State Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, issued the following statement Wednesday in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order titled “Protecting American Energy from State Overreach,” which could upend Washington state’s controversial Climate Commitment Act (CCA), also known as cap-and-trade. “President Trump’s executive action is a critical step toward reining in...

Japanese researchers uncover glacial patterns unrelated to human carbon emissions Washington’s Climate Commitment Act is being felt by drivers at the pump, driving gas prices higher by nearly 50 cents per gallon. The goal is to reduce human-caused carbon emissions by imposing a “cap-and-tax” scheme for so-called polluters. State Sen....

In 2021, Fortunato passed the “”Welcome to Washington” litter act, directing the state Department of Ecology and the Department of Transportation to work together to tackle the state’s litter problem with increased cleanups and education. However, there are additional hurdles to keeping our roadways clean, so Fortunato sponsored Senate Bill...

On the final day to pass bills that originated in the state Senate, lawmakers gave unanimous approval to a bill sponsored by state Sen. Phil Fortunato to clean up Washington’s littered highways. Known as the “Welcome to Washington Act,” the bipartisan measure, Senate Bill 5040, would prioritize litter control on state highways and...

Legislature should convene in October Republican efforts to convene a special legislative session, led by state Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, to address the state’s response to the COVID-19 epidemic since April have largely gone unheeded by Gov. Jay Inslee. Instead, the governor has chosen to sideline the Legislature, issuing executive...