OLYMPIA – The Washington Senate passed a Department of Corrections reform bill for the second time Tuesday, assuring the issue will remain under active consideration during the Legislature’s current special session. Senate Bill 5294, prompted by last year’s early-release scandal, was one of several bills revived Tuesday as the full...

The following newsletter was sent to subscribers to Sen. Padden’s Report From Olympia, April 27, 2017. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletters, click here. Dear friends and neighbors, This was a week of accomplishment and disappointment. After years of effort to toughen our state’s impaired-driving laws, my legislation to make...

See correspondence here:  April 14: Letter to Attorney General Bob Ferguson  April 21: Letter from Attorney General’s Office  April 26: Second letter to Attorney General Bob Ferguson OLYMPIA – Sen. Mike Padden is questioning new “guidance” from the state Attorney General’s Office that could serve as an instruction manual for...

Senate passes bill six times – House votes after Renton man arrested for 11th DUI OLYMPIA – The state House approved a bill Thursday night that makes the 4th DUI a felony in Washington state, sending the bill to the governor’s desk after two long years of effort. The Senate...

 The following newsletter was sent to subscribers to Sen. Padden’s Report From Olympia, April 20, 2017. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletters, click here.   Dear friends and neighbors, This is the last week of our regular session in Olympia – but our work is far from over. Our regular...

Final bill advocated by Judge Cozza signed into law Monday   OLYMPIA – The Washington Senate paid tribute Tuesday to the late Judge Salvatore “Sam” Cozza, former presiding judge of the Spokane County Superior Court, with a resolution honoring his life and legacy. Cozza, a leading figure in the state’s...

OLYMPIA – A bill making it easier for prosecutors to crack down on retail theft won final passage in the Senate Monday, sending the measure to the governor’s desk. The 47-1 vote in the Senate on Senate Bill 5635 caps a session-long effort by Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, to...

Update to leaders notes significant progress; House fails to offer report Since 2014, Senators Mike Padden and Sharon Brown have led an effort to increase the opportunities for public participation in the legislative process. The two recently requested an update from Senate and House administrators on progress to enable testimony...

The following newsletter was sent to subscribers to Sen. Padden’s Report From Olympia, April 13, 2017. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletters, click here. Dear friends and neighbors, As adjournment of our regular session draws near, major differences remain between the House and Senate over the state’s operating budget, and...