Where’s the emergency, Governor?
March 03, 2022
The 2022 session train keeps chugging along, and the end of the line is in sight. We have exactly one week to go until the scheduled end of this year’s regular session. Tomorrow is the final cut-off deadline to approve bills that originated in the House of Representatives, and for... Read More...
Budget week in Olympia
February 25, 2022
As we enter the homestretch of the 2022 legislative session, it’s budget week in Olympia. In odd-numbered years, the Legislature is required to create and pass three budgets: an operating budget, a transportation budget, and a capital budget. In the even-numbered years, like this one, lawmakers use the short session... Read More...
Survivor Olympia… which bills have survived the voting deadline
February 17, 2022
As we wrap up the sixth week of this 2022 legislative session, we have now passed the “cutoff” for Senate policy bills to move forward from the Senate, and likewise for bills in the House of Representatives. The good news: Some really good Senate bills survived the voting deadline and... Read More...
Padden bill to protect first responders passed by Senate
February 15, 2022
Today, as the Senate wrapped up its work for the year on Senate-sponsored legislation, it gave its approval to a measure sponsored by Sen. Mike Padden that would make it a crime to interfere with a firefighter or emergency medical services provider in the performance of their duty. “I was... Read More...
Padden’s bipartisan felony DUI bill passes Senate unanimously
February 11, 2022
Lovick amendment would add treatment sentencing alternative In its final vote of Wednesday night, the Washington State Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 5054, a measure aimed at strengthening the state’s felony-DUI law and reducing the pain and suffering faced by victims of impaired drivers. The 48-0 vote sent the proposal to... Read More...
Second Amendment and parental rights under assault
February 11, 2022
We’ve almost reached the end of the fifth week of the 2022 Legislature. Only four weeks remain in the regular session. The majority of this week has been spent on the Senate floor, voting on bills that were advanced by the policy and fiscal committees. The universe of measures we... Read More...
Sportsmen’s Legislative Update
February 10, 2022
Our state is blessed with an abundance and variety of natural resources that make it an ideal home for sportsmen and recreational enthusiasts. In 2005 the bipartisan Washington State Sportsmen’s Caucus was formed to help make sure that the interests of anglers, hunters, shooters, boaters, ATV enthusiasts and others are... Read More...
Senate approves ‘assault on parental rights,’ says Padden
February 09, 2022
The Senate’s majority Democrats tonight voted to approve legislation that would allow a child of any age to provide consent for medical procedures and care without seeking the consent or even informing the child’s parents or legal guardians. The controversial measure would also grant blanket immunity to a health-care provider... Read More...
Remembering a great friend and defender of freedom
February 02, 2022
On Friday, January 28, which would have been Sen. Doug Ericksen’s 53rd birthday, the Senate took time to honor and remember his life and accomplishments. After representing Whatcom County’s 42nd District in the state House and Senate for a total of 23 years, Doug passed away in December after contracting... Read More...
Trio of Padden bills advances in Law and Justice Committee
January 31, 2022
Measures would address rise in retail theft, contamination at state labs and increase police transparency and accountability. The Senate Law and Justice Committee last week acted on three public-safety measures from Spokane Valley Republican Sen. Mike Padden. Senate Bill 5710, which received a hearing in the committee on Jan. 24,... Read More...