Author Archives: kimberlywirtz

Republican leaders say new CDC guidance supports June 15 reopening

OLYMPIA… Senate Republican Leader John Braun and House Republican J.T. Wilcox offered this statement today after the governor announced many of his COVID-19 economic restrictions will be lifted by the end of June.

“Earlier this week members of all four legislative caucuses encouraged Governor Inslee to share the vision of his counterparts in California and Oregon, and decide that our state should fully reopen June 15. Now that our state is aligning with the new CDC guidance, meaning the mask mandate and distancing guidance are lifted for fully vaccinated adults, we believe June 15 is still a reasonable deadline.

“The governor’s announcement today leaves the door open to reopening earlier than June 30, if the state reaches his vaccination target. Either way, we have concerns about what his new guidance will mean for hospitality establishments, grocery stores and other places where people congregate. After dictating for 439 days about what employers can and can’t do, the governor is now saying ‘you figure it out.’ Republicans have pressed relentlessly for that freedom all along. If all employers had already been able to set their own safety standards, whether it’s masks, or distancing – or now, vaccination status – there would be less uncertainty and less chance that frontline workers would be put in difficult situations.

“The governor made it clear he sees no connection between lifting economic restrictions and ending the state of emergency. We disagree. It’s time to give the authority back to local governments and trust them to act responsibly.”

Braun encouraged by governor’s restraint on economic restrictions

OLYMPIA… Senate Republican Leader John Braun offered this statement today after Gov. Jay Inslee announced all Washington counties will remain under their current economic-restart restrictions for two weeks, temporarily ending the threat of a rollback in more than a dozen counties.

“I’m very pleased Governor Inslee eventually recognized the restrictions on in-person instruction were counterproductive for Washington’s children. I hope the same thing is happening with the economic restrictions so that he can reduce the phase-to-phase whiplash and win trust among business owners. It’s helpful when the governor acknowledges – as he did again today – that the vast majority of businesses are doing a good job of following the restrictions. But it’s also fair to question whether case rates and hospitalizations are even the best metrics to use in making decisions that can destroy someone’s livelihood. Hospital capacity and mortality rates would seem to be more significant.

“Other states that have opened up fully, or will in the next two weeks, have vaccination rates that are similar to our own. In Washington, 33.7 percent of Washingtonians are fully vaccinated and 47.7 percent have had one shot. Governor Inslee seemed to focus more today on increasing access to vaccinations, and considering how many people want the shot, that’s a better path than punishing employers and others who are complying with the rules. I would also encourage the governor to avoid segregating people based on vaccination status. People come to their decision on vaccinations based on a variety of personal reasons.”

That’s a wrap: Republican leaders wish Legislature had listened to the people more

OLYMPIA…Senate Republican leaders released the following remarks as the 2021 legislative session came to a close as it prepared for the traditional “Sine Die” adjournment.

Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia:

“Throughout this session Republicans have consistently offered ideas and taken positions that come from listening to the people. It’s been disappointing to see the majority go in a different direction on several major issues simply because it had the votes. Some of our sensible proposals are included in the new state budget, which is encouraging, but other policies wrapped into the budget by the majority are going to hurt families and employers, and in a deeply regressive way.

“Besides contending with our colleagues in the majority, we worked very hard this session on another, unexpected front – defending the people whose lives are still being controlled by the executive branch. Republicans drove the discussion on the reopening of our schools, and the reopening of our economy, and the students and families and employers of our state are better off for it. It’s frustrating that our majority colleagues are basically allowing the governor to continue having his way. Their refusal to even discuss updates to the emergency-powers law is incomprehensible. But I’ve very proud of our caucus and how we are standing up for the people.”

Senate Republican Caucus Chair Ann Rivers, R-La Center:

“I’m reminded of the saying about actions speaking louder than words. My colleagues in the majority have spoken repeatedly about their dislike for regressive taxes and their intent to apply an equity lens to all their bills – but just look at the actions they’ve taken. The prime example is what happened with the Working Families Tax Credit. Our Senate Republican budget proposal funded this tax relief without needing more taxes, and the Democrats include it in their budget – but along with other policies that may easily cost low-income families more than they’d get from the tax credit. The majority gives with one hand, and takes away with the other. There’s nothing progressive or equitable about that.

