Becker: We must discourage legislators from making false accusations about each other

O’Ban says Ferguson must recuse himself from defense of state in I-976 case

O’Ban sponsors legislation to help fix state nursing home crisis

My video series continues: How does the big 20% tax increase on business make it harder to build more affordable housing?

Schoesler welcomes new Senator from 10th Legislative District

Senate Republican Caucus celebrates 7th anniversary of Gov. Jay Inslee’s anti-tax pledge
Governor has proposed $23 billion in new taxes since inaugural OLYMPIA – Republicans in the Washington Senate today are celebrating the 7th anniversary of Gov. Jay Inslee’s promise not to raise taxes – a campaign pledge that will live in Washington history as one of the clearest and firmest ever uttered by a political candidate.... Read More
Senate Republican leadership: Illegal veto sets dangerous precedent, must not be allowed to stand

Sen. Barbara Bailey to retire after 16 years of service in the Legislature

Inmate-health scandal at Corrections more evidence of Inslee leadership failure, say GOP senators

Washingtonians beware — an income-tax battle is brewing

Seattle lawsuit part of strategy to force income tax on state, McKenna says
Democratic legislators ask Court of Appeals to overrule Washington voters OLYMPIA – When majority Democrats in the state Legislature decided this wasn’t the year to push a new income tax, it didn’t mean the fight was over. The battleground just moved from the Legislature to the courts. The state Court of Appeals heard oral arguments... Read More
Padden bill banning organ-transplant discrimination signed into law

Sonics legend Jack Sikma honored by Senate on induction to Hall of Fame
Sen. Tim Sheldon, D-Potlatch, and Jack Sikma. To see Senate resolution, click here. OLYMPIA – Jack Sikma, one of the standouts on the legendary Seattle SuperSonics team that captured the 1979 NBA title, was honored by the Washington Senate Thursday on his upcoming induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In remarks to... Read More
‘Net metering’ bill forces low-income Washingtonians to subsidize solar panels for the wealthy, senators say
OLYMPIA – A ‘net metering’ bill passed by the Senate Monday forces low-income Washington residents to subsidize rooftop solar panels for the well-to-do, senators complained. Senate Bill 5223 requires utilities to dramatically expand their purchases of power from customers with rooftop solar panels, to at least 4 percent of their load, if sufficient customers seek... Read More
Senate Republicans warn bill to move up state primary would undo 25 years of campaign finance reform

State resources illegally used for Democrat campaign training, says Schoesler
Demands in letter to Democrat leader campaign group’s reservations be canceled OLYMPIA…It is illegal for state resources to be used for campaign purposes, including training, but that is what Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville says is happening at the Legislative Building in Olympia this session. Schoesler sent a letter to Sen. Democrat Leader Billig... Read More
Inslee nominee to Housing Finance Commission convicted of domestic violence
Senate Democrats unanimously pass nomination out of committee despite knowing nominee lied about his record OLYMPIA…Senate Republican leadership issued the following statement in response to a unanimous vote by Senate Democrats in the Senate Housing Stability and Affordability Committee to pass Noe Castillo’s gubernatorial nomination out of committee, despite a conviction for domestic violence and... Read More
Ericksen save-the-whales bill puts emphasis on new salmon hatcheries
Promotes public-private investment in new Puget Sound hatcheries Pilot project would be built in Bellingham Best way to ensure adequate feedstock for Puget Sound orcas OLYMPIA – A proposal from state Sen. Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale, would leverage private investment in salmon hatcheries to help restore declining orca populations on Puget Sound. Under Senate Bill 5824,... Read More
The end of slavery and the Era of Reconstruction commemorated in Senate resolution on National Freedom Day

Legislature finally fixes I-940, and does it right
OLYMPIA – The Washington Legislature sent its first bill of the year to the governor’s desk Wednesday, fixing a police-deadly-force initiative approved by voters last fall – and this time it did it without breaking the law. HB 1064, approved by the state House last week and by the Senate on Wednesday, clarifies the new... Read More
O’Ban ‘job tax credit’ bill scheduled for committee hearing

O’Ban bill cosponsored by Democrats fights for taxpayer oversight of Sound Transit

Schoesler and Warnick welcome appointment of Ybarra to 13th District vacancy

Honeyford receives award for service to veterans and their families

O’Ban: Legislature needs to work with governor to prioritize mental health care in Washington state

Schoesler: We must redouble our efforts to keep Amazon jobs in Washington

Students are now missing school, statewide officials absent

Senate Republican leader concerned over ‘representation fees’ in third inquiry to Governor over changes in union dues
OLYMPIA… After receiving no direct response from the Governor, Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler sent a third letter July 12, requesting clarification from Gov. Jay Inslee on how Washington plans to address changes to union dues collections. “I’m concerned that there are conversations happening behind closed doors to circumvent the Supreme Court decision, including discussions... Read More
Schoesler letter to governor sheds light on troubling union practices in wake of Janus decision

Despite welcome repeal of Seattle’s ‘head tax,’ Senate Republicans will continue fight on behalf of working families

Schoesler says Republican senators will work to ensure Washington remains best place for aerospace

Schoesler: Seattle City Council voted ‘yes’ on a tax it isn’t authorized to impose

