With only about 48 hours until its next deadline for voting on legislation the state Senate spent Monday afternoon and evening moving dozens of bills forward, including a diverse pair of measures introduced by Sen. Mike Padden. One would save money when it comes to housing construction while the second...

The Senate today gave its unanimous support this evening to Sen. Mike Padden’s bill to align Washington boating law with the state’s motor-vehicle law when it comes to driving under the influence. “Alcohol consumption is the leading contributor to boating accidents in Washington,” said Padden, R-Spokane Valley. “There is no...

Washington State’s 4th District Senator, Mike Padden, Chair of the Senate Law and Justice Committee, talks about his bill to make state anti-trafficking laws include expanding the definition of “communication with a minor for immoral purposes” to cover the purchase or sale of commercial sex acts and sex trafficking; add...

Brianna was 17, residing in a small Washington town near Interstate 5 and working at the local café when she met the man who acted like a friend but turned out to be a pimp. It’s men like that, participants in a commercial sex industry that views girls as nothing...

From tightly-written legislation related to marijuana use and school searches to bills that took on broader issues such as eminent domain and human trafficking, the 42 measures endorsed by the Senate Law and Justice Committee so far in the 2013 legislative session cover a wide swath of concerns. “I’ve been...

Bipartisan measure focused on protecting children, combating commercial sex trade OLYMPIA… The state Senate’s latest salvo in the ongoing fight against human trafficking will be heard Wednesday when Senate Bill 5669 goes before the Senate Law and Justice Committee. The committee meeting begins at 1:30 p.m. in Senate Hearing Room...

Washington State’s 4th District Senator Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, talks about his bill to help struggling startup businesses in Washington state by giving them a break on paying the business and occupations tax for two years, and paying only 50% of it the third year.

OLYMPIA… The Senate Law and Justice Committee will have a public hearing next week on legislation that would require an underage girl’s parent or guardian to be notified before she can have an abortion. Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, said Senate Bill 5156  will come before the committee he leads...

Sen. Mike Padden reports on news from the state Capitol in Olympia and the 2013 legislative session.