Castos https://housedemocrats.wa.gov/speakers-scoop/ A few minutes a week behind the scenes with Washington State Speaker of the House of Representatives Laurie Jinkins Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:42:08 +0000 en-us Washington State House Democratic Caucus https://episodes.castos.com/69694270a57be3-86810675/images/podcast/covers/c1a-0oxp8-v6wdn10mtgmp-rcgmly.png https://housedemocrats.wa.gov/speakers-scoop/ A few minutes a week behind the scenes with Washington State Speaker of the House of Representatives Laurie Jinkins Washington State House Democratic Caucus episodic A few minutes a week behind the scenes with Washington State Speaker of the House of Representatives Laurie Jinkins HDCBroadcast@leg.wa.gov (Washington State House Democratic Caucus) HDCBroadcast@leg.wa.gov false https://feeds.castos.com/nzp09 yes Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:42:08 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/68830/episode/2392444 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/a-historic-floor-debate The House spent 26 hours debating passage of a Millionaires Tax on Monday and Tuesday this week, with the bill finally passing late Tuesday afternoon. Speaker Jinkins discusses how House Democrats stayed focused and motivated during the long debate, knowing they were fighting for a historic change to Washington's outdated, regressive tax system that will help working families and small businesses. 

]]> full 8 2 false The House spent 26 hours debating passage of a Millionaires Tax on Monday and Tuesday this week, with the bill finally passing late Tuesday afternoon. Speaker Jinkins discusses how House Democrats stayed focused and motivated during the long debate, knowing they were fighting for a historic change to Washington's outdated, regressive tax system that will help working families and small businesses. 

]]> 00:04:49 Thu, 05 Mar 2026 02:00:24 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/68830/episode/2383214 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/opposite-house-cutoff-week As the session winds down and deadlines loom, Speaker Jinkins says she's staying focused not on the constraints of the clock or the calendar, but on who is being helped by the work done in Olympia.

]]> full 7 2 false As the session winds down and deadlines loom, Speaker Jinkins says she's staying focused not on the constraints of the clock or the calendar, but on who is being helped by the work done in Olympia.

]]> 00:04:28 Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:23:49 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/68830/episode/2374208 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/opposite-house-policy-cutoff-budgets-and-the-millionaires-tax Lots of stuff happening in Week 7 of the legislative session. Speaker Jinkins touches on some of the big topics of the week, and discusses how despite different approaches to the state budget between the House and Senate, the underlying values of each chamber's budget proposal are pretty aligned. 

]]> full 6 2 false Lots of stuff happening in Week 7 of the legislative session. Speaker Jinkins touches on some of the big topics of the week, and discusses how despite different approaches to the state budget between the House and Senate, the underlying values of each chamber's budget proposal are pretty aligned. 

]]> 00:04:43 Fri, 20 Feb 2026 18:17:28 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/68830/episode/2369534 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/the-five-oclock-bill-disappointment-and-progress It's House of Origin Cutoff week in the Legislature and this year, the "five o'clock bill" didn't end up getting a vote on the House floor. Speaker Jinkins discusses the short-term disappointment, but also why she's optimistic about the long view for forward progress on the issue of juvenile rehabilitation.

]]> full 5 2 false It's House of Origin Cutoff week in the Legislature and this year, the "five o'clock bill" didn't end up getting a vote on the House floor. Speaker Jinkins discusses the short-term disappointment, but also why she's optimistic about the long view for forward progress on the issue of juvenile rehabilitation.

]]> 00:05:04 Thu, 12 Feb 2026 01:29:20 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/68830/episode/2359901 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/a-key-week-in-the-legislative-session This is the week when the House of Representatives shifts gears and moves from holding public hearings on bills to debating and voting on many of those bills on the House floor. In today's podcast, Speaker Laurie Jinkins talks about this process, about how bills earn a coveted spot on the crowded House docket, and about how she and the other 97 members of the House paid tribute to Seattle Seahawks fans by designating December 12 (12/12, get it?) as Day of the 12s in the Evergreen State.

]]> full 4 2 false This is the week when the House of Representatives shifts gears and moves from holding public hearings on bills to debating and voting on many of those bills on the House floor. In today's podcast, Speaker Laurie Jinkins talks about this process, about how bills earn a coveted spot on the crowded House docket, and about how she and the other 97 members of the House paid tribute to Seattle Seahawks fans by designating December 12 (12/12, get it?) as Day of the 12s in the Evergreen State.

