Tag Archives: gun rights

Nearly 97% of those testifying on I-2113 support it

Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers February 29, 2024. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletter, click here.

Dear friends and neighbors,

After constant pressure from citizens across the state, three of the six initiatives sent to the Legislature this session finally received public hearings before joint legislative committees earlier this week.

Attendees hold up signs during a rally about the six initiatives to the Legislature, which was held on the Capitol steps last week. Senator Padden was among many legislators who attended.

One was on Initiative 2113, which aims to restore police pursuits in our state to what they were before unreasonable restrictions were imposed by majority Democrats in 2021. The hearing on this initiative was Wednesday morning before a joint meeting of the Senate Law and Justice Committee (on which I’m the Republican leader) and the House Community Safety, Justice, and Reentry Committee. 

Judging by the number of people who signed up to provide either written or verbal testimony during the public hearing, the vast majority of the public supports I-2113. The initiative’s hearing had 5,461 people (96.6% of everyone who testified) sign up in support of it, while only 183 signed up in opposition.

Among those who spoke in support of the measure was 19th District state Representative Jim Walsh, who filed I-2113 last year. Brian Heywood, a citizen, and James McMahan with the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs also testified in favor of the measure.

The joint committee heard compelling testimony from concerned citizen Amber Goldade, who told legislators about how a driver who had eluded law enforcement two weeks earlier struck and killed her 12-year-old daughter and a friend in Pierce County in 2022. Amber urged the Legislature to pass I-2113. You can watch her testimony here. During a media availability this morning that included Senate and House Republican leaders, I talked about Amber’s important testimony and the need for the Legislature to pass I-2113 this session.

A concerned citizen named Amber Goldade provided compelling testimony in favor of I-2113 during the joint legislative hearing Wednesday morning on the measure.

On Tuesday, a joint meeting of the Senate Ways and Means Committee and House Finance Committee held a public hearing on Initiative 2111, which would ban any state or local income tax in Washington. That hearing attracted 6,189 people (89.6%) in favor while 673 signed up against it. You may watch TVW’s video of the hearing here. The Center Square wrote an article about the hearing.

Earlier on Wednesday morning, I-2081, which would give parents the right to review K-12 instructional materials and require parental notification of school-provided medical services, received a hearing before a joint meeting of the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee and the House Education Committee. That measure drew 5,906 people (89%) who signed up in support, while 693 were opposed.  TVW covered that hearing. You may watch it here.

Democratic leaders have said the other three initiatives sent to the Legislature this session will not receive public hearings, meaning they automatically go on the statewide ballot this November for Washington voters to decide. Those are:

  • I-2117, which would repeal the state’s costly climate policy, called “cap-and-trade” by some but “cap-and-tax” or “cap-and-gouge,” by opponents who note this law has caused gas prices to rise substantially. The climate policy became state law in 2021 and took full effect early last year. It is now in the Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee.
  • I-2109, to repeal the state capital-gains income tax that was passed by the Democrat-controlled Legislature in 2021. It is now in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
  • I-2124, which would allow individuals to opt out of the mandatory payroll tax for the state-run long-term care program. It is before the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee.

Here are videos on the initiatives that our caucus created earlier this session:

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.

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 representing you in Olympia!

Best Regards,

Senator Mike Padden

Legislative session enters final week

The Senate chamber in the Legislative Building.

Besides today being Leap Day (which happens every four years, as 2024 is a leap year), we are one day from the final key deadline of this legislative session.

Tomorrow is the last day for the House to pass bills approved earlier by the Senate this session. Tomorrow’s cutoff also applies for the Senate to pass House-approved bills.

After tomorrow, the Senate will focus on whether to “concur” (agree) with amendments (changes) made to Senate bills before the House approved them.

If the Senate concurs with the House changes to a Senate bill, the bill is viewed as having received full legislative approval and goes to Governor Inslee for his consideration.

