Search Results for: town hall
YOU'RE INVITED: Join your 20th District legislators for a virtual town hall
CLICK HERE AT 6:30 PM ON APRIL 13 TO PARTICIPATE! ...
19th District lawmakers to host virtual town hall Tuesday, April 7
Sen. Jeff Wilson, Rep. Jim Walsh, and Rep. Joel McEntire are inviting residents of Southwest Washington's 19th Legislative District to join them for a one-hour Virtual Town Hall meeting, Tuesday, April 7, starting at 6:30 p.m. Those who wish to participate must register in advance for the meeting. The event will be conducted using the Zoom platform. Participants can you use scan code below. They may also use the following link: https://bit.ly/3NTHQ53 Lawmakers will discuss major issues of the 2026 legislative session and provide constituents an opportunity to ask questions. For more information, ...
NEWS: 8th District lawmakers secure key investments in 2026 supplemental capital budget, bringing biennial total to more than $100 million
Sen. Matt Boehnke and Reps. April Connors and Stephanie Barnard secured key investments for the 8th District and the Tri-Cities region in the 2026 supplemental capital budget, building on major investments in last year's budget and bringing total funding for the biennium to more than $100 million. In a joint statement, the lawmakers said: "In the 8th District and throughout the Tri-Cities region, the capital budget reflects long-term investment in the places and services that shape daily life. From housing and behavioral ...
Legislative session was 'historic' but not for the right reasons
Dear Neighbors, This year’s legislative session is over, and I’m glad it ended on schedule. Had we been forced into overtime there’s no telling how many more harmful bills might have been passed. Governor Ferguson called the session “historic,” and on that we agree. His definition is different than mine, however. He wholeheartedly supports the new state income tax, while I see its passage as the worst thing to happen at the Capitol in decades -- and that’s before you get to ...
Session ends in income tax, greater power for government
Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Jeff Wilson's subscribers March 18, 2026. To subscribe to Sen. Wilson's e-newsletters, click here. Final gavels fell in the House and Senate Thursday at 8:23 p.m. to end our 60-day legislative session. Dear Friends and Neighbors, Can you believe it? The Legislature passed an income tax. Fifteen years ago, that would have been unthinkable. Today the income tax is the signature accomplishment of a session that took us so far down the wrong path we’re going ...
Session ends in income tax, more power for government
Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Leonard Christian's subscribers March 13, 2026. To subscribe to Sen. Christian's e-newsletters, click here. Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck brings down the final gavel in the Senate to end the 2026 session at 8:23 p.m. Thursday. Dear Friends and Neighbors, The 2026 legislative session has ended, and the best thing about it is that it is over. Under control of an unchecked Democratic majority, this year’s Legislature enacted numerous laws that will increase the power of ...
12th District legislators announce more than $32 million in district-funded projects included in 2026 supplemental capital budget
House capital budget lead Rep. Mike Steele, Sen. Keith Goehner, and Rep. Brian Burnett announced the inclusion of more than $32.8 million in 12th District projects in the 2026 supplemental capital budget. The capital spending plan received unanimous approval from lawmakers in the House and Senate today. The announcement highlights the lawmakers’ collective commitment to securing funding that directly benefits the communities in the district and the surrounding region. The funds support a variety of essential projects to enhance infrastructure, strengthen community services, and promote economic ...
Legislature passes bipartisan transportation budget that creates jobs, invests in preservation
The Legislature passed the bipartisan 2025-27 supplemental transportation budget Thursday, a plan that could create up to 30,000 jobs through increased investments in preserving and maintaining the state’s infrastructure. The balanced, $16.6 billion budget commits funding levels through 2031. In addition to preservation and maintenance, the package prioritizes strengthening the state’s ferry system, improving traffic safety, increasing Washington State Patrol staffing levels, and advancing the state’s climate goals. “From the start, the budgets proposed by the House and Senate this year have been crystal clear about our commitment to increase funding for preservation and ...
Warnick announces retirement from State Senate following two decades of public service
Sen. Judy Warnick announced today that she will not seek re-election to the Washington State Senate at the conclusion of her current term. A steadfast advocate for rural Washington and a respected leader in the Legislature, Warnick will continue to serve the 13th Legislative District until her term officially concludes in January 2027. “Serving the people of the 13th Legislative District has been the greatest honor of my professional life,” said Warnick, R-Moses Lake. “I grew up on a dairy farm ...
E-News: Final votes on income-tax bill, budgets ahead
Dear Friends and Neighbors, This year's regular legislative session will end sometime Thursday -- probably well into the evening, if history is any guide. I'm specifying regular because just today I heard rumblings that the majority party may need an overtime period (officially, an extraordinary session) to work on budget-related legislation. I hope that ends up being only a rumor, but we'll know soon enough. Lawmakers in the Senate and House of Representatives are focused on two things during our remaining time: ...