“It’s especially troubling how the majority seems content to limit the people’s access to democracy. All session long, our constituents have been kept away from their Capitol – and today, 25 Democrats in the Senate denied them the right to challenge the new income tax through a referendum. They’re not listening to the taxpayers now, and they clearly have no desire to hear from the voters later this year. That is not how you put people first.”

Senate Republican Floor Leader Shelly Short, R-Addy:

“In a year when families have been burdened by the shutdown orders mandated on them by the governor, the Legislature only added to their struggles by passing more regressive taxes that are unnecessary to balance the budget. These taxes will harm manufacturing jobs, do little to improve the environment, and increase the costs of food, fuel and electricity. The particular burden of the income tax on capital gains will only hurt our small businesses and those individuals who have made smart investments throughout their lives to support their retirement and their families and do nothing to fix the purported regressive tax code in Washington state. The majority party did all of this while failing to listen to the voice of our constituents and curb the governor’s emergency powers.

“I do not believe it is any coincidence that so many controversial bills were able to pass this session with the public only participating in their state government virtually. Unfortunately, they will pay a high price for the choices made in Olympia this year.”

Senate Republican Whip Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro Woolley:

“When the 2021 legislative session began in January, I was certain we as lawmakers would work in a bipartisan manner to address the governor’s emergency powers; how wrong I was. Senate Republicans introduced legislation which would refine and focus the governor’s emergency powers, but it was continually rejected by the majority party. Now that the legislative session has ended, we are right back where we were a year ago – unable to act as an equal branch of government. Democrats know it is wrong and would never accept this situation if there was a Republican in the Governor’s Mansion.

“The people of Washington state deserve better. They deserve a government that is accountable to them. We failed them this year by not listening to them and restoring the balance of power in Olympia.”

Legislative Republicans: Emergency power reform not about the governor – it’s about the people

OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, and House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, offered the following statement in response to an interview Gov. Jay Inslee gave criticizing the efforts of legislative Republicans to advance bills this session addressing the reform of the governor’s emergency powers.

During the interview, the governor claimed Republicans’ true motive for seeking to restore the balance of power in Washington was to “gut the ability of the governor to try and save lives.”

“The governor has done some good work in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s stunning that he presents himself as a lifesaver yet seems afraid to even consider opinions that aren’t his own. The people of Washington continue to make sacrifices that the governor has not. It’s one thing to issue proclamations while you still collect a sizable paycheck, but it’s entirely different to live by those proclamations when they leave you unemployed, unable to pay your bills, unable to feed your children and unable to be present when a loved one dies in a hospital or nursing home. The credit here belongs to the people of Washington. Not Jay Inslee.

“To claim that the Republicans are trying to ‘gut the ability of the governor’ to do anything is ridiculous. It’s as though he doesn’t grasp what our proposals would do. We have been clear from the start that our bipartisan effort to reform the executive’s emergency powers has nothing to do with the governor himself. It’s also not a commentary on how he has used those powers. This is for the people — about having a process that allows for the proper representation of their will.

“Silencing the voices of the people, including those who might disagree with him, by shutting out the Legislature is wrong. We are a coequal branch of government and should have equal input on how the state moves forward. Unfortunately, the Democrat majority has abdicated what little legislative oversight there was, giving the governor unchecked power indefinitely. Despite members of the Senate and House offering multiple legislative solutions, the Democrats have been entirely unwilling to even discuss the issue. That undermines the people.”

No counties should be moving backward, say legislative Republican leaders

OLYMPIA…Legislative Republican leaders released the following statement after learning that three counties will be forced to move backward to Phase 2 in the governor’s reopening plan. Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, and Rep. J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, expressed their frustration with the governor’s decision and the Democrat majorities’ inaction on executive powers reform.

