Author Archives: kimberlywirtz

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.

Another year fighting for your priorities

Friends and Neighbors,

I hope that this newsletter finds you in good health and ready for a new year. I spent this week at the Capitol in Olympia preparing for the upcoming 2025 legislative session and wanted to share some updates with you.

First,  I look forward to serving the 20th Legislative District for another term. While our nation as a whole seems to be moving in a more conservative direction, our state is not there yet, making it even more important to fight for conservative voices to be heard.

This past week, my colleagues also reelected me as caucus leader. This is a duty I take very seriously. It can be a challenge to balance the variety of opinions on our side of the political aisle, but ultimately, our priorities are the same. We all want:

We also held a caucus meeting where we said goodbye to Republicans who are retiring from the Senate and welcomed those who were newly elected (all of whom are coming over from the House of Representatives). Members were also assigned the committees on which they will serve.

New to the Senate:

Being here on the state Capitol campus reminds legislators of the importance of the work we do and how much it affects the lives of everyday people across our state. If you have concerns you would like to discuss or would like to visit me during the legislative session, you can email me at john.braun@leg.wa.gov or call my office at 360-786-7638. My office is in room 314 of the Legislative Building (with the dome).

Sincerely,

John Braun

 

You can’t teach kids who don’t show up for school

As part of my legislative priorities this year, I plan to sponsor several bills aimed at addressing significant challenges facing our state. One of the bills I have prefiled, Senate Bill 5007, continues an effort I began last year to address the growing problem of chronic absenteeism in schools.

The bill focuses on supporting students who are at risk of not graduating because they miss more than 10% of their school days. You can’t teach kids who aren’t in the classroom, and absenteeism has become a major barrier to ensuring all students receive the education they deserve.

SB 5007 would provide tools for school districts to engage with families and help students overcome barriers to attendance. Depending on the needs identified by the district, this support might include connecting families to resources for food, transportation, or other economic challenges; offering additional academic assistance; or addressing health or behavioral-health concerns.

Importantly, this bill would not require that certain services be provided, nor does it authorize schools to provide any health services. Instead, it is about ensuring families and local school districts retain control over what works best for their students.

Chronic absenteeism is a complex issue that affects every student’s right to an education. This bill strikes a balance, respecting local and parental authority while ensuring schools have the tools to reengage students and help them succeed.

 

 

Will Green Hill School improve if overcrowding relieved by new facility?

On Nov. 25, Gov. Inslee announced the opening of a new juvenile detention facility in Aberdeen, which is intended to help alleviate overcrowding at the Green Hill School in Chehalis. Following is the statement I released in response.

“The governor’s decision comes months after I urged him to investigate the alarming issues at Green Hill. My call was driven by investigative news reports and the direct concerns of local law enforcement, who highlighted the deteriorating conditions at the facility.

“Instead of taking immediate action, the governor initially dismissed the problems, denied their existence, and chose to belittle me, suggesting I would recognize improvement ‘should I choose to become more informed.’ However, investigative reporting continued to reveal the worsening reality at Green Hill, despite the governor’s defensiveness toward those raising concerns.

“Yesterday’s announcement about a new 48-bed facility in Aberdeen offers few specifics, including how it will be funded in the short or long term. While it’s encouraging that the governor may finally be acknowledging the serious flaws in our juvenile justice system – flaws exacerbated by Democrat-led policies – this move feels like a last-minute effort by a lame-duck governor, leaving the heavy lifting to his successor.

“Opening one facility is only part of the solution. It does not address the systemic issues plaguing Green Hill, particularly the lack of staff accountability for criminal activity. Overcrowding relief alone will not rebuild integrity or improve outcomes for the young people in these facilities.

“The governor claims there is ‘more to come,’ yet his plan is troublingly silent on collaboration with Republican legislators from the districts that house both Green Hill School and the new Aberdeen facility. True reform demands bipartisan cooperation and input from all stakeholders.

“I stand ready to work with all parties to ensure these facilities provide the intervention and rehabilitation these young men desperately need. If we want real reform, we must address the root causes of these failures and commit to meaningful bipartisan solutions.”

 

From surplus to deficit: How did we get here?

News outlets have reported that Washington could face a budget deficit in 2025. Estimates of the shortfall range from $10 billion to $15 billion, depending on who you ask.