War of words calls attention to bill that puts developmentally disabled at risk
Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Leonard Christian's subscribers March 6, 2026. To subscribe to Sen. Christian's e-newsletters, click here. Long days on the Senate floor have been the hallmark of the final week of our 2026 legislative session. We are scheduled to adjourn next Thursday. Dear Friends and Neighbors, This week I found myself in the spotlight because of remarks I made on the Senate floor Wednesday, and I think I ought to offer a few words of explanation. I’m ...
Senate passes three budgets, and one has big problems
Dear Neighbors, There are now less than 10 days left for legislators to wrap up their work at the Capitol. The time remaining in this session will be devoted to debating and voting in the Senate chamber, while some of us put in extra hours negotiating final versions of the three budgets (operating, capital, transportation) -- including a lot of hours this Sunday, when we're not scheduled to be on the "floor" voting. We have through Friday to complete our work on ...
AUDIO: Live from Olympia on Okanogan Country Radio: Budget Battles, Income Tax Fight, and Local Wins with Sen. Shelly Short & Rep. Andrew Engell
Sen. Shelly Short and Rep. Andrew Engell break down state budgets, the income tax fight, rural hospital support, wildfire funding, transportation investments, and major bills affecting the 7th District. Plus, insights from a recent telephone town hall and youth engagement in the legislative process. ...
Cut to Wahkiakum ferry is restored in Senate budget proposal, but overall spending trend is alarming, Wilson says
Sen. Jeff Wilson, R-Longview OLYMPIA – A special $1 million appropriation to ensure smooth sailing for the Wahkiakum County Ferry is among the highlights of budget measures passed by the Washington Senate last week as lawmakers enter the final phase of their 2026 legislative session. The special ferry appropriation was contained in the supplemental transportation budget approved in the Senate Friday. Also winning passage Friday was an operating budget that will take the state over $80 billion for the first time, as ...
Budget decisions and regional Investments as session nears the finish line
Dear Friends and Neighbors, Thank you to everyone who joined me for our town hall on Saturday, Feb. 21 at Columbia Basin College. I truly appreciate those who took time out of their weekend to come talk about what’s happening in Olympia and how it affects our community. We had a strong turnout and, as always, thoughtful and direct questions. That’s exactly how it should be. We discussed a wide range of issues, from the proposed income tax and the state budget, to public ...
AUDIO: Sen. Keith Goehner Discusses Budget Deadlines, Income Tax Proposal, and Local Issues in KPQ Interview
Sen. Keith Goehner joins KPQ to discuss budget deadlines, revenue concerns, and the proposed income tax. He updates listeners on key bills, local law‑enforcement authority, and feedback from a recent town hall. Goehner also highlights the Apple Blossom Royalty’s visit as the legislative session enters its final weeks. ...
In The News: Belfair Bypass money on track after cuts proposed in WA gov's budget
Though Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson's proposed transportation budget in December showed a potential cut and delay in state funding for the Belfair Bypass project, the major infrastructure plan in North Mason has been added back for the latest version, updated on Feb. 23. ...The Belfair Bypass project, formally known as the Highway 3 Freight Corridor, will build a new 6-mile route for Highway 3 from its intersection with Highway 302 at the south to Lake Flora Road at the north, ...
North-South Freeway remains on track in new transportation budget
The following e-newsletter was distributed to Sen. Leonard Christian's subscribers Feb. 27, 2026. To subscribe to Sen. Christian's e-newsletters, click here. Viaducts to nowhere will be connected to Interstate 90 sometime between 2029 and 2031. Dear Friends and Neighbors, When our grandparents first proposed the North-South Freeway, they were going to finish sometime around 1950. Back in the ‘90s it was supposed to happen any day. This project has been in the works so long that it makes your typical cathedral look like ...
Income tax battle is fully engaged as Legislature enters home stretch
Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Wilson's subscribers Feb. 26, 2026. To subscribe to Sen. Wilson's e-newsletters, click here. The income tax bill was among hundreds we passed during marathon sessions on the Senate floor over the last three weeks. On the other side of the Rotunda, the House was doing the same. Dear Friends and Neighbors, We’ve set a record in Olympia. Or rather you did. About 100,000 people signed on to the Legislature’s website this week to express their opposition ...
In The News: 35th District team holds town hall meeting
35th District Reps. Travis Couture and Dan Griffey, both Republicans from Allyn, and state Sen. Drew MacEwen, R-Shelton, had a virtual town hall Feb. 18 to give an update on the current legislative session and take questions. MacEwen said one of his priorities is “making sure that the ability for economic development occurs in the 35th.” Senate Bill 5874, sponsored by MacEwen, passed with bipartisan support and is currently being heard in the House. The bill specifically targets the “incomplete report penalties” ...