News from the Caucus

Governor has proposed $23 billion in new taxes since inaugural OLYMPIA – Republicans in the Washington Senate today are celebrating the 7th anniversary of Gov. Jay Inslee’s promise not to raise taxes – a campaign pledge that will live in Washington history as one of the clearest and firmest ever uttered by a political candidate....

OLYMPIA…Senate Republican leadership issued the following statement in response to the lawsuit announced by the Washington State Legislature against Gov. Jay Inslee for an illegal veto of six single-sentence provisions in the state’s 2019-21 transportation budget (House Bill 1160).   The Senate Facilities & Operations Committee, along with the House Executive Rules Committee, voted unanimously...

Padden will propose expanded package of reforms in 2020 session As yet another major scandal rocks the state Department of Corrections, Senate Republicans who have been urging sweeping reforms for the agency since 2016 say enough is enough, and it’s far past time that Gov. Jay Inslee show some leadership and address the mismanagement of...

Democratic legislators ask Court of Appeals to overrule Washington voters OLYMPIA – When majority Democrats in the state Legislature decided this wasn’t the year to push a new income tax, it didn’t mean the fight was over. The battleground just moved from the Legislature to the courts. The state Court of Appeals heard oral arguments...

Today Sen. Mike Padden’s anti-discrimination legislation to protect people with developmental disabilities who are seeking organ transplants was signed into law. Substitute Senate Bill 5405 cleared the Legislature on April 24 with unanimous support. “I am pleased that Washington has spoken clearly, with one voice, that all lives have value,” said Padden, R-Spokane Valley. “No...

Senate Bill 5270 a step backward to the dark days of campaigns sullying Legislative ethics   OLYMPIA…A bill sponsored by Senate Democrats to move the state primary election to earlier in the year reminds many at the Capitol of the dark days when campaigns and Legislative ethics were blatantly ignored, leading to scandal and sweeping...

Demands in letter to Democrat leader campaign group’s reservations be canceled OLYMPIA…It is illegal for state resources to be used for campaign purposes, including training, but that is what Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville says is happening at the Legislative Building in Olympia this session. Schoesler sent a letter to Sen. Democrat Leader Billig...

Senate Democrats unanimously pass nomination out of committee despite knowing nominee lied about his record OLYMPIA…Senate Republican leadership issued the following statement in response to a unanimous vote by Senate Democrats in the Senate Housing Stability and Affordability Committee to pass Noe Castillo’s gubernatorial nomination out of committee, despite a conviction for domestic violence and...

OLYMPIA – The Washington Legislature sent its first bill of the year to the governor’s desk Wednesday, fixing a police-deadly-force initiative approved by voters last fall – and this time it did it without breaking the law. HB 1064, approved by the state House last week and by the Senate on Wednesday, clarifies the new...

On the first day of the 2019 legislative session, commissioners from Grant, Kittitas, Lincoln and Yakima counties appointed longtime Quincy resident Alex Ybarra to the state House of Representatives to fill a vacant seat in the delegation. Ybarra was immediately sworn in upon appointment and will join Sen. Judy Warnick and Rep. Tom Dent as...

Senate staff confirms newly approved sites to be located at EWU-Cheney and Spokane Valley City Hall Lawmakers today applauded news that the Senate’s remote-testimony pilot project will be expanding to two new sites in Spokane Valley and Cheney. Sen. Mike Padden received confirmation this week from legislative staff that Eastern Washington University’s Cheney campus and...

The Washington State Senate Republican Caucus announces its 2019 Standing Committee assignments, which were finalized today:   2019 SRC Standing Committees List   Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks (4D/3R) Warnick* Honeyford Short   Early Learning & K-12 Education (7D/4R) Hawkins* Holy Padden Wagoner   Energy, Climate & Technology (6D/3R) Ericksen* Brown Sheldon   Environment...