Author Archives: kimberlywirtz

NEWSLETTER: Survey results: Your legislative priorities

Friends and Neighbors,

Thank you to everyone who took my short survey ranking your legislative priorities. The graphic above represents the results. Read further to learn more about legislative efforts to address those priorities.

It can be hard to get even the best bills passed when you are in the minority, but Republicans like me will continue to push against the bad ideas, and not just because they were sponsored by Democrats. There were many Democrat bills that had full Republican support.

We push against bad ideas because people matter more than politics. And because we listen to the people and hear loud and clear that you deserve better.

Sincerely,

John Braun

 

Securing a safer Washington

REDUCE CRIME, HIRE MORE OFFICERS

Not surprisingly, public safety concerns are top on your priority list, including reducing crime and hiring more law-enforcement officers. Washington remains the worst in the nation for the number of law enforcement officers per capita. Many new policies were passed in an effort to help hire and train new officers.

However, one big obstacle remains — Democrat policies restrict the ability of law enforcement to arrest and detain criminals and hamper the ability of prosecutors to pursue a conviction and fair sentencing. These policies are demoralizing and make law enforcement feel as if their efforts are sometimes wasted. They also increase negative feelings toward police because the people often think the police or prosecutors are choosing to do nothing.

This has to change. The people of Washington deserve to feel that the state cares more about their safety.

 

VICTIMS’ RIGHTS

I’m pleased to report that it’s also important to you that the Legislature prioritize the rights of victims over the rights of criminals. Majority Democrats’ policies have the opposite effect. We have seen policies enacted to reduce sentencing, decriminalize hard drugs, and allow inmates sentenced to life in prison without parole to petition for release after serving 25 years. Those sentenced to life in prison are the worst of the worst, but Democrats want to give them a chance to victimize someone again after the state has said they are too dangerous to be free in society.

This past session, we saw one House Democrat sponsor a bill to give felons the ability to vote, run for public office and serve on jury duty. The sponsor of the bill admitted in committee testimony that this would apply to Gary Ridgway, better known as the Green River Killer. This same legislator, in 2023, proposed shorter prison terms for drive-by shooters.

The Democrats have also stood in the way of Republican legislation to protect victims. Sen. Lynda Wilson’s bill to make exposing a child to fentanyl a felony passed in the Senate but was killed by the chair of the House’s committee on Community Justice, Safety and Reentry. He claimed there were no votes in his committee to support the bill.

However, Democrats on that committee voted for other bills that clearly prioritize offenders:

  • HB 2178: Would let sex offenders off of community supervision.
  • HB 2065: Would retroactively resentence criminals who are serving a longer sentence due to crimes they committed as juveniles.
  • HB 1994: Would allow a court to dismiss misdemeanor and gross-misdemeanor charges if certain conditions are met; create barriers to full accountability and give defendants new ways to escape accountability if they have a clever attorney.
  • HB 1396: Would reduce sentences for certain criminals serving life without parole sentences, including those convicted of aggravated murder.
  • HB 1268: Would reduce time served for sentencing enhancements for violent offenders, firearms offenses, and gang members.
  • HB 2001: Would reduce prison sentences for violent offenders.

 

 

Fighting for an affordable Washington

NO NEW OR HIGHER TAXES

I am not surprised that your top priority is to prevent new and higher taxes. The economy is hurting everyday people right now and increasing taxes and fees, or imposing new ones, is a bad idea.

A recent report shows that Washington’s economy, which ranked last year at 37th out of 50 states, dropped three places and now ranks 40th. The report cites a heavy tax burden as one of the primary reasons for this.

There are many deserving programs and policies, but when the people say they can’t afford to give the state another dime, legislators need to listen.

Fortunately, the 2024 operating budget did not include any new taxes. And Republicans were able to stop a bill that would have tripled the annual allowable growth rate for your local property taxes. However, the very expensive and burdensome cap-and-tax program (known by some as cap-and-trade) continues to affect family budgets.

It’s been a rough start for Washington’s cap- and-trade bill, with costs far exceeding early estimates. Consumers are seeing major increases to gasoline and energy prices as businesses pass on the new costs they are facing under the Climate Commitment Act.

– Association of Washington Business

 

DEREGULATION

Also high on your priority list is to reduce the many unnecessary regulations that are driving up the cost of living. One key area where this is important is in the home-construction industry. We should be doing everything we can to increase the supply of housing that regular, everyday people can afford.

