News from the Caucus
A weekly summary of Senate Republican Caucus content, featuring links to videos, radio and podcast appearances, press releases, social media posts, priority bills, and a short list of bad bills to watch.
Governor signs Braun bill providing schools with cost-saving student transportation options
OLYMPIA…Gov. Bob Ferguson today signed a bill sponsored by Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, that will allow schools to use state funding for more appropriate student transportation options when using a school bus is not necessary or cost-effective. Student transportation to and from school, and to various K-12 programs and services, is funded through the Student...
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Braun: Tragic fentanyl-related death of Puyallup child shows continued need for stronger child-endangerment laws
OLYMPIA… Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, issued the following statement today after the Pierce County medical examiner found the March death of a 5-year-old Puyallup boy was caused by acute fentanyl toxicity. The boy’s mother was arrested and appeared in court yesterday on a charge of first-degree manslaughter after allegedly exposing him to the...
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NEWSFLASH: No word on the budget, but plenty of taxes to go around
Silence: Still no word on budget negotiations How much will the 2025-27 operating budget increase state spending and taxes? How much will the 2025-27 operating budget increase state spending and taxes? That’s a good question. We’re not sure yet what the full scope of the budget and its taxes will be because...
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Governor signs Braun bill expanding technical education to 6th graders
OLYMPIA…A bill sponsored by Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, to expand exploratory career and technical education (CTE) to sixth-grade students was signed today by Gov. Bob Ferguson. It will become law 90 days after the Legislature adjourns. Currently, K-12 education funding provides exploratory CTE to students beginning in seventh grade. Exploratory CTE introduces students to a...
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NEWSFLASH: Rent control, an assault on parents’ rights, and the fight against higher property taxes
WATCH: Sen. John Braun telling it like it is on property taxes and rent control Senate Republican Leader John Braun tells us how it really is with the majority’s effort to: Remove the annual growth rate cap on your property taxes (SB 5798) so government can increase your property taxes by four or...
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Republican budget leaders shocked by Democrats’ rejection of no-new-taxes, no-cuts budget proposal
OLYMPIA… The state Senate’s majority Democrats today passed a $78.6 billion operating budget that relies on the largest tax increase in state history, after rejecting the smaller, no-new-taxes, no-cuts budget proposed by Senate Republicans. The “$ave Washington” budget, which doesn’t outspend the state’s anticipated level of revenue, was offered in place of the Democrats’ own...
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Braun: Slashing teacher bonuses unwise, unnecessary
OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, says Washington teachers don’t deserve to have incentive bonuses cut in half by Democrats. Educators in Washington currently qualify for a bonus for achieving certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. They can receive an additional bonus for teaching in a school that the state classifies as...
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Infant fentanyl overdoses warrant felony charges, says Braun
CENTRALIA…Three infants in the Everett area overdosed on fentanyl over four days this week, including a 13-month-old who died. Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, shared the following reaction to these preventable tragedies. “It’s completely indefensible when an infant or child gets sick or dies because someone in the household is using deadly drugs such...
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