Tag Archives: Sen. John Braun

Stopping fraud in state housing grant program

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

There’s been plenty of news lately about the defrauding of government programs, specifically by some daycare owners in Minnesota. While that issue has received a lot of attention, it is not unique. Across the country, people commit fraud against all kinds of publicly funded programs, accessing benefits intended for people who are truly in need.

Not only is this morally wrong, it’s criminal.

Every taxpayer should be concerned about fraud — that’s your money being stolen or misused — and I’m sponsoring Senate Bill 6205 to address a specific category of fraud here in Washington.

Fortunately, SB 6205 is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Housing Committee at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 28. Before the hearing, you can:

  • Sign in online to support the bill,
  • Testify on the bill from home OR in person; or,
  • Submit written testimony to the committee.

Learn how to testify in committee.

Read my news release.

Listen to my radio release.

 

WHAT DOES SB 6205 DO?

SB 6205 addresses the bad combination of nepotism, fraud and lack of accountability in a publicly funded housing program designed to help people of color become homeowners. It’s called the Community Reinvestment Plan (CRP).

The bill would make it illegal for the officers of any of the nonprofits in charge of distributing CRP money, and their family members, to receive any of the housing grants or benefitting from the grants indirectly.

The bill would also require the Department of Commerce to evaluate how the grants are distributed and make the results available to the Legislature.

 

WHY DO WE NEED THIS REFORM?

According to information recently provided by a whistleblower, one of the nonprofits in charge of distributing money for the CRP gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to people with close family connections to the organization while others in need went without.

In one instance, an individual received $350,000 toward the purchase of a $425,000 home. It turned out that her mother controls the purse strings for one of the nonprofits in charge of distributing the grants. Two other people with ties to the same organization received $50,000 and $100,000 respectively. Part of the $50,000 grant was reportedly used by the recipient to pay off her credit card debt.

Next week, I will share committee testimony on SB 6205. If you have questions or concerns, you can email me at john.braun@leg.wa.gov.

Sincerely,

Senator John Braun

 

 

WATCH: Fraud, fentanyl and the income tax

Watch my weekly legislative update for week two of the 2026 Legislative Session.
I cover fraud, fentanyl and the income tax.

 

 

Protecting children from exposure to fentanyl

WATCH MY FLOOR SPEECH

My bill to add fentanyl to the child endangerment statute passed the Senate with strong bipartisan support for the fourth time. It is headed back to the House, where I hope the majority will grant it a hearing in committee and a vote on the House floor.

Read my news release about SB 5071.

 

 

“Three strikes” and you’re out…on the street

 

Watch the testimony of Melanie Roberts, whose 80-year-old grandmother was murdered in Seattle in 2024 by a perpetrator who should have already had three strikes.

 

The latest attempt by the Legislature’s Democratic majority to weaken Washington’s “Three Strikes Law” received a committee hearing recently. It included a sad display of disrespect by the committee chair toward one of the testifiers — Melanie Roberts, whose 80-year-old grandmother was murdered in Seattle by someone who could escape a life-without-parole sentence if Senate Bill 5945 passes. Watch Melanie’s testimony.

“I want you to think if you know anybody who has been impacted by a violent act — drunk driver, assault, rape, murder. Would it make it ok if the drunk driver, rapist, robber or murderer was under 18? Would the victim be any less violated, traumatized or dead? No.

“So if the outcome is the same for the victims, why is it different for the perpetrators?”

-Melanie Roberts

Since 1994, Washington’s Persistent Offender Accountability Act, better known as the “Three Strikes Law,” has required a sentence of “life imprisonment without parole” for a third conviction of a serious violent felony. It was intended to keep people safe from repeat offenders who commit crimes such as murder, rape, robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.

SB 5945 would eliminate “strikes,” or serious crime convictions, if they were committed by offenders when they were juveniles. This would roll back some current inmates to two strikes, instead of three, which would result in their life sentences being reduced.

The individual who killed Melanie’s grandmother in August 2024 has already been convicted of three violent crimes and should be serving life in prison, but what would have been his third strike was negotiated down in a plea deal. If SB 5945 passes, his latest conviction — which should be strike four — still won’t count as strike three. Why? Because he committed his first strike when he was under 18.

THE ARGUMENT

Supporters of SB 5945 argue that those under 18 lack the brain development to be held fully accountable for juvenile offenses — even violent ones such as rape and murder. Therefore, juvenile offenses shouldn’t factor into their sentencing if they commit more violent crimes in the future.

I strongly disagree. This policy prioritizes criminals over victims, plain and simple. Teenagers are old enough to know that raping a child, murdering their parents or beating an old woman to death is wrong. Because of its violent nature, that juvenile conviction should remain a strike toward life in prison. SB 5945 is an affront to victims and the victims’ surviving families and friends.

We’ve heard Democrats make this same tired argument before. The irony is that they seem to forget about those same underdeveloped brains when the discussion shifts to whether children can change their gender in kindergarten or get an abortion at any age — without parental consent.

