News from the Caucus
SRC On Air: Sen. Mike Padden on KONA Radio in the Tri Cities
Sen Mike Padden talks to KONA Radio’s The Bottom Line about a repeat offender convicted of killing his girlfriend in a DUI crash when he was supposed to be in prison. He was resentenced after lawmakers changed the 3-strikes rule.
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Senate Republicans elect new caucus chair, vice chair, deputy whip
OLYMPIA…During their reorganization meeting this morning in Spokane, members of the Senate Republican Caucus elected 13th District Sen. Judy Warnick as their caucus chair and 10th District Sen. Ron Muzzall as caucus vice chair. Warnick had served as caucus vice chair since 2017. As caucus chair, Warnick will preside over internal meetings of the Senate...
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Intimidating, publicly shaming those with vaccine concerns is wrong path, says Braun
Inslee’s vaccine mandate on K-12 could backfire, hurt students OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, issued the following statement in response to the governor’s announcement requiring teachers and other K-12 education employees to get the COVID vaccine or risk losing their jobs and jeopardizing their district’s funding. “I am vaccinated and urge others to...
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Republican leaders call for special session to fix confusing, controversial police reform bills
Democrat sponsor of legislation admits fixes are necessary OLYMPIA… Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, and House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, issued the following statement in response to continued Democrat insistence in the press that law enforcement and legislators are overreacting to controversial new laws on policing that lack clarity and endanger the public,...
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Republican leaders say people deserve clear answers about state of emergency
New proclamation indicates governor will maintain tighter grip at least through September OLYMPIA… With the state of emergency linked to the COVID-19 pandemic now past the 16-month mark, the state Legislature’s top Republican leaders say Gov. Jay Inslee needs to be up front with the people of Washington about how much longer he intends...
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Braun: Inslee again violates state constitution with illegal veto
OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, offered the following remarks after Gov. Jay Inslee vetoed parts of two bills he signed today — House Bill 1091, referred to by Republicans as the High Cost Fuel Standard, and Senate Bill 5126, also known as Cap & Tax. Together the two bills set the stage for a...
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Braun reacts to governor’s veto of his COVID-related provision in racial equity analysis bill
OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, offered the following remarks after Gov. Jay Inslee vetoed his amendment to Senate Bill 5405. The bill, sponsored by Democrat Sen. Bob Hasegawa, mandates a racial equity analysis by the nonpartisan Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC). Braun’s amendment, which was accepted by the Senate in a 47-2...
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Republican leaders say new CDC guidance supports June 15 reopening
OLYMPIA… Senate Republican Leader John Braun and House Republican J.T. Wilcox offered this statement today after the governor announced many of his COVID-19 economic restrictions will be lifted by the end of June. “Earlier this week members of all four legislative caucuses encouraged Governor Inslee to share the vision of his counterparts in California and...
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Legislative Republicans: Emergency power reform not about the governor – it’s about the people
OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, and House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, offered the following statement in response to an interview Gov. Jay Inslee gave criticizing the efforts of legislative Republicans to advance bills this session addressing the reform of the governor’s emergency powers. During the interview, the governor claimed Republicans’ true motive for...
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No counties should be moving backward, say legislative Republican leaders
OLYMPIA…Legislative Republican leaders released the following statement after learning that three counties will be forced to move backward to Phase 2 in the governor’s reopening plan. Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, and Rep. J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, expressed their frustration with the governor’s decision and the Democrat majorities’ inaction on executive powers reform. “The communities of Cowlitz,...
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Republican leaders say endorsement of 3-foot spacing would help classrooms reopen
OLYMPIA… The state Legislature’s top Republican leaders today said a gubernatorial endorsement of 3-foot spacing for classrooms would help Washington schools comply with Gov. Jay Inslee’s March 15 emergency proclamation calling for at least a partial return to regular classroom instruction. Senate Republican Leader John Braun and House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox noted the possibility...
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Senate Republican leaders: Inslee’s school-choice approach to reopening K-12 instruction solid step toward improving youth mental health
OLYMPIA… Leaders in the Senate Republican Caucus released the following remarks in response to Gov. Jay Inslee’s announcement today that all K-12 public schools in Washington will be required by executive order to provide safe in-person and remote learning options for students by mid-April. Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia: “There is no doubt...
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