Author Archives: kimberlywirtz

Senate Republican leader: Democrats expected to push tax hikes to fund inequitable pay raises

OLYMPIA – Senate Republicans released their $ave Washington budget proposal Tuesday, proving the state budget that lawmakers must adopt for 2025-27 can be balanced without new taxes—despite a multibillion-dollar shortfall.

Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, issued this statement about the Republican budget and Democrats’ push for billions in new and higher taxes:

“We’re being told the state faces a $10–$15 billion deficit, that tax increases are the only way out, and that failing to raise taxes would lead to catastrophic consequences for the most vulnerable. None of it is true.

“Our budget would take a better, more honest approach. Nonpartisan staff place the shortfall at $6.6 billion. Democrats inflate the shortfall to include $4 billion for worker pay raises negotiated by former Governor Jay Inslee when the state still had a surplus. The financial landscape has changed, and those raises are no longer feasible.

“Instead, the $ave Washington budget provides each of these employees with a $5,000 bonus, split evenly over two years. This is a more progressive solution: Employees earning under $80,000 come out ahead with the bonus after those two years, compared to the negotiated pay raises, which favor those with higher salaries.

“At a time when Washingtonians are struggling to afford the basics, forcing them to pay higher taxes just to fund $4 billion in raises—disproportionately benefiting higher-paid employees—only serves public-employee unions, not the people.”

Senate Unanimously Passes Braun Bill to Improve Safety, Reduce Overcrowding in Juvenile Facilities

OLYMPIA – Legislation from Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, to address overcrowding in Washington’s juvenile-justice facilities and improve safety for both staff and inmates was passed by the Senate unanimously today. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Senate Bill 5278 responds to ongoing issues at institutions like Green Hill School in Chehalis, which have worsened since juvenile-justice laws were changed in 2018 and 2019. One such change, known as “JR to 25,” allows those convicted of crimes before age 18 to remain in juvenile facilities until age 25 instead of being transferred to adult prisons.

This policy has contributed to rising violence, gang activity, riots, drug smuggling, overdoses, and even deaths at Green Hill. The facility, overseen by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), has become increasingly difficult to manage, with some staff members even participating in illegal activity.

“The current system is failing both staff and inmates,” said Braun. “Violent offenders are taking advantage of a system that wasn’t designed to hold them long term, leading to dangerous conditions inside our juvenile-justice facilities. JR-25 was well-intentioned, but our system was unprepared for the overcrowding that would happen.

“Green Hill School sometimes houses residents at twice its capacity. SB 5278 would provide officials with tools to manage the population so that minimum-risk residents can begin transitioning back into society and more-dangerous residents can be transferred to the custody of DOC.”

SB 5278 also would give DCYF more flexibility in managing its inmate population, allowing inmates over 18 who pose a danger to others to be transferred into the custody of the Department of Corrections (DOC). Additionally, inmates over 18 could voluntarily request a transfer to a DOC facility.

“A critical piece of this legislation is the set of rules it puts in place for infraction management,” Braun explained. “Frequently, criminal charges have been made against residents because the system doesn’t provide those managing our juvenile-justice facilities with a method of providing consequences for infractions without returning the residents to the criminal-justice system. When you combine all these tools, they allow staff to operate the facilities in a way that keeps staff and residents safe.”

The bill also creates pathways for less-dangerous inmates to reintegrate into society before completing their sentences. Some could be transferred to one of eight residential facilities, where they would receive treatment, educational, and vocational support, or serve part of their confinement in a community setting.

Another option under SB 5278 is participation in a DOC work-release program. Eligible inmates would live in partial confinement while holding a job, attending college, or participating in vocational training. However, their privileges could be revoked if they violate supervision conditions.

“We aren’t providing the services that the residents at our juvenile-justice facilities deserve – that we are required to provide – because the overcrowding has made conducting classes and providing treatment or counseling too dangerous. We need to do more to get these young people back on track,” said Braun.

“The unanimous passage of this bill in the Senate shows that improving public safety and rehabilitating young offenders is not a partisan issue. We all want a system that protects staff, supports rehabilitation, and ensures that those who are truly dangerous are placed in the right environment. Senate Bill 5278 moves us in that direction.”

Senate committee backs Braun bill to reduce chronic absenteeism

OLYMPIA… A bill introduced by Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, to help school districts address chronic absenteeism has been approved by the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee and now awaits consideration by the full Senate.

