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Transportation

As the 2026 legislative session gaveled to a close last night, lawmakers approved three supplemental budgets that will shape state spending over the next year: the operating budget, the transportation budget,...

As we finish up the third week of the 2026 legislative session, I want to share a quick update on several important issues I’ve been working on for our district –...

Special to The Spokesman-Review As a former farmer who spent decades working the land and depending on it to feed my family and others, I know firsthand what real conservation looks...

Last week, I talked about the House and Senate tax increase proposals being the largest in state history. These are on top of the nearly 50 new taxes and fees the...

We have passed the halfway mark to the 2025 legislative session. The last 10 days of floor action have seen long days into the wee hours of the morning. While we...

Many of you have heard me discuss the Vehicle Miles Traveled Tax over the years. It’s an idea that continues to rear its ugly head as transportation budget writers search for...

Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax, says he’s been working to increase access to driver’s education to rural areas across his district so that parents don’t have to drive many miles to take...

Many of you have expressed frustration over Kaiser Permanente’s pharmacy rule that requires refills by mail or at a Kaiser pharmacy. This has caused hardship for rural residents especially and our...

This session saw some bipartisan successes as lawmakers and citizens were in Olympia together for the first time in nearly three years. That in-person interaction is always key for working relationships...

The first fully in-person session in almost three years adjourned on Sunday, April 23. While it was great to see constituents and the public back in Olympia in legislative offices and...