Sen. Brad Hawkins is pleased to see support for a North Central Washington biochar project included in the Senate operating budget proposal released today. Hawkins said the budget appropriation is the product of discussions he has had with C6 Forest to Farm, a federally recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit in the Methow...

News that state government can expect a very large increase in future revenue simply reinforces arguments by legislative Republicans that the state’s financial condition is solid and that a Democratic proposal to create a state income tax on capital gains is unnecessary, said 12th District Sen. Brad Hawkins. The state...

The Senate today voted 25-24 to pass Senate Bill 5096, a proposal that seeks to create a state income tax on capital gains. Following the bill’s passage today, 12th District Sen. Brad Hawkins, who voted against the proposal, issued this statement: “The Senate’s passage of a state income tax is...

State Sen. Brad Hawkins is encouraged by the state’s updated revenue projection released today by the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council. The council’s November revenue forecast estimates revenue for the upcoming state budget cycle. The outlook was adjusted up with an increase of $634 million for the current...

The Washington State Senate tonight approved Senate Bill 6012, a hydropower tax bill sponsored by Sen. Brad Hawkins that helps acknowledge hydropower’s important role in providing clean energy. Improved tax treatment for hydropower has been a key priority for Hawkins and Chelan County Public Utility District, a 12th District hydropower...

By Rep. Brad Hawkins This year is a budget-development year. The constitution provides the Legislature 105 days in odd-numbered years like 2015 to develop operating, capital and transportation budgets. Each of the budgets covers a two-year period, beginning July 1, 2015 thru June 30, 2017. I want to explain the...

Transparency is an often-used buzzword in government, but what does transparency look like? What are the actions required to meet the standard of transparency? How can we, as government officials, improve public confidence that we are serving you, and not ourselves? As your legislator, I'm advocating for a renewed look...

A new online map launched today by the Legislative Evaluation and Accountability Program Committee (LEAP) can now be viewed by the public at: http://fiscal.wa.gov/WebMaps.aspx.

Rep. Brad Hawkins is already preparing for the upcoming 2014 legislative session by introducing his first bills. Legislators may "pre-file" legislation starting Dec. 2 for the upcoming session; Hawkins introduced three bills for consideration this week.