If you’re wondering how this is possible after years of budget surpluses, the answer is simple: the Democrat majority in the Legislature has a spending problem.

Typically, deficits arise during recessions, periods of high unemployment, or when revenues decline. But Washington’s unemployment rate remains low, no recession is expected, and revenue growth is projected to increase by $5 billion.

So, what’s driving the deficit? The Democrat majority has committed to a number of costly, ongoing programs that outpace even our robust revenue growth. These programs, combined with record spending, have turned surplus budgets into unsustainable obligations.

Do Democrats Have a Green Light to Raise Taxes?

Democrats have already signaled their intent to raise taxes this year. The Senate majority leader stated outright, “This session is about revenue.” Some have even claimed that the outcome of the recent election is a signal from voters that they are willing to pay more taxes.

It’s not.

Inflation continues to strain household budgets, and families are still struggling with higher prices on everyday goods. Raising taxes now would only add to that burden. While Governor-elect Ferguson has indicated he is not open to raising taxes, we’ve seen promises like this before.

When Governor Inslee was campaigning for what became his first term, he vowed not to raise taxes but went on to propose more tax increases than any governor in Washington’s history. Will Ferguson follow the same path?

One thing is clear: Washington’s deficit is not a result of declining revenues but of unsustainable spending. The majority party has depleted past surpluses and created obligations for programs the state cannot afford.

You can’t manage a household budget that way, and it’s no way to manage a state budget either. Rather than asking families to pay more, we need to focus on living within the means provided by the taxpayers.

 

Follow my bills and find out how to testify

Follow the bills I am sponsoring. I have filed three so far, but there are more to come as we get closer to the start of the new session.

Find out how to testify in committee hearings on bills that are before the Legislature.

Sticking to my priorities – safety, affordability and our children’s future

Sticking to my priorities

Friends and Neighbors,

One of the ways Senate Republicans decide what our legislative priorities will be each year is to take a deep and thoughtful look around the state at the problems everyday people face.

What complicates their lives? What puts them in danger? What makes things more expensive? What do our children need to succeed? What is important to them?

We explore the opportunities to develop solutions and, working with staff and outside stakeholders, craft bills that would address those issues.

This is how I established my top three priorities, which continue to be important in our 20th District and every corner of Washington.

People are still worried about their personal security and the safety of their communities. They are still struggling to make ends meet as everything gets more expensive, often relying on credit to pay the bills. And people are still concerned about the ability of our K-12 students to recover from the pandemic learning loss and get the education they need to succeed in life.

Majority Democrats have blocked important Republican bills that could have made a difference for people from all walks of life and political parties. Meanwhile, they have also pushed bad policies that have made things worse for everyone.

As senators, we don’t just hear Republican concerns. We answer the phone no matter who’s calling, and we hear the same feedback from people across the board. People just have different ideas about how to address them.

What is universally clear, though, is that they don’t want us serving special interests. They need us in Olympia working on their interests – policies that will make their lives better.

There’s a lot to do around the state to secure a safer Washington, fight for an affordable Washington, and build a better future for Washington’s children. Between now and when the 2025 legislative session begins in January, I will be identifying areas where I can help improve people’s lives and working with staff to draft the necessary legislation.

In the meantime, listen to this Elephant in the Dome podcast where I explain more about my priorities and why I continue to work on these issues as your Senator.

Sincerely,

John Braun

 

 

“Braun calls for more legislative action after three infants exposed to fentanyl”

“Centralia Republican says Democrats refused to vote on legislation to punish those who allow children access to narcotics”

 

I recently sent out a statement about three fentanyl overdoses suffered by three babies in Everett and put House Democrats on notice that this problem needs serious consideration. I will again be sponsoring a bill this upcoming session that will add fentanyl to the list of drugs included in the statute for felony child endangerment. It should be a felony for someone to expose children to deadly street drugs — and it is, just not when it comes to synthetic opioids.

Read this article from The Chronicle and learn more. 

The Seattle Times saw my statement and published an editorial agreeing with me.

In it, they say, “In the last two years, state lawmakers have failed to fix a glaring gap in Washington’s criminal law. Adults who expose children to fentanyl, even if the children are seriously injured, face only a misdemeanor-level charge. Only in the most tragic of cases — when a child dies of an overdose — are prosecutors likely to pursue a felony conviction for manslaughter, and more serious prison time.”

