Tag Archives: Gov. Jay Inslee

Padden bill requested by Girl Scout to help pollinators signed by Inslee

What began as a Mount Spokane High School student working to earn a major Girl Scout award is now a new state law, signed today by Gov. Jay Inslee, that will help bees and other pollinators.

Senate Bill 5934 is a bipartisan measure introduced by 4th District Sen. Mike Padden that aims to promote the use of pollinator-friendly shrubs or bushes in landscaping.

“Pollinators, including bees and butterflies, play a very important role in the pollination of crops, contributing to the production of fruits, vegetables and nuts,” said Padden, noting that 75% of the world’s food supply depends on pollinators. “They play a vital role in sustaining agriculture.  Taking steps to protect and enhance pollinators is very important to both agriculture and the environment.”

Padden credits Mount Spokane High School senior and Girl Scout Julia Costello for asking him to sponsor the pollinator bill. Costello was in attendance when Inslee signed SB 5934 during a bill-signing ceremony in Kent.

“Julia is trying to finish requirements to earn the Gold Award, which is equivalent to earning the Eagle Scout award as a Boy Scout,” said Padden, R-Spokane Valley. “One of Julia’s Gold Award requirements is working with a legislator on sponsoring a bill, which is why she reached to me last fall about this bill. Julia made a strong case why improving pollinators’ habitat is important and beneficial. It has been an honor working with her on this bill. I’m pleased the governor has signed her bill.”

Costello’s testimony in favor of the bill during its public hearing before the House Local Government Committee last month can be viewed here.

Spokane Conservation District Director Vicki Carter sent a letter to Padden in January in support of the proposal. Part of Carter’s letter reads: “Pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and other insects, play a fundamental role in the pollination of crops, contributing to the production of fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Their vital role in sustaining agriculture cannot be overstated, as approximately 75% of the world’s food crops depend on pollinators for successful reproduction. Therefore, taking steps to protect and enhance pollinator populations is essential for ensuring food security and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.”

Under the proposal, a local government may encourage but need not require applicants for project or commercial-building permits to include pollinator-friendly plants in any landscaped area.

(CAPTION: Gov. Inslee shakes hands with Julia Costello after signing Senate Bill 5934, a measure that Costello asked Sen. Mike Padden to sponsor.)

Governor signs impaired-driving bill that includes Padden policy

Amid Washington traffic fatalities reaching their highest point in over 30 years, Gov. Jay Inslee today signed House Bill 1493, a measure to combat impaired driving that includes policy proposed by 4th District Sen. Mike Padden for years.

The final version of HB 1493 was passed March 6 by the House on a 69-27 vote. The Senate approved it 49-0 on Feb. 29. The new law takes effect June 6.

“This new and overdue law is a major step toward making Washington roads and highways safer,” said Padden, Republican leader on the Senate Law and Justice Committee. “It includes provisions that will keep more repeat impaired drivers off the road.”

An amendment approved by the Senate added language from Senate Bill 5032, a measure introduced by Padden that would expand the period for reviewing prior convictions of impaired driving to 15 years, from the 10 years now in state law, when determining whether a new offense of impaired driving is charged as a felony.

The policy language from Padden’s SB 5032 kept in the bill signed today also would increase the penalty to a felony offense, rather than a gross misdemeanor, for any person who has three or more prior DUI offenses within that “lookback” period.

Adding the ‘lookback’ language to the new law will help keep additional repeat impaired-driving offenders off the roads, said Padden, R-Spokane Valley.

“Washington has seen a significant increase in traffic deaths over the past few years. Drunken driving and drug-impaired driving, especially by repeat offenders, are two leading causes. House Bill 1493 will help remove the most dangerous drivers from our roads and highways and get them into treatment or they will be held accountable by the state criminal justice system. This bill provides good balance, as it is strong on treatment while also being strong on accountability,” added Padden.

Padden said many traffic fatalities in the state involve drivers who have had as many as eight DUI offenses, but he noted the current 10-year lookback period is not long enough to allow the state to impose stronger punishment against such offenders.

“Repeat impaired-driving offenders commit most of the vehicular homicides and vehicular assaults in Washington. We now have a new law to prevent those horrible and senseless crimes,” said Padden, a former Spokane County district court judge.

According to a recent Seattle Times story, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission predicts 2023 will surpass 800 traffic fatalities, the most the state has seen since 1990.

WTSC data shows there were 740 traffic deaths in the state in 2022 (the highest in over 30 years), including 389 fatalities involving drug- or alcohol-impaired driving. There were 674 traffic deaths in 2021, including 345 fatalities involving impaired driving. In 2020, Washington had 574 traffic fatalities, including 282 involving impaired driving.

 

Governor’s rosy state-of-the-state speech defies reality

Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers January 18, 2024. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletter, click here.

Dear friends and neighbors,

The 2024 legislative session has entered its second week. After the full Senate gathered on January 8 for its opening-day ceremonies and to swear in a new senator, our focus has shifted to committee meetings in which bills receive public hearings, allowing us to learn about these proposals and to listen to people testify either in support or opposition to them.

This initial “committee phase” of the 60-day session will last a few more weeks, as Senate policy committees face a January 31 deadline to pass bills originating in the Senate and the Senate fiscal committees (Transportation, and Ways and Means, which oversees the operating budget and any bills requiring state funding) have a February 5 cutoff for Senate bills sent to either panel.

The 2024 session cutoff calendar is here.

The most significant news story from the opening week was Governor Inslee’s annual “state of the state” speech before a joint legislative session. Because the governor announced he is not seeking re-election this year, it’s very possible this was the last time he addressed the full Legislature.

As you might expect, Inslee used his speech to tout what he believes are accomplishments under his watch these past dozen or so years. In fact, early on he said, “I’m happy to report we have been, we are, and we will always be the strongest state in the nation,” adding “in fact, the state of our state is stronger than ever.”