Senate leader says poll results should be ‘nail in the coffin’ for Seattle jobs tax

Schoesler: Recklessly taxing large employers threatens family jobs

Senate unanimously approves Brown’s College Campus Suicide Prevention bill

Senate Republican leaders offer condolences amid Amtrak tragedy in Pierce County

Senators welcome House Democrats’ reengagement on Hirst

Crucial rural water-rights issue holds up adjournment of 2017 legislative session

Brown: Inslee vying for title of most anti-jobs governor in Washington history

In first vote of the special session, Senate approves Hirst-fix legislation again

Stronger protections against squatters approved by Legislature

Senate continues to expand public access through remote testimony

Senate capital budget would provide unprecedented support for education

Senator King tells transit agency to consider soldiers and find a fair solution

Senate approves Walsh bill expanding dental coverage for pregnant women, diabetics
OLYMPIA – The state Senate approved a bill Wednesday that would expand dental coverage for some of the state’s neediest Medicaid recipients – and likely save the state money in the long run. Senate Bill 5540, sponsored by Sen. Maureen Walsh, R-Walla Walla, would make it easier for pregnant women and diabetics to see dentists... Read More
Rivers’ corrections-partnership bill a ‘game changer’ for law enforcement

Senate approves ‘true’ supplemental capital budget

Senate’s sensible supplemental capital budget built on solid principles

Senate majority makes college more affordable with historic tuition cuts
Senate Majority leader Mark Schoesler recaps the news coverage of an historic session: ‘Historic’ tuition cut sets state apart from rest of U.S. Seattle Times, June 13, 2015 Washington’s move isn’t well-known elsewhere in the country, but some say it could spur other states to think about cuts. “I don’t know how widely known this proposal... Read More
2015: Best year for K-12 education funding in decades
Washington’s education union is planning a series of one-day strikes protesting the Legislature’s work on education funding. See here for information on the strike. What have lawmakers done for students this year? Greatest new investment in K-12 of any budget in state history Bipartisan efforts would invest in all-day kindergarten, K-3 class size reduction and... Read More
School Superintendents speak out on the importance of finishing state budget on time
“School districts depend so much on the Legislature to complete their work on time so that we can complete our work. Whether it’s hiring teachers to reduce class size, adding more sections of full-day kindergarten, or purchasing busses, until the Legislature approves a budget, we are unable to move forward with our planning and decision-making. ... Read More
Majority Leader: ‘Troy Kelley has damaged public trust – time to resign’
OLYMPIA… Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, released this statement in reaction to the federal indictment of state Auditor Troy Kelley. “The damage has been done and it’s time for Troy Kelley to resign immediately. There is nothing he can do to restore public trust given his evasion and silence on these serious allegations. We... Read More
A capital budget that builds classrooms, not state office buildings
This post originally appeared in the Majority Coalition Caucus leadership blog, Exit 105. Over the weekend a news story highlighted one of the big problems the Legislature faces this year. We’re mandating all-day kindergarten and reducing class sizes in grades K-3. And if we do that, we’re going to need to build more classrooms. The... Read More
Senate continues to put the ‘public’ back in public education with capital-budget approval
The Senate today approved its proposal to build over 2,100 classrooms, fully fund 80 parks and trails, inject $60 million into local-government infrastructure projects statewide and provide $30 million to expand the number of community behavioral health beds. Over 30 percent of the Senate’s $3.9-billion capital budget is devoted to supporting public education – through... Read More
Senate and House leaders meet to discuss budget negotiations
OLYMPIA…As the 2015 legislative session nears the end of its 105 day limit, Senate Majority Coalition budget negotiators are reaching across the aisle and Rotunda to end on time and on budget. The Senate has passed a complete budget. The House has passed a $39 billion spending plan. This is an important difference between the... Read More
Majority Leader: We have the votes to pass a no-new-taxes budget
OLYMPIA… Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, released this statement in advance of passage of a 2015-17 operating budget by members of the state Senate: “We have the votes to pass a no-new-taxes budget that fully funds K-12 education and offers college students and their families the first tuition cut in at least a generation. “It’s... Read More
Washington founders of Civil Air Patrol honored by Senate
The four Washingtonians who helped found the Civil Air Patrol more than 70 years ago were honored today during a ceremony in the state Senate chamber. Lt. Col. Warren Davis of Seattle and Lt. Col. Richard Hagmann of Spokane attended, as did the family members representingtheir deceased comrades: Lt. James Campbell of Redmond and Master... Read More
Legislature’s ‘aviation caucus’ to spotlight historic wartime flights
Kicking off the first 2015 meeting of the state Legislature’s “Aviation Caucus” Thursday will be a visit from two members of the BRAVO 369 Flight Foundation, a Bellingham-based group dedicated to recreating a flight along the historic Alaska-Siberia air route used in World War II. The little-known air route represented a dangerous 6,000-mile journey from Great... Read More
King selected to lead Senate transportation committee
During a meeting of Senate majority lawmakers Monday, Sen. Curtis King was chosen to chair the Senate Transportation Committee. As head of the committee, King will steer the transportation agenda and bill proposals, as well as write the biennial transportation budget. It is anticipated that the agenda will focus on passage of a reform and transportation-revenue package.... Read More