Uncategorized

Braun offers caution after committee endorses levy-lift bill
February 15, 2019
OLYMPIA…Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia and an architect of the landmark education-funding updates enacted in 2017, raised concerns about the future of those reforms following a vote today in the Senate committee on K-12 education. A majority of the committee members approved Senate Bill 5313, which would allow property-tax hikes by... Read More...
Sexual-harassment data within state government needs tracking, senators say
February 06, 2019
OLYMPIA…Legislation introduced today would require all three branches of state government to track and submit data regarding sexual harassment of employees for detailed annual reports that would be public. Sen. John Braun and Sen. Ann Rivers come at Senate Bill 5845 from different directions but are sponsoring it with the... Read More...
Braun encouraged by pushback to ‘booth renter’ bill
January 28, 2019
OLYMPIA…Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia and a member of the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee, offered this following a hearing today on controversial legislation that would affect thousands of hairstylists, barbers and cosmetologists who offer their services as independent contractors at a booth or chair they rent from a shop or... Read More...
Republican-led special-education proposal goes far beyond funding
January 22, 2019
OLYMPIA…Major new legislation introduced today in the state Senate would address parent-centered concerns about special-education services through a combination of policy updates and funding. The approach is reminiscent of the comprehensive 2017 proposal that ultimately moved Washington’s K-12 funding system into the 21st century. “We have an opportunity this year to support big... Read More...
Charter public schools constitutional, remain an option for Washington students
October 25, 2018
Voter-approved charter public schools will remain available to students after today’s Washington State Supreme Court ruling upheld their constitutionality. Sen. John Braun said the court’s affirmation that 2016 legislation corrected constitutional infirmities with the original initiative will ensure charter public schools remain one of many tools the state has to... Read More...
Progress on new Chamber Way overpass and upcoming road closure
October 09, 2018
Two years after the Chamber Way overpass of I-5 in Chehalis was damaged by a large truck, the new bridge is complete and the Washington State Department of Transportation is preparing to finish the connections and open it to the public. In order to complete the project Chamber Way will... Read More...
Celebrating Centralia’s George and Mary Washington
October 09, 2018
In August I enjoyed the opportunity to join with hundreds of area residents at the unveiling of a new statue of Centralia’s founders George and Mary Washington. Click here to read more about the celebration in the Centralia Chronicle. TVW — our state’s version of C-SPAN — also created a short... Read More...
As strong economy drives record revenues, Legislature must protect taxpayers
September 26, 2018
Legislators should use projected increases in tax revenues to save taxpayers money in the long term and provide financial stability for the state, according to Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia. Today’s meeting of the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council saw the state’s chief economist announce a $348 million increase... Read More...