This bill would affect the sentences of about 24 inmates, at present. That doesn’t take into account the effects it will have on those left permanently traumatized and victimized by these offenders. The bill would also prevent some of those who commit future violent crimes from being permanently removed from society.

WHAT NOW?

Majority Democrats voted SB 5945 out of committee on Wednesday. Every Republican on the committee voted “do not pass.” It now is set for a public hearing next Thursday, Jan. 29, before the Senate Ways and Means Committee. That’s when I will get to question the supporters directly.

You can help stop SB 5945 by contacting Senate Democrats to demand they put the bill down.

If Democrats ultimately pass it in the Senate, you will need to contact legislators in the House of Representatives and demand they do what the Senate would not.

If the House gives it a hearing, you will be able to sign in online to oppose the bill and register to testify against it. Make your voice heard.

I will update you on the movement of this bill so you can help stop this terrible legislation from becoming law.

 

Braun bill aims to protect housing grant program from fraud

OLYMPIA…Concerned by whistleblower reports of fraud and nepotism in a state housing-assistance program, Senate Republican Leader John Braun has introduced legislation to help ensure taxpayer dollars allocated to the program are distributed fairly and as state law intends.

Senate Bill 6205 aims to prevent unfair insider access to housing grants from the Community Reinvestment Plan (CRP), which is intended to help people of color become homeowners. The Centralia lawmaker said his legislation also requires the state Department of Commerce to evaluate how the grants are distributed and report to the Legislature.

Under the 2022 law creating the CRP, funding allocated for housing grants is funneled through nonprofit organizations, which are expected to distribute it equitably. However, recent news reports based on a whistleblower’s records showed that a woman who received $350,000 toward the purchase of a $425,000 home in Tacoma happens to be the daughter of the person overseeing CRP housing grants for one of these nonprofits.

Others associated with the same nonprofit also received large grants, with some of that money reportedly used to pay off a recipient’s credit-card debt.

“Defrauding publicly funded programs is stealing from taxpayers,” said Braun, who serves southwest Washington’s 20th Legislative District. “If those entrusted to allocate taxpayer dollars violate that trust by awarding housing grants inappropriately, they should be held accountable. Bad actors shouldn’t be able to exploit taxpayers for their own gain.

“The intent of the CRP is to assist people with down payments and closing costs to get them into a home. It’s certainly not about helping friends and family of those holding the purse strings to cover most of a home’s total cost while leaving other applicants with no help at all. This bill would reform the program so it can benefit more of the people it was created to help.”

SB 6205 has been referred to the Senate Housing Committee and awaits a hearing.

News stories regarding misuse of CRP funding:

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NEWSLETTER: A new year and still billions of dollars in the red

Watch my weekly legislative update to learn more about what’s happening
this early in the 2026 Legislative Session.

 

 

Elected sheriffs shouldn’t become partisan pawns

WATCH the testimony by the Sheriff of Spokane County against SB 5974.

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

 

When voters elect a sheriff to lead the law-enforcement officers who protect their county, an unelected board that answers to the governor should not have the power to decertify that sheriff. Allowing a non-elected entity to remove an elected official undermines the will of the people—and democracy itself. It also turns sheriffs into pawns of partisan politics and the agenda of the majority party in Olympia.

This may seem like an obvious principle. Yet Democrats in Olympia are backing Senate Bill 5974, claiming it will “strengthen and modernize” the laws governing sheriffs and other law-enforcement officers. In reality, the bill would erode local control and concentrate the power over criminal justice in Olympia—to the detriment of all 39 counties across Washington.

Sheriffs are elected under processes defined by our state Constitution. They swear an oath to uphold not only that constitution, but—above all—the U.S. Constitution. They also swear to uphold the laws of our state, subject to the constraints of the constitutions.

The Democratic majority has already passed the so-called Keep Washington Working Act, which contains unconstitutional mandates aligned with their political agenda. SB 5974 represents the next step: empowering the state to remove sheriffs who recognize that their constitutional obligations count more than those dictates.

The bill received a hearing in the Senate Law and Justice Committee on January 15. Many sheriffs testified in opposition, raising serious concerns that we share—particularly about the negative effect on rural communities.

There are broader implications as well. The Spokane County Sheriff noted that SB 5974 would make sheriffs the only elected officials in Washington who could be removed or decertified by a non-elected board. Ask yourself: Why would Democrats care about a county sheriff differently than a county auditor, or a city mayor? Many in the law-enforcement community have described the bill as a targeted political attack.

More than 13,000 people signed in to oppose the bill at the committee level—an extraordinary level of engagement, especially on just the fourth day of the legislative session. Thank you to everyone who took part.

If you oppose this legislation, now is the time to act – before the committee can vote. Contact the chair and members of the Senate Law and& Justice Committee and demand they reject Senate Bill 5974.

Elected sheriffs should remain accountable to their voters—not to an unelected board with no connection to the communities they serve.