Read the editorial from The Seattle Times.

House Democrats should be ashamed of sweeping the lives of children under the rug and should support my legislation to hold people who expose children to deadly synthetic opioids fully accountable. Anything less is a dereliction of duty.

 

The hits just keep coming from Democrats’ cap-and-tax law

Read my full commentary that appeared in the April 26th edition of The Chronicle.

Excerpt:

“Anyone who buys gasoline already knows how the price of a gallon of unleaded regular in our state has shot up since majority Democrats’ cap-and-tax law — the so-called Climate Commitment Act, or CCA — took full effect in 2023. The same gas costs significantly less in Oregon and Idaho, which are free of a cap-and-tax policy.

“Washington customers of an Oregon-based natural-gas company know they are getting hit at more than the gas pump. Their billing statements include a “WA Climate Act Fee” line item showing what the law is costing them. Puget Sound Energy (PSE) wanted to do the same for its customers, but this past fall, Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s office and the state Utilities and Transportation Commission forced PSE to keep that information secret.”

 

As of Monday, May 6, I will be under Washington state’s election-year restrictions. You will not receive this e-newsletter between

May 6 and when November’s election results are certified. 

Infant fentanyl overdoses warrant felony charges, says Braun

CENTRALIA…Three infants in the Everett area overdosed on fentanyl over four days this week, including a 13-month-old who died. Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, shared the following reaction to these preventable tragedies.

“It’s completely indefensible when an infant or child gets sick or dies because someone in the household is using deadly drugs such as fentanyl. These children are innocent and whoever’s negligence is exposing them to lethal street drugs needs to be charged with a felony for child endangerment.

“Those who are trapped in addiction need help – addiction itself is not a crime — but their disease does not excuse them for injuries or deaths that occur as a byproduct of their addiction. If being charged with a felony and doing time for exposing minors to fentanyl is what is needed to protect these babies in the future, then we should pass legislation to hold people accountable.

“Senator Lynda Wilson fought for a bill last session that would include fentanyl and other synthetic opioids in the statute on endangerment with a controlled substance. It had bipartisan support and passed unanimously in the Senate. The chair of the House’s Community Safety, Justice and Reentry Committee wouldn’t even grant it a hearing, despite repeated calls to do so. He claimed that not one of the 58 Democrats in the House would vote for it. In contrast, the chair allowed bills to move forward that would release sex offenders from community supervision, would reduce sentences for murderers who are serving life without parole, and would reduce sentencing enhancements for violent offenders, firearms offenses, and gang members.

“It’s decisions like that which make people question the ability of Democrats to lead on public safety issues. When they spend a lot of time and energy reducing sentencing for violent criminals and won’t even consider the rights of children who need protection from the people in their lives who are using deadly illegal drugs, they deserve to be called out. I sincerely hope House Democrats take notice of these latest infant overdoses.”

 

Braun: Hawkins will leave lasting impact on 12th District

CENTRALIA…A District Court judge’s gerrymandering in favor of Democrats claimed another victim Monday. Sen. Brad Hawkins, R-Wenatchee, will not seek reelection. Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, had this to say:

“I want to extend my appreciation to Senator Hawkins for his many years of service to the people of the 12th Legislative District, first in the House of Representatives and then in the Senate. Brad’s commitment to public service will have a lasting impact on his constituents.

“As the ranking Republican on the Senate’s committee on K-12 education, Brad has been a champion for school boards around Washington to have more local control. He criticized repeated Democratic efforts to make the Legislature act as the ‘great school board in the sky’ when they wanted to impose statewide unfunded mandates that served an agenda that many communities did not support.

“The power play on behalf of Democrats that unjustly challenged the redistricting maps approved by the bipartisan Redistricting Commission has pushed another valuable legislator out of office.”

Newsletter: The right to protest does not include blocking access to SeaTac

The right to protest does not include blocking access to our busiest airport

Friends and Neighbors,

In response to the pro-Palestinian protest that blocked access to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport last week, I shared the following statement.

