Senator John Braun and Senator Jeff Wilson encouraged, hopeful for governor’s announcement

OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, and Sen. Jeff Wilson, ranking Republican on the Senate State Government and Elections Committee, released the following remarks after reading in the media the Senate majority leader’s comments that the governor would be loosening restrictions on restaurants and other businesses.

Braun, R-Centralia, and Wilson, R-Longview, have fought to get Senate Bill 5114 passed, which would bring the entire state into Phase 2 of the governor’s reopening plan.

“While we are encouraged by the possibility that the governor will reopen more of Washington’s businesses, we need to use science to safely open businesses immediately. This will address the very real crisis our family-owned businesses are suffering. We know we can gather in safe, regulated public spaces. Infection rates in restaurants are less than one percent. It is a very distant third behind gathering in private homes and health-care settings. Other states that are fully open have far lower death rates than we do here in Washington.”

Gov. Inslee’s office announced this morning that it he is holding a news conference this afternoon to provide an update on his Roadmap to Recovery.