Across the state, people earning the median income in their county can’t afford the median-priced home in the same county. Housing prices, including rents, are so inflated that it’s nearly impossible for families to buy their first home. 

Contrary to what some believe, additional regulation in the form of rent control is not the answer. Rent control actually reduces the supply of affordable rental housing by motivating housing providers to sell their properties and get out of the rental business. Often, this means that the new owner evicts the tenant so they can live in the home. Or, they take the property off the rental market and make it an Air BNB. Some property owners will default on the loans because they can’t charge a rate that will cover the cost of owning and maintaining the home.

The answer is less regulation, not more. Make it less expensive to build, own and rent.

 

 

Building a better future for Washington’s children

While the lowest-ranking priority in the survey was to provide additional funding for early education and K-12 education, I suspect that this is due to education funding fatigue and continued poor student performance.

Public education is the state’s paramount duty, according to our constitution, but when people feel squeezed in other areas, they can’t help but want to hold onto more of the money they earned for their own families.

However, learning loss continues and studies show that this is going to affect our kids for many years into their future, even reducing their lifetime earnings. 

I have proposed legislation to reduce chronic absenteeism so more kids are at their desks and ready to learn. The House killed this bill, despite bipartisan support in the Senate. The House also killed my bill to allow schools more flexibility in how they use their transportation funding, which would have provided a cost savings to our schools.

My bill to allow easier access to money for special education did pass. I’m happy about this because children receiving special-education services suffered the most academically, socially, and emotionally during the pandemic. The state owes them better educational opportunities.

Aside from education, other notable legislation to build a better future for Washington’s kids includes Initiative 2081, which protects parents’ role in their children’s education.

 

Important News Clips

Braun appalled by Seattle teacher’s blatantly antisemitic comments

OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, today shared his reaction to comments made by Seattle school teacher Ian Golash during an interview posted Friday to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

When asked if the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas terrorists on Israeli citizens was justified, Golash responded, “Yes.” As the interview continues, the reporter asks him if the murder of innocent women by Hamas was justified. Golash again responded “yes.” When asked if the rape of women at a music festival was justified, Golash asked, “Where’s the evidence of rape?”

“Mr. Golash’s comments are blatantly antisemitic. They are hard enough for me to hear; I can’t imagine how terrible it is for Jewish parents and children to hear them. It’s disturbing that someone entrusted with influencing our youth can speak with appalling approval of the attack by Hamas. His endorsement of the murder and rape of innocent Israeli women and children should be an embarrassment to the Seattle Public School District. It’s even less acceptable if he is making similar statements in class, spreading his racist mindset to young people. The school district should investigate his classroom conduct, and if he has shared antisemitic comments in class, he should be dismissed.

“People wonder how an atrocity such as the Jewish Holocaust could have taken place – how so many people became complicit in the horrors suffered by Jews during World War II. Mr. Golash’s comments, and the apparent support for them by many of those around him, demonstrate exactly how minds can be twisted and radicalized to carry out terrible crimes against humanity.”

Sen. Braun on Sen. Rivers’ decision not to seek reelection: ‘We will deeply miss her leadership and service’

CENTRALIA… Senate Republican Leader John Braun offered this response to today’s announcement by Sen. Ann Rivers, R-La Center, that she will not be seeking a new term as the 18th Legislative District’s state senator:

“Having served with Senator Rivers for more than a decade, from a neighboring district, I know how hard she has worked for the people of the 18th District, and our state. I also appreciate how she has been fearless in taking on our state’s most difficult problems, like making our roads safer by passing distracted-driver legislation, improving our criminal justice system by addressing the backlog in rape-kits, and being one of the leaders in the successful multi-year effort to come up with a new funding approach for our public K-12 schools.

“Because of her focus on finding solutions without concern for who receives the credit, she will leave the Senate with a legacy of policies aimed at improving the lives of all Washingtonians.

“I was very pleased that the City of Longview worked with her so that we at the Senate could benefit from her service for a few more years. Ann has always been someone who gives every commitment her all, so it is with appreciation and understanding that we wish her all the best as she moves on from the Senate. We will deeply miss her dedicated service, leadership, humor and energy.”

