During a one-day special session today, the Legislature approved a bill enhancing penalties for possession of hard drugs, but 4th District Sen. Mike Padden was among the “no” votes in the Senate. Padden, the ranking Republican on the Senate Law and Justice Committee, believes the compromise version of Senate Bill...

Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers April 27, 2023. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletter, click here. Dear friends and neighbors, The Legislature ended its 105-day session Sunday night. As usually happens, the final days of the session focused on passing the final versions of the...

The day after its annual session at the state Capitol ended, 4th Legislative District Sen. Mike Padden is criticizing the Legislature’s inability to pass a meaningful bill that would help combat impaired driving. “The Legislature missed a golden opportunity to start reversing the disturbing increase in traffic accidents caused by...

A bipartisan bill that aims to impose longer sentences on sexually abusive jail and prison guards is headed to the governor after being unanimously passed today by the House of Representatives. Senate Bill 5033 would reclassify the crime of first-degree custodial sexual misconduct (in which the corrections officer has sexual...

Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers March 17, 2023. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletter, click here. I invite you and other 4th Legislative District residents to take part in a district telephone town hall on Monday, March 20, from 6 to 7 p.m. Invitations to...

Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers March 16, 2023. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletter, click here. The 2023 legislative session is now in its 10th week, with five weeks to go. April 23 is the scheduled last day. As the Legislature approaches the home stretch...

Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers March 10, 2023. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletter, click here. The Senate just passed a milestone for the 2023 legislative session. Wednesday was the “floor cutoff,” the last day for the Senate to vote on Senate bills, except measures...

Following a 20-year high in traffic deaths in Washington, the Senate today again approved an anti-impaired driving bill sponsored by 4th District Sen. Mike Padden. Senate Bill 5032, which was passed 48-1, would expand the period for reviewing prior convictions of impaired driving to 15 years, from the 10 years...