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Schoesler says Democrats’ passage of anti-firearm bills won’t deter criminals

Published on April 21, 2023
State Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, issued this statement after Democratic majorities in the Legislature passed House Bill 1240, which would ban the sale of semi-automatic weapons in Washington, and House Bill 1143, which would prohibit someone from buying a firearm from a dealer unless the buyer has passed a background check and has completed a... Read More

Governor signs Padden bill raising penalty for custodial sexual misconduct

Published on March 30, 2023
A bipartisan bill, sponsored by 4th District Sen. Mike Padden, that aims to impose longer sentences on sexually abusive jail and prison guards was signed today by Gov. Jay Inslee after receiving unanimous approval by the Legislature this session. The law created by Senate Bill 5033 reclassifies the crime of first-degree custodial sexual misconduct, (in... Read More

Legislature passes Padden bill raising penalty for custodial sexual misconduct

Published on March 22, 2023
A bipartisan bill that aims to impose longer sentences on sexually abusive jail and prison guards is headed to the governor after being unanimously passed today by the House of Representatives. Senate Bill 5033 would reclassify the crime of first-degree custodial sexual misconduct (in which the corrections officer has sexual intercourse with the victim) from... Read More

STATEMENT: Police-pursuit bill narrowly passed by Senate today is ‘half step’ in the right direction, says Republican leader

Published on March 08, 2023
OLYMPIA… Senate Republican Leader John Braun today offered this statement following the Senate’s narrow passage of legislation that would let law-enforcement officers engage in vehicular pursuits in more situations than Washington law has allowed since 2021. Senate Bill 5352 was passed with a 26-23 vote on the final day of this session for the Senate... Read More

Committee passes Padden bill to keep repeat property offenders behind bars longer

Published on February 09, 2023
A bill from 4th District Sen. Mike Padden that could keep repeat property offenders behind bars longer was approved today by the Senate Law and Justice Committee. Senate Bill 5056 would require that someone who is found to be a habitual property offender to be sentenced to an additional 24 months in total confinement for... Read More

Padden bill to increase penalty for drug possession receives committee hearing

Published on February 06, 2023
The Senate Law and Justice Committee held a public hearing today on a bill introduced by 4th District Sen. Mike Padden that aims to reverse the alarming trend in fentanyl use and fentanyl-related deaths in Washington. Padden’s measure, Senate Bill 5035, would make possession or use of illegal drugs like fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin a... Read More

Intimidating, publicly shaming those with vaccine concerns is wrong path, says Braun

Published on August 18, 2021
Inslee’s vaccine mandate on K-12 could backfire, hurt students   OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, issued the following statement in response to the governor’s announcement requiring teachers and other K-12 education employees to get the COVID vaccine or risk losing their jobs and jeopardizing their district’s funding. “I am vaccinated and urge others to... Read More

Republican leaders call for special session to fix confusing, controversial police reform bills

Published on August 11, 2021
Democrat sponsor of legislation admits fixes are necessary OLYMPIA… Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, and House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, issued the following statement in response to continued Democrat insistence in the press that law enforcement and legislators are overreacting to controversial new laws on policing that lack clarity and endanger the public,... Read More

Republican leaders say people deserve clear answers about state of emergency

Published on July 01, 2021
  New proclamation indicates governor will maintain tighter grip at least through September OLYMPIA… With the state of emergency linked to the COVID-19 pandemic now past the 16-month mark, the state Legislature’s top Republican leaders say Gov. Jay Inslee needs to be up front with the people of Washington about how much longer he intends... Read More

Braun: Inslee again violates state constitution with illegal veto

Published on May 17, 2021
OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, offered the following remarks after Gov. Jay Inslee vetoed parts of two bills he signed today — House Bill 1091, referred to by Republicans as the High Cost Fuel Standard, and Senate Bill 5126, also known as Cap & Tax. Together the two bills set the stage for a... Read More

Republican leaders say new CDC guidance supports June 15 reopening

Published on May 13, 2021
OLYMPIA… Senate Republican Leader John Braun and House Republican J.T. Wilcox offered this statement today after the governor announced many of his COVID-19 economic restrictions will be lifted by the end of June. “Earlier this week members of all four legislative caucuses encouraged Governor Inslee to share the vision of his counterparts in California and... Read More

Legislative Republicans: Emergency power reform not about the governor – it’s about the people

Published on April 21, 2021
OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, and House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, offered the following statement in response to an interview Gov. Jay Inslee gave criticizing the efforts of legislative Republicans to advance bills this session addressing the reform of the governor’s emergency powers. During the interview, the governor claimed Republicans’ true motive for... Read More

Schoesler statement on announcement of West Coast governors’ pact

Published on April 15, 2020
OLYMPIA… Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, issued this statement in response to Monday’s announcement by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and California Gov. Gavin Newsom that they have an agreement on a shared vision for reopening their states’ economies and controlling COVID-19 into the future. “If Washington shares a vision with... Read More

Eastern Washington senators sponsor bill to end tax chaos for concrete pumpers

Published on January 22, 2020
Three state senators from eastern Washington – 6th District Sen. Jeff Holy, 4th District Sen. Mike Padden and 7th District Sen. Shelly Short – are leading a legislative effort to fix a problem caused by the state Department of Revenue that affects how concrete pumpers are taxed. Senate Bill 6317, introduced by Holy and co-sponsored... Read More

Senate Republicans offer comprehensive Corrections reforms, would increase safety and accountability

Published on January 15, 2020
Forward-looking approach aims to head off problems before they occur Ongoing problems at the scandal-plagued state Department of Corrections are prompting a trio of Senate Republicans to introduce a package of sweeping reforms to address what they call a costly and fatal record of mismanagement. Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, said recent inmate deaths due... Read More

