OLYMPIA… Students will join chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee, Sen. Barbara Bailey and Deputy Majority Leader, Sen. John Braun to unveil a new plan for higher education affordability in a news conference Thursday, Feb. 12.   Date:               Thursday, Feb. 12 at 12:45 p.m. Locations:      Senate Hearing Room 2,...

Sen. John Braun’s legislation, Senate Bill 5329 that would require public employees’ union negotiations to be open to the public received a hearing in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee Monday. “It is important to have transparency and openness in government,” Braun, R- Centralia, said. “We’ve recently seen private negotiations...

Taxpayers in Washington can face a lengthy and challenging process when disputing a tax assessment. To create a more open and fair process Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, introduced Senate Bill 5449 which would create a statewide elected Tax Appeals Division of the appeals court and eliminate the executive agency comprised...

More than 50 members of the 20th Legislative District’s Latino community joined Sen. John Braun on Sunday afternoon in Chehalis for a discussion about priorities for the upcoming legislative session, which begins Jan. 12. “I was pleasantly surprised by the turnout,” said Braun, R-Centralia, who had invited members of the...

The Senate Majority Coalition Caucus has elected Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, as Senate Majority Deputy Leader for the two-year legislative term that begins in 2015.  Braun was already a member of the MCC leadership team and is chair of the Senate Trade and Economic Development Committee. “We will have a...

On June 30, the Supreme Court issued its ruling in Harris v. Quinn which deals with the issue of workers being required to unionize. I sent a letter to the Attorney General requesting an informal opinion answering several questions about that case’s effects in our state. Does the U.S. Supreme...

I recently wrote a guest column in the Longview Daily News regarding the governor’s proposed changes to our state’s water quality standards and the challenges that presents. Please read below for excerpts and a link to the full story.     Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s announcement regarding Washington’s water quality...

Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, spent Tuesday night visiting with local preschool students in the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program at Centralia College, which heavily relies on state funding each year. Braun sat with the youths and helped them color pictures and play games. He said ECEAP is a high...