News from the Caucus

Senator Shelly Short strongly criticized a bill allowing an unelected commission to determine if elected sheriffs are qualified. She argued this undermines constitutional principles and local representation, warning against bureaucratic overreach that could erode community trust and voter rights in law enforcement leadership.

Senator Jeff Wilson condemned Senate Bill 5974, which shifts authority over sheriffs from voters to an unelected board. He highlighted Pacific County as the first likely impacted, calling the measure an “ugly bill” that disregards the will of voters and threatens democratic accountability in policing.

Senate Republican Leader John Braun opposes legislation enabling a governor-appointed commission to remove elected sheriffs. He emphasizes existing recall and election processes already safeguard accountability, arguing the proposal oversteps constitutional protections and undermines voters’ rights to choose their law enforcement leaders every four years.

On KPQ, Senator Keith Goehner says an income tax proposal has no guarantee that funds will go to education. He’s concerned over a bill that would let an unelected board remove elected sheriffs. He says expanded powers for the Attorney General raises questions about overreach and impacts on small businesses. He continues to work to...

Senator Mark Schoesler speaks out from Olympia as the proposed state income tax moves forward. He reaffirms his long-standing promise to oppose an income tax, explaining why he believes it misleads the public and fails to guarantee funding for health care, K-12 education, or higher education.

Imagine electing a sheriff—only to have the state remove them. Tracy Ellis tells us it could happen in the future.

Senators John Braun and Ron Muzzall discuss why Washington’s food prices keep climbing. From labor and fuel costs to taxes and regulations, they reveal how policies impact farmers, grocery stores, and families—and why affordability should be a legislative priority. An illuminating look at the state’s food affordability and agricultural crisis. [TRANSCRIPT]

OLYMPIA — Residents of the 8th Legislative District are invited to attend an in-person community town hall hosted by Sen. Matt Boehnke at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21, at Columbia Basin College, 2600 N. 20th Ave., Room SWL 121, in Pasco. The senator will provide an update on the 2026 legislative session, discuss key...

OLYMPIA — Residents of Island, Skagit, and Snohomish counties are invited to attend an in-person community town hall hosted by Sen. Ron Muzzall and Rep. Dave Paul at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21, at The Center, 51 SE Jerome Street in Oak Harbor. The lawmakers will provide an update on the 2026 legislative session,...

If you’ve ever wrestled with college financial aid, you know how confusing and frustrating it can be. A new bill passed unanimously in the state Senate aims to make the process easier. Kelley Payne has more.

OLYMPIA — The Washington State Senate today approved Substitute Senate Bill 5841, sponsored by Sen. Matt Boehnke, to improve how students track progress on state and federal financial aid applications. SSB 5841 seeks to strengthen Washington’s universal High School and Beyond Plan platform by requiring it to import financial aid application data maintained by the...

Protecting kids—that’s the focus of a bill that just passed the Washington State Senate unanimously. Tracy Ellis reports.