Leadership Blog

News from the Caucus

June 21, 2017
Mark Schoesler

‘No government shutdown’ assures Senate majority leader

Schoesler maintains confidence that budget deal will be reached in time to avoid partial shutdown OLYMPIA…Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, issued the following statement in response to Gov. Jay Inslee’s announcement of a third special legislative session to finalize negotiations on a budget for the 2017-19 biennium. “I fully expect the budget teams to submit a...
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June 13, 2017
Mark Schoesler

Majority leader confident Legislature will reach budget deal soon

Bipartisan plan to fully fund basic education expected to account for over 50 percent of spending   OLYMPIA…As the Legislature’s second special session for 2017 enters a third week, Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler today expressed optimism and confidence that lawmakers will reach a bipartisan, bicameral agreement on a new budget before the end of...
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May 02, 2017
Mike Padden

Senate passes Corrections reform bill a second time, keeps issue alive

OLYMPIA – The Washington Senate passed a Department of Corrections reform bill for the second time Tuesday, assuring the issue will remain under active consideration during the Legislature’s current special session. Senate Bill 5294, prompted by last year’s early-release scandal, was one of several bills revived Tuesday as the full Senate met for the first...
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May 02, 2017
Judy Warnick

In first vote of the special session, Senate approves Hirst-fix legislation again

Vote gives Democrat-controlled House second chance to help rural families without water  While work on education-funding reform and a new state operating budget continues during the Legislature’s special session, the Senate today took up and passed Senate Bill 5239, known as the Hirst fix, to bring needed access to water for rural households. Sponsored by...
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March 16, 2017
Curtis King

Senator King tells transit agency to consider soldiers and find a fair solution

Before he adjourned a recent working session of the Senate Transportation Committee, Sen. King urged Sound Transit officials to consider the impact their car tab tax valuations were having on soldiers.  Sen. King related how soldiers had come to him and described struggling to make ends meet.  He said they told him that they didn’t...
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March 08, 2017
John Braun

Senate approves temporary extension of local school levy rate with increased accountability

The Washington State Senate today approved legislation extending a temporary increase in the maximum amount school districts can raise through property taxes for public schools and implementing reforms to provide accountability for how local levies are collected and accounted. “Washington students deserve a comprehensive solution that provides a world-class education system instead of a temporary...
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March 07, 2017
Phil Fortunato

Senate’s minority Democrats vote down proposed income-tax ban

OLYMPIA…The Democrat minority in the state Senate today voted against a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban a tax on individual incomes. Senate Joint Resolution 8204 needed a two-thirds majority to pass – meaning 33 votes from the 49-member Senate. All 25 members of the Senate majority supported the measure, but only two members of...
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March 06, 2017
Mike Padden

Senate votes unanimously for Corrections reform bill, prompted by early-release scandal

OLYMPIA – The Washington Senate voted unanimously Monday for a bill that makes sweeping reforms to the Department of Corrections in the wake of last year’s early-release scandal. Senate Bill 5294, sponsored by Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, enacts recommendations made by the Senate Law and Justice Committee last year following a months-long investigation into...
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March 01, 2017
Senate Republican Caucus

State Hispanic Commission recognizes our efforts to improve minority-owned business opportunities

Senate passes the Small Business Bonding Relief bill  
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March 01, 2017
Judy Warnick

Warnick legislation to fix flawed Hirst water decision clears Senate

  Sen. Judy Warnick’s legislation to fix the Hirst decision was approved Tuesday evening by the state Senate, despite efforts by some opposition Democrats to delay a legislative response that would aid rural homeowners. The decision, issued by the state Supreme Court in late 2016, effectively prevents the drilling of small, household wells without costly...
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February 28, 2017
Judy Warnick

Warnick bill would grant new protections for state’s cattle industry

Sen. Judy Warnick’s legislation to have air-quality rules treat cattle feedlots the same as other agricultural operations was approved today by the state Senate. Agricultural operations are exempt from state clean-air rules; Warnick’s Senate Bill 5196 would extend the exemption to feedlots while establishing a process and guidelines for addressing activities that may be detrimental...
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February 23, 2017
Mike Padden

Senate votes to make 4th DUI a felony – for 6th time

OLYMPIA – The Washington Senate voted 41-0 Thursday morning to make the fourth DUI a felony in Washington state, marking the sixth time the Senate has given such a measure a unanimous vote since 2015. The previous five times, House leaders have declined to bring the measure to the House floor for a vote. “Repeat...
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