Seattle, WA – State Sen. Marko Liias and longtime news‑advocate Dee Anne Finken are pressing Washington lawmakers to preserve the original design of Senate Bill 5400, a proposal that would levy a tax on large tech platforms that profit from news content and direct the proceeds to sustain roughly 150 local news outlets across the state.
Bill’s original intent
SB 5400, first introduced in early 2025, is modeled on a federal framework used by several states. It would raise more than $20 million annually and allocate funds based on the number of newsroom employees, ensuring that dollars flow to outlets that actually produce journalism jobs.
New report urges flexible criteria
A recent report from the Washington State News Alliance (WSNA), funded by the Press Forward philanthropy group, recommends abandoning the employee‑based formula in favor of “community impact” and “equity” criteria. The report, which surveyed 20 organizations and interviewed 17 stakeholders, argues that officials should have discretion to support outlets that demonstrate public service.
Concerns about political influence
Finken, a retired journalist and former League of Women Voters volunteer, warned that giving officials leeway could open the door to partisan favoritism. She likened the proposal to President Donald Trump allegedly restricting White House access for outlets he dislikes, citing the CNN example.
“We need to deliver something that makes sure there’s no opportunity for misuse of funds, and that it’s not based on political preferences or philosophical preferences,” Finken said.
Critics of the WSNA report
The WSNA’s lead author, Anika Anand, previously worked for LION, a nonprofit that has received funding from Meta and Google and opposed similar journalism‑tax bills in other states. Critics note that LION has repeatedly sided with tech companies against legislation that would compel platforms to pay publishers.
Another WSNA member, Sarah Gustavus Lim, remains employed by LION, raising questions about the group’s impartiality.
Potential impact on local journalism
Supporters argue that SB 5400 is essential to prevent further newsroom layoffs. Washington has seen relatively few newspaper closures this year, but staffing cuts are “hitting right and left,” according to Finken.
“We’ve been fortunate that we haven’t had a number of closures this past year in Washington, but the staffing is being hit right and left,” she said. “So we need to bond together. We need to work together, and we can’t get caught in this discussion about what would be ideal.”
Broader context
Similar efforts in California and Oregon faced opposition from tech allies, leading to delays or watered‑down versions of the bills. Canada’s comparable law is currently under pressure from the Trump administration, which is reportedly urging Ottawa to abandon its Online News Act as part of trade negotiations.
Despite lawsuits against OpenAI and Microsoft over alleged copyright infringement of news content, advocates maintain that government intervention remains necessary to sustain a vibrant local press.
Next steps
Legislators are expected to continue hearings on SB 5400 in the coming weeks. Finken and the League of Women Voters of Washington emphasize the need for clear, objective guidelines that can garner bipartisan support.
“We keep coming back to the importance of making sure any legislation we work for, that we support, that we help write, really features some clear guidelines, objective provisions that lawmakers from both sides of the aisle can support,” Finken said.
Original reporting: Renton Reporter — read the source article.
