Senator John Braun

New capital budget makes major investments in flood protection and schools The Washington State Legislature approved a new capital budget Thursday evening, bringing a variety of investments in infrastructure and community projects to Southwest Washington according to Sen. John Braun. The $4.2 billion budget, which runs through June 2019, makes historic investments in building schools, expanding mental health treatment facilities and... Read More...

Education funding update Last year I provided many updates on what lawmakers proposed and ultimately passed to provide a high-quality education for all children. The end result was a historic investment that not only amply funds our public schools but also makes education more equitable throughout the state. Since 2012, the Legislature will... Read More...

Property tax relief for all Washingtonians The share of property taxes paid by homeowners compared to commercial properties has increased significantly in recent decades. I proposed legislation to provide equitable tax relief by creating a homestead property tax exemption. The policy would exempt the first $100,000 of a homeowner’s assessed value from state property taxes. If passed... Read More...

2018 session underway State lawmakers returned to Olympia on Monday for what is scheduled to be a short 60-day session. Since we adjourned in July, the dynamic has shifted as Democrats won a special election in November, giving them a narrow majority in the Senate for the first time since 2012. We accomplished... Read More...

Braun proposes separate districts for House elections Legislation increases ability of lawmakers to contact voters and diversifies geographic representation in Legislature With this year’s Legislature set to review a variety of voting reforms, Sen. John Braun is calling for the state to divide legislative districts into two distinct House districts under a bill released today. Two House... Read More...

Sen. John Braun statement on Gov. Inslee’s 2018 supplemental budget plan Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia and the ranking Republican on the Senate Ways and Means Committee, gave this statement after Gov. Jay Inslee unveiled his 2018 supplemental budget proposal Thursday morning.   “I’m encouraged by a few components of the governor’s budget plan. I’m glad he is finally adhering to the... Read More...

Students invited to apply for 2018 Senate Page Program The Washington State Senate is currently accepting applications for the 2018 Senate Page Program, where students ages 14 to 16 spend one week at the Capitol working in the Senate. Sen. John Braun encourages students to apply for the program, which provides a front-row seat to the legislative process. “With... Read More...