Phil Fortunato

Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, discusses gun control in Washington, expressing concern that legislative restrictions, including magazine limits and storage requirements, disadvantage law-abiding citizens. He maintains that under the state constitution, requirements such as training mandates may be considered an impairment of the right to self-defense.

Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, discusses Washington’s abortion laws, noting that while abortion remains legal in the state, the focus should shift to a women’s health approach that ensures full transparency about risks and long-term outcomes. He emphasizes that abortion is a medical procedure with potential complications and argues that women should...

One issue I’ve been hearing about more and more, and one that deserves closer attention, is how our family court system is impacting women and children. You’ve likely seen the headlines about failures within Washington’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Those cases are heartbreaking and have rightly drawn public...

OLYMPIA — Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, is inviting residents of the 31st Legislative District to attend a series of in-person town halls later this month to discuss the 2026 legislative session and hear directly from constituents. The meetings will take place in Edgewood/Milton, Bonney Lake/Sumner, Buckley, and Orting. Fortunato will...

OLYMPIA — Sen. Phil Fortunato is requesting that Gov. Bob Ferguson order flags to be lowered to half-staff in honor of American service members killed in recent military operations involving Iran, including Washington native Capt. Ariana G. Savino of Covington. In a letter sent March 19, Fortunato, joined by Reps....

We’ve reached the end of the 2026 legislative session. Sine Die was Thursday, March 12 — and as always, there’s a lot to report. This is a longer update than usual, but it’s important you have the full picture of what happened this session and what it means for your...

Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, breaks down Washington’s exploding state budget, which has doubled in a decade, and asks what taxpayers have to show for it. From rising homelessness and energy costs to new tax proposals, Fortunato argues lawmakers should focus on accountability, spending priorities, and results for families across Washington...

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...

OLYMPIA… Will Graham, a freshman at Auburn Riverside, recently spent a week working as a page for the Washington State Senate at the Capitol in Olympia. Graham was one of 27 students who served as Senate pages for the seventh week of the 2026 legislative session. He was sponsored by...

OLYMPIA — During debate on the Senate’s proposed supplemental operating budget, Sen. Phil Fortunato, R–Auburn, introduced an amendment to require a phased-in zero-based budgeting review of state spending. The amendment was not adopted. The Senate proposed operating budget, Senate Bill 5998, passed on a party-line vote of 30–19, with all...