SB 5801 moves forward as gasoline costs poised to rise—See the impact
On March 29, the Washington State Senate passed SB 5801 (31-18), which would raise the gas tax by 6 cents per gallon […]
Federal Lawmakers reintroduce bipartisan bill to combat organized retail crime
On April 10, lawmakers reintroduced the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 in both chambers of Congress. Led by Senators Chuck […]
Easter spending nears record high at $23.6 billion
Easter spending is expected to reach $23.6 billion this year, up from $22.4 billion in 2022 and just shy of the $24 […]
What we are tracking — WR Legislative Hot List
WR is closely monitoring the bills that have advanced through the legislative process. Each week, we’ll spotlight our weekly “hot list” key […]
Tariffs and inflation slow retail outlook for 2025
Retail sales are expected to grow at a slower pace in 2025, with projections ranging from 2.7% to 3.7%, according to the […]
House approves packaging recycling bill, rejects environmental crimes bill
Photo by Washington State Standard This week, the House Appropriations Committee approved SB 5284, which establishes extended producer responsibility for product packaging. […]
Expanded military definition in unemployment rule now includes Space Force
The Employment Security Department has adopted a final rule amending WAC 192-150-110, which outlines eligibility for unemployment benefits due to mandatory military […]
WR advances Right to Appraisal proposal for collision repair members
Image credit: TVW WR successfully helped advance SB 5721, a long-awaited Right to Appraisal proposal, on behalf of its collision repair members, […]
Spring savings in full bloom
Spring is here, and top retailers are rolling out deals to help customers refresh their homes, inside and out. The Home Depot, […]
Apparel retailers grapple with higher-than-expected tariffs
The tariffs announced April 2 are steeper and broader than expected and affect almost every apparel and footwear retailer. Nearly all manufacturing is abroad, mostly […]
WR urges caution on Paid Leave rate cap increase
The Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program was established through a landmark compromise among business, labor, and policymakers. Two core principles […]
Gap unveils first collection from GapStudio by Zac Posen
GapStudio with Alex Consani, Imaan Hammam and Anok Yai. Gap Gap has launched the inaugural collection from its GapStudio subbrand, designed by creative […]