Senate Bill 5007 is aimed at supporting students at risk of falling behind academically due to excessive absences.

In September 2024, KUOW radio reported Washington remains among the worst states for chronic absenteeism, with roughly 30% of students missing more than 10% of the school year—approximately three weeks. While that figure reflects some improvement over the prior year, it remains twice the pre-pandemic level and higher than the national average of one in four students.

“This is a straightforward issue,” said Braun. “Students who don’t attend school regularly struggle to keep up, and that puts them at a disadvantage. Some families face challenges that make regular attendance difficult, and schools need more support to help address those barriers. This bill provides tools to parents and educators to help get students back in the classroom.”

Braun noted that chronic absenteeism is linked to lower graduation rates and long-term economic and health challenges.

“If we can do more to prevent those outcomes, we should,” he said. “I appreciate the committee’s support and hope the full Senate will consider the bill soon.”

Subject to available funding, SB 5007 would require each of Washington’s nine educational service districts to develop training and coaching programs for school staff focused on reducing absenteeism. It would also expand the Building Bridges Program to include chronically absent students, offering grants to community-based organizations, tribes, and community and technical colleges to support intervention efforts.

The Building Bridges Program is a local partnership of schools, families and communities that provides:

A means of identifying students at risk of dropping out
Coaches or mentors to provide support
Staff to coordinate the community partners so there is a continuum of academic and nonacademic resources
Retrieval/reentry activities
Alternative educational programming

NEWSLETTER: Democrats want a mileage tax AND they want to tax the tax

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

People in Washington are currently struggling with a high tax burden, especially with the increases in the cost of living brought on by other government policies. But that’s not stopping Democrats from demanding new and higher taxes.

This week, Democrats in the Senate and House of Representatives are once again sponsoring bills to impose a “road-usage charge” on Washingtonians. Republicans have fought successfully for many years to avoid this regressive and heavily burdensome tax, more commonly known as the mileage tax or pay-per-mile tax.

We know it would disproportionately hurt those living in rural areas, families who need to commute or transport kids around to school and activities, and those who have no choice but to drive long distances.

Senate Bill 5726 (and House Bill 1921) would create a program to tax you 2.6 cents for every mile you drive, claiming it would be used solely for maintenance and the preservation of highways. However, that money would not be designated solely for transportation projects by the 18th Amendment to the Washington State Constitution. It could potentially be used for other purposes by future legislatures, unlike our gas-tax revenue.

But SB 5726 doesn’t stop with just the mileage charge. It would also impose a tax of 10% on the amount you pay for the mileage charge.

Yes, you read that right. It taxes the tax.

Let’s look at an example. On average, drivers in Washington put 13,500 to 16,500 miles per year on their cars. At 2.6 cents per mile, they would owe between $351 and $429. But with the additional 10% tax on that amount, they would actually owe $386.10 to $472.90. This would be in addition to the state gas tax, the federal gas tax, and the Climate Commitment Act charges you already pay.

Worse yet is that Democrats are also considering an increase in property taxes, an increase in the tax on receipts that businesses pay, and a “wealth” tax that, when implemented in other states, has actually hurt the economy and cost the residents family-wage jobs because the wealthy can easily move out of state.

We saw this happen when the Democrats imposed the income tax on capital gains here in Washington. Innovators such as Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos moved out of state and other businesses decided not to locate here.

A recent poll showed 77% of Washingtonians do not want new or higher taxes this year. Most of them also believe they will end up bearing the cost of new and higher taxes through increased prices and fewer jobs.

Republicans have proposed ways to reduce state spending and avoid raising taxes to cover the deficit that chronic overspending has created. The plan is called $ave Washington. I encourage you to watch our website for more information on the budget, the deficit and the taxes Democrats are supporting – all of which we are fighting against.

Sincerely,

Sen. John Braun

WATCH: My weekly legislative video update

In this week’s episode of my legislative update video, I talk about how my bill to help with overcrowding at juvenile justice facilities such as The Green Hill School was passed in the Senate. I also talk about the bill to reform the governor’s emergency powers, which you can testify on next week. And, I talk about the ongoing effort to fund the hiring of additional law enforcement officers and the plan to change the culture in policing.

Bad bill: Redesigning our state flag

Claiming that the Washington state flag is poorly designed and no longer relevant to our state’s identity, a House Democrat has proposed a bill to create a committee to redesign the flag by July 1, 2028.

