Washington legislators will have two opportunities in their upcoming session to support the local news industry, if they’re not completely focused on growing the state budget.

State Sen. Marko Liias, D-Edmonds, is preparing a new version of Senate Bill 5400, the measure he introduced last January to raise taxes on dominant tech platforms profiting from local news.

Proceeds would fund grants to support local journalism, potentially raising around $25 million a year.

“I think we’ve got to keep this issue front and center,” Liias said, adding that he hears “at least once a week” from constituents and others who thank him for addressing the local journalism crisis.

Liias said details are still being worked out in consultation with a group of publishers and advocates for local news. But the

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