Civic – Page 20 of 59

Washington state lawmakers seek to ban government from using discriminatory AI tech

Washington state could become a national leader in regulating the technologies of the future, thanks in part to a bill… Read More

Legislators steer Washington state toward direct electric vehicle sales, bypassing auto dealers

A bill working its way through the Washington state House would allow makers of electric vehicles (EVs) to sell direct… Read More

Seattle startup’s bright idea: High-tech crosswalk could signal a way to improve pedestrian safety

On a rainy, foggy night in Seattle, an incident in a crosswalk changed the path that Janie Bube was on.… Read More

Seattle’s newest billionaire says tax talk will drive business away, claims Seattle freeze is ‘garbage’

Tanium co-founder and CEO Orion Hindawi may not be as well known as Jeff Bezos, Steve Ballmer, Bill Gates or… Read More

Life sciences leaders see big opportunity for more collaboration across Seattle and Vancouver

In 2016, B.C. Cancer Agency chief Dr. Malcolm Moore traveled from Vancouver to Seattle and paid a visit to the… Read More

President Biden doubles down on immigration agenda, but tech priorities take a backseat

President Joe Biden continued unwinding the previous administration’s controversial immigration agenda Tuesday through a series of executive orders. Over the… Read More

Tech workers sound off on Washington state’s proposed ‘billionaire tax’ at first public hearing

Tech workers showed up to a virtual hearing Tuesday to voice their opinion on a proposed tax on Washington state’s… Read More

‘That rhythm is gone’: Washington state legislators on the pros and cons of virtual government

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Some 3,000 members of the public testified last week to comment on two of the most hot-button… Read More

In a world of ‘remote everything,’ Washington state sees new push for public broadband networks

A bill that would give local governments and public agencies the ability to offer retail internet services appears headed to… Read More

Washington state lawmakers target Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and other billionaires with wealth tax

A new proposed wealth tax in Washington state would impose a 1% tax on billionaires, affecting Seattle-area tech and business… Read More

Why Washington state could finally pass data privacy laws with a bill backed by the tech industry

Washington state will once again try to pass data privacy regulations akin to Europe and California’s laws this year —… Read More

Is the regulatory crusade against Big Tech over? What experts expect under Biden administration

When President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were sworn in Wednesday, they inherited a unique opportunity to rein… Read More

WTIA launches market accelerator program for Canadian AR and VR startups breaking into U.S.

The Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) announced Wednesday that it is launching a Canadian XR Startup Market Accelerator program to help… Read More

Amazon sends letter to President Biden, says it is ‘ready to assist’ with U.S. vaccination efforts

Editor’s note: Story updated with Amazon’s response to questions about the timing of its letter. Amazon says it is ready… Read More

President Biden addresses misinformation, climate crisis in inauguration speech

“We’ve learned again that democracy is precious. Democracy is fragile. And at this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.” President… Read More

Here’s what tech policy leaders are watching, and expecting, as Biden takes office

When Joe Biden and Kamala Harris take the oath of office on Wednesday, the new president and vice president will… Read More

Uber raising trip prices 24% in new year in response to Seattle’s new minimum wage law for drivers

The cost of an Uber trip in Seattle will jump about 24% starting Friday as the ride-hailing company is raising… Read More

Q&A: Rep. DelBene on data privacy, rural broadband and the Biden administration’s tech agenda

When President-elect Joe Biden and the incoming Congress take the helm this January, they will face several unresolved tech policy… Read More

Balancing act: What Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan’s short tenure says about running a tech hub

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan sought to build a bridge between the tech industry and its harshest critics in the divided… Read More

Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce sues city over ‘illegal’ payroll tax on big businesses

Fighting back against what it calls a “headwind to Seattle’s economic recovery,” the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce filed a lawsuit… Read More

Bill Gates calls for creation of National Institutes of Energy Innovation to better address climate change

In the midst of one global disaster, Bill Gates is thinking about how to prevent the next. And while the… Read More

Amazon’s safety claims fail to convince critics in government amid holiday shopping rush

Amazon has consistently defended its safety record following exposés by the Center for Investigative Reporting over the past year documenting… Read More

How technology is trying to address bias in policing — and why experts say it won’t be enough

For the past few months, Axon has been reviewing its products and internal policies with an eye toward racial equity,… Read More

Broadband, automation, privacy top tech industry’s priorities for Biden — after controlling pandemic

First, get the COVID-19 pandemic under control, and strive to bring the country together with a new sense of national… Read More

Cantwell report warns that Google and Facebook are killing local journalism as CEOs testify at Senate

The technology industry is pushing local journalism over the edge, according to a new report from the office of Sen.… Read More

Longterm vision for Seattle-Portland-Vancouver mega-region will require a ‘consensus on growth’

Traffic as congested as Los Angeles? Housing as unaffordable as the Bay Area or New York? Climate emissions falling well… Read More

Twitter to pay $100k to Washington state in settlement over political ad disclosure violations

Twitter agreed to pay $100,000 to settle charges that it violated Washington state campaign finance laws that required the company… Read More

Seattle mayor signs minimum wage law for Uber and Lyft drivers in first-ever virtual bill signing

Seattle officially established a minimum wage standard for Uber and Lyft drivers on Thursday as Mayor Jenny Durkan signed the… Read More

Seattle adopts minimum wage for Uber and Lyft drivers

Seattle became the second big city in the nation to establish a minimum wage standard for Uber and Lyft drivers… Read More

Debate over Uber and Lyft driver pay comes to a head as Seattle prepares to set minimum wage

Seattle officials are slated to vote on a minimum wage standard for Uber and Lyft drivers on Tuesday that will… Read More