Braun: Retiring Sen. Mike Padden Legislature’s strongest advocate of public safety

OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, shared the following sentiments after an announcement by Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, saying he will not seek reelection to the 4th District Senate seat he has held since 2011.

Sen. Padden is currently the lead Republican on the Senate Law & Justice Committee. He was previously the chair of the committee when Republicans held the majority in the Senate. Before serving in the Legislature, Padden was a member of the House of Representatives and a Spokane County district court judge.

“Senator Padden has been a powerful voice for the defenseless. He has been the Legislature’s strongest advocate for public safety, always prioritizing the rights of victims over the rights of criminals. He’s been particularly effective at getting legislation passed that deters drunk driving. Time and again, the Senate passed his bill to increase the DUI lookback from 10 years to 15 years. And although the House always failed to pass it, he never gave up. His tenacity on the issue is admirable and this policy was passed as part of the budget in 2024. It will save lives.

“Accountability is a top priority for Senator Padden. He led the first Senate investigation since the 1940s to hold the Department of Corrections accountable when it was revealed that more than 3,200 prisoners had been released early. This is one of the few times where the Legislature has exercised sober and effective oversight of the executive branch.

“More recently, Senator Padden played an integral role in restoring the ‘reasonable suspicion’ standard for police pursuit, fixing a mistake made by Democrats in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. The impact of his dedicated public service on behalf of his constituents and people across our state will live on in the law long after his retirement.

“Senator Padden is a fantastic legislator. I will very much miss his principled conservative leadership. I am honored to have served alongside him in the Senate. He has put in decades of hard work making our state a better place for everyone.  I wish both him and his family the best in retirement.”

Republican state Senate and House leaders react to Ninth Circuit Court redistricting ruling

The Ninth Circuit Court has dismissed an emergency motion to stay regarding a recent federal court ruling on legislative district boundaries in Central Washington. The court found that the petitioners requesting the delay lacked standing. The motion stemmed from a March 15 decision by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, instructing the Secretary of State to conduct future elections based on a new legislative district map approved by the court in the case of Palmer v. Hobbs.

These decisions followed a ruling last August, which mandated the reworking of district maps drawn in 2021 due to violations of the Voting Rights Act, as determined by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Lasnik. While this decision claims to rectify electoral power disparities, it comes at the expense of relocating five Republican lawmakers, including Latina state Sen. Nikki Torres, who represents a substantial portion of the affected area. No Democrat lawmakers were impacted by the new district boundaries.

The new legislative map adopted by the federal court creates sweeping changes to thirteen Washington legislative districts, especially districts 14 and 15 in Central Washington. With the Ninth Circuit Court’s dismissal of the motion, changes to the legislative district map will take effect immediately and be in place for the 2024 elections.

Senate Republican Leader John Braun and House Republican Deputy Leader Mike Steele issued the following statement regarding the Ninth Circuit Court’s decision to dismiss the emergency motion to stay:

“We are profoundly disappointed by the Ninth Circuit Court’s decision on the emergency motion to delay these district changes. What’s even more troubling is the district court’s decision on March 15 to alter these maps doesn’t seem to address the claimed core issue, namely the dilution of the political voice of the Latino electorate in the Yakima Valley. The new map results in fewer eligible Latino voters in the area and moves their elected representative, the first-ever Latina senator in Central Washington, entirely out of their district.

“Federal Judge Lasnik’s new maps turn the principles of the federal Voting Rights Act upside down, and it should be appealed all the way to the United States Supreme Court. Redistricting should prioritize fairness and adhere to non-partisan principles while following constitutional and Voting Rights Act requirements. However, in this case, the district court’s actions seem to contradict these principles. The extensive changes to legislative maps appear to prioritize partisan interests over fairness. It is imperative that our electoral processes promote fairness for all constituents. We believe these district map changes fail to meet that standard.”

Newsletter: Is an arrest at Green Hill School a sign things are improving?

Watch FOX 13’s latest story on Green Hill School

Arrests at Green Hill School may be sign things are improving

Friends and Neighbors,

I toured Green Hill School this week to see for myself the conditions and protocols at the detention facility. Green Hill once housed only juveniles, but now houses adults up to age 25 if they were convicted as juveniles, a decision I opposed when it was made and is now proving to be the source of many problems.

Reports of drug overdoses, assaults and riots continue, and the governor, who is in charge of the agency that oversees Green Hill, has repeatedly downplayed or denied that problems exist.

