February 06, 2024

Fentanyl education bill passes Senate committee as pills fall to 25 cents in Portland

OLYMPIA – A bill launching a public education campaign to prevent drug overdoses cleared the Senate Ways and Means Committee Monday before a key deadline Monday for passage of bills in the 2024 legislative session. Other elements of the ‘Recovery Washington’ package announced by Senate Republicans did not advance, but...
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February 05, 2024

ALERT: Democrat bill to TRIPLE the increase in property tax

A bad bill Senate Democrats sponsored last year is being given a chance this year to move forward. Senate Bill 5770 would triple the 1% cap on the growth of local property taxes, taking $6 billion more of your money over the next 12 years. It is likely to come...
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January 26, 2024

NEWSLETTER: Taxes that will increase the cost of housing during a housing crisis are a bad idea

Watch: My weekly video update – session, taxes and natural gas   FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, We are about to hit some milestones in this 60-day legislative session, which makes it a good time to explain what happens to legislation from here. Next Wednesday, Jan. 31, is policy-committee cutoff. This is...
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January 24, 2024

Republican senators take aim at opioid crisis with ‘Recovery Washington’ drug-treatment package

See press conference on TVW at the following link: https://www.tvw.org/watch/?clientID=9375922947&eventID=2024011527   OLYMPIA – Senate Republicans are calling for a stronger response to Washington’s opioid crisis with a package of bills aimed at preventing overdoses, coordinating state efforts to promote treatment and recovery, and restoring funding for multijurisdictional law enforcement drug...
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January 20, 2024

Mistaken “yes” vote on SB 5462 explained

The following is my response to inquiries regarding the “yes” vote I made in error on Senate Bill 5462.   Thank you for checking in on this bill. I was pulled off the floor to discuss another matter and thought they were voting on a different bill when they called...
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January 16, 2024

Bill on Holocaust, genocide education to receive Senate hearing tomorrow

OLYMPIA…A bill from Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, that would require Washington public schools to teach about the Jewish Holocaust and other campaigns of genocide will receive a public hearing tomorrow (Jan. 17) before the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee. The committee meeting will begin at 10:30...
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January 15, 2024

Call to conserve power proves need for better energy policies

OLYMPIA…Millions of power customers in Washington received a notice over the weekend to lower their thermostats and limit their use of hot water to alleviate pressure on the power grid while Washington experienced winter weather. Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, released the following statement in response. “This weekend’s energy...
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January 12, 2024

NEWSLETTER: Hitting the ground running on key issues this legislative session

  Friends and Neighbors, WEEKLY VIDEO UPDATE The first week of session was busy and I have several things to share with you. First, take a few minutes to watch my weekly video update. LEGISLATIVE PREVIEWS Every year, the week before session starts, the leaders of the four caucuses participate...
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January 10, 2024

State-run detention centers like Green Hill School need security-protocol overhaul

Governor needs to be accountable, stop minimizing problems   OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, and Centralia Chief of Police Stacy Denham are disputing the governor’s recent claim that security protocols at Green Hill School, the state-run maximum-security detention facility in Chehalis, are “improved.” They provided the following statement in...
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