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...

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...

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...

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...

Friends and Neighbors, I am pleased to report that the Washington State Senate and House of Representatives voted today to pass three of the citizen initiatives to the Legislature. They will become law 90 days after March 7 — the day we adjourn. And because they are initiatives, the governor...

Fighting for public safety while others fight for the rights of offenders   Watch my legislative video update   Dear Friends and Neighbors, We have reached the point during the legislative session when the Senate is back to meeting as committees, having hearings on bills that passed the House of...

  OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, made the following comments in reaction to the announcement that the proposal to allow local governments to raise property taxes by up to 3% annually without a vote of the people is dead for this legislative session. The Democratic sponsor of Senate Bill...

  Friends and Neighbors, WEEKLY VIDEO UPDATE The first week of session was busy and I have several things to share with you. First, take a few minutes to watch my weekly video update. LEGISLATIVE PREVIEWS Every year, the week before session starts, the leaders of the four caucuses participate...

Friends and Neighbors, Today marks the beginning of the 2024 Legislative Session. We operate on a biennial schedule, so this is the “short” year. This means we meet for 60 days, during which time we are tasked with making minor adjustments to the biennial state budget adopted in 2023 rather...