“The communities of Cowlitz, Pierce and Whitman counties need to know that Republicans stand with them and disagree with the governor’s decision to move their counties backward. The governor is punishing people who have followed the rules and it will have devastating consequences for many families and businesses. Through no fault of their own, people in these counties will now face more challenges and uncertainty in the weeks ahead. No county should be moving backward in our state’s reopening plan.

“What’s particularly frustrating is the governor made these decisions alone despite the fact we are in a legislative session. That means state lawmakers who represent these counties had no say in the matter. This is wrong. And it’s why we need emergency powers reform this legislative session – to bring the voices of state lawmakers and the constituents they represent to the decision-making process. These voices have been ignored for too long, by the governor but also by the majorities, who refuse to assert the Legislature’s power as a coequal branch of state government. It’s patently absurd that we’re two weeks away from the end of session and they won’t even discuss it. Republicans in both chambers proposed solutions weeks ago. We’ve been calling for action and we’re ready to stand up and get our votes on the record in support of unheard voices across Washington.”

Cutoff highlights refusal to address emergency powers — one of many majority Democrat failures, say top Senate Republicans

OLYMPIA…Senate Republican leaders released the following remarks after Sunday’s legislative deadline for bills that passed in their house origin to be considered by the opposite chamber.

Bills that did not pass in both chambers by Sunday’s cutoff are considered ‘dead’ except for those considered necessary to implement the budget, such as the income tax proposed by Democrats. Bills passed in both chambers without further modification head to the governor’s desk to be considered for signing. Those that now contain additional amendments head back to their house of origin where legislators can either accept or refuse the changes before sending the bills to Gov. Jay Inslee.

Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia:

“We figured the Democrat majority would stand with the governor, instead of listening to the people, on his income tax, his cap-and-tax scheme and his high-cost fuel standards bill. We didn’t expect the majority would refuse to join us in making simple, bipartisan improvements to the emergency-powers law, now that we’ve all seen how it has been applied to our constituents. It’s stunning to realize that in less than two weeks the people will be right back where they were for most of 2020, with one person able to control the most fundamental aspects of daily life — and with the people’s direct representatives having limited ability to intervene. I don’t understand why the Democrats seem afraid to insist that the legislative branch must have authority to review not just some, but every single one of the emergency proclamations that affect their constituents. Add in the new policies that would hinder law enforcement, and families have even less reason to feel secure.

“Some of what we’re seeing has been on the Democrats’ wish list for years, but these policies simply don’t work for all of Washington. It’s no coincidence that this is happening while Democrat leaders have put themselves in a virtual bubble, with a fence conveniently separating them from the faces and the voices of the people.”

Senate Republican Caucus Chair Ann Rivers, R-La Center:

“Actions speak louder than words. I hear my colleagues in the Democratic majority talk about being ‘progressive’ and ‘putting people first’ and applying an ‘equity lens’ – then they pass bills that are regressive, and put government first, at the expense of the poor and the historically marginalized communities they claim they want to help. That was really brought home when they passed the cap-and-tax bill and the high-cost fuel standards bill. We’re talking an increase of at least 55 cents per gallon in the cost of fuel, without any real improvements in air quality or roads. Who does that help? It’s going to drive up the cost of everything that involves a truck or a van.”

“So much of what we’ve seen this session, from the lack of access to democracy to these unnecessary new taxes and regulations, is due to nothing more than pure political opportunism. They’ve finally got 25 members who will vote for some of their pet policies, and this is the result.”

Senate Republican Deputy Leader Sharon Brown, R-Kennewick:

“There were so many quality bills that didn’t make the cutoff deadline, which makes it even more stunning that the Majority used this session to focus on increasing taxes on Washingtonians.

“With so much money coming into the state through increased tax revenues and billions in federal relief dollars, there was clearly no reason for tax increases this year. I am disappointed that Democrats have used their majorities in the House and Senate to push the creation of a new and most-likely unconstitutional income tax on capital gains, a cap-and-tax scheme that will increase the cost of gas and groceries for working families, and other policies that put our state economy and family household budgets at risk.

