Uniform Public Expression Protection Act would restore critical free-speech protections Today the Senate voted 46-0 to approve Sen. Mike Padden’s measure to help protect citizens, whistleblowers and members of the news media from frivolous lawsuits aimed at stifling freedom of speech and the discussion of legitimate public issues. “The right...

BY KTTH AM 770   Washington state Republican senators recently announced the formation of the Freedom Caucus, which is meant to speak for individual liberties, more restrained government with lower taxes, and strict adherence to the Constitution. It was formed in light of how the COVID-19 shutdowns occurred, and includes founding...

Seattle Times Editorial  Washington has a shortage of nurses in the best of times. But especially during the ongoing public health emergency, the state cannot afford to have qualified professionals sitting on their hands waiting for paperwork to go through. Even in an emergency, nurses who travel to the state...

By Eliana Sheriff, KIMA TV A new freedom movement is shaping up in Olympia. On Thursday, four republican senators announced the formation of a ‘Freedom Caucus.’ Their focus is on liberty. Their priorities are to advocate for lower taxes, responsible state spending, individual liberties and a government that “gets out...

By SEN. MIKE PADDEN As much as we would love to see an end to impaired driving and with it, the need to keep sponsoring DUI legislation, we unfortunately know there is still much work to be done. Last week the Senate Law and Justice Committee heard testimony on Senate Bill...

Today the Senate passed Sen. Mike Padden’s measure to help increase the supply of affordable housing by removing barriers to condominium construction. “I am pleased to see such broad bipartisan support for this common-sense measure,” said Padden, R-Spokane Valley. “At a time when many areas of the state are desperate...

4th District lawmaker says goal is to educate, not penalize On Thursday, Jan. 21, the Senate Law and Justice Committee approved Sen. Mike Padden’s measure to help people with hearing impairments by increasing the availability of closed captioning on televisions in public places. The committee gave the measure a “do-pass”...

Click here to read at the Gazette. BY SEN. MIKE PADDEN This legislative session, which started Jan. 11, will require you as a resident to work harder than ever to keep our representative democracy…well…representative. Access to democracy is a major topic at the start of this year’s gathering of lawmakers....

It’ll soon be a new year, but it is more of the same from Gov. Jay Inslee, says Sen. Mike Padden in response to the governor’s extension of devastating restrictions on gyms and restaurants, including a continuation of the order banning dine-in service. “The governor has repeatedly claimed that he...