15th District Senator Nikki Torres gave the Republican response to Governor Inslee’s state-of-the-state speech last week. 

However, his rosy comments about the state differ from the current reality. During her Republican response to the governor’s speech, my colleague, 15th District Senator Nikki Torres of Pasco, painted a much different view of our state – and she cast blame on the governor and Democrat legislators for some of Washington’s problems. 

“The state of our state is strong thanks to the hard work, heart and spirit of the people of Washington,” Senator Torres said at the start of her response. “But on a number of important issues, our government has let our great people down. Under one-party rule in Olympia, our state has become less safe, less affordable, and in far too many ways, we are failing our children.”

Senator Torres is absolutely correct. Our state has serious problems that have resulted from bad laws passed by the Democrats and signed by Inslee. 

You may view her speech here.

If you have questions about how to participate in state government this year or thoughts to share on anything in this e-newsletter, please give me a call or send me an email. 

Thank you, as always, for the honor of serving as your state senator!

Best Regards,

Senator Mike Padden

Democrats’ costly property-tax hike bill to receive hearing this afternoon

The John A. Cherberg Building, where the Senate Ways and Means Committee holds its meetings.

One of the worst and most costly bills of this session is scheduled to receive a public hearing later today. 

Senate Bill 5770 is the Senate Democrats’ very costly and long-term property-tax increase proposal. SB 5770 is scheduled for a public hearing today at 4 p.m. in the Senate Ways and Means Committee. The committee meeting is in Senate Hearing Room 4 of the John A. Cherberg Building on the Capitol campus.

If you oppose this bill, you can sign in opposition, submit written testimony or testify in person or via Zoom. If you want to watch the public hearing on this costly proposal but don’t have TVW among your channels, go to tvw.org to watch it online.

Go here to see the list of sponsors.

As introduced, Senate Bill 5770 would triple the growth rate of annual property tax collections for local governments in Washington. Governments currently can collect 1% more annually in property tax, plus any revenues attributable to the value of new construction, without having to seek voter approval. This proposal would change that increase from 1% to 3%. The state Department of Revenue has estimated that the proposed substitute version of SB 5770 would increase taxes by a whopping $7 billion over the next 10 years, with the compounding effect of the increase continuing to escalate over time.

I will strongly oppose SB 5770 if it reaches the Senate floor this session. It is a very bad bill that should not be approved by the Legislature.

Initiative on police pursuits sent to Legislature

The first of six initiatives expected to be sent to the Legislature this session finally has been delivered. Last Thursday, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs certified Initiative 2113, which deals with police pursuits. Hobbs, a former state senator, later that day brought the measure to the Senate for our chamber to consider.

The initiative would erase certain requirements that since 2021 have prevented law-enforcement officers from initiating a chase unless they suspect someone has committed certain crimes, including a violent offense or driving while impaired.

I-2113 which received more than 400,000 signatures from registered Washington voters, according to the initiative sponsors, has been referred to the Senate Law and Justice Committee for consideration. Legislators have three options with initiatives to the Legislature: 1) adopt the initiative as written, in which case it becomes law; 2) refuse to pass it, which would result in the measure automatically being placed on the statewide ballot next fall; 3) propose and approve an alternative initiative, in which case both the original initiative and the alternative would both appear together on the fall statewide ballot.    

Go here to read the Spokesman-Review’s story on I-2113 going to the Legislature late last week.

Last year, I introduced bipartisan legislation (Senate Bill 5034) that would restore the ability of law-enforcement officers to engage in a vehicular pursuit. The bill is in the Senate Law and Justice Committee.    

This session, 2nd District Senator Jim McCune, R-Graham, has introduced Senate Bill 6133, which aims to protect the state’s 1,000-plus cannabis retailers, many of which have been the targets of violent robberies, smash and grabs, assaults and other crimes. “Pot shops” often are targeted for robberies by “Kia Boys,” juveniles and young adults who take advantage of the state’s weak police-pursuit laws. One such robbery occurred last year at a local cannabis shop near the Idaho border. SB 6133 is in the Senate Law and Justice Committee, but no public hearing has been scheduled. January 31 is the last day for the committee to pass the bill. 

Two Padden bills receive hearings

Senator Padden testifies before the Senate Transportation Committee on Senate Bill 5791, his proposal that aims to reduce impaired driving.

Among the many bills that have already received public hearings in the Senate committees were two measures I have introduced for this session.

Senate Bill 5791 was brought before the Senate Transportation Committee last week on Tuesday. It aims to help reduce impaired driving on our roads and highways. SB 5791 calls for the Washington State Patrol to establish a pilot program to evaluate the outcomes and effectiveness of oral fluid roadside information used as part of the enforcement of impaired-driving laws.   

During its public hearing in Transportation, many people testified in favor of the proposal. Among those in support were the Washington State Patrol, Chuck DeWeese with the National Alliance to Stop Impaired Driving, Christopher Kirby of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute and Ashley Bonus with Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

TVW’s coverage of the SB 5791 public hearing is available for viewing here.

My other bill that received a hearing last week is Senate Bill 5934, which was reviewed by the Senate Local Government, Land Use and Tribal Affairs Committee last Thursday.

Mount Spokane High School senior Julia Costello approached me about sponsoring this bill. Julia is a Girl Scout working to complete the requirements to earn the Gold Award, which is equivalent to earning the Eagle Scout award as a Boy Scout. One of Julia’s Gold Award requirements is working with a legislator on sponsoring a bill. It has been an honor and pleasure to work with her; Julia’s testimony in favor of the bill can be viewed here.

The goal of this proposal is to increase habitat for pollinators by increasing the use of the many types of shrubs or bushes that are good for pollinators. Watch TVW’s coverage of my testimony on the bill here.