If the Senate does not concur, the House has a choice: either “recede” from its position, meaning drop the changes it made and pass the bill as it came over from the Senate, or “insist” on its position. More often than not, the choice to insist ends up with both chambers designating members to confer and come to a compromise. The report resulting from this conference then comes to us for a final vote.

Another important task for the Senate and House to complete is for legislative leaders to reach agreement on compromise versions of the state supplemental operating, capital and transportation budgets. The supplemental budgets make adjustments to the original two-year state budgets enacted by the Legislature last year.

Senate Democrats pass bill that could end retail gun sales in Washington

The Senate’s Democratic majority Tuesday night passed a controversial bill that might result in the end of retail firearm sales in Washington.

House Bill 2118 would require firearm dealers to install burdensome security features and alarm and surveillance systems, and adopt redundant storage and very burdensome record-keeping practices. It also would set minimum insurance-coverage requirements and require employees to undergo annual background checks.

It’s important to know that our state already maintains electronic records of every firearm transaction, through the Washington State Patrol and state Department of Licensing. Despite that, HB 2118 would force the roughly 1,300 retailers with federal firearms licenses (FFLs) to keep paper copies of these transactions as long as they are in business.

Under the bill as passed by the House earlier this session, these retailers would have to maintain 730 days of surveillance video, even though no other agency or business in Washington is required to maintain more than 60 days of surveillance video. An amendment adopted by the Senate lowers that to 90 days, which is an improvement. Despite that amendment, HB 2118 remains a terribly flawed measure that will put many gun shops in our state out of business.

Because the Senate amended HB 2118, it must return to the House so that chamber can concur (or agree) with the Senate’s changes. Unfortunately, this extreme measure very likely will be passed by the Legislature and then signed by the governor.

The Seattle Times, which typically publishes editorials that support gun-control measures, actually ran an editorial earlier this week that opposes HB 2118. The editorial said this bill pushes gun control to a level of punishment for legitimate businesses, and it pointed out that HB 2118 would impose costs on small firearms sellers that could force them out of business and expand the black market for gun sales.   

Spokane student serves as Senate page

This week I had the pleasure of sponsoring Colleen Kittilstved as a Senate page. Colleen, the daughter of Mike and Kathleen Kittilstved, is a homeschooler who lives in Spokane. 

Colleen is on a club swim team and plays varsity basketball for Chesterton Academy. When she is not playing sports, she enjoys being with her family and friends. Colleen also enjoys history and politics.  

It was nice to meet Colleen this week. She did a terrific job as a page. Colleen said she was able to create friendships with other pages, and she enjoyed working on the Senate floor

The Senate Page Program is an opportunity for Washington students to spend a week working in the Legislature. Students are responsible for transporting documents between offices, as well as delivering messages and mail. Pages spend time in the Senate chamber and attend page school to learn about parliamentary procedure and the legislative process. Students also draft their own bills and engage in a mock committee.

FEMA in-person disaster resource centers now open in Spokane County to assist homeowners, renters and businesses affected by 2023 wildfires

Earlier this week, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that two in-person disaster outreach centers are available for survivors of the Gray and Oregon Road Fires beginning today in both the Elk Chattaroy and Medicine Lake communities. The locations and hours are below.

Elk Chattaroy Disaster Outreach Center:

Country Church of the Open Bible, 40015 North Collins Road, Elk, WA 99009.

Medical Lake Disaster Outreach Center:

Medical Lake City Hall, 124 South Lefevre St., Medical Lake, WA 99022.

Hours of operations for both centers: Monday, Tuesday, Friday 8:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Sundays closed.

The application process with both FEMA and SBA is now open.

  • The fastest way to start the process is to register with FEMA by visiting www.DisasterAssistance.gov
  • The fastest way to enroll with SBA is by doing one of three things: visiting SBA’s disaster site: sba.gov/disaster; emailing SBA at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or calling SBA customer service at (800) 659-2955
  • Or visit the in-person locations detailed above.

In addition, the SBA and the Washington Small Business Development Center opened an SBA Business Recovery Center in Spokane this past Tuesday to provide a wide range of services to businesses impacted by the wildfires that occurred last August.

