Leadership Blog

In the News

AUDIO: On ‘Tax Day,’ Senate Democrats propose billions more in tax increases

Published on April 15, 2025
On Tax Day (Tuesday), State Senate Democrats unveil a sweeping tax package that would likely cost you and everyone you know more to live in Washington. You can comment at a Senate Ways and Means Committee hearing scheduled for 5:30 tomorrow (Wednesday). Tracy Ellis has more.
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AUDIO: Week 13 Legislative Session Update with Senate Republican Leader John Braun

Published on April 12, 2025
State Senate Democrats are pushing to scrap the one percent cap on property tax growth, opening the door for taxes to skyrocket with inflation. A Democrat rent control bill from the House cleared the Senate and now heads back to the House for further consideration. Senator Braun speaks out against both measures.
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AUDIO: Democrats pass bill to bully schools, sideline parents

Published on April 11, 2025
The state Senate Republican Leader accuses Senate Democrats of passing a bill that bullies schools and sidelines parents. Tracy Ellis reports.
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The Elephant in the Dome Podcast: Property Taxes & Rent Control—The Unintended Consequences

Published on April 10, 2025
Senate Republican Leader John Braun discusses concerns over proposed property tax increases and rent control, featuring voices from homeowners, renters, and landlords. He examines economic impacts, the housing crisis, and the broader effects on businesses and essential services.  
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AUDIO: Republicans Push Back Against Democrat-Led Property Tax Hike

Published on April 09, 2025
State Senate Democrats are pushing to scrap the one percent cap on property tax growth, opening the door for taxes to skyrocket with inflation. Senate Republicans call it reckless, saying it would hit homeowners and renters hard. Tracy Ellis has more.
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News from the Caucus

April 14, 2025
Matt Boehnke

Boehnke’s college-access legislation headed to governor

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate OLYMPIA… On April 10, the state House of Representatives approved legislation from Sen. Matt Boehnke that is intended to make college or a technical school more accessible for Washington students. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk for further consideration. Senate Bill 5543 would extend eligibility for...
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April 14, 2025
Matt Boehnke

Boehnke denounces education bill, calls it ‘a Trojan Horse of state overreach’

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/CREDIT: Washington State Legislature OLYMPIA… Friday, Sen. Matt Boehnke voiced strong opposition to the Senate majority’s approval of House Bill 1296, calling the legislation “a direct assault on parental authority and local control in education.” The bill would significantly expand the power of the state’s superintendent of public instruction to investigate and...
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April 14, 2025
Keith Goehner

Goehner opposes second bill aimed at undermining popular parental-rights law

Sen. Keith Goehner/R-Dryden/Credit: Washington State Senate OLYMPIA… State Sen. Keith Goehner today raised serious concerns about the Senate majority’s support of House Bill 1296, criticizing the measure as an unwarranted expansion of state authority that would sideline parents and erode local oversight in education. Goehner, R-Dryden, issued this statement following the Senate vote: “This legislation...
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April 11, 2025
Senate Republican Caucus

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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March 12, 2025
John Braun

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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February 25, 2025
Matt Boehnke

Boehnke bills aimed at improving access to education move forward

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate OLYMPIA… Two of Sen. Matt Boehnke’s pro-education bills have cleared the first deadline for legislation to move forward from policy committees in the Senate. “Both of these bills will allow our higher-education system to accommodate more students to be successful as they move beyond the K-12 level,” Boehnke...
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February 18, 2025
John Braun

Senate committee backs Braun bill to reduce chronic absenteeism

OLYMPIA… A bill introduced by Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, to help school districts address chronic absenteeism has been approved by the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee and now awaits consideration by the full Senate. Senate Bill 5007 is aimed at supporting students at risk of falling behind academically due to excessive...
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February 10, 2025
Matt Boehnke

Two of Boehnke’s higher-ed bills move forward from committee

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate OLYMPIA… Legislation from Sen. Matt Boehnke aimed at improving access to education was endorsed today by the state Senate’s higher-education committee. Committee members, who include Boehnke, supported two of his bills. One is Senate Bill 5542, to accommodate more enrollment in high-school completion programs at community and technical...
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April 08, 2024
John Braun

Braun appalled by Seattle teacher’s blatantly antisemitic comments

OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, today shared his reaction to comments made by Seattle school teacher Ian Golash during an interview posted Friday to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. When asked if the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas terrorists on Israeli citizens was justified, Golash responded, “Yes.” As the...
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January 16, 2024
John Braun

Bill on Holocaust, genocide education to receive Senate hearing tomorrow

OLYMPIA…A bill from Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, that would require Washington public schools to teach about the Jewish Holocaust and other campaigns of genocide will receive a public hearing tomorrow (Jan. 17) before the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee. The committee meeting will begin at 10:30 a.m. Senate Bill 5851, which...
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December 20, 2023
John Braun

Braun bill aimed at getting chronically absent students to re-engage with classes, resume path to graduation

OLYMPIA… Chronic absenteeism is among the major obstacles preventing Washington children from recovering from pandemic-related learning loss. Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, has introduced legislation to help school administrators, teachers and parents get students to show up to school and take part in class. Senate Bill 5850 would provide support for students who are...
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December 15, 2023
John Braun

Poor awareness, rise in antisemitism necessitates more education about Jewish Holocaust of WWII

Bipartisan bill would make K-12 curriculum Nazi genocide of Jews mandatory   OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, and Sen. Jesse Salomon, D-Shoreline, pre-filed a bill today (Senate Bill 5851) for the 2024 legislative session that would make it mandatory for Washington’s K-12 public schools to teach the Jewish Holocaust curriculum developed by the Office...
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