Padden bill banning organ-transplant discrimination signed into law

Published on May 08, 2019
Today Sen. Mike Padden’s anti-discrimination legislation to protect people with developmental disabilities who are seeking organ transplants was signed into law. Substitute Senate Bill 5405 cleared the Legislature on April 24 with unanimous support. “I am pleased that Washington has spoken clearly, with one voice, that all lives have value,” said Padden, R-Spokane Valley. “No... Read More

Padden and Holy applaud new Spokane-area remote-testimony sites

Published on December 20, 2018
Senate staff confirms newly approved sites to be located at EWU-Cheney and Spokane Valley City Hall Lawmakers today applauded news that the Senate’s remote-testimony pilot project will be expanding to two new sites in Spokane Valley and Cheney. Sen. Mike Padden received confirmation this week from legislative staff that Eastern Washington University’s Cheney campus and... Read More

‘No government shutdown’ assures Senate majority leader

Published on June 21, 2017
Schoesler maintains confidence that budget deal will be reached in time to avoid partial shutdown OLYMPIA…Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, issued the following statement in response to Gov. Jay Inslee’s announcement of a third special legislative session to finalize negotiations on a budget for the 2017-19 biennium. “I fully expect the budget teams to submit a... Read More

Padden’s felony-DUI bill moves to House for third time this year

Published on June 24, 2015
For the third time since lawmakers convened at the state Capitol in January, the Washington state Senate has unanimously passed Sen. Mike Padden’s bill to make a fourth DUI conviction in 10 years a felony. “We have only a few more days to act before the end of the current legislative session, and it is... Read More

VIDEO: Senate honors those with Down syndrome

Published on April 10, 2015
Watch a video featuring comments from Sen. Padden and some of the Down syndrome self-advocates who attended today’s reading of Senate Resolution 8657, honoring those with Down syndrome and recognizing those individuals and organizations who advocate on their behalf. Read More

Rivers seeks to clarify guardian ad litem rules

Published on February 18, 2015
When Vancouver resident Tina Toth phoned state Sen. Ann Rivers’ office over three years ago, she had hit the bureaucratic equivalent of a brick wall and didn’t know where to turn. Toth had just lost custody of her two boys through a stunning decision to place them with her physically abusive ex-husband. A family-court commissioner... Read More

Padden continues work to end human trafficking

Published on February 16, 2015
Saying that there is still work to be done, today Sen. Mike Padden oversaw the Senate Law and Justice Committee’s review of several bills aimed at addressing human trafficking. “The Washington State Legislature has an excellent history of dealing with the issue of human trafficking,” said Padden, R-Spokane Valley and chairman of the committee. “Shared... Read More

Padden bill to help new small businesses clears Senate panel

Published on February 12, 2015
On Wednesday, a bill sponsored by Sen. Mike Padden that would provide tax relief for Washington’s new small businesses was approved by the Senate Trade and Economic Development Committee. “We know that the first three years are the most critical to a small business being able to survive,” said Padden, R-Spokane Valley. “Reforming the business-and-occupation... Read More

Key Senate panel unanimously approves Padden’s felony-DUI bill

Published on February 03, 2015
Momentum and support continue to grow for Sen. Mike Padden’s bill to make a fourth DUI conviction in 10 years a felony. Today the state Senate Law and Justice Committee voted unanimously to approve Senate Bill 5105, which now moves one step closer to a vote of the full Senate. “These repeat-DUI offenders are the... Read More

Padden: Time for Washington to get tough on repeat DUI offenders

Published on January 22, 2015
Law and Justice Committee hears testimony on Padden measure to make fourth DUI a felony When a father, mother, grandfather, husband or friend is ripped away by the actions of a drunk driver, the pain and impact caused by that can reverberate through a family and a community. The demand for justice and the desire... Read More

Padden introduces parental-notification bill

Published on January 19, 2015
Bill supporters to gather tomorrow at 37th annual March for Life in Olympia Calling it a common-sense measure to respect the rights of parents, Sen. Mike Padden today announced legislation to require that an underage girl’s parent or guardian be notified before she may have an abortion. Padden, R-Spokane Valley, plans to discuss Senate Bill... Read More

King selected to lead Senate transportation committee

Published on December 17, 2014
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

Braun holds first Latino legislative forum in 20th District

Published on December 17, 2014
More than 50 members of the 20th Legislative District’s Latino community joined Sen. John Braun on Sunday afternoon in Chehalis for a discussion about priorities for the upcoming legislative session, which begins Jan. 12. “I was pleasantly surprised by the turnout,” said Braun, R-Centralia, who had invited members of the area’s faith community and leaders... Read More

Braun elected deputy leader of Senate majority

Published on December 08, 2014
The Senate Majority Coalition Caucus has elected Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, as Senate Majority Deputy Leader for the two-year legislative term that begins in 2015.  Braun was already a member of the MCC leadership team and is chair of the Senate Trade and Economic Development Committee. “We will have a tough job this coming legislative... Read More

Schoesler elected to lead Senate coalition as Majority Leader

Published on December 04, 2014
The Senate Majority Coalition Caucus today elected Sen. Mark Schoesler as Senate Majority Leader for a two-year legislative term. “I’m grateful to my Senate colleagues for their vote of confidence and am eager to continue working on solutions for the people of Washington,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville, “It’s time to govern and roll up our sleeves... Read More

IN THE NEWS: Public needs voice in carbon debate

Published on August 04, 2014
Local View: Public needs voice in carbon debate By Sen. Ann Rivers  |  Published: August 3, 2014, 6:00 AM There’s enough chatter at the Capitol about a pair of climate-change policies — familiar but complex proposals known as “cap-and-trade” and “low-carbon fuel standards” — that it’s time to ask: What do these confusing and complicated... Read More

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