OLYMPIA—Sen. Nikki Torres has introduced legislation to provide a permanent sales and use tax exemption for baby and adult diapers, delivering direct tax relief for families and caregivers facing everyday costs, including those caring for elderly loved ones. “There’s a lot of talk in Olympia about raising taxes, but not...

This is my second update of the 2026 legislative session, and just two weeks in, things are already heating up in Olympia. As the session got underway, I spent the first week moving between committee hearings, a joint session with my House and Senate colleagues, and meetings with constituents and...

OLYMPIA… The Republican senators whose service-saving, no-new-taxes budget was rejected by Democrats earlier this year are reacting cautiously to the supplemental 2025-27 operating budget proposed today by Gov. Bob Ferguson. Sen. Chris Gildon of Puyallup, Senate Republican budget leader, said it’s essential for Ferguson to now avoid flip-flopping when legislative...