Sincerely,

John Braun

 

My commentary in The Centralia Chronicle

An income tax on anyone in our state would
become an income tax on everyone.

Do the Democrats who run Olympia think Washingtonians are fools? It sure seems that way as we learn more about their plan to create a state income tax.

As I write this, we still don’t know the details, because no income-tax bill has been filed. But Democrat leaders clearly want to approve a state income tax this year – and now we see how they’ll try to sell it.

From Governor Ferguson on down, income-tax supporters claim it would apply only to people whose annual taxable income exceeds $1 million. That’s right in line with their divisive, make-the-wealthy-pay-more ideology. It also acts as the “bait.”

The trouble is, everyone knows a state income tax has been a Democrat dream for many decades. Common sense tells us the ultimate goal is to have every Washington resident pay it. A high-ranking member of the House Democrat majority even agrees. That’s the “switch.”

READ THE FULL COMMENTARY

 

This week on “Elephant in the Dome,” I discuss the governor’s State of the State address, income tax proposals, public safety challenges, transportation funding issues, the importance of transparency, and why debates should focus on ideas — not individuals.

WATCH

LISTEN

 

NEWSLETTER: Is Washington getting a state income tax?

Let’s cut to the chase: Is Washington getting an income tax? If Democrats and the governor get their way, the answer is yes.

Governor Bob Ferguson announced this week that he supports a state income tax, so long as it only applies to people earning more than $1 million a year. Make no mistake—this would be the first step toward a broader income tax that would eventually affect most, if not all, Washingtonians.

The governor also acknowledged that even if Democrats pass an income tax this year, the state wouldn’t see any revenue until 2029. Why the delay?

 

BACKGROUND

Washington’s Constitution prohibits a graduated income tax— one that charges different rates based on income. Any graduated income tax passed by the Legislature would almost certainly be challenged in court. In fact, Senate Democratic leadership has openly said that’s the plan.

The goal is to have the Washington State Supreme Court reclassify income so the Constitution no longer applies. We’ve seen this strategy before.

In 2023, Democrats passed an income tax on capital gains. Even though the IRS and every other state consider capital gains to be income, Washington courts rebranded it as an “excise tax” to let it stand. That ruling is now the legal foundation Democrats are relying on to justify pushing an income tax even further.

In the meantime, the state budget would not rely on the new tax revenue until—presumably—the courts approve it.

To be clear: I oppose any attempt to impose an unconstitutional income tax in Washington. Republicans in both the House and Senate will fight this because Washingtonians have been crystal clear—they do not want a state income tax. Period.

Voters have rejected income taxes more than ten times. As recently as 2024, they passed Initiative 2111, which permanently bans personal income taxes at the state and local level.

Ironically, for years Democratic governors—including Jay Inslee and Bob Ferguson—touted Washington’s lack of an income tax as a key reason businesses should locate here. A few years ago, the Department of Commerce quietly removed that selling point from its website. That should have been a warning sign.

 

 

INCOME TAX INSTEAD OF A SALES TAX?

Some people assume Washington would become like Oregon, which has an income tax but no sales tax. That is not what Democrats are proposing.

Nowhere have they promised to eliminate the sales tax. Under their plan, Washington would have both a sales tax and an income tax. In fact, the admission that the income tax would see no revenue for several years is a guarantee that the sales tax will continue, as is.

 

A SPENDING PROBLEM

Days before the governor’s announcement, he released his supplemental budget and vowed to veto sales or property tax increases. Notably absent from his list? An income tax.

Why won’t Democrats get the message? Washington doesn’t have a revenue problem—it has a spending problem. Even mainstream media is beginning to realize this.

The state operating budget is $77 billion, having ballooned dramatically over the past decade. Yet despite record spending, have we reduced homelessness? Fixed our housing shortage? Recovered from learning loss in our schools? Addressed the mental health and substance abuse crisis?

The answer is no.

Washington can’t afford to continue down the Democrats’ tax-and-spend path. Their ideology-driven budgeting has created a multibillion-dollar shortfall. The solution isn’t digging deeper into your pockets—it’s reprioritizing how your tax dollars are spent.

 

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

You can speak out against this income tax—and any others—by contacting the bill sponsors, budget committee chairs, legislative leaders, and the governor’s office. Tell them to stop pushing unconstitutional taxes and start living within our means.

When these bills receive hearings, you can sign in to oppose them and even testify—either in person or remotely.

Learn how to testify in committee.

Your voice matters.

I will keep you updated as this fight continues.

Sincerely, Senator John Braun

 

 

Washington does not have the most regressive tax structure in the nation

Democrats — and much of the press — routinely say Washington has the “most regressive” or “upside-down” tax system in the country. That claim comes almost entirely from one partisan advocacy study that’s been repeated so often it’s treated as fact.

 

WHAT THE NEUTRAL ANALYSIS FOUND

A new economics paper by professors from Princeton, the University of Minnesota, and economists at the Federal Reserve, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), reached a very different conclusion.

