Bipartisan legislation would move toward education equity in every ZIP Code OLYMPIA… Sen. John Braun (R-Centralia) and Sen. Mark Mullet (D-Issaquah) say state government’s positive financial outlook has given legislators an opportunity to make significant new investments in Washington’s K-12 schools, bring local school-levy rates down and avoid a repeat...

Governor’s delay of ‘Washington Cares’ tax won’t prevent January deductions from paychecks OLYMPIA…In response to new information about how the governor’s delay of the long-term care tax won’t stop tax collections in January, Senate Republican Leader John Braun of Centralia and House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox of Yelm issued this...

House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox and Senate Republican Leader John Braun released the following statement on the Legislature’s win over Gov. Jay Inslee in the Washington Supreme Court today: “The Legislature knew Governor Inslee overstepped his constitutional authority by vetoing single lines of the transportation budget in 2019. The four caucuses agreed to bring legal...

Inslee’s vaccine mandate on K-12 could backfire, hurt students   OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, issued the following statement in response to the governor’s announcement requiring teachers and other K-12 education employees to get the COVID vaccine or risk losing their jobs and jeopardizing their district’s funding. “I am...

Democrat sponsor of legislation admits fixes are necessary OLYMPIA… Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, and House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, issued the following statement in response to continued Democrat insistence in the press that law enforcement and legislators are overreacting to controversial new laws on policing that lack...

OLYMPIA… At a news conference today, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a new vaccine mandate for most state employees, private health care and long-term care workers. House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox and Senate Republican Leader John Braun released the following statement on the announcement: “Vaccinations can save lives and we have...

Republicans warned House Bill 1310 and House Bill 1054 would make communities less safe, offered amendments that were rejected Law enforcement, EMT, and local elected officials across the state are expressing their concerns with new police-related bills passed by Democrats this year and explaining how the legislation will jeopardize the...

  New proclamation indicates governor will maintain tighter grip at least through September OLYMPIA… With the state of emergency linked to the COVID-19 pandemic now past the 16-month mark, the state Legislature’s top Republican leaders say Gov. Jay Inslee needs to be up front with the people of Washington about...

OLYMPIA… Senate Republican Leader John Braun offered this statement today after Northwest Innovation Works announced it is pulling the plug on a seven-year effort to construct a $2.3 billion methanol plant at the Port of Kalama. “Knowing this announcement might come from NW Innovations doesn’t make it any less disappointing....