Central Valley High School observes Americans of Chinese Descent History Month, created by new state law

One of the bills passed by the Legislature last year was Senate Bill 5000, which recognizes contributions of Americans of Chinese descent. I voted for SB 5000 when it passed the Senate. This new law designates January as Americans of Chinese Descent History Month and encourages (but does not require) public schools to designate time for appropriate activities in commemoration of this monthlong event. I’m pleased that Central Valley School District Superintendent John Parker supports this new law and has worked with his school district to observe Americans of Chinese Descent History Month. This photo shows a display of books and other items that have ties to China or Chinese Americans. The display is in Central Valley High School.     

Last January, Central Valley High School student Lucy He received a legislative certificate of appreciation for winning the Chinese American History Month national essay contest.

Contact us!

If you have a question or concern about state government, please do not hesitate to contact our office. During the session we are conducting business from our Senate office in Olympia. We are here to serve you!

Phone: (360) 786-7606

Olympia Office: 215 Legislative Modular Building, Olympia, WA 98504-0404

Email address: Mike.Padden@leg.wa.gov

PLEASE NOTE: Any email or documents you provide to this office may be subject to disclosure under RCW 42.56. If you would prefer to communicate by phone, please contact Sen. Padden’s Olympia office at (360) 786-7606.

To request public records from Sen. Padden, please contact Randi Stratton, the designated public records officer for the Secretary of the Senate and Senate members.

The bell rings — 60-day legislative session starts today

Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers January 8, 2024. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletter, click here.

Dear friends and neighbors,

This year’s legislative session begins today and is scheduled to last 60 days, ending March 7. Today will be highlighted with the traditional opening-day ceremonies in the Senate chamber. Tomorrow the Senate and House of Representatives will meet in a joint session in the House chamber to hear Governor Inslee’s final state of the state address. 

Once these events are over, the Senate will focus much of its time on committee meetings. Each bill is referred to a committee, where it may receive a public hearing and possibly a vote – steps that are typically determined by the committee chair. The Senate will be in “committee mode” for most of the next month, though occasionally we will meet on the floor of the Senate chamber to debate and vote on bills sent forward by the committees. A solid run of these floor sessions will follow the initial round of committee work. 

Veteran state government reporter Jim Camden wrote this column for the Spokesman-Review that explains how to keep tabs on the session. Jim’s column includes one of my favorite quotes: “No man’s life, liberty or property is safe when the Legislature is in session.”

The Inlander also ran a session preview story over the weekend.

The Legislative Building, where the Senate and House chambers are located.

Here are several resources to help you follow this year’s session 

  • My legislative website|Here you will find my news releases and clips, newsletters, bills, contact information, biography, and other information. 
  • The 4th District Government Guide| In this resource book, you will find the phone numbers, email addresses and offices of city, county, state and federal officials who represent you. 
  • The Capitol Buzz| A daily recap of the top online news stories. Click the link to subscribe. 
  • TVW| You may watch live broadcasts of floor and committee action online. 
  • Legislature’s website| Bill reports, committee agendas, and information about upcoming activities in the Legislature are here. 
  • State agencies| This website is where you may find all the state agencies, boards, and commissions. 
  • Washington Votes| The Washington Policy Center’s vote-tracking website. 

To Track Legislation 

  1. Go to leg.wa.gov  
  1. On the left-hand panel, click “Bill Information.”  
  1. If you know the bill number, enter it in the search field and click enter. 
  1. Don’t have a bill number? Under the section “Standard Reports” you’ll find alternative tracking tools. You may search based on topic, within a specific biennium, and more. 

If you have questions about how to participate in state government this year or thoughts to share on anything in this e-newsletter, please give me a call or send me an email. 

Thank you, as always, for the honor of serving as your state senator!

Best Regards,

Senator Mike Padden

Meet Team Padden for 2024 session 

I’m happy to introduce my legislative staff for this year’s session. My legislative assistant, Annalise Hemingway (right), joined the office last spring. My session aide this year is Ethan Mettlin (middle). Ethan has returned to my office for this year’s session after interning for me last year. Vandee Pannkuk (left) is my session intern this year. Vandee, an Onalaska native, attends Washington State University and is studying political science and criminal justice. 

Reporters challenge Inslee over gas prices at legislative preview 

In recent years it has seemed like many reporters, whether they are part of the Capitol Press Corps that cover state government or part of the Seattle media, have been hesitant to challenge Governor Inslee on issues when it’s apparent that he is wrong or misleading the public.  

But in recent months, more members of the media have confronted the governor over how the state’s cap-and-trade program has led to higher gas prices in Washington over the past year. That willingness by the media to go after Inslee was on full display during this past Thursday’s legislative-session preview held on the Capitol campus.  

After Inslee began his portion of the meeting by touting what he considers to be his accomplishments as governor entering what will be his last year in that office, some of the assembled media members took aim at him over a report published this week by the Washington Policy Center’s Todd Myers that showed Inslee knew long ago that a tax on carbon emissions would significantly increase gas prices.  

The Myers piece noted that the governor’s chief policy advisor at the time told members of the Senate Energy, Environment and Telecommunications Committee in 2014 that a “High Carbon Price” scenario with a “CO2 price of $52 per metric ton (MT) – almost identical to the state’s current CO2 price – would increase gas prices by 44 cents per gallon.”  

The publication of this report allowed reporters to ask Inslee about it Thursday. As you might guess, the governor was not inclined to agree with Myers’ assertion.  

Brandi Kruse, a former reporter for Seattle’s KIRO radio and KCPQ-TV who now hosts the “Undivided” political podcast, asked Inslee pointed questions over gas prices that appeared to make the governor uncomfortable.    