Instead of ranking Washington as worst-in-the-nation, the NBER study found that Washington’s overall tax-and-spending system is essentially middle-of-the-pack — about 23rd nationally.

That’s a dramatic difference.

 

WHY ARE THE RESULTS SO DIFFERENT?

There are two big reasons the NBER findings don’t match the oft-cited partisan study:

 

  1. The partisan study mostly just ranks income-tax rates

The study Democrats cite heavily weights whether a state has a high top income-tax rate. In fact, the NBER authors point out that the partisan ranking closely tracks which states have the highest income-tax rates, not which states are actually most “unfair” overall.

Washington doesn’t have an income tax — so that study effectively penalizes us from the start.

By contrast, the NBER research:

  • Looks at all income levels, not just the very top
  • Measures what people actually pay, across the full income range
  • Finds Washington’s effective tax rates for most working and middle-class residents are very close to the national average

In other words: when you look at the whole income ladder, Washington doesn’t stand out as extreme.

 

  1. The NBER study includes benefits — not just taxes

This is the most important difference.

The partisan study looks only at taxes paid. The NBER study looks at taxes paid and benefits received.

This means it accounts for:

  • Public assistance
  • Social services
  • State spending that directly benefits lower- and middle-income households

When you include those benefits, Washington turns out to be one of the more generous states in the country — and those benefits significantly offset any tax regressivity.

Very few states provide more in transfers and services than Washington.

 

THE BOTTOM LINE

When you look at the full picture — taxes and benefits — Washington:

  • Is not the most regressive state
  • Is not an extreme outlier
  • Lands squarely in the middle nationally

The claim that Washington has the “worst” tax system depends on ignoring half the equation.

 

ONE MORE FINDING THAT RAISES EYEBROWS

The NBER paper also found something Democrats rarely mention:

  • People at all income levels tend to move away from states with more progressive tax systems
  • This effect is strongest among high earners
  • States that rely heavily on income taxes tend to have higher overall tax burdens
  • States with sales and property taxes tend to have lower average tax rates

 

IN SHORT

Highly progressive tax systems may sound good in theory — but in practice, they often drive people (and jobs) elsewhere. A single tax alone might not motivate people to move, but every new tax may be the last straw that does.

 

 

UPDATE: The Green Hill School

 

Gov. Ferguson’s 2026 budget proposal includes nearly $12 million for Washington’s two most significant juvenile rehabilitation facilities — the Green Hill School and Echo Glen.

Both have been plagued by dangerous overcrowding resulting from a policy known as “JR to 25,” which allows those convicted of felonies before the age of 18 to remain at the facilities with youth offenders until age 25, when they are transferred to adult prisons.

For years, I’ve called for thorough investigations into violence among the residents, assaults against staff, poor security, and illegal activity among staff. Last year, my bill to allow the transfer of some of the adults before the age of 25 to the custody of the Department of Corrections passed the Senate but was killed in the House. If it had passed, it would have helped to alleviate the overcrowding soon after taking effect.

I also sponsored a bill last year that a bill that would require staff at these facilities to wear body cameras as a means to improve transparency, accountability and safety for everyone. Unfortunately, the Democrats never gave it a hearing.

The governor would spend the $12 million on higher salaries for current staff and additional security. While I support a variety of efforts to fix this ongoing problem, any money spent should be part of a larger effort to drastically and immediately improve conditions.

Legislative Democrats should stop playing games with the lives of the residents and staff at our juvenile rehabilitation centers and pass my reforms in 2026.

 

 

NOW RECRUITING: Senate Pages for the 2026 Legislative Session

 

Do you know a young person (age 14 to 16) who would like to be sponsored by my office to page for the Legislature this year?

Read more about the program:

“The Washington State Legislature has one of the finest page programs in the country. Each year, hundreds of students from across Washington have the opportunity to take part in the legislative process and watch the Legislature and other branches of state government in action.

Pages are sponsored by legislators and serve for one week during the legislative session. Pages spend their week learning about the legislative process while distributing materials throughout the capitol campus, assisting offices, delivering messages, working on the chamber floor, and carrying the flags at the opening of each day’s legislative session. Pages also spend time each day in Page School learning about all aspects of state government.”

To speak with Senate Page Program staff about accommodations​ or how the Senate can help facilitate a positive paging experience, please contact:  

Myra Hernandez
Civic Education Director
P.O. Box 40482
Olympia, WA 98504-0482
(360) 786-7498

Are you broke yet? Democrats ready to pass even more taxes in 2026

LISTEN: Jobs Tax. Income Tax. Innovation Tax. Sen. John Braun Says: Enough to Democrat Tax Hikes

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Affordability remains the number one concern for families across Washington, yet the policies championed by Democrats in Olympia continue to push our state further out of step with the rest of the country. Instead of easing pressures, their decisions are making Washington one of the least affordable places to live, work, and run a business.

