The Elephant in the Dome

The Irv Newhouse Building on the state capitol campus in Olympia is gone. Built as a “temporary” structure in 1934, the building housed the Senate Republican Caucus until the end of 2022. Construction of a new building is getting underway and is expected to be finished in November 2024. Senator Mark Schoesler and Former Senator […] The post Irv Newhouse Building Replacement Groundbreaking appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.

Dealing with prisoners after they’re released from custody is the impetus behind bills from Senators Phil Fortunato and Chris Gildon. One measure aims to protect the public from them, while the other looks to protect them from themselves. The post The release of sexual predators and prisoners with substance use disorder appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.

The state Legislature passed a bill in a special session that the Governor signed into law making hard drug possession a gross misdemeanor with the goal of getting people who suffer from substance abuse disorder into treatment. Two state Senators, Republicans John Braun and Ron Muzzall, spoke on the bill, not just as lawmakers, but […] The post Emotional speeches on new hard drug possession law and Governor Inslee vetoes accountability appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.

Governor Inslee approved bills from Senators Keith Wagoner, Ron Muzzall, Chris Gildon, Mike Padden, Jeff Wilson, Drew MacEwen, Mark Schoesler, Shelly Short, and Curtis King. The post Governor Jay Inslee signs several Senate Republican Caucus member bills into law appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.

Senators John Braun and Keith Wagoner say the move is a bit premature. The post Governor calls special session to work on hard drug possession law appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.

A bill to increase the penalty for hard drug-possession failed in the House of Representatives in the final hours of the legislative session. No Republicans voted for the bill and legislative Democrats say that surprised them. Senate Republican Leader John Braun doesn’t understand how that’s possible. The post Failure to reform drug-possession law rests squarely with House Democrats, says Republican leader appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.

Restore public safety, Return affordability, Reboot Education Those were state Senate Republicans’ priorities this legislative session. Senate Republican Leader John Braun talks about them. The post Senator John Braun: Republican Priorities on Sine Die appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.

In this three-minute podcast, Senate Republican Leader John Braun discusses hard drug possession, budgets, and special education and Sen. Drew MacEwen gives a speech opposing a ban on some rifles. The post Senate Republican Leader talks about Republican priorities and Senate Republicans vote against gun ban appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.

Senate Democrats unveiled a new proposal that would allow three percent state and local property tax hikes without a vote of the people – that’s triple the current one percent limit. Senators John Braun, Mark Schoesler and Keith Wagoner talk about it. The post Republican leaders call foul on Democrat late-session bid to raise property taxes appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.

Senate Republican Leader John Braun has a message for the Democratic majority in the legislature: Stop diverting attention from the public’s biggest concerns. The “height of hypocrisy.” That’s how Sen. Mike Padden describes a provision that lets the state off the hook in privacy bill that recently passed out of the Senate. The post Legislature should focus on key issues, and letting state off hook in privacy bill height of hypocrisy appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.

Senate Republican Leader John Braun recently expressed his frustration with Gov. Jay Inslee’s rhetoric on homelessness and housing. Elephant in the Dome host Tracy Ellis sat down with Senator Braun to talk about those issues. The post Housing and Homelessnes with Senator John Braun appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.

The Senate Republican budget leader has a warning for taxpayers after the State Supreme Court backed a capital-gains income tax, but she’s also applauding a proposed state budget from Senate Democrats because of no new taxes and investments in things like public safety and education. The post Supreme Court Ruling on capital-gains income tax and the Senate operating budget appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.

Members of Legislature’s majority blame police, alleged ‘misinformation’ from Republicans for interest in rolling policy back to ‘reasonable suspicion’ standard OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, shared the following comments in response to accusations by a House Democrat that the public’s interest in reforming the current police pursuit law is a result of lies […] The post Democrats ‘gaslight’ those calling for police pursuit reform appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.

Senator John Braun says it seems like Democrats want to go after legal gun owners instead of people using guns illegally in crime. Senator Shelly Short has two examples of House bills that she fears would eat away at 2nd Amendment rights. Senator Jeff Wilson talks about his bill to fight catalytic converter theft. The post The Elephant in the Dome Podcast: Threats to 2nd Amendment rights as crime skyrockets appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.

Police would have more leeway to pursue suspects than they do now, but many restrictions on pursuits remain under a bill passed in the state Senate. The post Republicans say pursuit bill passed by Senate is step in right direction but doesn’t go far enough appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.

Your child could effectively disappear by simply claiming they’re seeking gender counseling or puberty-blocking chemicals under a bill passed in the state Senate. The post Bill threatening rights of parents passes Senate appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.

Republican Senators speak against a Democrat bill mandating a certain amount of recess. A Senator sponsors a bill to rein in the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. And the Ranking Republican on the Senate Education Committee details some disturbing trends. The post State Senate Republicans want local control of schools appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.

Sen. Ron Muzzall says Narcan simply saves lives. He cosponsored a bill that made Narcan more easily available to people struggling with opioids. He tells a very personal story about Narcan. The post Why is Narcan and other medication used to reverse the effects of opioids important? appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.

You would be required to vote in every major election under a bill progressing through the Washington State Legislature. The measure cleared the Senate State Government and Elections Committee and could be headed to the Senate floor for a vote. The post Forcing people to vote appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.

Legislative Democrats continue to block important fixes to their 2021 law that restricts police pursuits. Podcast features Senators John Braun, Keith Wagoner and Lynda Wilson. The post What is happening with proposed fixes to the law limiting police pursuits appeared first on Senate Republican Caucus.