John Braun

Greetings Friends and Neighbors, The Legislature finally adjourned after a 20-day special session to conclude work on the state’s supplemental budget.  As the lead budget negotiator in the Senate this year, I worked to ensure a sustainable and responsible budget that would allow us to live within our means. I...

Tuesday evening the Legislature approved a supplemental budget, concluding the legislative session. Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, voted in favor of the bipartisan proposal that makes minor adjustments to the state’s two-year operating budget approved last year. “This is a good supplemental,” lead budget negotiator Braun said. “It meets the requirements...

Gov. Jay Inslee today signed Senate Bill 6293, sponsored by Sen. John Braun. The new law, which won unanimous legislative approval, will allow businesses to offer industrial insurance to unpaid interns and student volunteers. “This legislation will help expand opportunities for students to gain valuable experience in the workforce,” said...

Budget leaders from the Washington State Senate and House of Representatives today announced they have reached agreement on an update of the state’s current two-year operating budget. Work on a supplement to the 2015-17 budget has been under way since the 2016 regular legislative session gave way to a special...

Senate budget leaders Sens. Andy Hill and John Braun released an updated 2016 supplemental budget proposal today, which will receive a public hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee at 2 p.m. The new plan comes at the beginning of a special session as lawmakers continue work to find...

Today the state Senate approved legislation introduced by Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia to limit the power of state agencies by changing the way they make rules. Senate Bill 6396 would require proposed rules to be submitted to the state attorney general’s office for an opinion on their constitutionality. In addition,...

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...

The state Senate today approved Sen. John Braun’s legislation that would make permanent a state policy that returns money from federal timber sales to local schools. Senate Bill 6292 would eliminate the reduction of state school funding to districts based on what they receive in federal forest revenues. The measure...

Deputy Majority Leader Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia voted Friday to let Washingtonians have the final word on requiring a two-thirds majority in the Legislature to raise taxes. Senate Joint Resolution 8211, which would let voters decide on a constitutional amendment requiring a supermajority to raise taxes, failed to receive support...