]]> 00:04:02 Thu, 05 Feb 2026 19:46:42 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/68830/episode/2349582 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/affordability-everything-is-connected With H.R. 1, the federal government has created a disaster with regards to health care access and affordability, food assistance, and more here in Washington state. This is on top of the Trump Tariffs and inflation that are also hitting Washingtonians' pocketbooks. Speaker Jinkins discusses how many of the bills before the Legislature to address local affordability concerns are actually connected to these federal actions, including the newly-introduced Millionaires Tax.

]]> full 3 2 false With H.R. 1, the federal government has created a disaster with regards to health care access and affordability, food assistance, and more here in Washington state. This is on top of the Trump Tariffs and inflation that are also hitting Washingtonians' pocketbooks. Speaker Jinkins discusses how many of the bills before the Legislature to address local affordability concerns are actually connected to these federal actions, including the newly-introduced Millionaires Tax.

]]> 00:04:56 Thu, 29 Jan 2026 02:04:15 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/68830/episode/2342214 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/protecting-washingtonians Another US citizen was killed by federal agents in Minnesota last week, and communities here and across the country are living in fear from harmful and malevolent actions by ICE. Speaker Jinkins discusses what bills are currently being considered in the Legislature to protect Washingtonians and our first responders from federal overreach.

]]> full 2 2 false Another US citizen was killed by federal agents in Minnesota last week, and communities here and across the country are living in fear from harmful and malevolent actions by ICE. Speaker Jinkins discusses what bills are currently being considered in the Legislature to protect Washingtonians and our first responders from federal overreach.

]]> 00:06:51 Thu, 22 Jan 2026 18:41:27 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/68830/episode/2334358 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/setting-the-tone-for-the-2026-session Washington House Speaker Laurie Jinkins talks about the tone she is setting for the 2026 session, which started with her opening day remarks on January 12. As House Democrats work to protect Washington values from harmful federal actions and policies, Speaker Jinkins believes it's also important to be honest with Washingtonians about what's at risk from the bad things coming out of the other Washington. 

]]> full 1 2 false Washington House Speaker Laurie Jinkins talks about the tone she is setting for the 2026 session, which started with her opening day remarks on January 12. As House Democrats work to protect Washington values from harmful federal actions and policies, Speaker Jinkins believes it's also important to be honest with Washingtonians about what's at risk from the bad things coming out of the other Washington. 

]]> 00:03:26 Tue, 06 May 2025 21:30:00 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus 2C56996E-D62E-4E71-87FE-279D626B7A23 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/the-speakers-scoop-a-few-minutes-with-washington-state-speaker-of-the-house-laurie-jinkins-in-t The 2025 session adjourned on Sunday, April 27th. In this final episode of The Speaker’s Scoop (until next January), Speaker Laurie Jinkins looks back on what she calls the most challenging session since her election to the Legislature 15 years ago. In the end, she says, the Democratic majorities in the House and Senate produced a balanced budget that centers education, housing, healthcare, mental health, public safety, jobs, and the basic needs of the people of Washington.

]]> full false The 2025 session adjourned on Sunday, April 27th. In this final episode of The Speaker’s Scoop (until next January), Speaker Laurie Jinkins looks back on what she calls the most challenging session since her election to the Legislature 15 years ago. In the end, she says, the Democratic majorities in the House and Senate produced a balanced budget that centers education, housing, healthcare, mental health, public safety, jobs, and the basic needs of the people of Washington.

]]> 00:05:18 Thu, 17 Apr 2025 22:55:00 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus 38993313-B35C-4968-91DF-69A7C06FA577 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/the-speakers-scoop-a-few-minutes-with-washington-state-speaker-of-the-house-laurie-jinkins-toda This week, Speaker Laurie Jinkins talks about opposite-house cutoff, five o’clock bills, conference committees, concurrences — the hectic give and take that characterizes the final days of a legislative session.

]]> full false This week, Speaker Laurie Jinkins talks about opposite-house cutoff, five o’clock bills, conference committees, concurrences — the hectic give and take that characterizes the final days of a legislative session.

]]> 00:06:41 Thu, 10 Apr 2025 17:32:00 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/68830/episode/2332523 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/reflections-on-national-public-health-week-and-former-doh-secretary-mary-selecky This week, Speaker Jinkins talks about public health, including key legislation this session; notes that this is National Public Health Week; and reminisces about about her friend and mentor Mary Selecky, the giant of the state’s public-health efforts, who died this week.

]]> false This week, Speaker Jinkins talks about public health, including key legislation this session; notes that this is National Public Health Week; and reminisces about about her friend and mentor Mary Selecky, the giant of the state’s public-health efforts, who died this week.

