News

We’ve reached the end of the 2026 legislative session. Sine Die was Thursday, March 12 — and as always, there’s a lot to report. This is a longer update than usual, but it’s important you have the full picture of what happened this session and what it means for your family. Let me start with...

OLYMPIA — Sen. Nikki Torres, R-Pasco, issued the following statement after the latest state operating budget proposal removed a previously approved public defense funding provision and bipartisan legislation aimed at addressing Washington’s growing public defense crisis stalled this session. Earlier this session, the Senate approved a proposal dedicating seven percent of revenue from the Democrats’...

Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, breaks down Washington’s exploding state budget, which has doubled in a decade, and asks what taxpayers have to show for it. From rising homelessness and energy costs to new tax proposals, Fortunato argues lawmakers should focus on accountability, spending priorities, and results for families across Washington today.

With just two weeks left before adjournment on March 12, budget negotiations are taking center stage. Washington operates on three primary budgets — the operating, transportation, and capital budgets. The first two tend to grab the headlines, but today I want to focus on the one that quietly makes long-term investments in our communities: the...