Phil Fortunato

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...

Thank you for the opportunity to serve our community in the 31st Legislative District. In Olympia, I’m focused on practical solutions that keep Washington affordable, ensure accountability, and reflect the common-sense priorities of the people I work for every day. Today marks another deadline — Policy Committee Cutoff in the opposite...

In this update, Sen. Phil Fortunato explains how bills must clear specific deadlines, from committee hearings to executive action, through Rules, and onto the Senate floor, in order to stay alive. Miss a step, and the bill is dead for the session. Fortunato also walks through what unfolded in the...

Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, shares his perspective on two controversial bills. First, he examines a proposal to seal records for individuals who change their gender identity, raising concerns about its potential clash with an initiative protecting girls’ sports. Then, he dives into a second bill that would impose new qualifications...

Several major policy proposals are moving quickly in Olympia and will soon be debated on the Senate floor. These decisions will have real impacts on Washington families, workers, and small businesses — and I want to hear directly from you. One proposal would create a new state income tax under...

In this legislative update, Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, explains why Washington’s proposed income tax, Senate Bill 6346, is anything but harmless. For years, Washington promoted itself as a great place to live and do business because it had no personal or business income tax. That changed with the adoption of...

Testifying before the Senate Transportation Committee, Sen. Phil Fortunato, 31st Legislative District, speaks in support of his Senate Joint Memorial 8016, which addresses the prolonged closure of the Fairfax Bridge. The shutdown has severely affected emergency response, tourism, and small businesses in Wilkeson and the surrounding communities near Mount Rainier....

Dear Friends and Neighbors, Among the bills debated and voted on this week on the Senate floor were two measures that stirred strong reactions across our state: Senate Bill 5855 and Senate Bill 5067. Both were heard and voted on Jan. 28, and I want to explain how I voted...

In this legislative update video, Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, explains why fast-tracking the Fairfax Bridge replacement is critical for communities in the 31st Legislative District and access to Mount Rainier. Fortunato outlines his push to move the project to a design-build process — a step that could shave a year...