News

Those who live in Southwest Washington know all too well that the Interstate 5 Bridge over the Columbia River at Vancouver needs to be replaced. In truth, it has needed replacement for years. When lawmakers debated a new bridge 13 years ago, the estimated cost was $3.5 billion. Today, that estimate has ballooned to $14.4...

In this episode of Elephant in the Dome, Tracy Ellis sits down with Senate Republican Leader John Braun and Caucus Chair Judy Warnick to discuss two citizen-driven initiatives shaping Washington’s legislative agenda: IL26-638 – Protecting fairness and safety in girls’ sports, and IL26-001 – Restoring the Parents’ Bill of Rights. We dive into why these...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...