“The majority’s insatiable desire for more of the people’s money is nothing short of government greed.”

How is the majority failing the people?

Passed a ‘High Cost Fuel Standard’ and a ‘Cap & Tax’ (see accompanying chart). These are toxically regressive bills which will harm those who can least afford to see their gas costs increase by 55 cents/gallon by 2028. Another 9.8-cent increase is expected to be passed in the form of a gas tax. This total increase of 64.8 cents/gallon nearly doubles our current gas tax, which would give Washington the dubious distinction of having the highest gas tax in the country.
Providing lip service to a goal of equity while passing bills that will harm rural communities, including those who grow our food, inevitably resulting in the collapse of many farms that are barely surviving now. Farm donations to food banks will go down and farmworker unemployment will go up. The price of food will go up, harming lower-income individuals already suffering from food insecurity including children and the urban poor.
Continued inaction by legislative Democrat leadership to exert appropriate legislative oversight over the ongoing COVID-19 situation. Hospitals are not in danger of being overwhelmed, and vaccine distribution is progressing statewide. But Democrat legislative leadership continues to allow the executive branch to operate under emergency powers with no end in sight. This is in contravention to other states with one party control both Democrat (Connecticut) and Republican (Idaho) where the legislatures have announced that emergency powers must be reformed to reestablish separate and coequal powers of the legislative branch. Pass Senate Bill 5039.
Insufficient legislative action on returning the most vulnerable Washington kids back to in-person school. It is SCANDALOUS that union leaders for adults are allowing our children to be harmed – potentially for their entire lives – by not following the science used by the Centers of Disease Control to call for the safe return to the classroom. This is the equity issue of our time. Pass Senate Bill 5464.
Inaction by the majority to a decision handed down by a Supreme Court which continues to act as a super legislature and has effectively legalized the possession of hard drugs in the Washington. It is hoped that Democrat leaders will agree that drug legalization would be disastrous. Pass SB 5471.
The indefinite lockout of the public from directly observing THEIR elected representatives making laws that affect their lives. Sunday was Day 93 — this is beginning the FOURTH MONTH of this lockdown. To put a fine point on it, the Democrats have allowed an ugly cyclone fence and concrete barriers to stay up and have made it clear that while the public might find a way into the campus during the day, they really are not welcome by the Democrat legislative leaders.
Continued erosion of public safety and the vilification of law enforcement. This includes wanting to legalize hard drugs that drive the mental health and homelessness epidemics in Washington, letting some career criminals who are in jail under the ‘3-strikes’ law out on the street, and taking tools away from peace officers who must handle violent and resistant suspects.

Worst Bills Moving Forward (As of cutoff – opposite house)

8402: Abdicating legislative power to review emergency gubernatorial proclamations (Liias)
5096: Implementing an income tax on capital gains – a ‘starter’ income tax (Robinson) NTIB
5126: Cap & Tax, allowing wealthy polluters to pay to continue to pollute (Carlyle) NTIB (transportation)
1091: Implementing a ‘High Cost Fuel Standard’ (HCFS) that will cripple agriculture in Washington and harm those who must drive more than others (Fitzgibbon)
5141: Implementing the recommendations of the Environmental Justice Taskforce (Saldana)
5399: Creating the Universal Health Care Commission (Randall)
5121: Expanding eligibility for the graduated reentry program (Darneille)
5051: Improper expansion of state authority over police departments.
5036: Conditional commutation by the clemency and pardons board (Dhingra)

2021 Opposite House Cutoff Totals

Senate Bills in House

Senate passed 208 bills to the House

155 D (74.5%)
53 R (25.6%)

House passed 150 Senate bills

116 D (77.3%)
34 R (22.7%)

House Bills in Senate

House passed 221 bills to the Senate

178 D (80.5%)
43 R (19.4%)

Senate passed 166 House bills

131 D (78.9%)
35 R (21.1%)

Senate Republican bills that have passed the House (opposite house cutoff):

