Mike Padden

We’ve just wrapped up an eventful sixth week in this 2020 legislative session. It has left me thinking about one inescapable fact: there has been a lot of bad legislation going through the process this year. Why do I say that? The first reason is the revenue forecast that was...

Today the Senate voted 45-3 to approve Sen. Mike Padden’s bill to extend the “look-back” in DUI cases, allowing courts to consider convictions over the preceding 15 years when preparing to hand down a sentence. Padden urged the House of Representatives to follow the Senate’s lead in protecting citizens from...

Today the Senate voted 48-0 to pass Sen. Mike Padden’s bill to increase the penalty for unlawful disposal of a human body or human body parts. “This was one of those times where the punishment just didn’t fit the crime,” said Padden, R-Spokane Valley. “Currently, someone who dismembers and destroys...

Today the Senate unanimously voted to approve Sen. Mike Padden’s measure to allow a parent of a minor child who is the victim of a crime to receive benefits under the Crime Victims’ Compensation Program. “There really is no amount of money that can make up for damage done to...

Bill would allow existing childcare workers to substitute experience and demonstrated competence for certification Should daycare workers be required to have specific educational certification if they already have demonstrated knowledge and years of experience? Not necessarily, says Sen. Mike Padden, sponsor of a measure that would allow childcare workers to...

The fifth week of the 2020 Legislature is well under way. Yesterday was the deadline for bills in the Senate’s fiscal committees (Ways and Means, and Transportation) to advance in order to remain eligible for passage this session. There’s an exception for those bills that are necessary to implement one...

Today the state Senate Ways and Means Committee voted to advance Sen. Mike Padden’s bill to extend the ‘look-back’ in DUI cases, allowing courts to consider convictions over the preceding 15 years when preparing to hand down a sentence. “DUI is a completely preventable crime, and I’m very encouraged by...

The 2020 Legislature is in the middle of its fourth week, meaning there are five and a half weeks to go in the 60-day session. This Friday we will reach the deadline for bills to pass policy (non-fiscal) committees if they are to move forward. Next Tuesday, Feb. 11, is...

On Monday the Senate Law and Justice Committee heard testimony on Sen. Mike Padden’s proposal to combat sexual exploitation of children and vulnerable adults by having Washington hotels and motels conduct training on preventing human trafficking. Under Senate Bill 6356, hotels would provide annual training to their employees on identifying...