Today the state Senate approved legislation introduced by Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia to expand the pool of medical professionals capable of addressing mental-health needs of Washingtonians. Senate Bill 6445, which cleared the Senate unanimously, would clarify state law to include physician assistants in the delivery of mental-health services. “Our state...

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Washington’s Paramount Duty A look at education funding in our state Greetings, For the past 30 years, starting in the early 1980s, growth in general government spending outpaced the state’s investments in public education. Billions of dollars were diverted from the state’s paramount duty toward other state programs. As the...

Leaders in the state Senate and House have reached a significant bipartisan agreement on the state’s two-year operating budget. Included in the budget is the Senate’s proposal to reduce tuition at state colleges and universities, sponsored by deputy majority leader Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia. Over the next two years the...

Teacher strikes, education funding, and legislator pay. These three issues have grabbed headlines recently as the Washington Citizens’ Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials considered increasing legislator pay by 11 percent while legislators are focused on completing budget negotiations. The independent commission voted Wednesday to enact that pay increase despite...

May 6, 2015   To the Washington Citizens’ Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials: As you may be aware, this has been a tough budget year. Both parties in the House and Senate are working to create a balanced budget that prioritizes our state’s spending. Part of that prioritization is...

College affordability one step closer for Washington Families The Senate Majority’s College Affordability Program, Senate Bill 5954 passed with bipartisan support but surprising opposition from half of Senate Democrats. The bill, sponsored by Deputy Majority Leader Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, and chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee, Sen. Barbara...

April 23, 2015 3 days left: Senate budget no reason for teachers to strikeSen. John Braun, R-Centralia notes that the end of the 2015 regular legislative session is fast approaching. Braun continues the countdown, highlighting the need to complete budget negotiations by April 26 and offered this statement: “The Senate’s...

April 20, 2015  6 days left: Budget countdown continues I am continuing the countdown to the end of the 2015 legislative session, highlighting the need to complete budget negotiations by April 26. Today is the 99th day of the 105-day legislative session. There are only 6 days left for the...