You may watch the governor’s interactions with reporters at the 3-hour, 4-minute mark of TVW’s coverage. It definitely is worth viewing. 

The Center Square has an interesting article about Myers’ report and the defiant response by Inslee’s  spokesman. KIRO Radio in Seattle published the transcript of a long and sometimes contentious interview with the governor last Friday in which KIRO reporters were not willing to let Inslee off the hook over higher gas prices.

Padden introduces bills to “ditch the switch,” tackle fentanyl crisis 

Senator Padden asks a question during a committee meeting.

In the weeks leading up to this year’s legislative session, many lawmakers “prefiled” bills that will be formally introduced now that it’s opening day. Among the several bills I filed before today are proposals aiming to make our roads and highways safer, reduce fentanyl’s terrible impact in our state and finally end the twice-yearly switch between daylight saving time and standard time:  

  • Senate Bill 5791 calls for the Washington State Patrol to establish a pilot program to evaluate the outcomes and effectiveness of oral fluid roadside information used as part of the enforcement of impaired-driving laws. The measure is already scheduled for a public hearing tomorrow at 4 p.m. in the Senate Transportation Committee. 
  • Senate Bill 5795 would allow Washington to “ditch the switch” and keep the state on standard time year-round. If there is one issue most people agree on, it’s the dislike of moving their clocks from standard time to daylight saving time in the spring and then back to standard time in the fall. This bill would keep our state on standard time permanently. The proposal has not been sent to a committee yet, but it likely will go to the Senate State Government and Elections Committee. 
  • Senate Bill 5929 would make reckless endangerment with fentanyl a Class B Felony. Children are dying throughout our state as fentanyl use has increased dramatically. Late last month, information was released that fentanyl deaths in King County topped 1,050 last year, surpassing an all-time record. The bill is expected to be sent to the Senate Law and Justice Committee for consideration.

Two other proposals I’m introducing this session are:

  • Senate Bill 5792 would expand on a new state law passed last session that makes it easier for small condominium buildings to be constructed. That new law, which I introduced, specifically exempts buildings with 12 or fewer units that are no more than two stories from the definition of a “multiunit” residential building. The 2024 bill would allow the construction of such condo buildings to include a third level for parking or retail stores.
  • Senate Bill 6026 would protect the rights of parents and guardians by using students’ given names in public schools.

Contact us!

If you have a question or concern about state government, please do not hesitate to contact our office. During the session we are conducting business from our Senate office in Olympia. We are here to serve you!

Phone: (360) 786-7606

Olympia Office: 215 Legislative Modular Building, Olympia, WA 98504-0404

Email address: Mike.Padden@leg.wa.gov

PLEASE NOTE: Any email or documents you provide to this office may be subject to disclosure under RCW 42.56. If you would prefer to communicate by phone, please contact Sen. Padden’s Olympia office at (360) 786-7606.

To request public records from Sen. Padden, please contact Randi Stratton, the designated public records officer for the Secretary of the Senate and Senate members.

 

Pain at the pump grows

Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers September 12, 2023. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletter, click here.

Dear friends and neighbors,

Throughout this year, drivers around our state have been forced to pay much more for gasoline than in nearly every other state, with the notable exception of California. The cause for the higher gas prices is the cap-and-trade program, fully implemented on January 1 through the Climate Commitment Act that was requested by Governor Inslee and passed a couple of years ago by Democratic majorities in the Legislature.

Unfortunately, we should expect gas prices to rise yet again. 

On August 30, the state Department of Ecology held its latest quarterly carbon auction under cap-and-trade. The cost of the “allowances” at that auction is expected to eventually drive the cumulative gas-price hike associated with cap-and-trade to over 51 cents a gallon.

According to AAA’s state-by-state gas price averages, Washington’s average gas price yesterday was $5.066 a gallon, roughly 30 cents a gallon more than the two next most expensive states (Hawaii at $4.784 and Oregon at $4.720) and only behind California, which tops gas prices nationally at $5.439.

It isn’t surprising that our state’s high gas prices have pushed many drivers across the border to buy cheaper gas in Idaho, which hurts retailers in Spokane County and other border counties.

Governor Inslee has encouraged the higher gas prices to happen. Besides pushing for cap-and-trade two years ago, Inslee has done nothing to reduce the higher gas prices; instead, he demonizes oil companies for passing along the higher costs to consumers. The governor has rejected proposed solutions by Republican legislators to lower gas prices. Meanwhile, low-income people, whom the governor claims to care about, have been hit especially hard since they typically must devote a larger portion of their income toward gas and transportation because of where they live, especially those in rural areas.   

Since carbon auctions authorized by the state’s cap-and-trade program began this year, nearly $1.5 billion has been collected – money taken from hard-working Washingtonians for programs that will make environmentalists happy but very likely will NOT reduce carbon emissions or improve the climate.

My colleague, Senator Curtis King of Yakima and the lead Republican on the Senate Transportation Committee, issued a news release last week that criticized the most recent carbon auction and the cap-and-trade program in general.

In his news release, Senator King said: “Governor Inslee’s policy is trying to impoverish Washingtonians into changing their driving behavior by making them stop driving gas-powered cars, and at the same time attempting to make it more expensive for many people to heat their homes because cap-and-trade will raise natural-gas prices as well. This program championed by our governor is being unnecessarily cruel to many people in our state by causing fuel and heating prices to soar.”

While drivers in most states see gas prices below $4 a gallon, drivers in our state are being forced to pay at least $5 a gallon thanks to the cap-and-trade program (California, which also has a cap-and-trade program, is the other state with gas over $5). Gas prices are bound to become higher thanks to this very expensive program, which won’t do a thing to reduce global carbon emissions.

