Native mascot ban House bill passes Senate

REARDAN – House Bill 1356, which would ban the use of Native American names, symbols or images as public school mascots, logos or team names, passed through the Senate April 6 with 40 "yea" votes and nine "nay" votes. The bill appears to be on its way to Gov. Jay Inslee, who would be expected to sign the bill into law.

However, if the Spokane Tribe grants the district permission, the Reardan-Edwall School District would fall under several exceptions the bill allows.

Even though Lincoln County doesn't have any tribal land, it is adjacent to counties with Spokane Tribal land. The bill originally...