The state has the responsibility of not only incarcerating those who live at Green Hill School, but also with rehabilitating them so they have a chance to go on to lead productive lives once released. Green Hill School has not done a good job of this, partly because of failures in security protocols and partly because no one is being held accountable.

The arrest this week of a staff member who is accused of conspiring to plan a riot at the facility is, I hope, an indication that things are beginning to change. In an interview with FOX 13, the governor finally admits there are still problems at Green Hill, and blames it on adjusting to incarcerating people up to age 25 in the same space with kids under 18.

In a recent letter I wrote to him highlighting these problems, I stated unequivocally that the policy he uses as an excuse – which he signed, after Democrat legislators proposed and passed it – is wrong. The older individuals will take advantage of the younger ones, especially if staff is complicit and no one is held accountable.

There is plenty of blame to go around. But the real issue is how to fix it. The first step is admitting there’s a problem. I hope that the governor’s admission and the recent arrest are just the beginning of the solution.

Sincerely,

John Braun

 

Republican wins in a Democratic majority

The 2024 legislative session had clear wins for the Republican minority. You might wonder how that happens when we are outnumbered in both chambers and the governor’s office is occupied by a Democrat.

The people of Washington were active this year in contacting legislators to support or oppose various bills, including the six initiatives to the Legislature.

For example, thousands of people signed in to testify on the three initiatives that received hearings. Likewise, people contacted legislative offices to push back against the bill that would triple the 1% cap on the annual growth rate of local property taxes without voter approval.

The majority couldn’t help but listen.

More moderate Democrats, and even very progressive Democrats who realized their districts had strong feelings on certain issues, withdrew support for many unpopular bills. In fact, two Senate Democrats removed their names from the list of sponsors on the property-tax bill after heavy backlash, something that is extremely rare.

Common sense prevailed.

Most people have little-to-nothing left in their budgets to send to the government after paying their ever-increasing bills. Unfortunately, Democrats were successful in killing many of the bills we sponsored to help make living in Washington more affordable.

That doesn’t mean I will give up fighting for a more affordable Washington. It remains one of my top priorities, along with securing a safer Washington and building a stronger future for our kids.

Lately, our state has become a more expensive and more dangerous place to live. You deserve better.

 

Save your pennies — a natural gas ban is coming

The worst bill that passed this session and will become law is House Bill 1589. I have mentioned this bill in past newsletters, but it is so important to everyone’s financial bottom line that it’s worth highlighting and clarifying its effects.

Q: Does HB 1589 ban natural gas?

A: The entire purpose of this bill is to allow Puget Sound Energy to cut through red tape and enact, in effect, its own ban on natural gas. It gives PSE the ability to submit plans to stop providing natural gas and places the expense for converting homes from natural gas to all-electric on you. Other power companies would be sure to follow, because of how the Democrats’ cap-and-tax law targets companies with any connection to fossil fuels.

Q: To whom would they submit the plans?

A: PSE would submit the plans to the Utilities and Transportation Commission, which consists of three people appointed by the governor. This commission is the same one that told PSE it could NOT include the impact of the cap-and-tax program on your billing statement (at the advice of the attorney general’s office). The commission, which was appointed by the very official who is responsible for the cap-and-tax program, would have the ability to approve the plans, allowing PSE to eliminate natural-gas service.

Q: What is this going to cost me?

A: Depending on how much work would need to be done to your house, it could cost you between $32,000 to $70,000. The Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW) estimates the cost to convert the average home at $39,767. Older homes will cost more. The total cost to consumers overall will be $7 billion to $10 billion, many of whom only have natural gas because they were advised to convert to it years ago.

Q: Can the infrastructure for electric power (the “grid”) handle this dramatic increase in demand?

A: No. Our power grid currently struggles to provide power in cold weather and is not ready for hundreds of thousands of people (eventually millions) to rely on it even more. Don’t forget that, at the same time this will be happening, the governor and legislative Democrats are pushing every mode of transportation toward electric power. And they are promoting the removal of some of our hydroelectric dams. At what point does our grid completely collapse?

Q: Will I qualify for any financial assistance to convert my home?

A: Only families at the lowest income levels will qualify for assistance and they won’t be allowed to use the money to replace their gas appliances — a necessary step in the conversion. For many in that income bracket, a $500 stove might as well be $1 million. Don’t forget that they may also need to alter countertops and cabinetry to accommodate the new appliances. Also, since inflation and debt have also hit middle-income Washingtonians hard, most may not be able to access tens of thousands of dollars to convert their homes.