Bill	Title	Status	Original Sponsor
2SSB 5000	Hydrogen/electric vehicles	H Passed 3rd	Hawkins
SSB 5009	Public expression protection	H Passed 3rd	Padden
SB 5016	All-terrain vehicles	H Spkr Signed	Warnick
SB 5018	Acupuncture and Eastern med.	H Spkr Signed	Rivers
ESSB 5024	Condominium construction	H Passed 3rd	Padden
SB 5027	Television closed captions	H Passed 3rd	Padden
SB 5031	Aviation revital. loan prg	H Passed 3rd	Honeyford
SB 5040	State highway litter control	H Passed 3rd	Fortunato
SB 5063	Invasive species council exp	H Passed 3rd	Honeyford
SB 5077	Mortgage loan originators	C 15 L 21	Dozier
SB 5131	County clerks/recall	H Spkr Signed	Holy
SSB 5157	Behavioral disorders/justice	H Passed 3rd	Wagoner
ESB 5158	Utility wildland fire cmte.	H Passed 3rd	Hawkins
SB 5159	WDFW payments/property tax	H Passed 3rd	Warnick
ESSB 5172	Agricultural overtime	H Passed 3rd	King
ESSB 5190	Health care workers/benefits	H Passed 3rd	Holy
SB 5198	Ambulances in rural areas	C 17 L 21	Schoesler
SSB 5230	Groundwater agreements	H Passed 3rd	Dozier
SSB 5236	Certificate of need exempt.	H Passed 3rd	Warnick
ESSB 5251	Tax and revenue laws	S Pres Signed	Schoesler
SSB 5271	Health care injury/COVID-19	S Pres Signed	Wagoner
SB 5296	WSP retirement/index def.	H Spkr Signed	Schoesler
SSB 5325	Telemedicine	H Spkr Signed	Muzzall
2SSB 5331	Early childhood court prg	H Passed 3rd	Gildon
SB 5338	Fire districts/education	C 19 L 21	Wilson, L.
SB 5345	Industrial waste program	H Passed 3rd	Brown
SB 5347	Cooperatives/member voting	H Spkr Signed	Padden
ESB 5356	Public works/bidding	H Spkr Signed	Short
SSB 5361	Drug offenses/resentencing	H Passed 3rd	McCune
2SSB 5362	Agricultural fair funding	H Passed 3rd	McCune
2SSB 5368	Rural economic development	H Passed 3rd	Short
SSB 5384	Volunteer firefighters	H Spkr Signed	Warnick
SSB 5423	Telemedicine consultations	H Passed 3rd	Rivers
ESB 5454	Prop. tax/natural disasters	H Passed 3rd	Schoesler

New three-foot distancing order for classrooms is right move for Washington’s kids, say Republican leaders

OLYMPIA…Republican legislative leaders released the following remarks in response to Gov. Jay Inslee’s order that the recently revised three-foot social-distancing guideline from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) would be made available immediately to every school across the state.

Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, and House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, asked Gov. Inslee last week to recognize the CDC’s new recommendations and implement them here in Washington.

“We asked the governor to endorse three-foot spacing guidance for classrooms a week ago and appreciate that he has embraced another one of our recommendations. For some time, the data has shown that kids can return to school safely with this new guideline. Thousands of schools around the country have demonstrated its success. It is more practical for the classroom than the previous six-foot rule. Making this new guideline immediately available to all schools in Washington is the right thing to do and it will make a big difference in the lives of the kids who can now return to in-person instruction among their friends. Every day that goes by, kids and parents pay a higher price for not being in school. We urge the WEA to support immediate efforts to get teachers and kids back in the classroom where they belong.”

Republican leaders say endorsement of 3-foot spacing would help classrooms reopen

OLYMPIA… The state Legislature’s top Republican leaders today said a gubernatorial endorsement of 3-foot spacing for classrooms would help Washington schools comply with Gov. Jay Inslee’s March 15 emergency proclamation calling for at least a partial return to regular classroom instruction.

