The following newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers March 14, 2019. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletters, click here. Legislature runs wild at mid-session cutoff DUI bill denied vote in Senate, but fight continues Dear Friends and Neighbors, If you’ve ever wondered what our state would be like if Seattle...

OLYMPIA – The state Senate Monday passed a resolution honoring the Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels program. Senate Resolution 8626 recognizes the contributions made by the organization and its volunteers in delivering more than 1,000 meals every day to seniors and vulnerable adults throughout the community. “This program has...

OLYMPIA – The state Senate Monday passed a bill allowing children’s statements outside of court proceedings to be utilized in prosecution of human-trafficking cases, a measure its sponsor says will help spare victims additional trauma. Senate Bill 5885, introduced by Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, extends the state’s exceptions to...

OLYMPIA – A bill prohibiting discrimination against the developmentally disabled for organ transplants cleared the state Senate Friday on a unanimous vote. Senate Bill 5405, sponsored by Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, now moves to the House for further consideration. “We need to recognize all lives have value,” Padden said....

The following newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers March 7, 2019. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletters, click here. Legislature’s ‘urban agenda’ steers state leftward, risks backlash Dear Friends and Neighbors, As our 2019 legislative session turns to action on the House and Senate floors, many of us are...

OLYMPIA – The Washington Senate Tuesday night passed a bill enhancing school-safety programs by requiring law enforcement authorities to notify all nearby schools in cases where violence is threatened. Senate Bill 5514 requires notification to all schools, public and private, when the possibility of violence makes evacuations or lockdowns a...

The following newsletter was sent to subscribers to Sen. Padden’s newsletter, Feb. 28, 2019. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletters, click here. A new round of prisoner releases points to continuing problems at Corrections Dear Friends and Neighbors, Over the last few days, we have learned that the Department of...

OLYMPIA – Another major sentencing error at the state Department of Corrections is prompting frustration from Senate Republicans who urged sweeping reforms for the agency in the wake of the last one. Sens. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, and Steve O’Ban, R-University Place, said they were stunned to learn of a...

The following newsletter was sent to subscribers to Sen. Padden’s newsletter, Feb. 21, 2019. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletters, click here. Listening an essential part of a lawmaker’s job Dear Friends and Neighbors, This last weekend I had the opportunity to return to the 4th Legislative District, to meet...