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.

 

ALERT – Property taxes could rise under bad bill moving in Senate

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

Dear friends and neighbors,

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that Senate Democrats are considering a bill this session that could dramatically raise your property taxes if enacted.

Unfortunately, this very bad and very expensive proposal is still alive. The Senate Ways and Means Committee on Monday voted to pass Senate Bill 5770, which would triple the allowable growth rate of annual property taxes collected by local governments in Washington. Governments currently may collect an additional 1% 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.

There is talk in the Capitol that Senate Bill 5770 might be brought to the Senate floor as early as later today. If so, I will strongly oppose this very bad and unnecessary bill. Homeowners and landowners are paying enough in property taxes without being put in a position by the Legislature to pay even 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 representing you in Olympia!

Best Regards,

Senator Mike Padden

Bill requiring insurance to own guns dies in committee

Every year in Olympia, Democrats sponsor several bills that infringe on law-abiding gun owners in one way or another.

It’s good to report that one of the more outrageous anti-2nd Amendment bills has been stopped this year.

Senate Bill 5963, introduced by 48th District Senator Patty Kuderer of Bellevue, would require gun owners, including renters, to have a home insurance policy simply for owning a firearm.

The NRA provided ample reason why SB 5963 is bad legislation:

Mandating insurance policies will in no way reduce crime and the illicit use of firearms, as criminals and other prohibited persons could never secure coverage. Instead, this legislation would serve as a barrier to those seeking to exercise their rights, including unknown annual costs. SB 5963 could be utilized as a backdoor registration scheme, which would include sensitive personal information on firearm owners, including name, address, phone number and other identifiers. Additionally, given the uncertainty if this type of coverage would even exist, it could put insurance companies in a position of increased pricing on policies based on the types and number of firearms covered. This legislation is not rooted in public safety, but instead provides an additional avenue for the Washington State Legislature to harass and burden law-abiding citizens.

As Republican leader in the Senate Law and Justice Committee, Senator Padden helped lead the successful effort to keep Senate Bill 5963 from being approved by the panel.

For many gun owners, SB 5963 represents yet another Democrat-sponsored bill to make it harder and more expensive to own a gun. Of the nearly 2,100 people who signed up to express their opinion on this measure when it received a public hearing in the Senate Law and Justice Committee on January 29, over 1,300 (62%) opposed it.

Among the many people who testified against SB 5963 was Jeremy Ball, who owns a shooting range in Spokane. You can view and hear Jeremy’s testimony here.

Those testifying against the bill made several worthy arguments:

  • This bill will make housing in Washington even less affordable.
  • The bill would require an ongoing fee, in the form of insurance, to exercise a constitutional right.
  • SB 5963 would not reduce gun crimes because it only addresses accidental discharge.
  • If this passes, gun owners will be forced to choose between housing and keeping their firearm.
  • Reporting of firearm ownership to insurance companies is akin to a firearm registry.
  • The insurance products described in this bill do not exist.
  • Citizens will be priced out of gun ownership because of the increased cost of purchasing insurance.
  • This bill discriminates against gun owners.
  • Impoverished people would suffer the most under this bill due to the increased costs associated with protecting themselves.
  • This bill is unnecessary. Firearms account for less than one percent of preventable accidents.

Fortunately, thanks in large part to the vast opposition to SB 5963 during its public hearing, as well as the many calls and emails from gun supporters to key legislators on the Law and Justice Committee, the bill was not brought up for a vote, so it is dead – at least until next year.

However, it would not be surprising if Democrats choose to introduce the same bill in 2025.

Six initiatives to the Legislature still ‘held hostage’ by not receiving public hearings

This poster, featuring Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and seen on the Capitol campus in Olympia, underscores how the state’s capital-gains tax could force residents to leave Washington. 

