Join me at upcoming town halls across the 31st District

Sen. Phil Fortunato sent this bulletin at 04/16/2026 11:00 AM PDT

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

In this update, I’m inviting you to my upcoming town halls and diving into three topics that don’t always make for easy conversation: our family court system, abortion, and gun control. People have strong opinions on these issues, and that’s exactly why we need to talk about them. We don’t make things better by avoiding tough subjects; we make them better by tackling them head-on.

Join me at one of my upcoming 31st District town halls!

First, I’d like to invite you to join me at one of my upcoming town halls later this month. These meetings are an opportunity to walk through what happened during the 2026 legislative session — the good, the bad, and what it means going forward — but just as important, they’re a chance for me to hear directly from you.

Here’s the schedule:

Bonney Lake/Sumner: Tuesday, April 21, 6–8 p.m., Bonney Lake Senior Center, 19304 Bonney Lake Blvd. E.
Edgewood/Milton: Wednesday, April 22, 6–8 p.m., Edgewood City Hall, 10440 Dom Calata Way E.
Buckley: Tuesday, April 28, 6–8 p.m., Buckley Hall, 127 N. River Road, Suite 117
Orting: Wednesday, April 29, 6–8 p.m., City of Orting Multi-Purpose Center, 202 Washington Ave. S.

When family courts fall short — the cost to women, children and families

Family court decisions are affecting real families every day, often in ways most people never see. While the failures at DCYF have gotten attention, what happens inside family courtrooms can be just as serious when it comes to the safety and stability of women and children.

One of the challenges is recognizing forms of abuse that aren’t always obvious. Coercive control, for example, doesn’t leave visible scars or broken bones. Instead, it shows up through patterns of isolation, financial control, manipulation, and intimidation. Without proper training, these dynamics can be missed — and when they are, courts can unintentionally place victims back into harmful situations.

That’s why I introduced Senate Bill 5706 to improve training, add accountability, and make sure decision-makers can better identify and respond to complex forms of abuse like coercive control. It didn’t move forward this session, but I’m not done fighting for these much-needed changes.

At the end of the day, this is about making sure the system works for the people it’s supposed to protect. When decisions are made without the right tools, training, or safeguards, families can pay the price. We owe it to parents and children to ensure those decisions are informed, fair, and focused on safety first.

I’ll keep working to bring more attention to this issue and push for practical reforms that protect families and lead to better outcomes. This is too important to ignore.

Read the full article here.

Abortion policy and a focus on women’s health

I recently recorded a video discussing Washington’s abortion laws and why I believe we need to take a stronger women’s health approach.

While abortion remains legal in our state, I believe women should have clear, complete information about the risks and potential long-term outcomes before making a decision. Like any medical procedure, it carries potential complications, and transparency matters.

I also raise concerns about expanding who can perform these procedures and the use of taxpayer dollars to subsidize abortion pills through the Department of Corrections.

Watch my video here.

Gun control and the right to bear arms

As part of my “What I think” podcast, I recently recorded a video sharing my thoughts on gun control in Washington state and the continued push for more restrictions on law-abiding citizens. Time and again, we see proposals that limit what you can own, where you can carry, and how you can store a firearm — all while criminals ignore these laws.

I believe our state constitution is clear: your right to bear arms shall not be impaired. That means it’s a right, not a privilege, and adding more requirements only makes it harder for people to protect themselves and their families.

Watch my video here.

Staying connected and informed!

Thank you for taking the time to read this update and for staying engaged. I hope to see you at one of the town halls and hear your thoughts directly.

You can also stay informed between updates by following the Senate Republican Caucus on Facebook, X, YouTube, and Instagram, or by visiting my legislative webpage for the latest news and updates from Olympia.

It is an honor to serve you in Olympia,