View More
News
TAX ALERT: Sign in CON on bills to raise your taxes
Do you want higher taxes to feed Olympia’s insatiable spending? I don’t! Five new tax bills will be heard on Monday in the Ways and Means Committee and now is the time to make your voice heard. Right now you have an opportunity to sign in, speak up and be heard. Click here to read...
Read More
Your wallet and your rights as session reaches half-way point
A critical part of the legislative session has arrived – when among the flurry of bills on a variety of topics, the focus quickly pivots to the budget. The Senate Republicans jump started the conversation by rolling out our budget proposal on Tuesday. It’s an honest budget that invests in our priorities, makes government work...
Read More
Wagoner bill to help veterans moves to House
Today the Senate unanimously approved legislation from Sen. Keith Wagoner that would expand the number of available long-term care beds for veterans, simultaneously helping to address Washington’s homelessness crisis while also alleviating the pressure on the medical foster home system. “So many of our nation’s men and women in uniform serve and sacrifice for this...
Read More
Emergency-powers reform gutted in committee vote
One of the bills that is at the center of debate in Olympia this week is my measure addressing the governor’s emergency executive powers (SB 5434). I had worked hard on this measure, and the original version had bipartisan support, including from Governor Ferguson. However, the bill was gutted by the majority party in committee;...
Read More
Battle over parental rights hits Senate floor
We have now wrapped up 26 days of the legislative session, or almost exactly one-quarter of the 105 days allowed. The full Senate met on Wednesday to approve several (mostly) non-controversial bills, but the majority of our time was focused on working legislation at the committee level. The big news of the week was the...
Read More
2025 session begins with cautious optimism
The 2025 Legislative Session is underway, and there is reason for cautious optimism. In contrast to outgoing Governor Inslee’s partisan farewell address, Governor Ferguson delivered a pragmatic, collaborative message. Frankly, I was astonished as the Governor outlined reasonable proposals that align with my own values. Citing issues from affordability to crime, he painted a realistic...
Read More
IN THE NEWS: Republicans blast Democratic bill that would allow tripling of property tax rates
Republicans in the Washington Senate are calling a property tax measure backed by Democrats “the single most destructive and far-reaching bill of the 2024 session.” At least that’s how Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro Woolley, and a member of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, described Senate Bill 5770 in a Wednesday news release. SB 5770 would allow local governments across the state to...
Read More
In The News: In reversal, more areas allow high-speed police chases
BY AMANDA HERNÁNDEZ | STATELINE In early March, Washington state lawmakers approved a measure that came to the legislature in the form of a citizen initiative. Under the policy, law enforcement officers again may give chase when there is reasonable suspicion a person has violated a law. The policy, which will go into effect in June, allows...
Read More
VIDEO: Sen. Keith Wagoner speaks out against a bill he fears could end retail firearm sales in Washington
The bill would require firearm dealers to install onerous security features and superfluous alarm and surveillance systems, and adopt redundant storage and excessively burdensome record-keeping practices. It also would set minimum insurance-coverage requirements and require employees to undergo yearly background checks.
Read More
Subscribe
Sign up for my e-newsletters. Learn what's happening in state government and how I am working to serve the 39th District.
I'm Here to Serve You
A representative government only works when those represented take and active part in the process. I'm here to serve you, and your direct input helps me do my job better. Please don't hesitate to contact me via e-mail, phone or by mail, or make an appointment to see me in person. I look forward to hearing from you!