House and Senate Republicans told reporters they are hopeful legislation empowering law enforcement officers to rein in crime and substance abuse will continue to move forward, but said they remain concerned about new taxes and well-intentioned Democratic bills that make things like health care, housing and child care more costly.

Joining media members today were House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox (R-Yelm), Senate Republican Leader John Braun (R-Centralia), Rep. Jacquelin Maycumber (R-Republic) and Sen. Mike Padden (R-Spokane Valley).

02-21-23 - NEWS CONF.: Republicans hopeful about empowering police, opposed to Democrats' new taxes

Republican leaders updated members of the media on the progress of important bills making their way through the Legislature, with particular attention to public safety and housing legislation. Lawmakers also answered questions from reporters on student learning loss, abortion costs and some historical litigation surrounding the concept of legislative privilege.

House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, and Rep. Drew Stokesbary, R-Auburn, joined Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, and Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy, for the news conference.

02-28-23 - NEWS CONF.: Leaders update media on progress of key legislation, Republican priorities

Republican leaders met with reporters to discuss wins and losses one day after the house of origin cutoff deadline in the 2023 legislative session. Lawmakers offered their thoughts on important public safety and housing bills that passed both chambers as well as bills that died or were significantly changed before they were passed.

Joining media today were House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox (R-Yelm), Rep. Jacquelin Maycumber (R-Republic), Senate Republican Leader John Braun (R-Centralia) and Sen. Chris Gildon (R-Puyallup).

03-09-23 - NEWS CONF.: Republicans assess wins, losses at deadline and look ahead

With budget negotiations approaching, House and Senate Republicans cautioned against using the state's higher-than-expected revenue growth to increase spending across numerous government programs. Instead, they encouraged the majority party to make strategic investments in education and provide tax relief to struggling Washingtonians.

Meeting with reporters, lawmakers answered questions about legislation related to ecosystem service credits, voter registration and the recriminalization of drugs. Joining the media were House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox (R-Yelm), Rep. Drew Stokesbary (R-Auburn), Senate Republican Leader John Braun (R-Centralia) and Sen. Ann Rivers (R-La Center).

03-14-23 - NEWS CONF.: House and Senate Republicans urge caution on state spending

House and Senate Republican leaders met with reporters to discuss a “disappointing, but not surprising” state revenue forecast released this week by the Economic Revenue and Forecast Council, but stressed that despite a dip from record-high revenues, a tax increase is not required.

Republican legislators said the majority party's operating budget proposals, expected within the next few days, should invest primarily in education, with particular attention to special education and measures to help students recover from pandemic-related learning loss. Lawmakers also said budget dollars should be set aside for tax relief and the state's rainy day fund.

Speaking with the media were House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, and Rep. Drew Stokesbary, R-Auburn, as well as Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, and Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver.

03-21-23 - NEWS CONF.: Republican legislators react to revenue forecast, urge no new taxes

Republican leaders praised what they called a fiscally responsible and bipartisan proposed Senate operating budget that funds public safety and education priorities. In contrast, they said a proposal from House Democrats that spreads available revenue across state programs ignores critical needs the state is facing right now. Lawmakers also discussed potential changes to police pursuit and drug possession laws, housing policy, hospital funding, a proposed ban on so-called "assault weapons" and a couple tax proposals being kept alive by House Democrats.

House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, was joined by Rep. Drew Stokesbary (R-Auburn), Senate Republican Leader John Braun (R-Centralia) and Sen. Lynda Wilson (R-Vancouver).

03-28-23 - NEWS CONF.: Republican leaders see big differences between Senate and House budgets

Bipartisan housing legislation that passed out of the House is being significantly altered or abandoned in the Senate in the final weeks of the 2023 legislative session, Republican legislative leaders told reporters in a morning media availability. Some lawmakers said they are still hopeful meaningful housing reforms can move forward with the bills that remain alive.

Republican leaders answered additional questions about House and Senate transportation budgets, Democrats' attempts to emphasize abortion as an issue, and a new excise tax introduced weeks after the state Supreme Court upheld the Democrats' new capital gains tax.

Speaking to the media were House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox (R-Yelm), Rep. Andrew Barkis (R-Olympia), Senate Republican Leader John Braun (R-Centralia) and Sen. Curtis King (R-Yakima).

04-04-23 - NEWS CONF.: Republicans hope efforts to boost housing survive Senate makeover

Republican lawmakers told reporters that agreement between three of the Legislature's caucuses over badly needed updates to drug possession laws is being threatened by House Democrats, who have stripped a Senate bill of stronger  provisions and would leave criminal penalties virtually identical to current law put in place after the Washington State Supreme Court declared the state's drug possession law unconstitutional in 2021.

House and Senate Republicans met with media hours after House Democrats passed watered-down legislation related to vehicular police pursuits. Republican leaders discussed this vote and issue, and answered questions about the status of housing-related legislation and other important bills as the Legislature winds to a close in less than two weeks.

Meeting with media were House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox (R-Yelm), Rep. Gina Mosbrucker (R-Goldendale), Senate Republican Leader John Braun (R-Centralia) and Sen. Ron Muzzall (R-Oak Harbor).

04-11-23 - NEWS CONF.: Republicans say House Democrats blocking needed update to drug possession law

Republican legislative leaders sounded the alarm on last-minute tax increases proposed by Democrats, reviewed the status of watered-down public safety policies, and assessed wins, losses and missed opportunities in housing legislation in a wide-ranging discussion with reporters during the last week of the 2023 legislative session.

Lawmakers also answered questions from media members on clergy reporting of child abuse, gun rights and whether Democrats have gone too far on family-related issues. Joining the media were House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox (R-Yelm), Rep. Kelly Chambers (R-Puyallup), Senate Republican Leader John Braun (R-Centralia) and Sen. Mike Padden (R-Spokane Valley).

04-18-23 - NEWS CONF.: Republican leaders discuss taxes, public safety, housing as session nears end

Republican legislative leaders met with reporters to review why bipartisan opposition brought down the Blake bill (drug possession and treatment) and discuss the possibility of a special session to pass a fix before current laws sunset on July 1.

Lawmakers also shared changes in House Republican leadership and reviewed wins and losses from the 2023 legislative session. Joining the media were departing House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox (R-Yelm), incoming House Republican Deputy Leader Mike Steele (R-Chelan), Senate Republican Leader John Braun (R-Centralia) and Sen. Judy Warnick (R-Moses Lake).

04-24-23 - NEWS CONF.: Republicans discuss failure of the Blake bill, leadership changes and more

This is the official SoundCloud account of the Washington State House Republicans in Olympia, Washington. (www.houserepublicans.wa.gov)

New tracks tagged #republican news conference