House Bill 1938 further disparages the current flag, calling it an outdated and uninspired failure. It also says that while George Washington is a significant historical figure, he has little connection to the state of Washington and having his likeness on the flag is less meaningful and hard to reproduce.

SB 1938 would create a committee to lead the redesign process. The committee would include legislators, the Secretary of State, a historian, tribal representatives, regional representatives, designers, and someone from the Washington State Arts Commission.

The committee would be tasked to, “Develop and adopt a new design for the official state flag that accurately and respectfully reflects Washington’s shared history, resources, and diverse cultural communities.”

SB 1938 also would require the issue to be voted on by the people through a referendum to find out if the public supports a redesign at all. That’s right: Democrats would let you vote on something like this, but not on their efforts to undermine the Parents’ Rights Act. When Republicans proposed an amendment to SB 5181 that would allow for a voter referendum, Democrats flatly refused.

Washington’s flag has represented our state for over a century, and the idea that honoring George Washington is somehow outdated is absurd. While I’m glad the people would ultimately have a say through a referendum, if this utterly unnecessary bill actually becomes law, this seems like nothing more than political pandering, not the actions of people who are serious about solving problems.

Instead of spending time and resources on redesigning a flag, Democrats should be joining us to focus on the real issues affecting Washingtonians—like affordability, public safety, and education.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT?

Share your thoughts on this bill with my office.

Braun files bill to step up state’s handling of child-neglect cases

OLYMPIA… Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, introduced legislation today aimed at improving the state’s response to child-neglect cases and reducing costly lawsuits stemming from inadequate intervention.

Cases of child neglect are increasing, as are monetary settlements against the state for its handling of these cases. Senate Bill 5736 seeks to address these challenges with a two-pronged approach designed to improve outcomes for vulnerable children.

First, if the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) determines a child-neglect allegation to be valid, SB 5736 would require the agency to inform the family about public-assistance programs it may qualify for, including employment services, food assistance, and childcare support.

Second, the bill would establish an inter-agency team to review chronic child-neglect cases. If DCYF finds that a case involves ongoing neglect, it would be referred to this team, elevating the state’s response and potentially leading to stronger interventions.

“We cannot allow children to slip through the cracks and suffer the consequences of instability,” said Braun. “Because poverty is so often a large contributing factor in child neglect cases, by better connecting parents and guardians to resources that improve their financial situation, we can reduce the incidence of child neglect.

“Protecting the most vulnerable in our communities is a moral imperative and should be among the highest priorities for any state legislator. We must use every tool at our disposal to enhance the well-being and safety of children at risk of neglect and abuse. Failing to act not only harms these children but also burdens taxpayers with expensive legal settlements—draining resources that could otherwise help other vulnerable Washingtonians.”

DCYF is responsible for 151 payouts of $1 million or more in the past four years. Payouts due to claims and lawsuits against state agencies represent one of the fastest-growing areas of the state budget, costing more than $500 million in the past two years. Braun is a co-sponsor of SB 5144, which would provide more oversight by legislators of agencies that incur million-dollar payouts.

Legislative Democrats are on the wrong side of parents’ rights

On Monday of this week, I sat for an interview with John Roberts of FOX News to discuss Senate Bill 5181, which would undermine the Parents’ Rights Act that resulted from Initiative 2081 last year. (Click the photo above to watch my interview.)

I was invited to respond to a statement made by the Senate majority leader last week in which he said: “Kids over 13 years old have a complete right to make their own decisions about their mental-health care. Parents do not have a right to have notice. They do not have a right to consent about that.”

I believe parents have a right and a responsibility to be involved in their children’s lives. The law should encourage that, and when the Parent’s Rights Initiative was passed last year, I saw it as a step in the right direction. The initiative was about sharing educational and medical information in a school’s possession with parents. At issue is what parents have a right to know about when their child is at school and when they are given that information.

No matter what happens to a student, their parents have a right to know about it. The state does not belong in the middle of the parent-child relationship, and parents are the ones who should be seeking help for their children with mental or behavioral-health problems.

Democrats repeatedly claim that they are protecting kids whose parents might harm them or neglect them if they knew what was going on at school. This is rare, and we already have laws that address abuse and neglect. But Democrats continue to sponsor and pass legislation that divide parents from children, often when kids need the most support. This kind of legislation destroys trust in public education.

