Search Results for: town hall
4th District Reps. Schmidt and Christian to host town hall at Argonne Library Saturday, Feb. 11 at 2 p.m.
Fourth District State Representatives Suzanne Schmidt and Leonard Christian are inviting constituents to join them for a one-hour town hall meeting at the Argonne Library in Spokane on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. to discuss issues related to the 2023 legislative session. ...
State should support local school districts, not dictate to them, Short legislation declares
7th District senator urges hearing on bill that would clarify role of state school superintendent OLYMPIA – State Sen. Shelly Short, responding to new decrees from Olympia’s education bureaucracy on everything from mask mandates to curriculum, says local school boards need some breathing room, and should be allowed to make decisions for themselves. Short has introduced Senate Bill 5029, a bill clarifying the role of the superintendent of public instruction – support for local school districts, not control. “What’s been happening the last ...
Rep. Goehner's Legislative Update: REMINDER: Virtual Town Hall - Wednesday, Feb. 1, at 6 p.m.
A reminder, Rep. Mike Steele, R-Chelan, and I are holding a Virtual Town Hall (tomorrow) Wednesday, Feb. 1, 6 – 7 p.m. You can register by clicking here. We are less than four weeks into the legislative session and there is plenty to discuss - housing and homelessness, public safety, transportation, local government issues and much more. I encourage you to register as space is limited to the first 500 attendees. You can also submit questions ahead of time when you register. I ...
Virtual Town Hall
Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, and Reps. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, and Alex Ybarra, R-Quincy, are inviting citizens from the 13th District to join them for a one-hour Virtual Town Hall meeting, Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. to discuss issues related to the 2023 legislative session. The remote town hall meeting will be conducted using the Zoom platform. Those who would like to participate must pre-register in advance. ...
Senate panel passes Holy bill to help communities hire more officers
A bipartisan bill sponsored by 6th District Sen. Jeff Holy that aims to reestablish public safety across Washington by halting an exodus of law-enforcement officers has been passed by the Senate Law and Justice Committee. Senate Bill 5361 would provide cities and counties with more funding to hire more officers. “Washington now has fewer law-enforcement officers per capita than any state. This decrease in officers, combined with the sharp increase in crime, is making communities less safe,” said Holy, R-Cheney. “Restoring public ...
Rep. Goehner's Legislative Update: 2023 session, a new 12th District, and upcoming Virtual Town Hall
After two years of virtual legislative sessions, legislators returned to Olympia on Monday, Jan. 9 for opening ceremonies. It was great to see the galleries filled with family, friends and staff. Allowing the public to visit in person with state lawmakers and testify in committee is important to our legislative process. It improves transparency and provides accountability. On Tuesday, Gov. Inslee addressed the Legislature with his State of the State address. Rep. Peter Abbarno provided the Republican perspective. Since then, we have been ...
12th District legislators to hold Virtual Town Hall meeting Wednesday, Feb. 1, at 6 p.m.
Reps. Mike Steele, R-Chelan, and Keith Goehner, R-Dryden, are inviting 12th District citizens to join them for a virtual town hall meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 1, at 6 p.m. The lawmakers will be giving an update on the 2023 legislative session and taking live questions from participants. Constituents may submit written questions during the registration process. The remote town hall meeting will be conducted using the Zoom platform. Those who would like to take part in the hour-long event must pre-register in advance for ...
Bipartisan tax reform proposal to replace the B&O tax gets a hearing
On Thursday, Jan. 26, the Senate Business, Financial Services, Gaming & Trade Committee will hold a hearing on SB 5482, a bipartisan bill to reform Washington state’s business tax system recommended by the state Tax Structure Work Group. The bill, sponsored by work group co-chairs Sen. Noel Frame (D-Seattle) and Sen. Keith Wagoner (R-Sedro Woolley), would replace Washington’s current business and occupation (B&O) tax with a margin tax, modeled after Texas’ franchise tax. “This tax reform proposal is the culmination of years of ...
Back in person for 2023!
Dear Neighbor, As we finish the second week of this year’s 105-day legislative session, I wanted to share a session overview, update you on my committee assignments and outline what needs to be done to address our state’s housing crisis. I am excited to be back at the Capitol in Olympia after two years of mostly remote legislative work. Our state government is more efficient when lawmakers collaborate face-to-face instead of behind computer screens. It is also a more transparent, open government, ...
