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 Santa Fe’s busy railroad tracks.
Between freight and passenger trains, the BNSF crossing sees an estimated average of 67 train crossings daily, which can easily cause backups into the Pines Road-Trent Avenue intersection. The estimates are 2,400 vehicles delayed each day, due to the crossing being blocked for more than 3½ hours a day.
From a safety standpoint, the Pines Road-BNSF crossing ranks among the most serious road-rail “conflict” locations in Washington, as emergency vehicles can be delayed either by the rail crossing or the busy highway intersection. The same issues contribute to traffic congestion and have discouraged development of commercial property in the area.
Proponents of a long-awaited project that would construct an underpass where the train tracks now cross Pines Road received great news on Dec. 2. A grant award was announced that puts the city of Spokane Valley $5 million closer to moving ahead with this much-needed road-improvement effort. The grant also will contribute to the construction of a roundabout at the nearby intersection of Pines Road and Trent Avenue (State Route 290).
These improvements are incredibly important to Spokane Valley and the surrounding region because they offer so many benefits: fewer collisions, less congestion, better emergency access, a boost to economic development and more. This grant is a big win because it provides the needed state match for federal funding. The grant now provides enough money for the project to begin.
Between the new underpass and the new roundabout, this will mean a huge improvement in the flow of traffic. The recent funding announcement puts it all one step closer to reality.
The $5 million grant will come through the state Department of Transportation. We appreciate the help on this grant from DOT’s Eastern Region office, especially regional administrator Mike Gribner.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2023!
Best Regards,
Senator Mike Padden
Public-safety bills prefiled before session starts
Although the 2023 session is still a few weeks away, several legislators already have “prefiled” bills in hopes that they will be scheduled for committee hearings soon after the session begins. As ranking Republican on the Law and Justice Committee, I have prefiled several bills that I expect will be sent to that panel for consideration, including two noteworthy proposals:
- Senate Bill 5034 would change existing state law to again make it easier for law-enforcement officers to pursue suspects in vehicles. In 2021, the Legislature changed the legal standard required for officers to engage in vehicular pursuits, limiting law enforcement’s ability to pursue and detain suspects.
- Senate Bill 5035 would make possession or use of illegal drugs like fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin a class C felony with diversion opportunities and drug court. In recent years, the Democratic majorities in the Legislature passed SB 5476 which reduced the penalty for drug possession to an unenforceable misdemeanor that does not effectively utilize data-supported drug court programs. It’s no wonder fatal drug overdoses are expected to hit record numbers in Washington this year.
Coffee event held after snow forces rescheduling
On December 13, I held my latest coffee event in the 4th District. This event, at Riverside High School, was an opportunity for residents of the Mt. Spokane area to meet and discuss concerns or express ideas. The two-hour event originally was scheduled for December 8, but heavy snow forced us to reschedule it to the 13th. A big thank-you goes to the Riverside School District administration, including Superintendent Ken Russell, for letting us hold the event there — and also to the nine people who accommodated the new date and took time out of their busy lives to share their thoughts.
Will continue to lead Senate GOP on Law and Justice Committee
This photo was taken during a Senate Law and Justice Committee meeting in 2019.
Earlier this month, we learned what our committee assignments will be for the next two years. Mine from the past two years are unchanged.
I will continue to serve as the ranking Republican on the Senate Law and Justice Committee. It’s an honor to have served on this committee since becoming a senator in 2011. Many important public-safety bills, including some that fellow Republicans and I are sponsoring, will come before Law and Justice next session. Our goal should be to advance bills that will help make people and communities safer in our state.
My two other assignments are the Senate Transportation Committee and Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee. Many highway projects need to be completed in our state. Continuing to be a voice on the Transportation Committee is important to projects in the 4th District and eastern Washington. Health care is another issue that affects people statewide, especially in terms of cost and access, so that panel also has crucial work to do.
Good talk about ESOPs at Spokane Valley Chamber meeting
During its annual meeting on November 17, the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce held an event on employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) to promote employee ownership of businesses. The ESOP panel discussed the benefits of ESOPs and highlighted proposed legislation that would aid businesses looking to adopt an ESOP corporate structure.
During the event, I took part in an informative panel discussion on how businesses can implement this policy. Other panelists were Gellert Dornay, a national expert on ESOPs who has helped many businesses convert to an employee-owned model; John Bole, the CEO of Yoke’s Fresh Market, an employee-owned chain based in Spokane Valley; and an official from Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, based in Pullman.
A number of the chamber members who attended the panel presentation said they were enthused by it, which was encouraging.
Legislators gather in Olympia for pre-session committee meetings
The 2023 legislative session is less than a month away, but state legislators gathered in Olympia at the start of December for Legislative Assembly Days, in which Senate and House committees held meetings or work sessions.
Senate Republican Caucus members gathered November 29 in the Legislative Building for the caucus reorganization meeting (known as “re-org” in Olympia-speak), in which we elected our top leadership officers. The current SRC leadership team was re-elected: Leader John Braun of Centralia, Caucus Chair Judy Warnick of Moses Lake, Floor Leader Shelly Short of Addy, and Whip Keith Wagoner of Sedro-Woolley. The remaining four caucus-leadership positions are expected to be chosen in early January.
2023 session should function close to normal
Perhaps the most frustrating thing about the Legislature during the COVID-19 shutdown was how Democratic legislative leaders chose to prevent the public from having in-person access to legislators, whether it was Senate or House floor session, legislative committee meetings or office meetings with lawmakers.
Legislative committees were forced to hold their meetings virtually, which was awkward for many. And without good internet access, you might not have been able to watch or participate in a meeting at all.
In short, the 2021 and 2022 legislative sessions were to many a step back in terms of open government. But it now appears that the 2023 session, which starts January 9, should function pretty much as normal.
The Senate Facilities and Operations Committee met a few weeks ago to determine how the upcoming session will be conducted. What the committee decided will be of interest to anyone wishing to come to Olympia for the 2023 legislative session:
- The Senate will return to in-person floor action and voice voting for the 2023 session. Committee meetings will generally be in person, with some exceptions.
- In-person meetings will be allowed in member offices and meeting rooms.
- Members of the public may enter Senate facilities, except if they have COVID symptoms or have tested positive for COVID within the last five days.
While things won’t be 100% back to where they were before COVID, the 2023 session definitely will look more normal than the past two, which is welcome news. The people deserve to have full access to their lawmakers and the legislative process.
Contact us!
If you have a question or concern about state government, please do not hesitate to contact our office. During the interim we are conducting business from our district office in Spokane Valley. We are here to serve you!
Phone: (509) 921-2460
District Office: 5105 E 3rd Ave, Ste 102 Spokane Valley, WA 99212
Email address: Mike.Padden@leg.wa.gov
PLEASE NOTE: Any email or documents you provide to this office may be subject to disclosure under RCW 42.56. If you would prefer to communicate by phone, please contact Sen. Padden’s Olympia office, which will be open starting Jan. 6, at (360) 786-7606.
To request public records from Sen. Padden, please contact Randi Stratton, the designated public records officer for the Secretary of the Senate and Senate members.