It’s very disappointing that Democrat leaders in the Senate and House still have not scheduled public hearings on the six initiatives that were sent to the Legislature earlier this session. These measures each received more than 400,000 signatures and collectively over 2.6 million signatures. Here’s what each would do:

  • Initiative 2113 deals with police pursuits. It would erase certain requirements that since 2021 have prevented law-enforcement officers from pursuing a suspect unless they think someone has committed certain crimes, including a violent offense or driving while impaired. It has been sent to the Senate Law and Justice Committee for consideration.
  • I-2117 would repeal the state’s costly climate policy, called “cap-and-trade” by some but “cap-and-tax” or “cap-and-gouge,” by opponents who note this law has caused gas prices to rise substantially. The climate policy became state law in 2021 and took full effect early last year. It is now in the Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee.
  • I-2081 would give parents the right to review K-12 instructional materials and require parental notification of school-provided medical services. It has been referred to the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee.
  • I-2109 would repeal the state capital-gains tax that was passed by the Democrat-controlled Legislature in 2021. It is now in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
  • I-2111 would ban any local or state government in our state from imposing an income tax. Like I-2109, this measure is in the Ways and Means Committee.
  • I-2124 would allow people to opt out of the mandatory payroll tax for the state-run long-term care program. It is before the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee.

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.

Another poster found around the Capitol points out how I-2113 would help improve public safety by restoring police pursuits in Washington.    

There are rumors that the Democrats might schedule public hearings on three of the initiatives – parental rights (I-2081), banning any income tax (I-2111) and restoring the ability of police to pursue (I-2113). However, if the hearings occur, it would not happen until after the February 13 “floor cutoff” for the Senate to pass bills that originated in our chamber. 

Senate passes second Padden bill removing red tape from construction of smaller condominiums

A year ago, the Legislature unanimously approved a bill that I prime-sponsored that helps encourage home ownership in Washington by making it easier to construct smaller condominium buildings.

A similar condo-construction measure that I introduced is advancing this year following its unanimous passage Tuesday. The proposal now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration. 

Senate Bill 5792 would exclude buildings with 12 or fewer units that are no more than three stories high from the definition of “multiunit residential building” if one story is utilized for above- or below-ground parking or retail space.

This bill builds on last year’s efforts to have more housing options for Washington’s middle class. Condominiums provide an affordable path to homeownership for first-time homebuyers.   

When SB 5792 received a public hearing in the Senate Law and Justice Committee last month, several people testified in favor of it, including Spokane Valley City Council member Rod Higgins, Spokane City Council President Betsy Wilkerson, Greenstone Corporation’s Jim Frank and officials from the Washington Realtors Association and the Building Industry Association of Washington.

The law created by last year’s condo bill, Senate Bill 5058, exempts buildings with 12 or fewer units that are no more than two stories high from the definition of “multiunit residential building.”

Washington has one of the lower homeownership rates in the nation, and both policies can help our state address this problem. These smaller condominiums would still have the same building requirements that a townhouse or single-family house would have.

The combination of that law and this year’s new bill, if it is enacted, should result in more homeownership in the state. 

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.

Senate resolution honors Seattle Mariners on 2022 playoff run

Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers April 20, 2023. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletter, click here.

It was great to meet with former Seattle Mariners catcher Dan Wilson during his visit to the Capitol this morning. 

Dear friends and neighbors,

After more than 100 days of committee meetings and floor sessions in Olympia, this year’s regular legislative session will end this Sunday, April 23.

Before the Legislature wraps up for the year, there are still important tasks for the Senate and House to finish, including passage of a new two-year state operating budget. The two chambers also will need to reach final agreement on new two-year state capital and transportation budgets.

The Senate and House also will spend these final days negotiating on a handful of bills that are “in dispute,” meaning that one chamber disagrees with changes to a bill made by the second chamber.    

During a typical Senate floor session, members will debate and vote on a number of bills and amendments. But occasionally we also sponsor resolutions that are read aloud on the floor. The resolutions often recognize or honor notable individuals or group in our state. Sometimes, these resolutions recognize sports teams or athletes. One of the Northwest’s beloved pro sports teams was honored today.

