Washington Senate Bill 5400 seeks to fund local news via tech tax

Legislators in Washington are revisiting Senate Bill 5400, a proposal aimed at supporting local journalism by taxing technology companies that profit from news content. If passed, the bill could generate over $20 million annually to sustain approximately 150 news outlets and prevent job losses in the sector.

However, a new report funded by the Press Forward philanthropy organization has prompted debate by suggesting radical changes to the bill. The report proposes allowing officials more discretion in selecting which outlets receive support and suggests funding non-journalism organizations. Critics, including members of the League of Women Voters of Washington, argue these changes could weaken guardrails and allow government influence over the press based on political or philosophical preferences.