Q: I rent my home/apartment, so this doesn’t affect me, right?

A: Wrong. If you live in a house or apartment that uses natural gas, your property owner will have to increase the rent to pay to convert to electric. For some people, that could break their budget and land them on the street.

The Democrat Speaker of the House has claimed she is proud of this bill because it helps the most vulnerable in our society. How does increasing rent and housing costs during an affordable housing crisis help those who are most likely to become homeless because of it? It doesn’t.

Q: Can the people overturn this policy through referendum?

A: No. Legislative Democrats included an “emergency clause” in the bill, which means the people can’t overturn it through referendum. If you want to fight this legislation, you will need to tell the governor right now to veto it. Once he signs it, you will need to tell the Speaker of the House and the chair of the House Environment & Energy Committee (who is also the bill’s sponsor) if you want this legislation repealed.

Finally, keep in mind that HB 1589 gives special privileges to a foreign-owned utility monopoly, and it virtually guarantees this corporation the ability to cut off everyone in its service area from natural gas. And it can do so with only the approval of a small commission appointed by a governor who has repeatedly stated he intends to ban natural gas.

That is an “end run” around the people.

 

I-2113: FOX 13’s David Rose says criminals are in for a big surprise

 

One big win for the people this session was the passage of three initiatives. Seattle television station FOX 13 aired a story this week by reporter David Rose about I-2113. It’s the initiative passed March 4 by every Republican legislator and some Democrats that restores the standard for vehicular pursuit by police to “reasonable suspicion” rather than the more restrictive “probable cause.”

In his report, Rose says criminals feel emboldened because they can steal a car and get away with it — the police can’t chase them. Many are using these stolen vehicles in the commission of more serious crimes. Some have been involved in accidents where the driver killed someone.

Rose warns that those days are coming to an end.

I-2113 will take effect June 6.

WATCH THE STORY

Why is Washington still struggling to hire law enforcement officers?

Washington continues to have fewer law-enforcement officers per capita than any state in the country. Our state has been dead-last in this category for years.

One reason for this is financial. Law-enforcement agencies in other states offer higher salaries. Also, some communities either don’t have or won’t prioritize the funding to hire enough officers.

The more significant reason, unfortunately, appears to be the continuing anti-police rhetoric and behavior that has resulted in violent and deadly attacks on officers and a pervasive disrespect shown towards them.

We saw some of this attitude in the reactionary 2021 legislation passed by Democrats that put criminal-friendly restrictions on the ability of police to conduct vehicular pursuits of suspects. Republicans saw it again in 2022 and this past year as we fought to undo that harmful policy.

Thankfully, the people of Washington made it possible for clear-headed legislators to restore the ability of police to conduct reasonable pursuits, by submitting Initiative 2113 to us. Its passage by the Legislature earlier this month should help swing the pendulum back in the right direction.

Just as serving in the military runs in families, it used to be common for one generation to follow the previous one into law enforcement. That legacy practice is becoming rare.

Officers who may have once encouraged younger friends and family members to become police officers now discourage them from doing so.

Officers who once felt the risk to their safety and mental health was worth the sacrifice for the good of society may feel the balance between the two is lost.

Unfortunately, they have good reason to feel this way. Negative public sentiment is fed by legislators who sponsor bills that prioritize criminals over victims — preventing criminals from being arrested, prosecuted or from serving their full sentences. It’s no wonder our state is seeing such high levels of violent and property crime, which only places more demand on underfunded, understaffed law-enforcement agencies.

Some Democrat legislators seem dedicated to this effort, even sponsoring bills to lessen the penalties for drive-by shootings, to allow convicted felons (including Green River Killer Gary Ridgway) to serve on juries while incarcerated, and to allow even those sentenced to life in prison to apply for release after 25 years.

While Republicans have managed to kill these bills and others like them, the message those proposals send is clear — law enforcement is the enemy.

Why would anyone want to enter a profession where you are automatically vilified and actively undermined, sometimes by those who make the very laws you would swear to uphold?

Washington’s critical shortage of law-enforcement officers will continue as long as this anti-police, anti-public safety, anti-victim, pro-criminal effort continues.

