April 04, 2019

Ready for a state income tax? The debate is on

Sex-ed, vaccines and honors for Edgar Martinez The following newsletter was distributed to Sen. Padden’s subscribers April 4, 2019. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletters, click here. Of budgets and blossoms, and a taxing argument we can do without Democratic budget proposals set up debate over an income tax Dear...
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March 28, 2019

A gusher of money, and still it’s not enough

As state coffers overflow with cash, Legislature considers tax increases The following newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers March 28, 2019. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletters, click here. Dear Friends and Neighbors, This week our legislative session enters the home stretch. What’s clear is that the debate of the...
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March 21, 2019

Back from the dead in Olympia

The following newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers March 21, 2019. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletters, click here. Back from the dead in Olympia DUI bill poised for resuscitation after deadline ‘kills’ measure Dear Friends and Neighbors, Olympia is a town where the dead come back to life on...
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March 14, 2019

Legislature runs wild at mid-session cutoff

The following newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers March 14, 2019. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletters, click here. Legislature runs wild at mid-session cutoff DUI bill denied vote in Senate, but fight continues Dear Friends and Neighbors, If you’ve ever wondered what our state would be like if Seattle...
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March 11, 2019

Senate passes Padden resolution honoring Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels

OLYMPIA – The state Senate Monday passed a resolution honoring the Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels program. Senate Resolution 8626 recognizes the contributions made by the organization and its volunteers in delivering more than 1,000 meals every day to seniors and vulnerable adults throughout the community. “This program has...
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March 11, 2019

Senate passes Padden bill to improve prosecution of child human-trafficking cases

OLYMPIA – The state Senate Monday passed a bill allowing children’s statements outside of court proceedings to be utilized in prosecution of human-trafficking cases, a measure its sponsor says will help spare victims additional trauma. Senate Bill 5885, introduced by Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, extends the state’s exceptions to...
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March 08, 2019

Senate passes Padden bill banning organ-transplant discrimination against the disabled

OLYMPIA – A bill prohibiting discrimination against the developmentally disabled for organ transplants cleared the state Senate Friday on a unanimous vote. Senate Bill 5405, sponsored by Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, now moves to the House for further consideration. “We need to recognize all lives have value,” Padden said....
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March 07, 2019

Sex education for kindergarteners?

The following newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers March 7, 2019. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletters, click here. Legislature’s ‘urban agenda’ steers state leftward, risks backlash Dear Friends and Neighbors, As our 2019 legislative session turns to action on the House and Senate floors, many of us are...
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March 06, 2019

Senate passes school-safety bill, notifying schools in emergencies

OLYMPIA – The Washington Senate Tuesday night passed a bill enhancing school-safety programs by requiring law enforcement authorities to notify all nearby schools in cases where violence is threatened. Senate Bill 5514 requires notification to all schools, public and private, when the possibility of violence makes evacuations or lockdowns a...
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