Judiciary

Committee backs bills to hold felons, corrections officers accountable Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers Feb. 3, 2023. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletter, click here. Dear friends and neighbors, Officers who work in Washington’s correctional facilities are part of the law-enforcement community just as much as the officers who patrol our communities and investigate... Read More...
Good news for drivers and others affected by Pines Road traffic issues Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers Dec. 19, 2022. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletter, click here. Dear friends and neighbors, For many years, one of the most troublesome traffic spots in the Spokane Valley has been where Pines Road (State Route 27) crosses Burlington Northern... Read More...
Trio of Padden bills advances in Law and Justice Committee Measures would address rise in retail theft, contamination at state labs and increase police transparency and accountability. The Senate Law and Justice Committee last week acted on three public-safety measures from Spokane Valley Republican Sen. Mike Padden. Senate Bill 5710, which received a hearing in the committee on Jan. 24,... Read More...
Padden bill to get tougher on repeat DUIs passes Senate Today the Senate voted 45-3 to approve Sen. Mike Padden’s bill to extend the “look-back” in DUI cases, allowing courts to consider convictions over the preceding 15 years when preparing to hand down a sentence. Padden urged the House of Representatives to follow the Senate’s lead in protecting citizens from... Read More...
Public-safety bills becoming laws A week ago I traveled to Olympia for the signing of two bills I sponsored. One bill concerned the use of body cameras for law enforcement and the other dealt with pretrial release conditions that trial court judges may impose. There are additional details about both bills later in this... Read More...