Public safety should be everyone’s top priority. Without it, nothing else is possible.

 

What’s in the headlines this week? Read more…

Senators mystified by cut in drug task force funding; lawmakers approve other Republican fentanyl proposals

OLYMPIA – Two Republican bills addressing Washington’s fentanyl crisis are headed to the governor’s office for final consideration, but senators say they are surprised by a cutback in this year’s budget for local law enforcement drug task forces.

Senate Republicans offered proposals this year to combat the spread of deadly fentanyl this year in their Recovery Washington package, directing state resources at treatment, recovery and prevention.

They succeeded in passing proposals that would launch a statewide public-information program and fund tribal programs to reduce opioid abuse. Yet the final budget deal, passed Thursday as the Washington Legislature prepared to adjourn its 2024 session, cuts funding for multi-agency drug task forces to combat drug trafficking and local distribution networks.

Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, introduced legislation to increase funding for law enforcement task forces from $4.2 million last year to $7 million. But the final budget deal, written by majority Democrats in the Legislature, cuts funding to $2.7 million.

“If the Legislature wants to get serious about ending the opioid addiction problem, it ought to be increasing funding for law enforcement, rather than cutting drug task forces back to a paltry $2.7 million,” Gildon said. “I would support spending $100 million to get these deadly drugs off the street. The epidemic is that serious.”

Since 2005, the state has earmarked Department of Justice funding for the local law enforcement programs, which have amassed a strong track record of intercepting drug shipments, including fentanyl. Last summer, the administration of Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee announced plans to spend the federal money on other programs, prompting members of Congress from Washington state to write a letter of protest.

Recovery Washington proposals that survived final votes in the Legislature included Sen. Lynda Wilson’s SB 5906, which creates a public information campaign aimed at youth and adults. Her “One Pill Kills” campaign would be managed by the Department of Health. It would underscore the point that most pills sold illicitly on the street use fentanyl as their active ingredient, even though they take the form of pharmaceutical opioids. Because dosages are uncontrolled, in too many cases a single pill contains a fatal dose.

“The value of this bill should be apparent to anyone who has a news story about parents grieving the loss of a teenager or young adult who died because of one pill,” said Wilson, R-Vancouver. “We can wonder all day why young people seem unaware of fentanyl’s dangers, but the bottom line is, too many of them are unaware.”
The final budget deal also provides funding for a bill from Senate Republican Leader John Braun for tribal programs to combat fentanyl and synthetic opioid abuse.  SB 6099 earmarks at least 20 percent of state opioid settlement funds for Native American tribal programs. Funding comes from Washington’s share of a national settlement with opioid manufacturers.

“This is an important bill, given that every corner of our state is affected by the growing opioid-abuse crisis,” Braun said. “Our Native American tribes are disproportionately affected, and they have taken a proactive approach to treatment that deserves support. I’m glad that the Legislature is providing additional funding for their work.”

The final budget deal provides $15.4 million to tribes and urban Indian health programs directly from opioid settlement funds, and earmarks other money for specific programs, such as a tribal fentanyl summit. Braun notes that tribal treatment and recovery programs typically extend services to non-tribal members and provide an important resource within their communities.

Federal statistics released last month indicate that Washington has been hard hit in the explosion of fentanyl usage nationwide. Washington had the biggest year-over-year increase in deaths due to overdoses during the 12 months preceding September, the vast majority due to fentanyl. Overdose fatalities increased by more than 1,000, from 2,483 to 3,511.

 

 

 

Newsletter: The good, the bad and the ugly — notable bills that passed this session

Friends and Neighbors,

The 2024 legislative session wraps up today. The 2025 session doesn’t begin until next January. In the meantime, we move into the period called “interim,” when legislators return to their districts and their regular lives… while continuing to respond to questions and concerns from their constituents.

This interim also includes an election. Legislators who are up for reelection, or who are candidates for another public office, are subject to election-year restrictions that prohibit state resources from being used for most official communication purposes. The idea is to prevent incumbents from having an unfair advantage over challengers, and I support that.

Because I am up for reelection this year, you will not receive any legislative e-newsletters from me between May 6 (the first day for filing a declaration of candidacy) and November 6 (the day after this year’s general election).

This does not mean I don’t want to keep you informed. I am still allowed to reply to questions that are called in, mailed or emailed to me. It simply means I cannot reach out, except in response to a direct question. I also will not be able to update my website during that time.