Gas prices are falling nationwide, but Washington still ranks among the top three most expensive states in the country. Our restaurants face the highest operating costs in America while earning the lowest profit margins. Schools, nonprofits, and small businesses are still suffering from last year’s expansion of the sales tax.

As we approach the 2026 legislative session, people have every reason to be concerned. We are currently facing a $4 billion budget shortfall, but so far, we are hearing about proposals in the neighborhood of $11 billion in new or higher taxes.

Democratic leaders have already announced plans for a new tax on jobs—one that threatens our economy—and they have openly stated their intent to pass a state income tax this year.

When they tell you they plan to do this, believe them.

 

The reality about a state income tax

Washington’s constitution prohibits a graduated income tax. Any tax that applies only to individuals earning above a certain amount—while exempting everyone else—is unconstitutional. Despite this, Democrats appear determined to push one through anyway and send it to the state Supreme Court, hoping the court will reclassify it as an “excise tax.”

If that happens, the door opens for the very tax Washington voters have rejected 11 times at the ballot box.

Some voters mistakenly believe that adopting an income tax would mean eliminating our sales tax. That is not on the table. There is no proposal—none—to model our system after Oregon’s, which has an income tax but no sales tax.

Meanwhile, several of our largest employers have already stated publicly that they will leave Washington if an income tax is enacted. For decades, our Democratic governors touted the lack of an income tax as a key incentive for companies to locate here. Now, the majority party is prepared to give those same employers every reason to leave.

We have a fight ahead

Republicans will fight to protect you, your paycheck, and your job from any attempt to impose an income tax in Washington. But we cannot do it alone.

You can make a difference by contacting Democratic legislators and telling them to reject this tax. You can testify when the bill receives a hearing. And you can encourage your friends, neighbors, and family members to get involved as well.

I will keep you updated as this and other harmful proposals move through the Legislature. Your participation matters. Your voice matters.

Together, we can make sure our voices are heard.

Sincerely,

Senator John Braun

 

 

Can Washington afford it?

 

Before passing another law, we should ask one question: Can Washington afford it – not just in dollars, but
in safety, trust and opportunity?

Families across Washington are struggling to pay bills, find affordable housing, and feel safe in their
communities. Polls show “affordability” is the people’s top priority. Every decision in Olympia has a cost,
and it’s time we make affordability the test for every policy – financial, moral and generational.

As the minority, our job is to hold the majority accountable for the cost of their leadership and to offer
common-sense solutions Washington CAN afford.
This session we will connect every issue – from taxes to education to public safety – back to this simple,
people-centered truth:

Washington can’t afford policies that make life harder for the families we represent.

 

Myth vs fact:

MYTH: So much was cut from the budget last year that there isn’t anything left to cut.

FACT: The budget actually GREW by 8.2% last year. Democrats didn’t make cuts – they changed their funding priorities and programs such as one caring for drug-addicted babies were defunded.

MYTH: Last year’s deficit was $16 billion to $20 billion.

FACT: According to NONPARTISAN staff, the true deficit was $7.3 billion. Democrats made a policy choice to fund $4 billion in pay raises for state employees. They did NOT need to pass the largest tax increase in state history.

MYTH: We need more “revenue,” including an income tax.

FACT: The Democratic majority doesn’t have a revenue problem. It has a spending problem. Democrats need to reevaluate their priorities. Also, a graduated income tax, which taxes people at different rates based on their income, is unconstitutional in Washington and voters have rejected a state income tax 11 times. This hasn’t deterred Democrats from pushing for one and lobbying the state Supreme Court to consider it an excise tax instead.

By the numbers:

  • The fastest growing part of the budget is lawsuit settlements worth billions of taxpayer dollars paid to victims and their families for Democratic mismanagement of state agencies and their policies that result in the injury and death of the most vulnerable.
  • Washington remains dead last nationwide for the number of law enforcement officers per capita, despite the hiring of more than 300 new officers.
  • Washington is one of the three most expensive states for gas prices due to $0.52/gal in Democratic carbon taxes
  • The average household income in Washington is roughly half what is required to qualify for the median-priced home.
  • Washington’s restaurants have to charge the highest prices in the nation, but have the lowest profit margins in the nation (1.5% compared to the 4% national average).
  • Washington is rated 35th nationwide for business climate, down from 15th in 2022. The drop is due to the income tax on capital gains.
  • Washington ranks as the 7th least affordable state for infant care, with care for one infant costing 17.8% of a family’s yearly income.
  • Democratic policies will force an 18.6% electric rate hike over the next two years for many Western Washington consumers.
  • Washington could see blackouts across the state due to Democrats’ policies that will remove 1292 megawatts of electricity from the grid in 2026.

 

Keep Washington Livable

  • Reject policies that make life more expensive
  • Advance solutions that reduce costs and reward hard work and innovation
  • Protect jobs and keep job providers in Washington

Washington can’t afford higher taxes and fewer economic opportunities.

