News from the Caucus

Proposed across-the-board cuts are ‘blunt and crude,’ Legislature can show more care OLYMPIA…..Sen. Shelly Short, Senate Republican floor leader, R-Addy, issued the following statement in response to the announcement by the Office of Financial Management that it has proposed a 15-percent across-the-board budget cut for state agencies, as directed by the governor.     “The...

OLYMPIA…Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy, Senate Republican caucus , issued the following statement in response to the governor’s announcement today that the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order will end at midnight on May 31 and focus will be directed toward opening Washington’s economy county by county. “The governor’s announcement today underscores the need for a June...

OLYMPIA…Senate Republican leader Mark Schoesler released the following statement in response to Gov. Inslee’s announcement today that he is extending the order to stay home during the COVID-19 public health crisis until May 31 and will allow a 4-phase approach toward reopening Washington’s economy. Phase one of the plan, which would begin May 4, would...

Republicans ask Inslee to rethink plan – improper release of more than 1,100 inmates makes state liable for new crimes To see a copy of this letter, click here. OLYMPIA – Senate Republicans today formally asked Gov. Jay Inslee to rethink his plan to deal with the coronavirus crisis by releasing 1,167 prison inmates onto...

OLYMPIA… Republicans in the state Senate and House of Representatives today shared the first plan for safely restarting Washington’s economy while state government’s response to the COVID-19 emergency continues. “Employers across our state are looking to government for a strategy that starts to take the brake off the economy. Republicans have come through with a...

Legislative Republicans Safe Economic Restart Plan — April 17, 2020

OLYMPIA… Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, issued this statement in response to Monday’s announcement by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and California Gov. Gavin Newsom that they have an agreement on a shared vision for reopening their states’ economies and controlling COVID-19 into the future. “If Washington shares a vision with...

OLYMPIA…Senate Republicans released the following statement after Gov. Inslee announced that he is extending the “Stay Home, Stay Health” self-quarantine policy another 30 days until May 4.         Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville: “It’s critical to focus on saving lives during the COVID-19 crisis, but we also need to focus on...

Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, issued the following statement Friday, after release of a long-awaited draft environmental impact statement on Snake River dam operations. The report, issued by the Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation and the Bonneville Power Administration rejected proposals to breach the four lower Snake River dams, saying benefits...

Three state senators from eastern Washington – 6th District Sen. Jeff Holy, 4th District Sen. Mike Padden and 7th District Sen. Shelly Short – are leading a legislative effort to fix a problem caused by the state Department of Revenue that affects how concrete pumpers are taxed. Senate Bill 6317, introduced by Holy and co-sponsored...

Forward-looking approach aims to head off problems before they occur Ongoing problems at the scandal-plagued state Department of Corrections are prompting a trio of Senate Republicans to introduce a package of sweeping reforms to address what they call a costly and fatal record of mismanagement. Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, said recent inmate deaths due...

Voter frustration with high-handed response to I-976 carries over to legislative agenda  Watch our video message. OLYMPIA – Senate Republicans say they share the frustrations of Washington voters with a political establishment that has done all it can to thwart their vote last November to reduce car-tab taxes, and they are responding with an agenda...