Between now and May 6, however, I will continue to check in with you through legislative e-newsletters. After that, legislators who are candidates may reach out only through non-legislative channels.

As always, don’t hesitate to contact my office if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Sen. John Braun

 

Successful bills that fit Republican priorities

During the 2024 Legislative Session, the Senate Republican Caucus fought hard against some terrible legislation that would increase your cost of living and make our communities less safe, and more often than not we prevailed. Many good bills passed during this legislative session, and I want to highlight several that helped our caucus pursue its top three priorities (the name of the prime sponsor is listed along with each bill’s purpose… all are Republicans).

For a more complete list of bills we sponsored to address these priorities, click here.

Secure a Safer Washington

  • I-2113:  Restores ability of law enforcement to engage in vehicular pursuit, even for stolen vehicles (The People of Washington)
  • SB 5891:  Designates trespassing on a public-school bus as a felony (Boehnke)
  • SB 5906:  Implements a statewide drug overdose prevention and education program (L. Wilson)
  • SB 6099:  Creates the tribal opioid prevention treatment account (Braun)
  • SB 6115: Stiffens penalties for speed camera violations in highway work zones (King)
  • SB 6222:  Increases the number of district court judges (Wagoner)

Fight for an Affordable Washington

  • I-2111:  Bans an income tax at any level of government in Washington (The People of Washington)
  • SB 5792:  Redefines “multiunit residential buildings” (Padden)
  • SB 6215:  Makes administrative and technical changes to the state tax and licensing codes (Schoesler)
  • SB 6238:  Updates thresholds for the property tax exemption for widows and widowers of honorably discharged veterans (Dozier)
  • SB 6291:  Establishes criteria for statewide amendments to the state building code council (L. Wilson)

Build a Better Future for Washington’s Children

  • I-2081:  Creates a parents’ bill of rights relating to their child’s public education (The People of Washington)
  • SB 5647:  Provides school-safety training to temporary school employees (Torres)
  • SB 5670:  Permits 10th grade students to participate in the Running Start program in online settings (Hawkins)
  • SB 5852:  Provides funding for the special education safety net (Braun)
  • SB 6053:  Improves equitable access to postsecondary education (Holy)
  • SB 6234:  Provides screening for newborn infants for branched-chain ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase deficiency (L. Wilson)

 

Five of the worst bills this legislative session

Senate Bill 5770: This bill is dead and killing it was one of the biggest accomplishments for Senate Republicans this year. Right now, there is a 1% cap on how much local governments can raise your property taxes without voter approval. SB 5770 would have tripled that cap to 3%. If voters approve a 3% increase to their property taxes to fund emergency services or other expenses, that’s fine. But the government shouldn’t be able to choose on its own to triple how much it can increase your property taxes. It is up to the government to make its case on why you should agree to tax yourself more. By allowing higher property taxes, this bill would have increased the cost of housing during a housing crisis and would have forced rental housing providers to raise rents. One of our priorities is to fight for an affordable Washington, and that meant opposing this bill.

House Bill 1589: This bill gives Puget Sound Energy (PSE) special permission to submit plans to the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) without getting legislative or customer approval. This is so PSE (the largest monopoly utility in the state, which supplies electric and natural-gas service in much of western Washington) can get approval to stop providing natural gas without the Legislature or the people standing in the way. The UTC is made up of three people — two Democrats and one Republican, appointed by the governor.

It also allows PSE to charge higher rates to cover the extra costs of complying with the cap-and-tax program in the “Climate Commitment Act.” YOU will bear the cost of converting your home or rental properties from natural gas to electric, which will fall somewhere between $32,000 to $70,000. Many families will not have the kind of money needed to perform the conversions. Financial assistance is available, but only for the lowest-income families, and it can’t be used to replace gas appliances.

This bill will accelerate the ban on natural gas in Washington, and it will do so on the backs of working Washingtonians. Bans on natural gas are wrong-headed. We need to look for more sensible ways to protect our environment so we don’t unduly burden the regular, working people who can’t afford these “luxury policies” that are being pushed on us.