Todd Myers, the Washington Policy Center’s environmental analyst, recently wrote a column  that also was critical of the latest carbon auction and its impact on gas prices. Part of Todd’s piece is especially noteworthy:

Washington’s climate law needs a significant overhaul, because even Ecology’s low projections show costs increasing through 2030. Two things should be done in the near term.

First, waive the state’s CO2 target and cap prices at California’s price. Our extremely aggressive 2030 target is a big driver in the excessive price. No amount of fiddling with the system or special auctions will make costs reasonable as long as the cap is so extreme.

Second, we should remove any restrictions on private CO2-reduction projects, sometimes called “carbon offsets.” Ecology’s own analysis shows we could reduce the same amount of CO2 for lower cost by allowing innovators to find alternative ways to cut emissions. Even as the environmental community attacks carbon offsets, they support spending government money on projects that are literally identical. For example, Washington’s taxpayer-funded Clean Energy Fund offers grants to projects like carbon capture to reduce atmospheric CO2. However, if a successful carbon-capture technology was actually created, state law would prohibit it from being used to meet requirements of the CCA. Fund a technology, then ban it. It is absurd.

Elected officials should encourage all CO2-reducing innovation in order to meet the state’s climate goals at an affordable price. The Governor and legislators don’t want that, however, because although allowing innovative approaches to cut emissions would help meet Washington’s CO2 targets, the money for those projects doesn’t go to the state. It is clear that the Governor is prioritizing increased taxes over reducing CO2 efficiently.

If you have questions about how to participate in state government this year or thoughts to share on anything in this e-newsletter, please give me a call or send me an email.

Thank you, as always, for the honor of serving as your state senator!

Best Regards,

Senator Mike Padden

Spokane Conservation District provides post-fire assistance on Oregon Fire

If you or any of your neighbors were affected by the recent Oregon Fire in northern Spokane County, the Spokane Conservation District is providing post-fire technical assistance. You can learn more or request fire assistance by going here. 

The conservation district provided this information about post-fire assistance in its latest e-newsletter: 

Spokane Conservation District is here to provide support and resources to landowners in Spokane County who have been impacted by the devastating Oregon Rd. fire and Gray fire. Our team of specialists will come to your property and conduct a thorough assessment, providing informed recommendations based on your goals for the property. Additionally, we will also inform landowners of current programs that may provide financial assistance for necessary actions.

Bridge event in Liberty Lake

Senator Padden (second from left) sits with Central Valley School District Superintendent John Parker (left), Spokane Valley Fire Department Chief Frank Soto Jr. (second from right) and Liberty Lake Mayor Cris Kaminskas (right) during Saturday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the new Lud Kramer Bridge.

Last Saturday morning, I was one of the speakers at the ribbon-cutting event for the new Lud Kramer Bridge, located in Liberty Lake. Other speakers included Liberty Lake Mayor Cris Kaminskas, Central Valley School District Superintendent John Parker, Spokane Valley Fire Department Chief Frank Soto Jr., Washington State Department of Transportation Regional Administrator Todd Trepanier and Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce President Lance Beck. The event was sponsored by the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce.

The new bridge will help provide congestion relief for Liberty Lake. Students will have easier access to Selkirk Middle School, as well as the new Ridgeline High School that opened a few years ago. This project also will benefit the community’s police and fire departments. For example, Spokane Valley Fire Station 3 is located on the south side of the bridge and can now respond more quickly to calls to the north of I-90.

Thanks go to several people for their hard work to make the new bridge a reality, especially former Liberty Lake Mayor Steve Peterson, former state Department of Transportation Eastern Region Director Mike Gribner and current Liberty Lake Mayor Cris Kaminskas. The project was a partnership between the state Department of Transportation and the City of Liberty Lake.

With the new bridge in the background, Senator Padden speaks during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new span.

Work began in October 2021 on the crossing, which is named after Lud Kramer, a former Washington secretary of state who later settled in Liberty Lake. The bridge will create an additional north/south connection between Country Vista Drive and Mission Avenue. This will alleviate traffic from needing to use Harvard Road over I-90 or Barker Road.

The funding for the bridge project – nearly $9 million – was through the state Connecting Washington transportation funding package passed by the Legislature in 2015. An additional $4.1 million was provided by the City of Liberty Lake for the project. Included in that $4.1 million was a small contribution by Spokane County.

This project was part of the overall Barker to Harvard project which included:

  • Roundabouts at the on/off-ramps at Barker Road and I-90.
  • Widening the Harvard Bridge over I-90 in Liberty Lake to add a exit only lane for NB travel to WB I-90. This project also extended both westbound I-90 on-ramps to allow longer merge lanes.

Other recent events and meetings

A train locomotive that is part of the Palouse River and Coulee City Railroad was seen during the Harvest Rail Tour.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have attended other meetings or events in the 4th Legislative District or elsewhere in our state. Here is a partial recap of legislative events I attended:

  • Harvest Rail Tour: On September 5, I joined several legislators from both sides of the state in Cheney for the annual Harvest Rail Tour, organized by the HighLine Grain Growers. The tour of the Palouse River and Coulee City Railroad began with the grain growers showing us the Four Lakes Shuttle Loading Facility, followed by a five-mile ride on Washington Eastern Railroad engines. The legislative group later went to Davenport to see rail realignment and loading facility improvements, followed by a meeting at Spokane International Airport. During the tour, legislators learned about how the rail line contributes to job growth in the region, including additional jobs at the Louisiana Pacific facility.
  • Legislative Police Academy: On September 7-8, I was in Tacoma for the Legislator Police Academy, hosted by the National Conference on State Legislatures. On the first day of the event, attendees, including legislators from nine states, heard speeches by my colleague, Senator John Lovick, a former Washington State Patrol trooper and former Snohomish County sheriff; and Monica Alexander, executive director of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission. Later last Thursday, two NCSL staff members shared legislative trends, followed by a legislative roundtable discussion.

