OLYMPIA…Senate Republican leaders released the following remarks after Sunday’s legislative deadline for bills that passed in their house origin to be considered by the opposite chamber. Bills that did not pass in both chambers by Sunday’s cutoff are considered ‘dead’ except for those considered necessary to implement the budget, such...

OLYMPIA… On a mostly partisan 27-22 vote, the state Senate today approved a $59.5 billion operating-budget proposal for 2021-23. Sen. Ann Rivers voted no, citing the sheer size of the spending plan and its reliance on imposing two controversial new taxes and draining the state’s rainy-day fund. “Today we offered...

OLYMPIA… The state House of Representatives today joined the Senate in approving updates to state animal-welfare laws, including changes involving the crime of cruelty to animals and where people may take abandoned animals. “I’m a dog lover, as are many of my colleagues, so it wasn’t a surprise that we...

Residents of the 18th Legislative District are invited to town-hall meetings Saturday, Jan. 4, shortly before their legislative team heads to the state Capitol for a 60-day lawmaking session. The meetings continue a tradition for Sen. Ann Rivers, Rep. Brandon Vick and Rep. Larry Hoff of engaging with their constituents...

CLARK COUNTY… The three members of the 18th District’s legislative team will hold town halls in Yacolt and La Center on Saturday, March 2, as this year’s legislative session nears its halfway point. It’ll be the second set of town-hall meetings in 2019 for Sen. Ann Rivers, Rep. Brandon Vick...

OLYMPIA…Legislation introduced today would require all three branches of state government to track and submit data regarding sexual harassment of employees for detailed annual reports that would be public. Sen. John Braun and Sen. Ann Rivers come at Senate Bill 5845 from different directions but are sponsoring it with the same...

  OLYMPIA… Sen. Ann Rivers thinks the state’s best-known cryptid, Sasquatch, ought to have an opportunity to help raise money for state parks and recreation areas. Today she introduced legislation that would create a Sasquatch license plate and direct revenue from its sales toward park maintenance and improvements. “I’m guessing...

I hope you’ll take a few minutes to watch my first legislative video update from Olympia here.

Sen. Ann Rivers has been named “Legislator of the Year” by the Associated General Contractors’ Washington chapter. The recognition of Rivers’ work to encourage job creation came today during the trade association’s 2015 convention in Seattle. “This award is truly an honor,” said Rivers, R-La Center. “I see it as...