SB 5181 passed in the Senate without a single Republican vote. Democrats accepted three of our amendments. House Democrats have sponsored their own bills that undercut parents.

If SB 5181 gets a committee hearing in the House, you will have an opportunity to testify against it. In the meantime, you may share your thoughts and call on Democrats to “kill” the bill by contacting the following people.

Speaker of the House: laurie.jinkins@leg.wa.gov

Chair of the House Education Committee: sharontomiko.santos@leg.wa.gov

NEWSLETTER: Democrats undermining your right to know

Watch my weekly legislative update:

Friends and Neighbors,

Nearly 500,000 Washington voters signed on to Initiative 2081, knowns as the Parents’ Bill of Rights. Last session, legislators on both sides of the aisle, including me, spoke in favor of the initiative and why it was a positive step. It passed with bipartisan support.

Fast forward to this session. In a move that ignores the will of the people and undermines the purpose of the law to protect parents’ “right to know,” Democrats are moving bills forward that would weaken that right.

The most concerning of these is Senate Bill 5181. This bill has many problems, such as lengthening the time the school has to notify you if your child is attacked. It also creates some exceptions to when schools even have to notify parents.

When current law limits minor access to tanning beds and tattoo parlors, why are we limiting parents’ knowledge of their children’s medical issues.

Listen to my legislative update on this issue.

All parents should worry about this effort.

My weekly column in The Chronicle elaborates on SB 5181 and what it really means for our state. Read my full column.

If you want to share your opposition to this bill, contact the following legislators who have control over what happens to this bill — and your right to know.

LISTEN: Official Podcast

Our caucus produces an official podcast that is a great way to hear about what’s happening in the Legislature. It’s called The Elephant in the Dome.

In this episode, our staff hosts and I delve into Democrat efforts to limit parental rights, and the challenges and opportunities in education founding. I also talk about my vision for a reimagining of The Evergreen State College.

Read my news release about my proposal to close Evergreen and turn it into a South Sound UW campus dedicated to training medical workers to care for the 3.2 million Washingtonians who will be part of a “Silver Tsunami” in five years that will overwhelm our health-care system.

Listen to additional episodes on our website.

Another firsthand look at conditions at Green Hill

I talk a lot about what happens at the Green Hill School, the juvenile justice facility in Chehalis, because it has been riddled with serious overcrowding and poor management protocols — two things that have made it a dangerous and unproductive rehabilitation environment.

At the invitation of Sen. Leonard Christian, 4th Legislative District, I accompanied him on another tour of Green Hill. He is the current lead Republican on the Senate Human Services Committee, which is assigned to consider bills related to Green Hill and my bill that would repeal JR-25— the policy that allows residents convicted of a crime as a minor to remain at the facility until age 25 rather than transfer to a jail run by the Department of Corrections. Green Hill is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Children, Youth and Families.

We have a duty to the residents in the program to keep them safe and prepare them to face a brighter future when they are released. We also have a responsibility to keep staff safe in the workplace, and set them up for success with a solid policy framework. I’ll continue to update you on this as my bills progress, as well as others that seek to improve conditions.

A safer Washington: Hiring more law enforcement officers

A dubious distinction for Washington is that we remain dead last of all 50 states in the number of law-enforcement officers per capita protecting the people.

Fixing that remains a top priority for my caucus and me. My colleague, Sen. Jeff Holy, 6th Legislative District, sponsored two bills this session to provide state funding and incentivize county and local government to hire more officers.

Senate Bill 5285 incentivizes cities and counties to contribute additional funding toward hiring officers by allowing them to impose a 0.10 percent sales tax to pay for it. The bill would protect that money by mandating that the funds be spent ONLY on hiring law enforcement officers.

Senate Bill 5060 provides $100 million in grants to help fund salaries for new officers. This bill received a hearing and passed out of committee. We expect to see it come to the floor soon for a vote.

Gov. Ferguson gave Sen. Holy a shoutout during his inaugural speech during the opening week of legislative session, saying he wanted to work with him on this issue and would not sign a budget that did not contain that funding.

Both bills have bipartisan support and are working their way through the legislative process. I hope to announce that both of these bills have been signed by the governor sooner rather than later. Washington will be safer for it. Stay tuned and watch their progress.