]]> 00:05:16 Thu, 03 Apr 2025 21:00:00 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus A41B562E-B189-4064-BD06-25EF0E0808F6 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/the-speakers-scoop-a-few-minutes-with-washington-state-speaker-of-the-house-laurie-jinkins-toda-1 This week, Speaker Jinkins talks about Opposite House cutoff, the next major turning point for the 2025 session. She also offers her thoughts on Speaker Emeritus Frank Chopp, her predecessor in the speakership, whose death two weeks ago sent shock waves through the Legislature and the state.

]]> full false This week, Speaker Jinkins talks about Opposite House cutoff, the next major turning point for the 2025 session. She also offers her thoughts on Speaker Emeritus Frank Chopp, her predecessor in the speakership, whose death two weeks ago sent shock waves through the Legislature and the state.

]]> 00:04:38 Thu, 27 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus 7DC86809-6C72-4118-BCDA-8F52CBBD3AD0 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/the-speakers-scoop-a-few-minutes-with-washington-state-speaker-of-the-house-laurie-jinkins-toda-2 With a little over four weeks left to go in the session, Speaker Jinkins is thinking about the many steps that need to happen to get a final budget agreement, pass it in both chambers, and get it to the governor’s desk for signature.

]]> full false With a little over four weeks left to go in the session, Speaker Jinkins is thinking about the many steps that need to happen to get a final budget agreement, pass it in both chambers, and get it to the governor’s desk for signature.

]]> 00:03:52 Thu, 20 Mar 2025 00:10:00 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus E3B4095B-3B66-4F0F-A2F3-D66A3574ECC2 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/the-speakers-scoop-a-few-minutes-with-washington-state-speaker-of-the-house-laurie-jinkins-toda-3 This week, Speaker Laurie Jinkins is focused squarely on the Legislature’s next, and biggest, task: crafting and passing an operating budget — a moral document — that exemplifies consistent Democratic values despite a yawning deficit.

]]> full false This week, Speaker Laurie Jinkins is focused squarely on the Legislature’s next, and biggest, task: crafting and passing an operating budget — a moral document — that exemplifies consistent Democratic values despite a yawning deficit.

]]> 00:05:42 Thu, 13 Mar 2025 06:10:00 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus A3DC9F32-6774-4514-8817-B6B4E18A6DCD https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/the-speakers-scoop-a-few-minutes-with-washington-state-speaker-of-the-house-laurie-jinkins-toda-4 It’s House of Origin Cutoff, an important deadline in the session, so Speaker Jinkins only had 56 seconds to chat with us.

]]> full false It’s House of Origin Cutoff, an important deadline in the session, so Speaker Jinkins only had 56 seconds to chat with us.

]]> 00:00:57 Thu, 06 Mar 2025 03:20:00 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus 9AA1BD3E-44F2-4A67-9D57-6984D0B2D462 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/the-speakers-scoop-a-few-minutes-with-washington-state-speaker-of-the-house-laurie-jinkins-toda-5 Speaker Laurie Jinkins discusses the transition in Olympia to full-time floor action this week, and recounts her discussion with U.S. Sen. Patty Murray about the unprecedented threat posed by actions of the new federal administration.

]]> full false Speaker Laurie Jinkins discusses the transition in Olympia to full-time floor action this week, and recounts her discussion with U.S. Sen. Patty Murray about the unprecedented threat posed by actions of the new federal administration.

]]> 00:05:06 Thu, 27 Feb 2025 00:20:00 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus 255E403F-1DF0-4829-8394-F16B4C9174C9 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/the-speakers-scoop-a-few-minutes-with-washington-state-speaker-of-the-house-laurie-jinkins-toda-6 It’s great to be in the majority, and be able to pass good policies that help people thrive and move Washington forward. Democrats in the state legislature have gotten to do a lot of that over the past few years. But when there’s a budget shortfall, like this year, it’s also the majority that decides what gets cut from the state budget. This is not simply about numbers on a spreadsheet; it’s about people and families that will be directly impacted.

]]> full false It’s great to be in the majority, and be able to pass good policies that help people thrive and move Washington forward. Democrats in the state legislature have gotten to do a lot of that over the past few years. But when there’s a budget shortfall, like this year, it’s also the majority that decides what gets cut from the state budget. This is not simply about numbers on a spreadsheet; it’s about people and families that will be directly impacted.