Contact us!

If you have a question or concern about state government, please do not hesitate to contact our office. During the interim we are conducting business from our district office in Spokane Valley. We are here to serve you!

Phone: (509) 921-2460

Email address: Mike.Padden@leg.wa.gov

PLEASE NOTE: Any email or documents you provide to this office may be subject to disclosure under RCW 42.56. If you would prefer to communicate by phone, please contact Sen. Padden’s Olympia office at (360) 786-7606.

To request public records from Sen. Padden, please contact Randi Stratton, the designated public records officer for the Secretary of the Senate and Senate members.

Governor signs Padden bill to benefit employee stock ownership plans

Gov. Jay Inslee today signed Senate Bill 5096, a bipartisan measure prime-sponsored by 4th District Sen. Mike Padden that will aid businesses looking to adopt an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) corporate structure.

“This new law will help promote employee ownership, which is valuable not only for employees but for our society,” said Padden, R-Spokane Valley. “Studies have shown that when employees are happier, they stay in their job longer and they retire in a much better financial position. And the companies are more likely to remain in the local area.”

Padden added that the measure will help maintain local businesses after a business founder retires.

“Many current business owners do not have a plan for when they transition out of the business, and employee ownership provides a valuable option,” Padden said.

SB 5096 specifically will:

  • create the Washington Employee Ownership Program at the state Department of Commerce to offer technical support and other services to certain businesses considering certain employee ownership structures;
  • form the Washington Employee Ownership Commission to oversee the program; and,
  • provide a business-and-occupation tax credit for costs related to converting a qualifying business to an employee ownership structure.

The measure was backed by a diverse group, including the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories.

“According to decades of research, employee-owned companies consistently produce higher wages, greater employee wealth and fewer layoffs,” said Jack Moriarty, founder and executive director of Ownership America, a national think tank. “Senator Padden and his bipartisan co-sponsors deserve praise for their leadership in positioning Washington to create and retain high-quality jobs that build wealth for workers and communities through employee ownership.”

With the adoption of this bipartisan legislation, Washington has established itself as a national leader in the employee ownership field, added Moriarty.

ESOPs are recognized under federal tax law as a qualified defined contribution retirement plan. The ESOP must be designed to invest primarily in qualifying employer securities and meet certain other requirements. The IRS and United States Department of Labor share jurisdiction over some ESOP features.

SB 5096 was unanimously approved by both the Senate and House this year.

Governor signs two Padden bills one week after legislative session ends

SB 5058 encourages home ownership, SB 5218 provides tax exemption for mobility equipment

Gov. Jay Inslee today signed Senate Bill 5058, 4th District Sen. Mike Padden’s legislation that helps encourage home ownership in Washington by making it easier for smaller condominium buildings to be constructed.

The law created by SB 5058, which received unanimous approval by the Senate and House, exempts buildings with 12 or fewer units that are no more than two stories high from the definition of “multiunit residential building.”

Padden said the change should result in more homeownership in the state.

“Washington has one of the lower homeownership rates in the nation, and this bill would help our state address this problem,” said Padden, who noted that the bill received support from cities with limited land area.

“These smaller condominiums will still have the same building requirements that a townhouse or single-family house would have,” added Padden, R-Spokane Valley. “The reduction of additional inspections beyond requirements for a townhouse or a single-family house will reduce the cost of these condominiums, making them more affordable to more buyers.”

Senate Bill 5058 is one of several measures approved by the Legislature this year that aim to boost housing in Washington.

“There was a concentrated effort by the Legislature this year to pass bills that will help improve housing in our state,” said Padden.

SB 5058 was strongly supported by the cities of Spokane Valley and Spokane.

Governor signs bill making mobility-improving equipment more affordable

People buying motorized wheelchairs or other mobility-improving equipment will pay less thanks to Senate Bill 5218, a measure prime-sponsored by Padden that was signed by Inslee today.

The law created by SB 5218 makes such equipment tax-exempt. The Senate and House of Representatives unanimously approved the measure during the 2023 legislative session, which ended April 23.

“This law will help people with disabilities by removing the sales tax from motorized wheelchairs or other technological equipment, which will help them save money while also helping maintain their independence,” said Padden. “It can be very costly for someone to buy such equipment that they need for their daily lives, and the sales tax only adds to the high cost. This bill helps make such purchases more affordable for those who need this equipment.”

One supporter of SB 5218 is Steve Gleason, a former Gonzaga Prep, Washington State University and New Orleans Saints football player who contracted amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

“Steve indicated how important this legislation would be, not only for those who have ALS or multiple sclerosis but those who need what I would call high-tech wheelchairs that can do so much and can cost $30,000 and up,” said Padden. “The sales-tax portion is a large amount of money for this equipment. Steve pointed out that if people have this equipment, they are less likely to go into hospitals and require more expensive medical care.”

The new law states that to claim the sales-tax exemption, the purchaser must provide the seller with an exemption certificate as prescribed by the state Department of Revenue. The tax exemption would apply to mobility-enhancing equipment sold or used on or after Aug. 1, 2023.

Both SB 5058 and SB 5218 take effect in late July.

CAPTION: Sen. Mike Padden joins Gov. Jay Inslee at the bill-signing ceremony for Senate Bill 5058 in Olympia. Also attending are Tricia Gullion of the Building Industry Association of Washington (left) and Spokane City Council member Betsy Wilkerson (right).

Padden opposes bill authorizing state agency to distribute, sell abortion-causing pills

Sen. Mike Padden today stood up in support of life and against the majority Democrats’ passage of a Senate bill that would further advance Gov. Jay Inslee’s extreme pro-abortion agenda in Washington.

