Revelations out of Washington D.C. are shedding light on concerning tactics by the Department of Justice targeting Catholic parishes. A leaked memorandum from the Richmond field office indicated that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was indeed working to infiltrate Catholic churches to combat extremism, conflicting with testimony from the U.S....

I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Before the Legislature convenes, I need to know what you think I should be working on for our district. A lot of changes are coming our way, new policy battles and possibly a changing district due to redistricting. That is why I’m holding some...

Encourages cities to start submitting estimates for reimbursement Legislation sponsored by state Sen. Phil Fortunato to clean up Washington’s littered highways was signed into law today. Senate Bill 5040, known as the “Welcome to Washington Act,” goes into effect in 90 days. The bipartisan measure seeks to improve litter control on...

Please join me and our 31st District neighbors on Wednesday, May 12 for my end of session virtual town hall. I’ll go over what happened and answer any questions you have about your state government. Register in advance for this webinar by clicking here. After registering, you will receive a...

This coming Wednesday, I’ll be holding a virtual town hall again to discuss what’s happening in the Legislature and ask for your perspective on bills that are moving. You can register for the town hall by clicking here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the...

Freedom is the watchword for the new Senate Freedom Caucus, announced Thursday by lawmakers to advocate for lower taxes, responsible state spending, individual liberties and a government that gets out of the people’s way. The Freedom Caucus will advocate for core conservative principles. Sen. Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale, said the new...

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...

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...