“People have the right to peaceably protest, but they don’t have the right to put themselves and drivers at risk by blocking access to our busiest airport. I understand that the point is to cause a disturbance in a highly visible location, but disrupting transportation and commerce like this is illegal and does nothing to further anyone’s cause. Travelers should not have had to get out of their cars and walk the rest of the way to get to the airport to make their flights or pick up loved ones.

“I hope the governor and the attorney general condemn the protest as well. If not because it falsely accused Israel of committing genocide and fed antisemitic sentiment, then simply because it is dangerous and against the law. Republicans sponsored legislation this year to make this kind of thing illegal, but Democrats killed it. Washington deserves better.”

Sincerely,

John Braun

 

We must be proactive against drug 40 times more potent than fentanyl

Everyone knows the abuse of opioids such as fentanyl is a crisis that reaches every corner of Washington.

A report from the Washington State Department of Health (January 2024) revealed that out of the 2,001 opioid overdose deaths in 2022, 1,803 (90%) of those were due to fentanyl alone.

During 2023, among children in our state’s child welfare system, we saw 49 incidents where a child died or nearly died from exposure to fentanyl.

Now we are finding out that the use of another dangerous “designer drug” is on the rise, and it is hundreds to thousands of times more potent than morphine and 10 to 40 times stronger than fentanyl. Like fentanyl, it is a synthetic opioid. It’s called nitazine.

We must treat this emerging threat with the seriousness it deserves by attacking it in the Legislature before it reaches the threat level that fentanyl has under the Democrats’ policies that legalized hard drugs.

Nitazine was created in the 1950s as a possible painkiller option, but the FDA never approved it for medical use. Illegal laboratories have used historical research to resurrect the drug. The federal government considers it a Schedule 1 drug, meaning it has no medical purpose and is at high risk of abuse.

I am exploring options for bills to sponsor to combat nitazine and to continue the battle against fentanyl. Despite resistance and apathy from the Democrat chair of the House’s Community Safety, Justice and Reentry toward Sen. Lynda Wilson’s bill that would have made it a felony to expose children to fentanyl, I will sponsor similar legislation during the 2025 legislative session that will apply to both fentanyl and nitazine.

The use of these drugs is causing serious societal decay that has a high cost for us all — physically, emotionally and financially. We can’t let people continue to die because those in the majority won’t do everything possible to fight this ongoing tragedy.

 

Fighting building fees driving up the cost of housing

If you’ve built a home recently, you may have spent thousands of dollars on impact-mitigation fees to acquire the necessary permits.

However, the Supreme Court of the United States recently decided unanimously that conditions placed on building permits are subject to a higher level of scrutiny. It also ruled that fees like those described above must match the public’s goals.

The decision was in a case out of California where a landowner wanted to build a home on his property and was charged a fee of more than $23,000 to supposedly help offset the impact his construction would have on the area’s roads.

The SCOTUS ruled that this violated the Fifth Amendment’s prohibition against the undue taking of property without compensation. Specifically, it said, “The Takings Clause applies equally to both — which means that it prohibits legislatures and agencies alike from imposing unconstitutional conditions on land-use permits.”

Although we will have to wait to see how this affects similar fees here in Washington, this is a win for property owners, renters and builders because new fees imposed by legislatures and local governments will be subject to a two-part fairness test that will prevent those fees from adding to the cost of housing.

 

In case you missed it, read my recent column on the Green Hill School

To put it bluntly, Green Hill School has nowhere to go but up. Read more in my column that appeared in The Chronicle on April 12.

 

Important News Clips

Right to protest does not include blocking airport access, says Braun

CENTRALIA… Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, released the following statement following the anti-Israel protest that blocked access to SeaTac Airport for several hours today.

“People have the right to peaceably protest, but they don’t have the right to put themselves and drivers at risk by blocking access to our busiest airport. I understand that the point is to cause a disturbance in a highly visible location, but disrupting transportation and commerce like this is illegal and does nothing to further anyone’s cause. Travelers should not have had to get out of their cars and walk the rest of the way to get to the airport to make their flights or pick up loved ones.

“I hope the governor and the attorney general condemn the protest as well. If not because it falsely accused Israel of committing genocide and fed antisemitic sentiment, then simply because it is dangerous and against the law. Republicans sponsored legislation this year to make this kind of thing illegal, but Democrats killed it. Washington deserves better.”