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Dear JOHN,
Since the 2023 Washington State Legislature just wrapped up its 105-day session, I wanted to provide you with an update on the achievements and challenges we faced.
As Republicans, we have a lot to be proud of, but facing a unified and increasingly radical majority, we faced many challenges during this legislative session. These are challenges that can only truly be rectified through elections. It is my hope that we can all come together in this next year and truly fight for conservative principles in this state - and take the majority in the 2024 elections. With your support, this is more than possible!
Achievements:
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Public Safety: We addressed public safety as a top priority, and were able to pass a bill that expands the list of crimes where the standard for police pursuit is 'reasonable suspicion' instead of 'probable cause'. However, there's still more work to be done, as the standard does not apply to auto theft or reckless driving.
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Affordability: We successfully stopped outrageous tax increases, including a $12 billion increase in property taxes and a tax on drivers by the mile. Additionally, we made great strides in zoning and permitting reform to increase buildable land and make it easier for builders to supply affordable housing.
Challenges:
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Democrat Gun Legislation: HB 1240, an ineffective and unconstitutional rifle ban, fails to address the root causes of gun violence and infringes on the rights of law-abiding citizens, including women who rely on these firearms for self-defense.
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Parental Rights: SB 5599 allows shelters to hide runaway or homeless youth without parental permission, undermining parental authority and their ability to protect and make important decisions for their children. This bill also allows host homes to house youth without parental permission if the youth is seeking or receiving protected health care services, including gender reassignment services.
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Blake Fix: The outcome of the "Blake bill" was disappointing. Despite our efforts to seek a bipartisan compromise, House Republicans were unable to gain support for a bill that would have made drug possession a gross misdemeanor throughout our state. The bright side of this failure by the Democrat party, is that they were unable to pass their legislation that would have forced local governments to accept their updated and radical drug laws. This failure allows local governments to intervene and create their own measures on behalf of their residents.
We're proud of our Legislators fighting for our conservative values. However, there are still challenges ahead of us, and we will continue to fight for a brighter future for Washington State.
Thank you for your support, and let's keep working together for a better Washington!
Sincerely,
Caleb Heimlich
Chairman
Washington State Republican Party
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