight? Alternative fuels for jetliners face political and economic headwinds

Two major steps in Washington’s infant jet biofuel industry are expected to take place in the next couple months. In… Read More

How these scientists plan to make hydrogen fuel cell cars more cost-efficient

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory says it’s about two years away from making hydrogen fuel cell cars more cost-effective —… Read More

Washington state lawmakers to hold public talks about self-driving cars

Washington state’s legislators are pondering how to deal with self-driving cars and other futuristic high-tech vehicles. Rep. Jeff Morris, D-Mount Vernon… Read More

Washington state lawmakers pass tough new cybercrime bill — but that’s about it for tech

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Cybercrime became more of a crime. But proposed tax-breaks and gender-pay-equity bills died in committee. That’s how a… Read More

Articles by John Stang

Top Stories from John Stang

Bill would let public utilities team with private companies on electric vehicle charging stations

Latest from John Stang

Washington state’s tougher distracted driving law to take effect this year, ahead of schedule

Washington state passes bill to prevent sale of biometric data without consent

Take the tablet off the steering wheel: Tougher distracted driving law set to pass in Washington state

Washington state debates new privacy bills after Trump clears way for ISPs to sell personal data

Proposed state tax on sale of personal data faces a fight from business groups

Scaled-back bill aimed at providing clarity on non-compete deals passes Washington House 97-0

Bill would prevent businesses from selling biometric data without user consent

Bill would let public utilities team with private companies on electric vehicle charging stations

Washington state legislators look to ban bitcoin in the pot business

Look out, it’s Gov. Jay Inslee behind the wheel of a semi-autonomous electric car

Climate skeptics from Washington state added to Trump’s EPA transition team

Should online poker really be a crime? High school math teacher makes case for legalization

Lawmakers want to update distracted driving law for Facebook and Snapchat era

Fantasy football is a skill, Washington state lawmaker contends, making new push for legalization

Proposed no-drone zone for orcas gets a hearing in Washington state

Washington state grapples with obstacles to implementing ultrafast 5G wireless

New political reality? Why these lawmakers donned VR headsets in a committee hearing

State legislators grapple with drone privacy and safety issues as UAVs take off

Drone no-no: State legislation could ban flying over someone else’s property

A no-drone zone for orcas? Killer whales would get 200-yard buffer under proposed law

Poop power: Vancouver, B.C., will test out biofuel made from sewage

As cars get more fuel-efficient, Washington state to test ‘road usage charge’ as alternative to gas tax

Washington Gov. Inslee pushes for broad adoption of new computer science education standards

Washington state and Washington D.C. are headed for a clash on climate change

Washington state lawmakers grapple with coming wave of self-driving vehicles

SeaTac aims to be national leader in jet biofuels, announces study with Richard Branson’s nonprofit

Can biofuels take flight? Alternative fuels for jetliners face political and economic headwinds

How these scientists plan to make hydrogen fuel cell cars more cost-efficient

Washington state lawmakers to hold public talks about self-driving cars

Washington state lawmakers pass tough new cybercrime bill — but that’s about it for tech