News from the Caucus

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...

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...

OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, released the following statement welcoming Ron Muzzall, R- to the Senate as the new senator from the 10th Legislative District.   The 10th District includes all of Island County, as well as part of northwest Snohomish County and southwest Skagit County. The seat became available when Sen. Barbara Bailey,...

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...

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...

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...

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...