 

Keep Washington Safe

  • Prioritize victims over offenders
  • Expand and strengthen law enforcement
  • Protect kids from overdoses, abuse and exploitation

Washington can’t afford policies that put our communities in danger.

 

Keep Washington’s Promise

  • Improve public school academic attendance and performance
  • Support stronger, healthier families
  • Reinvest in foster care and childcare programs

Washington can’t afford to neglect its responsibility to our kids and to their future prosperity.

 

Local flooding and a state of emergency

The 20th Legislative District has been impacted by heavy rains this week, resulting in localized flooding and landslides. Randall is completely cut off and Highway 12 remains closed, officials do not know when roads will reopen.

The governor has declared a state of emergency, which includes the activation of 300 National Guardsmen to assist with response (pending approval from the federal government.)

Today, at noon, he held a news conference to update everyone on the status of the response. Watch the press conference.

According to the governor and emergency management officials, the situation is unpredictable. They do not know exactly what will happen when the second wave of water reaches the lower areas of the rivers. They expect rivers to crest around 10 p.m.

This is affecting areas on both sides of the mountains and up and down the entire state.

If you have been advised to evacuate, please do so. Do not drive through standing water. Stay off of the dikes – they could fail and cause serious injury. What we will see happen this evening will test the work done after the work done in 2021 on our levies. Do not assume that because you made it through previous floods okay that you won’t experience dangerous conditions now.

The next 12 hours will be critical and will place a lot of demands on our emergency services. You can help by following guidelines and staying away from evacuated areas and flood waters.

I am concerned for all who are impacted and urge everyone to continue to take necessary precautions. As always, I hear stories of our local emergency personnel, government officials, and community members who have stepped up to care for their neighbors. I am grateful to serve a community that is defined a strong sense of care.

 

My latest column: Soft-on-crime legislators have blood on their hands, local prosecutor says

On the surface, a pair of murders in our state nearly two months ago don’t have anything in common except for each occurring in mid-October and resulting in the arrest of a young man.

One occurred in north Seattle, the other in Spokane — far from our corner of the state. Yet it’s a local prosecutor, Lewis County’s Jonathan Meyer, who sees two common denominators.

Not only are the suspected murderers both former residents of Green Hill School, the county’s state-run juvenile facility, but he ties the timing of the crimes to this year’s passage of House Bill 1815.

It’s among the latest additions to a very long list of soft-on-crime laws supported by Democrats.

READ THE FULL COMMENTARY

$292 million failure shows state’s incompetence is a feature, not a fluke

CENTRALIA — Senate Republican Leader John Braun, Centralia, issued the following statement today in response to the Seattle Times report that the state has suspended a $292 million IT modernization project after more than a decade of failed progress:

“Suspending this project further exposes a long-standing problem with large state contracts – the chronic mismanagement of taxpayer dollars. That the dysfunction and incompetence of demonstrated here ever got this far without results or accountability is shameful. We have a culture of apathy, excuse-making, and blurred responsibility in our state government today, and this is just one example.

“If this had happened in the private sector, someone would’ve been fired years ago. Instead, we watched the price tag skyrocket and deadlines slip while agency leaders shrugged or got bogged down in power struggles and petty squabbles. That’s not public service — it’s public negligence.

Braun called for accountability for those responsible for overseeing, or hindering, the failed IT project and urged the development of a new oversight structure for large-scale state contracts.

“Washingtonians deserve better. We need a clear process where qualified project managers with real-world experience — not political appointees — are empowered to make decisions and stop waste before it spirals out of control. And this needs to extend beyond IT projects. This process should extend to all state agencies – including the Department of Transportation, which is constantly plagued with missed deadlines and blown budgets because no one provides serious oversight or enforces standards of performance.

“The upcoming 2026 Legislative Session provides an opportunity for the Legislature to rein in government waste and prove that we take our fiduciary responsibility to the people of Washington seriously. If the majority won’t sponsor legislation to hold those in charge more accountable, Republicans will.”

 

NEWSLETTER: How did Washington issue this driver a CDL?

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

By now, you’ve seen the stories on the news about the commercial truck driver who caused the deaths of three people while performing an illegal U-turn on a three-lane highway in Florida. The press has reported that the driver, Mr. Harjinder Singh, was issued a commercial driver’s license here in Washington.

As it turns out, Mr. Singh is in the United States illegally, but legal immigration status is required by both federal and state law to qualify for a CDL.

A post-crash assessment administered by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) revealed that Mr. Singh had a significant language barrier. He answered only two out of 12 questions correctly on a verbal English test and failed a road sign test, identifying only one of four signs correctly.

How then, did Washington state issue Mr. Singh a commercial driver’s license?

The simple answer is: Because DOL violated both federal and state law.