The Senate took a couple of minutes from today’s busy floor schedule to pass a resolution congratulating the Seattle Mariners on reaching the 2022 American League playoffs and ending their 21-year postseason drought. After the resolution was read aloud and then approved by the Senate, a number of senators spoke about the team and its exciting season. You can watch a video of my floor speech on the resolution here.   

Earlier this morning, before the resolution was read on the floor, former Mariners catcher Dan Wilson came to the Capitol to meet with fans, sign autographs and have photos taken. I enjoyed chatting with Dan and hearing his thoughts on the current Mariners team and a couple of fun stories about his playing days. 

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!

Best Regards,

Senator Mike Padden

Legislature passes two Padden bills this week

I was pleased that the Legislature this week approved two of my bills.

Senate Bill 5218 would make the sale of motorized wheelchairs and other mobility-improving equipment tax-exempt. The House unanimously passed it on Monday after the Senate unanimously approved it on March 31. It has been sent to the governor for his signature. No signing date has been scheduled yet, but bills passed by the Legislature that are delivered to the governor more than five days before the Legislature adjourns must be acted on within five days (not counting Sundays) – otherwise they automatically become law. The governor has 20 days (except Sundays) to act on bills that are delivered fewer than five days before session ends.    

Senate Bill 5096 would aid businesses looking to adopt an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) corporate structure. The House unanimously passed an amended version of this bill on Monday. The Senate yesterday voted 48-0 to concur with the House’s changes, so this bill has been approved by the Legislature and soon will go to the governor.    

Last week, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 5058, which 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. It was sent to Governor Inslee on Tuesday.

DUI lookback bill is still alive as part of HB 1493

 

House Bill 1493, which deals with impaired driving, includes language from SB 5032, my bipartisan proposal 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. Under SB 5032, 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. SB 5032 would give offenders a chance to undergo a highly structured treatment program.

After the Senate last week passed the version of HB 1493 that includes the language in SB 5032, the House on Monday refused to concur with the Senate’s changes to that bill, so the Senate today amended the measure in a way that will result in the House giving its final approval. Once that happens, the bill will go to the governor.     

Updated 4th District government guide still 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.

Controversial bills still alive as session nears end

Over the past several days, the Senate and House reached agreement on a large number of bills. Most of these compromise measures received strong bipartisan support in the Senate.

But there have been some bad bills that I could not support that either have been passed by the Democrat majorities in the House and Senate or are still alive at this point of session.  

One very controversial bill that is still alive is Senate Bill 5599. Under this proposal, parents of runaway children seeking gender-affirming care would not be notified by a licensed shelter or host home if the child was taken in there. (The bill would require a shelter or host home to report to the Department of Children, Youth and Families within 72 hours of the child being there.) This proposal has caused a tidal wave of opposition from many people across the state. They have argued that the bill ignores the rights of parents to know where their children are.

After the Senate passed it 27-19 on March 1, the House amended and then approved the bill 57-39 on April 12, just before the House’s floor cutoff. (The Spokesman-Review published this story earlier this week on the House passing SB 5599.) The Senate yesterday voted along party lines, 29-20, to concur (or agree) with the House changes to the bill, so, unfortunately, it has been approved by the Legislature and soon will be sent to the governor.  

Another controversial bill that is still alive this session is Senate Bill 5352, which deals with vehicle pursuits. As some of you know, the Democrat-controlled Legislature in 2021 severely weakened Washington’s vehicle-pursuit law by allowing law-enforcement officers to pursue a suspect only if they have probable cause to believe the driver has committed a violent or sexual crime, or escaped from jail. The 2021 law also allows pursuits for reasonable suspicion of DUI. But the law prohibits pursuits for auto thefts and burglaries.