Senate Republican Leader John Braun and House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox noted the possibility that federal public-health officials will update guidance that currently calls for six feet between students.

“We’re hearing from school districts that the six-foot spacing of students is the largest hurdle to reopening classrooms. The director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention essentially agreed when speaking to members of Congress yesterday. She also noted how Massachusetts has seen success with three-foot spacing, when combined with proper face covering and hygiene.

“Our state’s school districts have one month from tomorrow to meet the in-person requirements handed down by the governor Monday. If the governor wants them to be successful, he shouldn’t wait to see if the CDC updates its guidance, as the director suggested may happen – he can simply endorse the three-foot spacing himself and take that issue off the board. For some districts it could mean the difference between meeting his April 19 deadline and failing.

“The children limited to remote instruction have been ready for a long time to see their teachers in person. Families need for their students to receive the best possible form of instruction. Students who have been allowed back on campus have shown they can follow established safety protocols. For many months, Republicans have trusted that schools can resume in-person instruction safely. Now that the governor has also reached that conclusion, through his emergency proclamation, let’s not allow the difference between six feet and three feet to keep students from finally walking back into classrooms.”

Senate Republican leaders: Inslee’s school-choice approach to reopening K-12 instruction solid step toward improving youth mental health

OLYMPIA… Leaders in the Senate Republican Caucus released the following remarks in response to Gov. Jay Inslee’s announcement today that all K-12 public schools in Washington will be required by executive order to provide safe in-person and remote learning options for students by mid-April.

Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia:

“There is no doubt that many thousands of children across the state have not adapted well to remote learning during the pandemic. Some are doing just fine – thriving even. But many are suffering. Republicans have highlighted this disparity for some time. Last month, I sent a letter to the governor asking him to accelerate the process of reopening all of Washington’s schools. And in recent weeks I have been pleased to see him come to support returning to the classroom despite pushback from the teachers’ union.

“Governor Inslee’s announcement today requiring choice in how schools provide instruction is the best course of action right now. I hope being given the option to do what’s best for their children will improve morale among our K-12 families. This is a solid step toward getting our kids back on track – academically and mentally. The alarming toll this pandemic has taken on youth is our newest mental-health crisis. It’s unfortunate that some are only waking up to that reality now. But others are still ignoring the youth suicide rates and other indicators of how negatively our children are being affected.

“The science has shown for a while that classroom instruction can be done safely. Wearing masks, washing hands, socially distancing at 3 feet all help make the schools a safe learning environment. The data shows this is effective in other states. The teachers’ union’s opposition to reopening our schools here in Washington is a terrible disservice to children with special needs, children from lower-income families, children of color and children in rural areas where connectivity is a problem. This is the equity issue of our time. But we can begin to change that, now that school districts will be required to provide an in-person option, and not at the expense of those whose parents want to continue remote learning.”

Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, prime sponsor of SB 5464:

“Even before the COVID-19 numbers began a nosedive and vaccinations started rolling out, there was ample empirical evidence that children can be back in classrooms and remain safe. Republicans recognized open classrooms should be the state’s default position, and that keeping kids out of classrooms was becoming a public-health crisis all its own. The point of SB 5464 was to require in-person instruction unless a particular authority said otherwise. Being in the minority in the Legislature, we couldn’t pass that bill ourselves, but we could and did offer it up as a better idea.

“The governor’s move, to prohibit schools from failing to offer an in-person instruction option, lines up with the Republican approach. If our bill showed a way forward, I’m happy. But the real winners here are the children of Washington and their families.”

Senate Republican Caucus Chair Ann Rivers, R-La Center:

“Tomorrow will mark one year since the governor ordered the statewide school closure. We may never know the full extent of the loss caused by keeping so many kids out of classrooms for so long – but I’m glad the governor has taken firm action toward ending any additional loss caused by the remote-only approach.

“As a former teacher I am confident that all of our schools can figure out how to comply with this new direction and help our K-12 system move a giant step back toward ‘normal.’ Our children have waited too long already.”