State Government, Veterans Affairs & Elections

February 03, 2021

Schoesler says Asotin, other counties need to move into Phase 2 of recovery plan

On the heels of Tuesday’s announcement that all of Idaho is moving to Phase 3 of its COVID-19 recovery plan, 9th Legislative District Sen. Mark Schoesler says it is time for neighboring Asotin County and other counties to move into Phase 2 of Washington’s recovery plan. Gov. Jay Inslee’s Healthy...
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February 02, 2021

2021 session update (Jan. 27)

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January 19, 2021

Schoesler introduces bill to provide relief for employers on UI taxes

Sen. Mark Schoesler has introduced a bill that seeks to provide relief for Washington employers who are facing the possibility of paying higher unemployment-insurance taxes as they also struggle with the effects of the COVID-19 economic shutdown. Senate Bill 5197 would adjust the calculation used to determine UI taxes. Much...
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January 14, 2021

Schoesler frustrated by complete closure of Legislative Building during session

Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, issued this statement regarding the closure of the Legislative Building and other Capitol Campus buildings to the public during the 2021 legislative session due to the COVID-19 pandemic: “The Legislature is now in session to do the people’s business, yet the people are not allowed to...
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December 31, 2020

Schoesler: Drivers have right to be upset by Inslee’s proposed shift of highway-project funding

Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, issued this statement today on Gov. Jay Inslee’s 2021-23 state transportation budget proposal, which calls for a shift of hundreds of millions in transportation funding to pay for court-ordered fish passage projects. “When I joined about two-thirds of the Legislature in passing the Connecting Washington transportation...
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December 09, 2020

Schoesler to continue serving on budget, labor and commerce committees

Sen. Mark Schoesler will continue his long streak of serving on the Senate Ways and Means Committee when the Legislature convenes in January. The 2021 legislative session, which starts Jan. 11 and lasts 105 days, will mark the 17th straight year Schoesler has been a member of the budget-writing Ways...
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May 09, 2020

Senate Republicans share K-12 Educational Recovery Priorities plan with Inslee, Reykdal

With the COVID-19 pandemic causing the suspension of the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year for more than 1 million Washington K-12 students, members of the Senate Republican Caucus have created a five-point plan to address the current situation facing students and teachers and how best to proceed. The K-12...
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May 06, 2020

9th District legislators ask governor to let Whitman County partially reopen

When Gov. Jay Inslee announced Friday that 10 Washington counties may be allowed to partially reopen amid his stay-home order due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 9th Legislative District team of Sen. Mark Schoesler, and Reps. Joe Schmick and Mary Dye immediately noticed Whitman County was not on the list....
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April 24, 2020

Op-ed: To be clear, here’s what Legislature can and can’t do with governor’s COVID-19 proclamations

By Sen. Mark Schoesler Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit our state earlier this year, Washingtonians have done their best to cope with this terrible disease, which has caused about 12,750 confirmed cases and killed 711 patients in our state as of April 23. During this pandemic, my fellow Senate Republicans...
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