SRC On Air: Sen. Jeff Wilson on Town Hall on KEDO Radio in Longview
Sen. Jeff Wilson talks to KEDO Radio’s Shawn Green about penalties and treatment for hard drugs, accountability for homeless services providers, and more. ...
The 2023 legislative session is underway | An update from Rep. Leonard Christian
I am Leonard Christian, your new state representative serving the 4th District. The district borders Idaho and includes the Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, and towns east of U.S. Route 2, as far north as Camden. If you are not sure which legislative district you live in, you can find out by entering your address into the Legislature’s District Finder tool here. About me I am returning to Olympia to serve my first full-term in the Legislature. I spent 21 years in the U.S. ...
STATEMENT: Senators for southern Thurston County stand with residents outraged by planned sex-predator home near Tenino
OLYMPIA… The state senators who represent southern Thurston County reacted today to an effort to convert a residence near Tenino into “less restrictive” housing for convicted sex predators – thought to be Level 3 sex offenders now in custody in a Department of Social and Health Services facility on McNeil Island. Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, represents the 20th Legislative District, which includes the town of Tenino: “The people of this area have every right to be outraged by what they ...
Senate panel advances Wagoner bill to recognize history, contributions of Americans of Chinese descent
Click here to watch the full hearing on SB 5000. Today the Senate State Government and Elections Committee voted unanimously to advance Sen. Keith Wagoner’s measure designating January as Americans of Chinese Descent Month. “Recognizing the history and contributions of Americans of Chinese descent has been and will continue to be very important to me,” said Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley, who has been working on the issue since 2020. “While I am sponsoring this measure, this bill is not my bill; it was brought to ...
SRC On Air: Sen. John Braun on KONA Radio in the Tri Cities and KEDO Radio in Longview
Sen. John Braun on KONA Radio’s The Bottom Line and KEDO Radio’s Town Hall talking about education, housing, emergency powers, public safety, and more. KONA Radio's The Bottom Line KEDO Radio's Town Hall ...
AUDIO: Braun: Bipartisan emergency powers reform must happen in 2023
The Halloween end to Governor Inslee’s state of emergency was long overdue according to the state Senate Republican Leader. Tracy Ellis explains. ...
Schoesler says state needs to do more to help stores combat retail crime
State government, including the Legislature, needs to do more to help combat the increase in retail crime in Washington, says 9th District state Sen. Mark Schoesler. “While we’ve seen a spike in many areas of crime, retail theft and other retail crimes are especially a problem,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “Retail crimes hurt not only stores and shops, but also consumers because these crimes force retailers to raise prices. The Legislature, the governor and the attorney general need to take action to ...
Schoesler criticizes Reykdal for wanting to cancel state testing of students
Sen. Mark Schoesler opposes a suggestion by Washington’s highest-ranking elected education official that the state should cancel the testing of student learning levels. During last week’s Washington State Board of Education meeting in Spokane, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal said that using tests to assess the true level of learning students are receiving “means nothing” and that, if he decides he has the authority, he plans to cancel state testing of public K-12 students. At about the 1:00:57 mark of ...
Rep. Keith Goehner: Affordable housing crisis needs new, real solutions
As a member of the House of Representatives Local Government Committee, I clearly see our state’s affordable housing crisis, a culmination of housing policies that were built on good-intentioned legislation with poor results. Meanwhile, our state’s population continues to grow. Over the years, the Legislature has passed bills related to the Growth Management Act (GMA), zoning requirements, and building codes that impose more obligations and negatively impact housing in Washington state. Every year we see incremental changes, layering on more and ...
Seattle's 'Quality of Life Index' aligns with Senate Republican priorities
OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun offered the following reaction to poll results released this month by the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce that share insights about what registered voters in Seattle, 60% of whom identify as Democrats, think of the city’s quality of life. Since most Democratic legislators come from districts in King County, the poll represents opinions that have and will influence state law. “It’s very validating to see that the results of this poll line up with the Senate Republican ...
As state coffers overflow, families in the 8th and across Washington are suffering; in-district town hall meeting on Tuesday in Richland
For the first time since February 22, 2020, Rep. Brad Klippert and I are set to host an in-person town hall meeting in Richland. We're really looking forward to meeting with all of you to share our thoughts on this year's 60-day legislative session, take your questions, and discuss the most important issues facing our district and state. Details are as follows: Date: Tuesday, March 29, 2022Time: 7-8 p.m.Location: The Arc of Tri-CitiesAddress: 1455 SE Fowler St., Richland Earlier this year, we held a virtual town hall ...