During Senate floor debate on House Bill 1710, Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, spoke in opposition to expanding the Washington Voting Rights Act, warning the proposal could create costly bureaucracy and encourage litigation against local election officials. Fortunato argued the bill could force county auditors to seek approval from the Attorney...

State employees eligible for bonuses while saving taxpayer money Legislation sponsored by state Sen. Phil Fortunato that aims to find government waste was signed today in a ceremony with the governor. Senate Bill 5015 reestablishes the state Productivity Board, which is tasked with creating financial incentives and awarding state employees who...

State employees eligible for bonuses  Politicians often talk about cutting government waste. The question is, how to find it? State Senator Phil Fortunato argues that one of the best ways is to rely on front-line state workers. His proposal to re-establish the state Productivity Board, Senate Bill 5015, would do...

The 2025 legislative session is under way and while we are meeting in person at the state Capitol, you can still participate remotely in a meaningful way. I want to be sure you have access to your government. Below are resources on how you can provide input on bills and...

The second week of the 2021 legislative is coming to an end. As promised, I’d like to connect with you personally to provide an update and get your insights. So, I’m hosting another virtual town hall and if timing permits, I’m hoping to hold an informal discussion every two weeks...

Many are concerned over the governor’s use of emergency powers during this COVID-19 outbreak. Few remember that they were granted under the 2019 SJR 8200, which passed with voter approval by 65.5%. As usual the small change had an unintended consequence. The constitutional change was quite simple, it added: “catastrophic...

Senator wonders why governor didn’t personally meet with Taiwanese envoys   Representatives from the government of Taiwan Friday delivered hundreds of thousands of masks that will be given to medical workers and first responders working to limit the spread of COVID-19 in Washington. Sen. Phil Fortunato said what should have...

Greetings Friends, Although the Legislature is not in session, I’m still working hard for you. I’ve been hearing a lot from constituents asking what we as legislators are doing to push back on the governor’s executive actions. That has been challenging – because we are not in session, we can’t...

Taxpayer advocate and state Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, has introduced truth-in-government legislation that accurately portrays the work of a state agency. Senate Bill 5925 would change the name of the state Department of Revenue to the Department of Taxation. The simple name change required an over-500-page bill. “I was at...

Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, issued the following statement in response to the news that the House has refused a permanent Hirst fix: House Democrats are being led by Seattle special interests that think that city water magically appears out of pipes in the wall but rural water taken from wells...