Senate Bill 5462: Referred to as the “inclusive learning” bill, this mandates the inclusion of certain information in the K-12 public school curriculum. My problem with this bill centers around my opposition to the Legislature acting as a school board for all 295 school districts in our state. Parents, teachers and school administrators should have the ability to determine if this material is taught in their district. That kind of oversight is what we fought for with Initiative 2081. Too often we are seeing the majority mandate the teaching of a perspective or set of values that some parents disagree with, ignoring the idea that schools should have the local control to make those curriculum choices. School boards also oppose the bill.

Senate Bill 5241: This bill would have given the Attorney General — a partisan official — sole oversight when mergers of health-care providers, such as hospitals, are proposed. The significant cost burden it would have created for providers around the state would be passed along to patients. The agenda behind this bill would have the effect of undercutting Catholic health institutions, which provide high-quality health care, because they don’t provide certain types of care that violate their ethical and religious directives. But the bottom line is that this bill would reduce access to healthcare for everyone, especially in the rural areas. Republicans vigorously opposed this in the Senate, and it eventually died in the House. Still, we must watch for it to return in 2025.

Senate Bill 5777: I support the right of workers to strike and advocate for better working conditions or higher pay, but striking workers should not receive subsidies from taxpayers. SB 5777 would have provided taxpayer-funded unemployment benefits for people who walk off the job to strike, if their employers lock them out of their place of employment.

 

 

 

20th District projects in the capital budget

The state capital budget is used for building and maintaining schools, government buildings, heritage projects, public parks, low-income housing and mental-health facilities, among other things. Included in this year’s supplemental capital budget are several important projects for our district.

This includes:

  • $1,950.000 for the Boys and Girls Club of Lewis County
  • $5,446,000 for upgrades to the Green Hill School HVAC system
  • $40,000 for the Rose Valley Grange capital improvement project
  • $206,000 for the Southwest Washington Fair Equestrian Facility
  • $3,090,000 for fish passage design, construction and restoration

READ THE LIST OF 20TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT PROJECTS IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET

 

 

“Legislature ramps up school construction spending”

“The increase comes after the Washington Supreme Court ruled that the state isn’t responsible for 100% of school construction costs” (The Washington State Standard)

READ THE ARTICLE

 

 

Senators mystified by cut in drug task force funding, but other Republican fentanyl proposals are approved

Two Republican bills addressing Washington’s fentanyl crisis are headed to the governor’s office for final consideration, but senators say they are surprised by a cutback in this year’s budget for local law enforcement drug task forces.

Senate Republicans offered proposals this year to combat the spread of deadly fentanyl this year in their Recovery Washington package, directing state resources at treatment, recovery and prevention.

They succeeded in passing proposals that would launch a statewide public-information program and fund tribal programs to reduce opioid abuse. Yet the final budget deal, passed Thursday as the Washington Legislature prepared to adjourn its 2024 session, cuts funding for multi-agency drug task forces to combat drug trafficking and local distribution networks.

READ THE REST OF THE NEWS RELEASE

 

 

Next steps for the initiatives

The three initiatives passed by the Legislature will become law 90 days from today.

I-2081 will clarify the rights of parents in their children’s public-school education.

I-2111 will further protect Washington from an income tax – because even though the people have rejected such a tax 11 times, Democrats have said an income tax is their goal.

I-2113 will allow police to use their training and judgment to determine in the field if they have reasonable suspicion to pursue a suspect.

This is a big victory for the people and Republicans.

On a cautionary note, because these initiatives were passed by the Legislature instead of the voters, Democrats — who are in the majority — could call a special session at any time to amend them or amend them during the next regular session. At least one Democrat has hinted at a plan to alter them in the 2025 legislative session.

We will need to watch Democrats closely to see what they do next. . Any attempt to weaken the laws created by I-2081, I-2111 or I-2113 will be an insult to the people of Washington.

Under our constitution, the initiatives not enacted by the Legislature will be on the ballot in November. We already know Democrats are gearing fight the remaining three initiatives, but it will be up to the people to decide if they want to:

 

Important News Clips

Three initiatives to the Legislature go to the ballot – learn more

Three of the six initiatives to the Legislature passed and will become law. They will ban a personal income tax in Washington, restore “reasonable suspicion” as the standard for police vehicular pursuit, and protect parents’ right to know in their children’s K-12 public education.

Majority Democrats refused to grant hearings or vote on the other three. Click below to learn more about these initiatives and why they are necessary.

 

If I had been given the opportunity to do so, I would have voted for each of these. Republicans strongly support them.