On Wednesday, a bill sponsored by Sen. Mike Padden that would provide tax relief for Washington’s new small businesses was approved by the Senate Trade and Economic Development Committee. “We know that the first three years are the most critical to a small business being able to survive,” said Padden,...

It’s hard to believe we’re already into February, and that four weeks of the 2015 legislative session are almost behind us. This week the Legislature began delving into some big issues like responding to the governor’s cap-and-tax plan and helping our veterans find jobs. …Also this week, the Washington Council...

Momentum and support continue to grow for Sen. Mike Padden’s bill to make a fourth DUI conviction in 10 years a felony. Today the state Senate Law and Justice Committee voted unanimously to approve Senate Bill 5105, which now moves one step closer to a vote of the full Senate....

The third week of the 2015 session is almost over and things are beginning to move quickly in Olympia. We have been busy this week, hearing bills in various committees, meeting with visitors to the Legislature and promoting good legislation to improve the lives and safety of Washingtonians. We’ve also...

Today marks the end of week two for the 2015 legislative session. This has been a busy week for our office; we have had a number of visitors from the district and several of my key bills received hearings before their assigned policy committees. Click here to read the full...

Law and Justice Committee hears testimony on Padden measure to make fourth DUI a felony When a father, mother, grandfather, husband or friend is ripped away by the actions of a drunk driver, the pain and impact caused by that can reverberate through a family and a community. The demand...

The 2015 session began with a bang of the gavel as members were sworn in. The Legislature will have a Republican majority in the Senate and a Democrat majority in the House of Representatives this session. Given this reality, lawmakers will undoubtedly need to work together to achieve solutions on...

Dear Friends and Neighbors, I hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas, and that you are enjoying this holiday season. In two short weeks, the 64th Legislature will convene. The 2015 session is a budget year, meaning it is scheduled for 105 days (opposed to 60 days in...

Members of the Majority Coalition Caucus have announced that Spokane Valley Sen. Mike Padden will continue to serve as chairman of the Law and Justice Committee, which deals with civil and criminal law and will assume responsibility for corrections issues. “In the last two years, the Senate Law and Justice...