John Braun

Senate Republican Leader is grateful small business workers had their voices heard OLYMPIA… Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, issued this statement after dozens of people testified this morning before the Senate State Government and Elections Committee in support of Senate Bill 5114. It would move all regions of Washington to Phase...

OLYMPIA… State government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic is suffering from Gov. Jay Inslee’s resistance to calling the state Legislature into session to help with key decisions, Sen. John Braun said today. Braun, R-Centralia, Republican leader on the Senate Ways and Means Committee, offered this reaction to new restrictions announced...

OLYMPIA…Sen. Lynda Wilson and Sen. John Braun made this comment today after Gov. Jay Inslee’s office abruptly disbanded the Business Recovery Legislative Task Force after only five meetings since April 17. The group comprised two legislators from each of the Legislature’s four caucuses. “The sudden demise of the Legislative Task...

OLYMPIA…The state Legislature’s Republican budget leaders today offered these statements following the signing of the supplemental state operating budget for 2019-21, which included nearly 150 line-item vetoes. From Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, budget leader for the Senate Republican Caucus: “I appreciate the governor’s efforts to reduce spending. Knowing how the...

OLYMPIA…Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia and budget leader for Washington’s Senate Republican Caucus, made this statement about the governor’s decision to extend by one month the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order issued March 23. “This is a sound decision. From a public-health standpoint it makes sense to continue limiting the movement...

“This is unbelievably sad. Trooper Justin Schaffer gave his life to keep the people of our state safe, attempting to end a pursuit of a suspected robber wanted in two counties. He was a young husband, a trooper since 2014, the son of a police chief. He is the 30th...

Proposed constitutional amendment would bring stability to long-term care fund OLYMPIA…More than a year before Washington workers are required to begin paying into a long-term care fund, Washington voters will have an opportunity to direct those payroll-tax dollars into investments that could strengthen the fund while protecting taxpayers. Late Thursday...

OLYMPIA…Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia and budget leader for Washington’s Senate Republican Caucus, offered this statement about the supplemental operating budget proposed today by the state Senate’s Democrat majority. “The majority could have done something truly memorable with this budget. With the state’s revenue situation running 1.5 billion dollars ahead of...

OLYMPIA…Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia and budget leader for Washington’s Senate Republican Caucus, made this statement following today’s adoption of the first quarterly state-government revenue forecast for 2020. The forecast indicates revenues for the 2019-21 budget cycle are $606 million ahead of the November 2019 forecast, for a total estimated revenue...