Since the 2021 law went into effect, auto thefts in Washington have skyrocketed. According to a report by the National Insurance Crime Bureau, auto thefts rose 31% in Washington from 2021 to 2022, the second-largest increase after Illinois. The total number of vehicle thefts in our state last year was 46,939, which ranks Washington third after only California and Texas, the two most populous states in the America. (Washington is the 13th most populous state.) 

SB 5352 would lower the threshold for law enforcement to chase suspects from probable cause to reasonable suspicion of violent and sex crimes. Pursuits for domestic violence and vehicular assaults also would be allowed under the proposal.

I voted against this bill because it doesn’t get the job done in restoring officers’ ability to pursue suspects. For instance, under SB 5352, officers still could not chase after people suspected of auto theft or reckless driving. Because SB 5352 still restricts officers from pursuing auto-theft suspects, this crime will continue to be a huge problem here in Washington.

The Senate originally passed SB 5352 in March. After the House amended and then approved it 57-40 on April 10, the Senate voted 26-22 on Monday  to concur with the House’s changes to the proposal, so it will soon go to Governor Inslee for his consideration.

A third bad bill that has passed is House Bill 1240, which would ban the sale or purchase in our state of modern sporting rifles. After the Senate had amended and then passed HB 1240 on April 8, the House refused to concur with the Senate’s changes, so the bill returned to our chamber, where Senate Democrats voted to remove the Senate’s original amendments and then adopt new amendments.  Under the most recent amendment that was approved by the Senate Democrats, firearms dealers in Washington would be allowed to sell or transfer their existing stock of firearms affected by the ban – provided they were acquired before Jan. 1, 2023. However, the sales could only be to out-of-state customers, and only for 90 days after the governor signs the measure into law). The House yesterday voted 56-42 to agree with the latest version of HB 1240, so it will go to the governor.

I have voted against each version of HB 1240 because it restricts the rights of gun owners.

Bill to raise property-tax cap won’t pass this year, says Senate Democrat

In recent weeks, one of the more controversial bills to appear this session was Senate Bill 5770. It would triple the cap (to 3%, from the current 1%) on annual increases in the property taxes levied by state and local governments. The 1% cap was first implemented by the voters in 2001, through Initiative 747; after the state Supreme Court declared it invalid six years later, a Democrat-controlled Legislature quickly reinstated the 1% limit with the blessing of a Democratic governor (former Gov. Gregoire).

Following a huge outcry by Republicans and property owners, the bill’s prime sponsor, Sen. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, told The Center Square in an email that “SB 5770 will not be advancing this year.” (You can read The Center Square article here.) That is good news for homeowners and property owners. But as he specified “this year,” we must expect another push for this unpopular measure next year.

KVI Radio interview on transgender men housed in women’s prison

This morning I did a live phone interview with Seattle-based KVI Radio talk show host John Carlson. We discussed transgender men being housed in a state women’s corrections facility. I also provided an update on the legislative session. You can hear that interview here. 

Fuel prices continue to rise, thanks to “cap-and-trade”

When the Democrat-controlled Legislature in 2021 passed the Climate Commitment Act, creating a “cap-and-trade” program that went into effect this Jan. 1, the governor claimed that “cap-and-trade” would raise fuel prices by only a few cents a gallon.

Anybody who has bought gas or diesel in the past few months will tell you the governor is very wrong. According to this story by the Washington Policy Center’s Todd Myers, since Jan. 1, our state’s “gas prices have increased between 35 and 52 cents more than neighboring state since the state launched a tax on CO2 emissions at the beginning of the year. (See chart above that was featured in the WPC story.) Despite the clear data, state politicians and agency staff refuse to acknowledge the cost of the increases and aren’t helping residents deal with the impact of the costs.”

Todd’s story points out that the difference between Washington’s gas prices and the average of Oregon and Idaho increased by about 44 cents per gallon since the beginning of this year. This significant difference will make it very tempting for some drivers living near the state border to cross into Idaho to fuel up. That would hurt Washington gas stations located near the border.  