 

Existing Law

To legally obtain a CDL in Washington, you must:

  • Be at least 18 (or 21 for interstate driving)
  • Hold a valid Washington driver’s license
  • Submit documentation verifying legal presence or lawful status
  • Pass both knowledge and practical driving (skills) tests
  • Meet medical fitness standards

Similarly, federal law also requires proof that someone is in the United States legally in order to qualify for a CDL. As I mentioned, Mr. Singh did not meet this basic requirement and should not have been issued a CDL in any state.

Both the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Washington State Department of Licensing have said they will investigate the incident. When nonpartisan committee staff asked DOL what their timeline would be for their investigation, DOL’s legislative and policy director sent an email reply that included the following statement:

“Regardless of what type of license was issued, Mr. Singh would have received a commercial driver license because he passed all of the required tests and met all requirements.”

Since he is in the United States illegally, we know this is not true. So, how did this happen?

 

DOL Failure

Simply put, DOL violated state and federal law by issuing the CDL to Mr. Singh.

This glaring oversight will have political ramifications for Washington. Depending on the results of the federal investigation, we could lose $10.5 million a year in federal funding.

Was the law overlooked or ignored? Is staff receiving the proper training to deny licenses to illegal immigrants? We deserve to know.

We also deserve to know how many other unqualified individuals are driving commercial trucks on our highways. Depending on what we learn through the investigations, we may need to address this during the upcoming legislative session. We should, at the very least, align our law with federal law, requiring commercial drivers to be proficient in English, so they are able to read road signage and read emergency notifications.

 

Democrat-perpetuated Problem

My colleague, Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, sponsored a bill (Senate Bill 5464) last session that would have required DOL to update its CDL/immigration status code for clarity. It also would have required the agency to make available the information on how immigration status impacts the ability to get a CDL.

Most importantly, Sen. King’s bill would have required better training for department staff on what kind of documentation is required to prove citizenship/residency.

Unfortunately, majority Democrats killed the bill. Thanks to them, Washington is a “sanctuary state,” and they argued SB 5464 would lead to the DOL reporting illegal immigrants to the federal government.

Did our “sanctuary state” status influence the process at DOL that allowed Mr. Singh to get his license? That remains to be seen. But it’s clear that the law was not followed and three people died because of it.

I’ll be watching as this develops.

If you have questions, you can email me at john.braun@leg.wa.gov.

Sincerely,

John Braun

 

 

$292 million failure shows state’s incompetence is a feature, not a fluke

Following is a news release I sent to the press this morning.

CENTRALIA — Senate Republican Leader John Braun issued the following statement today in response to the Seattle Times report that the state has suspended a $292 million IT modernization project after more than a decade of failed progress:

“Suspending this project further exposes a long-standing problem with large state contracts – the chronic mismanagement of taxpayer dollars. That the dysfunction and incompetence of demonstrated here ever got this far without results or accountability is shameful. We have a culture of apathy, excuse-making, and blurred responsibility in our state government today, and this is just one example.

“If this had happened in the private sector, someone would’ve been fired years ago. Instead, we watched the price tag skyrocket and deadlines slip while agency leaders shrugged or got bogged down in power struggles and petty squabbles. That’s not public service — it’s public negligence.”

Braun called for accountability for those responsible for overseeing, or hindering, the failed IT project and urged the development of a new oversight structure for large-scale state contracts.

“Washingtonians deserve better. We need a clear process where qualified project managers with real-world experience — not political appointees — are empowered to make decisions and stop waste before it spirals out of control. And this needs to extend beyond IT projects. This process should extend to all state agencies – including the Department of Transportation, which is constantly plagued with missed deadlines and blown budgets because no one provides serious oversight or enforces standards of performance.

“The upcoming 2026 Legislative Session provides an opportunity for the Legislature to rein in government waste and prove that we take our fiduciary responsibility to the people of Washington seriously. If the majority won’t sponsor legislation to hold those in charge more accountable, Republicans will.”

 

 

Majority’s massive expansion of sales tax is costly, chaotic and unnecessary

The following is my commentary that appeared in The Centralia Chronicle on Aug. 22.

A colleague of mine was recently told by his teen’s drivers-education school to expect a larger bill this fall because of the “crazy tax hikes signed by the governor.” In this case it’s the new law that will force even more businesses in our state to collect sales tax, starting Oct. 1.

The person who delivered the bad news was apologetic; however, this is the fault of the state’s majority Democrats. A teen-driving course that now costs $650 will soon be closer to $715 once you add the new sales tax — passed primarily to cover the multibillion-dollar pay raises for state workers approved by the previous governor.

Even though it’s estimated to cost nearly $4 billion over four years, the sales-tax hike isn’t the largest of the tax increases that will hit when October arrives. That title belongs to the jump in the business-and-occupation tax rate, which is expected to take another $5.6 billion from Washington employers over four years.

Read the full column.

 

 

Fairness in Sports, Food Access, and Forest Stewardship: A Triple Challenge for Washington

SPECIAL EDITION: The truth about how the “Big Beautiful Bill” affects Washington

 

 

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

You may have seen headlines claiming that the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” recently passed by Congress will gut health care, close hospitals, or take food away from struggling families.

