John Braun

STATEMENT: Republican leader cautious about drug-law ‘special’ session

May 02, 2023

CENTRALIA… State lawmakers have been called into a special session to continue work toward a new state law on the possession of controlled substances, after failing to come to an agreement before the regular legislative session ended April 23. Senate Republican Leader John Braun offered this comment following Gov. Jay... Read More...

STATEMENT: Failure to reform state’s disastrous drug-possession law rests squarely with House Democrats, says Republican leader

April 23, 2023

OLYMPIA… The 2023 legislative session has ended without the passage of a new state law on the possession of controlled substances, leaving it up to counties and cities to put their own drug-possession laws in place once the state law adopted in 2021 expires July 1. Senate Republican Leader John... Read More...

Funding for Chehalis Basin, behavioral health lead list of 20th District investments in state’s new capital budget

April 22, 2023

OLYMPIA… State government’s capital budget for 2023-25 has full legislative approval after receiving unanimous support today from the 49-member Senate. Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, says the new spending plan will invest almost $133.5 million in the 20th Legislative District, including $70 million for property- and habitat-protection efforts in the Chehalis... Read More...

Bill to expand standard for vehicular pursuit “simply not enough,” says Senate Republican Leader

April 17, 2023

OLYMPIA… Senate Republican Leader John Braun today provided the following comments after the Senate’s narrow passage of legislation that is a half-step toward letting law-enforcement officers engage in vehicular pursuits in more situations than Washington law has allowed since 2021. Senate Bill 5352 was passed with a 26-22 vote, representing the mixed... Read More...

STATEMENT: Republican leaders call foul on Democrats’ late-session bid to raise property taxes

April 12, 2023

OLYMPIA… In what amounts to the ninth inning of the 2023 legislative session, more than two-thirds of the state Senate’s majority Democrats have slid an extreme tax-increase proposal into the lineup of bills still in play. Senate Bill 5770 would raise the limit on increases in state and local property... Read More...

STATEMENT: To save lives, Senate should stand its ground on reform of failed drug-possession law, says Republican leader

April 12, 2023

OLYMPIA… The state Senate voted more than five weeks ago to make possession of hard drugs a gross misdemeanor, and improve on the Legislature’s disastrous response to the state Supreme Court’s 2021 Blake decision. The state House of Representatives just passed a version of Senate Bill 5536 that would lower... Read More...

Braun: Bipartisan Senate budget addresses ‘equity issue of our time’

March 23, 2023

Provides nearly $70 million for to address students’ learning loss, additional $800 million for special education OLYMPIA…The 2023-2025 Senate operating budget proposal released today includes nearly $70 million to help Washington’s students recover from learning loss resulting from remote learning and school closures during the pandemic. It also includes... Read More...

Senate Republican Leader John Braun shares what the Legislature is doing to address learning loss and special education

March 20, 2023

Learn more about what the Legislature is working on to deal with student learning loss and the needs of special education students. Read More...

STATEMENT: Police-pursuit bill narrowly passed by Senate today is ‘half step’ in the right direction, says Republican leader

March 08, 2023

OLYMPIA… Senate Republican Leader John Braun today offered this statement following the Senate’s narrow passage of legislation that would let law-enforcement officers engage in vehicular pursuits in more situations than Washington law has allowed since 2021. Senate Bill 5352 was passed with a 26-23 vote on the final day of... Read More...

STATEMENT: Republican leader encouraged by Senate passage of bill to strengthen drug-possession law

March 03, 2023

OLYMPIA… Little more than two years after the landmark State v. Blake court decision, a bipartisan majority of state senators today approved legislation that would make possession and use of hard drugs a gross misdemeanor, and significantly restore the legal leverage that can compel people to seek and complete substance-use... Read More...

Senator John Braun

Senate Republican Leader — 20th District

John Braun

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