Health & Long-term Care

May 04, 2022

Sen. Fortunato calls on governor to relax vaccine requirements for volunteers

OLYMPIA…While most of the nation has moved beyond vaccine mandates, Washington state remains an outlier, and a policy hidden in one of Gov. Inslee’s executive orders is putting a damper on cleaning up the state’s highways. Sen. Phil Fortunato sent a letter to the governor asking him to relax the...
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March 17, 2022

Governor reneges on offer to talk with Republicans

If you missed this story as it developed, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee publicly offered to sit down with Republicans and talk about his decision to keep the two-year old state of emergency in place. Four Senate Republicans, including Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, took him up on the offer. Now the...
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January 13, 2022

Pushback on Senate’s COVID rules delivers win for transparency, says Fortunato

A major part of Sen. Phil Fortunato’s objection to the Senate’s COVID protocols centered on language in the required testing release form, which currently states: “In addition to the above I understand and agree that if any Test conducted during my employment, or while I am on Client’s work site...
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October 13, 2021

On Air: Senate majority’s obstruction disastrous for jobs and public safety

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September 23, 2021

Update from Olympia

“We must continue to push back” is my mantra. I recently admonished my colleagues for failing to take up a resolution that would have called the Legislature back into session. I’m hearing from constituents and people all over the region, from each end of the political spectrum, that what the...
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September 15, 2021

Senate Democrats miss deadline on special session vote

State Sen. Phil Fortunato is admonishing his Democratic colleagues for failing to take up a resolution sent to the Senate Rules Committee for a vote. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig and Lt. Gov. Denny Heck, who chairs the committee, Fortunato notes that the Legislature should have...
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August 19, 2021

Strong Republican support for Fortunato special session resolution

A historic legislative special session could be one step closer to becoming reality. State Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn has been leading efforts to have the Legislature call itself into session in an unprecedented move. The resolutions would allow lawmakers to address the seemingly endless state of emergency, unilateral COVID responses,...
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August 19, 2021

Schools must stand against unconstitutional funding cuts says Fortunato

As Washington schools prepare for the return of nearly 1 million children this fall, new mandates from Olympia are presenting challenges for local districts. The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction indicated that districts would face funding cuts if they don’t comply with state public health orders. State Sen....
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August 09, 2021

Legislature must convene itself to protect public employee privacy, rein in Governor’s powers

As Washington faces a looming public safety crisis, Governor Inslee’s latest pronouncement mandating vaccinations as a condition of public employment is a step too far for state Sen. Phil Fortunato. The Auburn Republican representing the 31st District is calling for an historic legislative session to address these issues, as well...
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May 28, 2021

City adopts resolution mirroring Fortunato vaccine discrimination bill

As the governor and the Department of Labor and Industries unveiled new plans for Washington’s reopening, the guidance on vaccinations and masks for businesses and employees was met with consternation. One city in the 31st Legislative District, represented by Sen. Phil Fortunato, went so far as to pass a resolution...
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