Braun proposes transforming The Evergreen State College to address Washington’s growing health-care workforce crisis

OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, introduced a bill today that would better position Washington to manage the critical demand for 3.2 million additional health-care workers within the next five years.

Senate Bill 5424 would change the mission of The Evergreen State College (TESC), which, as an institution of higher education, has declined in recent years. Its full-time enrollment of 2,386 in 2024 is identical to the enrollment in 1982 and less than half of what it was in 2009-11.

The bill would redirect state resources toward producing the intermediate health-care workers needed to respond to the “Silver Tsunami” of people whose medical needs are expected to overwhelm the current capacity of Washington’s health-care system.

“Washington is facing a significant challenge in meeting the demand for skilled health-care workers, and we need to act decisively,” said Braun.

“This proposal would transform existing resources into a solution that directly addresses our state’s growing health-care needs. By repurposing The Evergreen State College as a UW Health Sciences Campus, we can prepare a workforce capable of supporting communities across Washington. This is a strategic investment in our future health-care system and the well-being of our residents.”

Intermediate health-care workers include licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, paramedics, physician assistants, advance practice registered nurses, and allied health professionals (e.g. – respiratory therapists, physical therapists, and radiologic technicians.)

What the bill would do:

Retires “The Evergreen State College” and transfers its powers and property to the University of Washington as the new “UW Health Sciences Campus”
Immediately appoints a chancellor for the new institution and requires UW to conduct a search for permanent leadership
Requires a formal review of all former TESC programs, phasing out any by 2030 that do not align with the new campus mission
Establishes a coordinating council of health care, business and community leaders to set the strategic direction of the institution
Requires the Board of Regents to adopt a policy awarding credit or course equivalencies for all credits earned at TESC
Requires the Board to develop a financial sustainability plan and submit it to the Legislature by July 2028

SB 5424 has been assigned to the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee.

Braun bills aim to reform Washington’s broken juvenile-justice system

OLYMPIA… Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, today introduced a package of reform legislation intended to address safety and operational concerns he and others have raised about state-run juvenile-rehabilitation facilities.

The four bills stem from continuing problems with overcrowding, drug use, assaults and other criminal activity at Green Hill School in Chehalis, which traditionally housed boys convicted of crimes while under the age of 18. Due to a law passed in 2018 referred to as JR to 25, residents who turn 18 while in custody are now kept at the facility rather than moved to the state prison system. This has created a host of serious problems that endanger residents and staff and undermine the state’s duty to provide rehabilitation services.

Green Hill School, located in the 20th Legislative District served by Braun, is operated by the state Department of Children, Youth and Family Services (DCYF) rather than the state Department of Corrections (DOC). Given the conditions at Green Hill, Braun and others have questioned whether DCYF is the appropriate agency to oversee the facility and others like it.

Senate Bill 5274 would require DCYF to create a pilot program for staff at Green Hill to begin wearing body cameras by Jan. 1, 2026. DCYF would also have to establish policies regarding use of the cameras, which would be like those used by law enforcement.
Senate Bill 5276 would require DCYF and DOC to reimburse local governments for costs incurred for responding to crimes committed in jails and juvenile-reform facilities such as Green Hill. The state Office of Fiscal Management would establish an hourly reimbursement rate for law enforcement, prosecutorial, and judicial costs, as well as a daily bed rate for jail-facility costs.
Senate Bill 5277 would repeal the JR-to-25 law.
Senate Bill 5278 would significantly change how DCYF operates juvenile-justice facilities.
- DCYF would be required to establish a safe maximum capacity at all juvenile-reform facilities and transfer residents to a DOC facility when the population exceeds 105% of that capacity.
- A person who is at least 18 years old and convicted as an adult would gain the option of requesting a transfer to a DOC facility, with DCYF handling the transfer.
- A resident of a juvenile-reform facility who assaults a DCYF employee would be transferred to a DOC facility and hearing requirements would not apply. The same would apply if DCYF has reasonable cause to believe the resident and a DCYF employee engaged in sexual contact, unless the resident was a victim of the employee.
- A hearing within 10 days would be required in the event of a prison riot or the discovery that a resident is in possession of a cell phone, other electronic recording device, any narcotic drug or controlled substance, alcohol, cannabis or other intoxicant.

Braun’s legislation was introduced on the first day of the 2025 legislative session and is in line with the Senate Republican priority on making Washington safer.