News from the Caucus

Statement from Senate Republican Leader John Braun and House Republican Deputy Leader Mike Steele: “The Legislature should perform its civic duty and call a special session for the purpose of reconvening the Redistricting Commission. The court invited this course of action, which is fully supported by the Senate and House Republican caucuses. “Our state’s fair...

When war broke out in the Ukraine, I sponsored a $19 million budget amendment to support Ukrainian refugees in Washington state. Now it’s time to ask – how are we doing? Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Chris Gildon’s subscribers Sept. 25, 2023. To subscribe to Sen. Gildon’s e-newsletters, click here. Ukrainian refugees...

OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun shared the following comments on the heels of two recent court decisions saying Washington’s legislative district maps, which were created by the Washington State Redistricting Commission during the 2022 redistricting process and went into effect this year, must be redrawn for the 15th Legislative District. The judge in Soto-Palmer v....

Sen. Curtis King, Republican leader on the Senate Transportation Committee, said the state’s latest carbon-pricing auction will cause gasoline prices to continue rising, further hurting Washington drivers and businesses. This will also raise the prices for all things being shipped, which is about every item consumers use, further adding to high inflation. “Since the carbon...

July 27, 2023 Secretary of State Steve Hobbs Legislative Building 416 Sid Snyder Avenue SW Olympia, WA 98501 Attorney General Bob Ferguson 1125 Washington Street SE Olympia, WA 98504   Dear Secretary Hobbs and Attorney General Ferguson: We write with great concern about a potential threat to the integrity of the democratic process here in...

Legislature’s two-year experiment with weak, unenforceable laws against hard drugs brings death across the state, say members of Senate Freedom Caucus OLYMPIA – Washington state has become a national leader in drug-overdose deaths, according to new figures from the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, and senators say credit goes to the Washington Legislature and...

Sen. Curtis King, the ranking Republican on the Senate Transportation Committee, said Gov. Jay Inslee is trying to deflect criticism aimed at him due to the major role that the state’s cap-and-trade program has played in Washington having the highest gas prices in the nation. Inslee announced today that he wants legislation in 2024 targeting...

VANCOUVER… The governor and Democratic lawmakers should be stepping forward and taking credit for Washington’s nation-leading gas prices instead of denying responsibility, says Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver. Wilson, budget leader for Senate Republicans, responded to claims made today by Gov. Jay Inslee and high-ranking Democratic state lawmakers that they will propose legislation to rein in...

Inslee’s cap and trade program gives Washington the most expensive gasoline in the nation Sen. Drew MacEwen, R-Shelton, Republican lead on the Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee, responded Thursday to a proposal from Gov. Jay Inslee targeting what he calls ‘monster profits” by oil refiners. Inslee was the prime mover behind cap and trade...

OLYMPIA… Several of Washington’s Senate Republicans say the next time legislators are in session, they’ll try again to give workers an opportunity to opt out of the mandatory long-term care tax that began cutting into paychecks July 1. “Workers around our state are looking at their pay stubs and saying ‘I didn’t ask for this...

Senator urges fixes to cap and trade, asks lawmakers to sign letter to Ecology Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, is seeking the Legislature’s support in an effort to mitigate damage being done by Washington’s highest-in-the-nation gas prices. It won’t take much. He says it can be done with simple rule changes at the Department of Ecology,...

CENTRALIA… The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in Washington is now worst in the nation, and Senate Republican Leader John Braun says the state’s controversial cap-and-tax law is clearly the main driver of the price jump. Braun, from Centralia, serves Washington’s largely rural 20th Legislative District. He offered this statement regarding the...