Public Safety

March 04, 2022

House Democrats pass pickleball legislation, fail to pass emergency powers reform or meaningful tax relief

We just passed the final major deadline of this year’s 60-day legislative session, which is scheduled to adjourn next Thursday. Tonight marked the final opportunity for lawmakers in the House to pass bills that originated in the Senate, and vice-versa. The only bills exempted from this deadline are those deemed...
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February 11, 2022

Two of my bills approved by the House

Today marks the end of the fifth week of the 2022 legislative session. We have 27 days to go and a lot of things left to tackle. Before I get to legislative updates, however, I wanted to offer my deepest condolences to all who knew and loved Justin Krumbah. His...
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February 11, 2022

Boehnke ransomware protection bill unanimously approved by House

Last year, Washington businesses, agencies and other entities experienced more ransomware attacks than ever before. According to the Attorney General’s 2021 Data Breach Report, which was released in November, ransomware attacks accounted for 61% of all cyberattacks (150 of 245) and more than half of all data breaches (150 of...
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January 28, 2022

Video: Rep. Matt Boehnke’s message on Data Privacy Day

In a recorded message commemorating Data Privacy Day, 8th District Rep. Matt Boehnke urges state agencies, industry leaders, and his fellow lawmakers to “work together to pass sound legislation that prioritizes the protection of our citizens.” Last year, data breaches skyrocketed 500% in Washington. “We must continue to educate and...
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January 21, 2022

This year’s 60-day legislative session is underway; 8th District virtual town hall scheduled for Jan. 31

After a long interim, it’s nice to finally be in session and working on issues that are not only critical to us here in the 8th District, but to everyone across the state. Although this year’s 60-day session is being conducted remotely, there are many ways you can stay engaged...
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November 30, 2021

Looking ahead to the 2022 legislative session

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and were able to take some time to reflect on what and who you’re thankful for. As I did my own reflecting, I thought about this job and how grateful I am for the opportunity to serve you in the Legislature. From...
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September 28, 2021

Two virtual Tax Town Halls tomorrow; House Republican priorities for the 2022 session

I sent my last email update out on June 25, five days before our state was set to fully reopen. On June 30, Governor Inslee was in a celebratory mood, declaring: “We are open big time in the state of Washington.” Days later, he told a reporter: “We’ve won the...
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April 30, 2021

Session recap: Majority rejects emergency powers reform, approves income tax on capital gains and bills that will increase gas prices

During the final two weeks of this year’s legislative session, which adjourned this past Sunday, the majority party rejected emergency powers reform, approved an income tax on capital gains, and adopted two proposals that will significantly increase the price of gasoline. I’ll be recapping all of that and more in...
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March 12, 2021

Boehnke bill would prohibit state agencies from selling Washingtonians’ personal data

Rep. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick, has introduced a bill to prevent state agencies from profiting from the sale of Washingtonians’ personal data. Under House Bill 1552, all state agencies would be prohibited from selling such data to third-party vendors, and would also be required to certify compliance with the state Office...
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May 09, 2020

It’s time to rebuild our economy and safely get Washingtonians back to work

Thank you to everyone who participated in the telephone town hall Sen. Brown, Rep. Klippert and I held last month. We took a lot of calls, most of which were focused on the coronavirus crisis. We want you to know we hear your concerns and frustrations, and are doing everything...
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