Radio Report: House Republican Leader Drew Stokesbary outlines GOP priorities of upcoming 2024 legislative session

January 5, 2024

Republican legislators say their focus will be on common sense, kitchen table issues throughout the 2024 legislative session, which begins Monday, January 8th. Nic Scott reports.

SCOTT: House Republican Leader Drew Stokesbary said during a Legislative Preview at the state Capitol that the state has a lot of potential, but there is a growing list of concerns that must be addressed.

STOKESBARY: “We want to either lower the price of gas or at least provide rebates to drivers to offset the high prices of gas. We need to hire more police officers – we need to hire more para-educators and tutors and reading coaches to help improve test scores and early elementary school literacy rates and we need to get rid of the homeless encampments near schools, parks and playgrounds.”

SCOTT: Stokesbary said lawmakers must take advantage of the opportunity to fix what is broken.

STOKESBARY: “70 percent of students are failing math standards – 50 percent are failing reading standards, we have the third highest new housing prices, we have some of the most expensive childcare in the country. In too many ways, we seem to be going in the wrong direction.”

SCOTT: Stokesbary said House Republicans will continue offering bold, common-sense solutions that are grounded in a commitment to improving the lives of everyone in Washington state.

Nic Scott, the state Capitol.