Let’s be clear: That’s false.

What this new law does is restore common sense to federal spending. It protects programs like Medicaid and food assistance by putting limits on fraud, enforcing eligibility, and ensuring benefits are focused on those who truly need them. Seniors, children, people with disabilities, and low-income parents aren’t affected. The reforms apply only to able-bodied adults without young children—and even then, they can meet the new requirements by working, volunteering, or going to school.

Here in Washington, we have time to prepare. These reforms don’t start to kick in until late 2026, with others phasing in gradually over the following years. There’s no crisis. There’s no need for the governor to call legislators back to Olympia for a special session. Instead, there’s just a lot of political grumbling from people who are taking more of your money through their tax increases but seem to have no interest in stretching and protecting your tax dollars by reforming inefficient government programs and systems.

While some are scaring people with political rhetoric and worst-case scenarios, they’re ignoring the real opportunities this law creates. It opens the door to hundreds of millions in federal funds for rural health care, trims bloated tax giveaways for energy companies and provides meaningful tax relief for working families and retirees.

An irony we can’t ignore is that the governor and legislators who are complaining about the effects of the OBBA are the same people who just passed the largest tax increase and operating budget in Washington state history. The budget offered by Senate Republicans would not have raised any taxes, nor would it have made any cuts to services. Under our budget, Washington would be in a more stable position to weather whatever adjustments need to be made to accommodate federal changes.

It’s also hard to take Gov. Ferguson’s concerns about the welfare of children seriously when he signed off on the defunding of a program to care for drug-addicted newborns, as well as the increase in childcare costs and taxes that will burden families who are already struggling to put food on the table.

You can learn more on our WEBSITE.

As always, I’ll keep fighting to make sure our community is heard—and that our tax dollars are spent wisely. If you have any questions, contact me atjohn.braun@leg.wa.gov. 

Sincerely,

Sen. John Braun

 

Drug-filled burritos and sexual misconduct at the Green Hill School

Last week I gave an interview with King TV about the latest news out of the Green Hill School, which is the juvenile detention facility in Chehalis that houses offenders who were convicted before age 18.

Drugs and violence have been a problem for a long time at the school. However, King TV’s story showed video evidence of a member of the Green Hill staff posing as a Door Dash driver and delivering a burrito that, as it turns out, contained drugs that she was smuggling in for an inmate.

The staff member was caught. But what authorities discovered was that she is allegedly part of a larger web of corruption among staff.

Police investigated a record 21 complaints of staff misconduct last year and this year is on track to have the same result.

At least six of those cases involved female staff who were fired for inappropriate sexual conduct with inmates. At least one of those inmates was convicted of two murders.

If you recall, most of the residents at Green Hill are over 18 and will stay at the facility until age 25 before they can be transferred to a Department of Corrections facility. This situation has caused severe overcrowding that has put everyone at Green Hill in danger.

It is stunning that problems such as these continue to surface, but this is what happens when you warehouse violent offenders in unsafe, overcrowded conditions — conditions that also make it hard to recruit quality staff who won’t commit crimes against, for or with inmates.

House Democrats killed my bill to provide the Department of Children, Youth and Families the tools to move inmates over age 18 to adult correctional facilities, thereby relieving the overcrowding and restoring order at Green Hill. Their ineptitude and political game-playing are direct causes for continuing issues.

I will offer similar legislation for the 2026 Legislative Session and it would be wise for the House Democrats to support it.

 

Survey results: Adult inmates housed at the Green Hill School

Many of you responded to my one-question survey about what should be done with residents at Green Hill School who are over 18, but are expected to remain at the facility until age 25. These adults are incarcerated alongside juvenile offenders and have created an overcrowding problem that is dangerous for staff and residents.

The results by the numbers…

62% of you feel that inmates over age 18 should be moved to facilities operated by the Department of Corrections.

16% agreed, but only if they were convicted of murder or rape.

7% said they should only be relocated to DOC if they had committed a violent crime while residing at Green Hill School.

Only 3% of you said they should remain at the juvenile facility until age 25 – even though they would have gone straight to a DOC facility if they had committed their crime(s) after they turned 18.

Legislative leaders condemn political violence in Minnesota

OLYMPIA – The leaders of all four caucuses in the Washington State Legislature released the following statement regarding the assassination and attempted assassinations of Minnesota elected officials:

“Our deepest sympathies go out to the family of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and we are sending wishes for a complete recovery to Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette. We stand with state and local law enforcement in Minnesota as they pursue the person responsible for this act of violence. While we don’t yet know his exact motivations, there is no doubt that this kind of political violence stokes panic and distrust in our system of democracy. We must stand united against it, no matter our party allegiance or personal beliefs.

“We are Americans before we are Democrats, Republicans, or Independents and as Americans we need to continue to stand for truth, decency, democracy, and freedom. As political leaders of our caucuses we stand together to condemn all violence that threatens the safety of Washingtonians.”