Phil Fortunato

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...

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....

Banning some rifles won’t protect kids, according to a state Senator, but increasing security at schools will. I voted against the Democrat “assault weapons” bill that passed out of the Senate, but first tried to amend the legislation. Among other things, my amendment would have spent $50million to improve safety...

Senators remember Alamo, face overwhelming odds, prepare to defend U.S. Constitution As the Washington Senate readies for debate on Democrat-sponsored bills imposing severe new restrictions on gun ownership statewide, members of the Senate Freedom Caucus vow a last-ditch defense of Second Amendment rights. Members of the Freedom Caucus, a group...

During the 2023 legislative session, state Sen. Phil Fortunato proposed numerous bills to address substantial policy issues around homeless and housing, transportation, and environmental protection. The Auburn legislator has also taken to the Senate Floor to highlight exceptional aspects of the 31st District, sponsoring several resolutions that recognize local philanthropic...

Friends and Neighbors, We’re past the half-way mark of the 2023 legislative session, so there’s a lot to discuss. I look forward to giving you an update on where things stand related to my work on your behalf for our district and larger issues facing our state like housing, transportation,...

I want to thank everyone for sharing their concerns and any efforts being made to slow or stop these unnecessary infringements on law-abiding citizens. Here is a brief update on where some of these proposals are in the legislative process. I share the frustration and oppose efforts to further restrict...

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...

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...

This past Friday, state Sen. Phil Fortunato voted in favor of the Senate’s proposal to mostly fix the so-called Blake Decision drug possession fiasco. In 2021, the state Supreme Court issued its ruling on a 2016 case over the arrest of Shannon Blake for possession of drugs. Blake contended she did...