Brace yourself for the final stretch
March 05, 2020
Hold on to your seats… and your wallets! The legislative session is rounding the curve into the final stretch. We have exactly one week to go in the 2020 regular legislative session. Tomorrow is the final cut-off deadline for the Senate to approve bills that originated in the House of... Read More...
Legislature OK’s Padden bill to ease burden on foster parents
March 04, 2020
A bill making it easier for foster parents to retain their state licenses was approved by the state House Tuesday and heads to the governor’s desk for final consideration. Senate Bill 6500, sponsored by Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, eliminates a requirement that all foster parents provide advance notice before... Read More...
Putting People First? Not so fast!
February 26, 2020
Dear Friends and Neighbors, This week started with all eyes focused on the state budget. On Monday Senate and House Democrat budget writers released their proposed 2020 supplemental budgets. They were rushed into committee hearings hours later, and the Senate budget could come before the full chamber for a vote... Read More...
It’s your money! Why are they taking so much?
February 21, 2020
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... Read More...
Padden bill to get tougher on repeat DUIs passes Senate
February 19, 2020
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... Read More...
Padden bill to help crime victims passed by the Senate
February 14, 2020
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... Read More...
Senate unanimously passes Padden measure to address childcare shortage
February 12, 2020
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... Read More...
Controversial sanctuary state policy in the crosshairs
February 12, 2020
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... Read More...
Senate budget committee agrees to advance Padden DUI bill
February 05, 2020
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... Read More...