John Braun

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...

May 13, 2015 Budget Update: Day 15 of the Special Session We are now half-way through the 2015 special session. The Legislature was convened by the governor for 30 days to finish work on the operating budget that should have been completed in the 105-day regular session. During that time...

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 Greetings Friends and Neighbors, Thank you to everyone who participated in our recent telephone town-hall meeting. We had record participation this year of over 1,900, and we discussed a wide range of issues. Your input is invaluable as I work to represent you here in Olympia. The...

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...

April 15, 2015 Day 94: Budget countdown continues I am beginning the countdown to the end of the 2015 legislative session, highlighting the need to complete budget negotiations by April 26. Today is the 94th day of the 105-day legislative session, the 19th day since House Democrats rolled out a...

After Sen. John Braun introduced legislation to cut tuition at state colleges and universities some questions arose regarding the bill’s effects on Washington State’s Guaranteed Education Tuition program. Opponents of the proposal have erroneously stated the measure would reduce the value of credits already purchased through the state GET program....