Senate Bill 5768 passed along party lines, 28-18. It would authorize the state Department of Corrections to distribute or sell the abortion-causing drug mifepristone to licensed health-care providers in Washington. The bill puts the legislative branch of state government in the position of granting its permission after the fact, as the executive branch of government has already purchased what is described as a three-year supply of the chemical.

“I can’t support any bill that makes abortions easier in our state,” said Padden, R-Spokane Valley. “Unborn children need to be considered in this issue. Public money, which is provided by many taxpayers across the state who oppose abortion, should not be spent to stockpile an abortion drug that eventually might be banned by the U.S. Supreme Court if and when that court hears a case over mifepristone. This bill helps realize Governor Inslee’s terrible goal to make Washington an abortion-destination state.”

During debate on SB 5768, six floor amendments introduced by Senate Republicans were all defeated along party lines. Under Padden’s amendment, if the federal Food and Drug Administration rescinds approval for mifepristone, health-care providers would have been required to obtain informed consent informing patients of the drug’s side effects, including heavy bleeding, hemorrhaging, cramping, infection, sepsis “and other severe outcomes.”

“No matter what side of the issue you are on, we should all be concerned about the safety of patients who take this drug,” said Padden in explaining his amendment. “We need to do that in this case. The side effects of this drug are significant. If mifepristone winds up not being approved by the FDA, we need to make sure that patients are told of this drug’s side effects.”

Another Republican amendment, introduced by 18th District Sen. Ann Rivers, would have prohibited DOC from purchasing additional abortion medications without express legislative authority and an appropriation in the state operating budget.

SB 5768 now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.

According to a KOMO News story, medical abortions count for more than half of all abortions in the U.S. and nearly 60% of abortions in Washington.

Padden criticized Senate Democrats for not scheduling the bill for a public hearing in the Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee, of which he is a member.

“Instead of holding a public hearing on this bill in a policy committee, which would have been the appropriate step to take, the Senate majority chose to fast-track it by running it through the Ways and Means Committee,” added Padden.

Inslee recently announced that DOC, under his orders, purchased a three-year supply (30,000 doses) of mifepristone. Inslee also revealed that the University of Washington provided an additional 10,000 pills of this abortion-causing drug, bringing the state’s supply to 40,000 pills. Inslee said it cost the state $1,275,000 to buy the 30,000 pills. The pills were purchased with money appropriated to DOC in the 2021-23 operating budget.

“I’m very disappointed that the governor has spent well over a million tax dollars to buy such a large supply of abortion-causing drugs as part of his grand plan to make Washington a destination state for women from other states to come here to receive an abortion,”
said Padden. “What about the unborn child?”

The 2023 legislative session is scheduled to end April 23.

 

Senate unanimously passes Padden bill providing tax exemption for mobility equipment

Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers April 6, 2023. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletter, click here.

Dear friends and neighbors,

Someone suffering from multiple sclerosis, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) or some similar ailment often must rely on motorized wheelchairs or other high-tech equipment to have the mobility to continue living independent lives. Unfortunately, such equipment can cost $30,000 or more, making it hard to afford.

The Senate recently passed a bill I sponsored that would make it easier for people to purchase this expensive mobility-improving equipment.  

The Senate last Friday voted 48-0 in favor of Senate Bill 5218, which would make the sale of motorized wheelchairs and other mobility-improving equipment tax-exempt. Removing the sales tax from motorized wheelchairs or other technological equipment will help those needing them to save money while also helping maintain their independence.   

We received written testimony in favor of the bill from Steve Gleason, the former Gonzaga Prep, Washington State University and New Orleans Saints football player who contracted amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Steve indicated how important this legislation would be, not only for those who have ALS or MS but those who need what I would call high-tech wheelchairs that can do so much and can cost $30,000 and up. The sales-tax portion is a large amount of money for this equipment. Steve pointed out that if people have this equipment, they are less likely to go into hospitals and require more expensive medical care.

The proposal states that to claim the sales-tax exemption, the purchaser must provide the seller with an exemption certificate as prescribed by the state Department of Revenue. The tax exemption would apply to mobility-enhancing equipment sold or used on or after Aug. 1, 2023. 

SB 5218 has been sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

You can hear a radio story created by Senate Republican Caucus broadcast information officer Tracy Ellis about the Senate passing this bill.

This newsletter covers several other issues and events happening in Olympia in this past week.

If you have questions about how to participate in state government this year or thoughts to share on anything in this e-newsletter, please give me a call or send me an email.

Thank you, as always, for the honor of serving as your state senator!

Happy Easter! 

Best Regards,

Senator Mike Padden

Update on other Padden bills

After devoting much of our time the past three weeks to committee meetings in which public hearings were held on bills passed by the House, we are once again spending hours each day on the Senate floor to debate and vote on bills (mostly House proposals) that are still alive this session. The House is doing the same thing with bills passed earlier this session by the Senate.

Here is an update on my proposals that are still alive:

Senate Bill 5032, which would combat impaired driving, is no longer moving forward this session. But the bill’s language was amended last week onto another drunk-driving measure, House Bill 1493. SB 5032 would expand the period for reviewing prior convictions of impaired driving to 15 years, from the 10 years now in state law, when determining whether a new offense of impaired driving is charged as a felony. Under the proposal, any person who has three or more prior DUI offenses within that 15-year lookback period would face a felony, rather than the current penalty of a gross misdemeanor. Furthermore, SB 5032 would give offenders a chance to undergo a highly structured treatment program.

The Senate Transportation Committee passed HB 1493 on Tuesday, so now it is in the Senate Rules Committee, which acts as a final hurdle for bills to reach the Senate floor.  Earlier this week, the Tacoma News Tribune published my guest editorial explaining why SB 5032 is important and how that language is now part of HB 1493.    

