Padden bill on human-trafficking awareness training receives Senate hearing
February 04, 2020
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... Read More...
It Never Stops: Another $1 Billion Tax Proposal
January 31, 2020
We are now well into the 2020 legislative session. There was plenty of activity this week, including hearings and voting on bills in committees, as well as some time voting on a handful of bills on the floor of the Senate chamber. One of the bills that was subject to... Read More...
Padden DUI bill approved by Senate Law and Justice Committee
January 23, 2020
Today members of the state Senate Law and Justice Committee unanimously 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. Senate Bill 5299 would allow more repeat offenders... Read More...
Thousands brave rain to March for Life
January 23, 2020
Despite the rain, thousands of Washingtonians from across the state gathered in Olympia on Monday for the 42nd Annual March for Life. While the march is timed to coincide with the dark anniversary of the Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion, it also happens early in... Read More...
Padden introduces bill to require training on human trafficking
January 17, 2020
Spokane Valley senator reminds public that January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness month This week Sen. Mike Padden introduced a bill to help end the sexual exploitation of children and vulnerable adults that occurs at hotels and motels in cities across Washington. The Spokane Valley Republican’s announcement of... Read More...
Message to Olympia: Stop ignoring the people!
January 16, 2020
Monday was the start of the 2020 legislative session. With only 60 days during this short session to complete our work, lawmakers wasted no time getting down to business. Some legislators have returned to Olympia, determined to thwart the will of the people. They are content to leave the fate... Read More...
Assembly week in Olympia
November 22, 2019
This week lawmakers returned to Olympia for what are known as “committee assembly days” – the time when legislative committees meet to do some pre-session planning. The Senate committees on which I serve – Law and Justice, Early Learning and K-12 Education, and Transportation – convened to discuss a number... Read More...