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After more than 24 hours of debate on the House floor, Democrats in the Legislature passed Senate Bill 6346, moving Washington another step toward something voters have rejected again and again: a …
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Commentary by Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Chehalis
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3/11/26
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Last week, I spent several days in Washington, D.C., attending the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference. Each year, leaders from counties across the country gather there to discuss …
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Commentary by Wayne Fournier
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3/9/26
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Our recent survey of Washington employers hit a nerve. The results showing that 44% of business leaders are considering moving their personal residence to another state — and the number who are …
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By Kris Johnson / Association of Washington Business
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3/9/26
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With a handful of days left in the 2026 legislative session, we still don’t know what will happen with some very controversial bills, such as the proposed income tax.
Unfortunately, it’s …
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By Sen. John Braun / R-Centralia
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3/6/26
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Based on what we’ve seen from the Senate’s majority Democrats, the final version of the new operating budget that emerges from Olympia this year will top out at over $80 billion.
If so, …
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By Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia
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2/27/26
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In the first months after cancer treatment ends, people often ask the same question: How does it feel to be done?
It’s an understandable question. We like clean endings. We like the idea that …
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By Wayne Fournier
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2/27/26
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Washington has been down this road before.
In 2016, voters were presented with Initiative 1501, marketed as a commonsense measure to protect seniors from identity theft.
The …
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By Matthew Hayward / Freedom Foundation
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2/23/26
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It didn’t take long for majority Democrats in our state Legislature to jump off the affordability bandwagon.
Just five days before this year’s session convened, my counterpart on the …
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By Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia
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2/20/26
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Washingtonians value clean air, clean water and responsible environmental stewardship. Our farmers, ranchers, shellfish growers and skilled trades workers depend on it. So do our families.
But …
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By Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Chehalis
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2/20/26
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Washington lawmakers deserve credit for taking meaningful steps to confront the growing threat of illicit tobacco and vapor products. Stronger enforcement tools, clearer penalties, and a renewed …
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By Preston McCollam / Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney
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2/20/26
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As I approach the two-year mark since completing cancer treatment, I’ve found myself reflecting more than I expected. Not because of a scan or an appointment, but because of people.
Recently, …
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By Wayne Fournier
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2/18/26
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It takes 33 votes to advance a constitutional amendment in the Washington State Senate. In a universe where the Washington Legislature cared about the rule of law and honoring state supreme court …
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By Jason Mercier / Mountain States Policy Center
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2/18/26
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Lake Lawrence residents recently reached an important milestone in protecting the health of our lake. At a public hearing on January 20, community members voiced strong support for renewing the Lake …
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2/18/26
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Thurston County is shaped by the state government in Olympia, fast-growing urban areas along I-5, and our rural communities from the Black Hills to the Nisqually Valley. We need to remember that our …
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By Rob Richards
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2/18/26
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A new bill in Washington state would target parked vehicles for expired registration. Senate Bill 6172 could be voted on by the Senate soon. The measure received backlash from local radio and online …
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By Bob Pishue / Mountain States Policy Center
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2/17/26
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In the Washington state Senate’s tax bill, SSB 6113, a small paragraph poses devastating consequences to our communities: it would create a new tax on advertising that has until now been …
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By Ellen Hiatt / Washington Newspaper Publishers Association
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2/13/26
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Republicans still seem to be alone at the state Capitol when it comes to knowing what “affordability” truly means.
The proof is in the nearly 70 bills proposed or reintroduced by majority …
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By Sen. John Braun, R-Chehalis
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2/13/26
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For more than a century, Washingtonians have exercised a powerful constitutional tool: the initiative process. It exists so that, when the Legislature falters, or citizens feel ignored by the …
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By Rep. Peter Abbarno / R-Chehalis
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2/11/26
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If you could prevent the tragic injury or death of a child/teen caused by an unsecured firearm, would you? Of course, anyone would. Then why are firearms the leading cause of death for young people …
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2/10/26
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In the 1990’s, the Clinton administration gutted welfare programs, taking benefits away from millions of people, especially working mothers in our country who needed them to survive. They created …
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By Rob Richards
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2/10/26
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