Legislature

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...

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...

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...

STATEMENT: Police-pursuit bills favored by Democratic legislators still fail to respond to auto-theft epidemic

February 16, 2023

OLYMPIA… Senate Republican leaders are encouraged by a House committee’s approval of legislation to loosen restrictions on police pursuits, but concerned that the bill still would not restore the ability of officers to pursue suspected car thieves. This morning the House Community Safety, Justice, and Reentry Committee passed House Bill... Read More...

STATEMENT: Republican leader says California tax refunds make Washington Democrats look heartless

October 06, 2022

CENTRALIA… Tomorrow, middle-class households across California will begin receiving tax-refund payments to help with what one state official calls “inflated costs for everyday necessities.” Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, responded by pointing out how in Washington, Gov. Jay Inslee and Democratic legislators have refused all year long to offer... Read More...

New statewide crime numbers confirm importance of reestablishing public safety, says Republican leader

July 21, 2022

CENTRALIA… The state Senate’s Republican leader says new numbers showing crime has continued to increase across Washington should give legislators even more reason to focus on public-safety measures next year – beyond what the governor is belatedly supporting. The 2021 Crime in Washington report has murder, rape, robbery and aggravated... Read More...

STATEMENT: Republican leaders repeat call for action as inflation rates continue to climb

July 13, 2022

OLYMPIA… Another jump in price inflation at the state and national levels has Senate Republican leaders calling again for legislative action to provide financial relief to Washington families. New numbers from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics show the June inflation rate in Washington was 10.1% higher than a year earlier,... Read More...

Senator John Braun

Senate Republican Leader — 20th District

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