Senate Bill 5058 would help encourage home ownership in our state by making it easier for smaller condominium buildings to be constructed. It specifically would exempt buildings with 12 or fewer units that are no more than two stories from the definition of multiunit residential building. SB 5058 is in the House Rules Committee, so it is close to reaching the floor for a full vote by the House.

Senate Bill 5096 would aid businesses looking to adopt an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) corporate structure. The bill was passed Monday by the House Appropriations Committee, so it is expected to reach the House Rules Committee soon.

Next Wednesday, April 12, is the “floor cutoff” for the Senate to pass House bills. This year’s legislative session is scheduled to end Sunday, April 23.

Inslee uses tax money to buy over $1 million in abortion-causing pills

Governor Inslee’s plan to make Washington an “abortion destination state” took another disappointing step forward this week when he announced that the Department of Corrections, under his orders, purchased a three-supply (30,000 doses) of the abortion-causing drug mifepristone. DOC seems like the wrong agency for such, but it has a pharmacy license. Inslee also revealed that the University of Washington provided an additional 10,000 pills of this abortion-causing drug, bringing the state’s supply to 40,000 pills. Inslee said it cost the state $1,275,000 to buy the 30,000 pills.

I’m very disappointed that the governor has spent well over $1 million in public money (in other words, tax dollars) to buy such a large supply of abortion-causing drugs as part of his scheme to make Washington a destination state for women from other states to come here to receive an abortion. What about the unborn child?

And the thing is, he decided to make this expensive purchase all because a judge in Texas recently heard arguments in a court case that could force the federal Food and Drug Administration to rescind its approval of mifepristone. The Texas judge has not even issued a ruling, and yet Inslee has taken it upon himself to spend your tax dollars on a possible future event.

You can read KOMO-TV’s story about the abortion-pill mass purchase here.   

During his news conference Tuesday announcing the pill purchase, Inslee shared that Democrats have introduced legislation – Senate Bill 5768 and House Bill 1854  – to authorize DOC to distribute or sell mifepristone to licensed health-care providers in our state. According to the KOMO story, medical abortions count for more than half of all abortions in the U.S. and nearly 60% of abortions in our state.

I am opposed to these proposals.

Senate passes its version of transportation budget

North-South Freeway construction.

On Wednesday, the Senate passed its own version of the 2023-25 state transportation budget. The vote was 42-6. The Senate Transportation Committee, on which I serve, had approved the Senate transportation budget (Senate Bill 5162) on Monday.

The Senate’s plan includes funding for these road or highway projects found in or near the 4th District:

  • US 395 (North Spokane Freeway)
  • I-90 corridor improvements in Spokane area
  • I-90 corridor from Spokane to Idaho state line (design)
  • I-90 interchange improvements from Barker to Harvard
  • Barker Road/Trent Avenue grade separation
  • Spokane Transit Authority – Interstate 90/Valley HPT corridor infrastructure
  • Spokane Transit Authority – Argonne Station Park and Ride
  • Spokane Transit Authority – Sprague Line High Performance Transit improvements
  • Move Ahead Washington – Millwood Trail pedestrian and bike project

More information about the Senate transportation budget can be found here.

The House passed its transportation budget 96-1 on Monday. Now that the Senate has approved its version of the transportation budget, transportation-budget leaders from the two chambers will meet to negotiate a final version of the state transportation budget for the Senate and House to vote on near the end of our session.

Updated 4th District government guide now available

Every year or two, our office produces and mails a 4th District government guide to residents of our legislative district. With the help of my staff, we recently produced and sent out an updated government guide that includes helpful contact information on your local, state and federal government elected officials, as well as other government services. The online version of the new government guide can be found here.

If you did not receive the new government guide and would like a printed copy, please contact my legislative assistant, Irina, in our Olympia office by either calling at 360-786-7606 or emailing her at irina.dolbinina@leg.wa.gov.

Gonzaga Prep student serves as Senate page

It has been my pleasure to sponsor Gonzaga Prep freshman Jack Hamsher (above) as a Senate page this week. Jack is the son of Scott and Jennifer Hamsher of Spokane Valley. He is involved in several school activities, including Chess Club, Debate Club, Math Club and the Asian American and Pacific Islander affinity group. I thank all of the pages I sponsored this year for taking time away from their families, their schools and their friends to work in the Senate for a week. I hope they enjoyed their experience in Olympia, learned about how the Legislature works and made new friends.     

Recent radio and TV interviews

During the past several days, I was asked to do various radio or TV interviews about different bills before the Legislature.

On Tuesday morning, I did a live interview with KXLY Radio’s Dave Spencer. We discussed the state operating-budget proposals, including funding for yet another study on the Snake River dams; my bill recently signed by the governor that increases penalties for jail guards who sexually assault those in their custody; and my bill making motorized wheelchairs and other mobility-enhancing equipment tax-exempt. You can hear the interview here.  

Last Friday afternoon, I did a phone interview with KREM-TV’s Amanda Rowley for a story the station ran on House Bill 1240, which would ban semiautomatic firearms in our state. You can watch the story here.   

Finally, last Thursday, I was interviewed for a story by KING-TV in Seattle about the governor signing Senate Bill 5033, which imposes harsher penalties for sexually abusive jail and prison guards. You can view that story here.      

Contact us!

If you have a question or concern about state government, please do not hesitate to contact our office. During the session we are conducting business from our Senate office in Olympia. We are here to serve you!

Phone: (360) 786-7606

Olympia Office: 215 Legislative Modular Building, Olympia, WA 98504-0404

Email address: Mike.Padden@leg.wa.gov

PLEASE NOTE: Any email or documents you provide to this office may be subject to disclosure under RCW 42.56. If you would prefer to communicate by phone, please contact Sen. Padden’s Olympia office at (360) 786-7606.

To request public records from Sen. Padden, please contact Randi Stratton, the designated public records officer for the Secretary of the Senate and Senate members.