]]> 00:04:51 Thu, 20 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus 97C22FBF-5672-4173-AF34-D8827DEF65F7 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/the-speakers-scoop-a-few-minutes-with-washington-state-speaker-of-the-house-laurie-jinkins In this week’s installment of The Speaker’s Scoop, Speaker Jinkins talks about two hard deadlines legislators are facing — policy cutoff and fiscal cutoff — and the impact they have on the fate of bills. She also talks about every lawmaker’s fear: the dead bill.

]]> full false In this week’s installment of The Speaker’s Scoop, Speaker Jinkins talks about two hard deadlines legislators are facing — policy cutoff and fiscal cutoff — and the impact they have on the fate of bills. She also talks about every lawmaker’s fear: the dead bill.

]]> 00:06:07 Wed, 12 Feb 2025 23:00:00 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus AA89DB12-1C19-4D27-BA7E-DED90C0D2074 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/the-speakers-scoop-a-few-minutes-with-washington-state-speaker-of-the-house-laurie-jinkins-1 Is it a “spending problem?” This year, budget writers in Olympia are contending with a $12 billion shortfall in the state budget. Speaker Jinkins’ self-described “wonky take” on this question covers the unpredictability of revenue growth when balancing the state budget over four years, and how Washington’s regressive tax structure falls heaviest on working families and households with the lowest incomes.

]]> full false Is it a “spending problem?” This year, budget writers in Olympia are contending with a $12 billion shortfall in the state budget. Speaker Jinkins’ self-described “wonky take” on this question covers the unpredictability of revenue growth when balancing the state budget over four years, and how Washington’s regressive tax structure falls heaviest on working families and households with the lowest incomes.

]]> 00:05:23 Thu, 06 Feb 2025 22:30:00 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus F3EAF650-464F-43D0-805B-C1655CEB55F8 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/the-speakers-scoop-a-few-minutes-with-washington-state-speaker-of-the-house-laurie-jinkins-2 Before he left office, Governor Inslee released two budget proposals. His “Book 2” proposal is the one the media has focused on. This budget proposed $12 billion in new revenue, and around $2 billion in cuts. But the only budget proposal a governor is actually required under state law to release is one with no new revenue. This is called a “Book 1” budget, and so far no one has really been talking about what Gov. Inslee’s “Book 1” budget looked like. Speaker Jinkins looks at some of the details.

]]> full false Before he left office, Governor Inslee released two budget proposals. His “Book 2” proposal is the one the media has focused on. This budget proposed $12 billion in new revenue, and around $2 billion in cuts. But the only budget proposal a governor is actually required under state law to release is one with no new revenue. This is called a “Book 1” budget, and so far no one has really been talking about what Gov. Inslee’s “Book 1” budget looked like. Speaker Jinkins looks at some of the details.

]]> 00:04:35 Thu, 30 Jan 2025 22:30:00 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus 239786E0-C9E1-4288-86BE-A9A4F12191B6 https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/the-speakers-scoop-a-few-minutes-with-washington-state-speaker-of-the-house-laurie-jinkins-3 Washington Senate Democrats have a new Majority Leader: Sen. Jamie Pedersen. He and Speaker Jinkins have actually known each other for 30 years, going back to when they were both (in her words) “…young whippersnapper advocates.” In this episode, she talks about what it’s like to work with him as her leadership counterpart in the state Senate.

]]> full false Washington Senate Democrats have a new Majority Leader: Sen. Jamie Pedersen. He and Speaker Jinkins have actually known each other for 30 years, going back to when they were both (in her words) “…young whippersnapper advocates.” In this episode, she talks about what it’s like to work with him as her leadership counterpart in the state Senate.

]]> 00:04:36 Fri, 24 Jan 2025 22:30:00 +0000 Washington State House Democratic Caucus BEEE71B7-74B9-4D6F-A3A1-51C268026B4E https://the-speakers-scoop.castos.com/episodes/the-speakers-scoop-a-few-minutes-with-washington-state-speaker-of-the-house-laurie-jinkins-4 Welcome to The Speaker’s Scoop, a behind-the-scenes podcast with Washington Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins. In this first episode, Speaker Jinkins talks about the ceremonial aspects of the first week of session. She also talks about the budget challenge facing lawmakers this year, and how this may be the year a rent stabilization bill gets all the way to the governor’s desk. 

]]> full false Welcome to The Speaker’s Scoop, a behind-the-scenes podcast with Washington Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins. In this first episode, Speaker Jinkins talks about the ceremonial aspects of the first week of session. She also talks about the budget challenge facing lawmakers this year, and how this may be the year a rent stabilization bill gets all the way to the governor’s desk. 

]]> 00:04:54