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In the News

VIDEO: KOMO: Braun Demands Accountability After Audit Flags $37M in Questionable Child Care Payments

Published on April 07, 2026
After a state audit estimated $37 million in questionable child-care payments, Senator John Braun is calling for transparency and accountability at the Department of Children, Youth and Families. Braun says taxpayers deserve clear answers and stronger safeguards to prevent abuse while ensuring families who rely on child-care programs receive support.
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AUDIO: Billions Spent, Little Accountability: Sen. Braun Sounds Alarm on Child Welfare Spending on the Lars Larson Show.

Published on April 06, 2026
Senate Republican Leader John Braun joins Lars Larson to discuss a troubling audit of Washington’s child welfare agency, revealing widespread overpayments and weak oversight. Braun questions why billions in taxpayer dollars are poorly tracked, why the agency employs many lobbyists but few auditors, and why accountability from state leadership remains absent.
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VIDEO: Sen. John Braun on The John Curley Show on KIRO: Millions Wasted in WA Childcare Program?!

Published on April 03, 2026
A new state audit is raising serious concerns about how taxpayer money is being handled in Washington. Senate Republican Leader John Braun says the findings reveal “nothing short of a systemic failure” inside the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, pointing to widespread overpayments to childcare providers and millions in improper spending. In just a...
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WA Income Tax Signed — But Fraud, Lawsuits & Government Waste Still Growing — The Elephant in the Dome Podcast

Published on April 03, 2026
Washington now has a new income tax set to take effect in 2028. But questions remain about how the state manages the money it already collects. In this episode of Elephant in the Dome, host Tracy Ellis sits down with Senate Republican Leader John Braun to discuss a troubling state audit involving the Washington State...
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AUDIO: Braun: Auditor’s report reveals ‘systemic failure’ and misplaced priorities at DCYF

Published on April 01, 2026
A new state audit is raising serious concerns about how Washington oversees childcare funding. Tracy Ellis reports.
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News

March 20, 2026
Keith Wagoner

Governor signs Wagoner’s bill to formally integrate Civil Air Patrol into state Military Department

An effort to bolster Washington’s emergency- response capabilities reached the finish line this week as Gov. Bob Ferguson signed Senate Bill 6046. Introduced by Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley, the legislation formally establishes the Washington Division of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) as an official branch within the state Military Department. The measure, which passed the...
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May 13, 2025
Keith Goehner

Goehner bill on siting energy projects becomes law

Sen. Keith Goehner/R-Dryden/Credit: Washington State Senate OLYMPIA… Yesterday, the governor signed a bipartisan measure from Sen. Keith Goehner that strengthens local governments’ ability to collaborate with the state on locating major clean-energy projects. The new law clarifies that cities and counties assisting the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC)—the state’s centralized permitting authority for large...
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April 15, 2025
Keith Goehner

Goehner bill to promote responsible growth awaits governor’s signature

Sen. Keith Goehner/R-Dryden/Credit: Washington State Senate OLYMPIA… Legislation sponsored by Sen. Keith Goehner to support counties in updating their land-use policies has received final approval from the Legislature and is now headed to the governor for consideration. Senate Bill 5558 would grant 10 counties—including Chelan and Douglas—an extra six months to review and update their...
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April 04, 2025
Keith Goehner

House committee backs Goehner government-efficiency bill

Sen. Keith Goehner/R-Dryden/Credit: Washington State Senate OLYMPIA… A House committee has unanimously endorsed legislation from Sen. Keith Goehner that would make it simpler for water-sewer districts to offload surplus property. “Senate Bill 5467 is a common-sense update that ensures our water-sewer districts can operate more efficiently without unnecessary bureaucratic delays,” said Goehner, R-Dryden. “By adjusting...
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February 09, 2024
John Braun

Property tax increase bill dies, won’t get a vote

  OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, made the following comments in reaction to the announcement that the proposal to allow local governments to raise property taxes by up to 3% annually without a vote of the people is dead for this legislative session. The Democratic sponsor of Senate Bill 5770 told The Washington State...
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