The Climate Commitment Act included language that would have exempted fuel for farming, barging, maritime and aviation from higher costs caused by the cap-and-trade program. However, farmers and others have not received this exemption. They continue to pay the extra cost created by cap-and-trade. Bills were introduced this session to implement this exemption, but they went nowhere. It is wrong for the Department of Ecology, which is in charge of the cap-and-trade program, to not fix this problem and make the expected exemption a reality. DOE and Governor Inslee need to fix this problem soon this year before wheat grown on eastern Washington farms is harvested and shipped via barge down the Snake and Columbia rivers.  

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.

Senate Democrats pass two bills that limit gun rights

Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers April 13, 2023. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletter, click here.

Dear friends and neighbors,

The rights of law-abiding Washingtonians to buy and use firearms took another step backward late last week when the Democrat-run Senate passed two measures, both requested by Gov. Inslee, that will restrict this constitutionally protected right. No Republicans supported either bill.

On Friday, the Senate voted 28-18 to pass House Bill 1143, which would prohibit someone from buying a firearm from a dealer unless the buyer has passed a background check and has completed a firearm-safety training program.

Then on Saturday, after hours of debates and votes on nearly 20 Republican-sponsored amendments (all defeated by the majority Democrats), the Senate voted 27-21 to approve House Bill 1240, which would ban the sale or purchase in our state of modern sporting rifles.

Under HB 1240, exceptions are included for those who now own or someday inherit such a firearm. Violating the proposed law would be a gross misdemeanor, punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a fine of up to $5,000.

Several of my Republican colleagues gave powerful and impassioned speeches about why HB 1240 should not be passed. Two speeches that stood out were by 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler and 10th District Sen. Ron Muzzall. (Click on their names to watch parts of their speeches.)

Read this Tacoma News Tribune story to see a list of the roughly 60 specific firearms that would be banned under HB 1240 and where the bill goes next.

What is especially frustrating and inconsistent about the Democrats’ approach to what they call “gun violence” is that they vote to approve proposals that deny freedom-loving people of their right to have certain guns, then turn around and pass a bill that would decriminalize the illegal use of firearms for repeat offenders. If the Legislature really cares about gun violence, legislators need to make sure that crimes committed with a firearm receive sufficient punishment. Decriminalizing their illegal actions is the wrong approach. It likely will lead to more crime in the future.         

In the days leading up to the two votes on the Senate floor, my office received 1,336 emails on HB 1143 and 1,652 emails on HB 1240. Many of these emails addressed both bills. Of all of these emails, only 100 or so were in favor of the two proposals. To those 4th District residents who took the time to call or email me about these two bills, thank you! I appreciate how you care about this important right.

Because the Senate amended both bills before passing them, the House of Representatives must vote to “concur” (agree) with those changes before they can be sent to the governor. 

If and when the governor signs these bills, I expect lawsuits will be filed against both proposals. It is very possible that they will be found unconstitutional.  

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!

Best Regards,

Senator Mike Padden

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.

Legislature passes bill expanding eligibility for property-tax exemption

Throughout this session, other lawmakers and I have called for the Legislature to provide tax relief for Washingtonians. While there won’t be any widespread tax relief this year, there is some modest good news to share.

The Legislature has approved a proposal that would make more people eligible to qualify for property-tax relief. House Bill 1355 would increase the income limit to qualify for existing property-tax exemptions. Under the bill, homeowners can get an exemption on their property taxes if they are at least 61 years old, unable to work because of a disability or meet one of several other qualifications. Applicants also must make less than their county’s income limit for the program. More information about this proposal can be found here.  

The Senate passed HB 1355 47-0 last Friday. The House approved it 96-0 in March. The measure now goes to the governor.

Senate passes flawed housing bill

On Tuesday, the Senate passed House Bill 1110, which would require certain cities planning under the state’s Growth Management Act to authorize minimum development densities on lots zoned predominately for residential use. I voted against it. This is an issue that should be addressed by locals, not the state. This legislation takes away local control on land-use decisions from the cities of Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake and Millwood. It gives the decision-making power to Olympia. You can watch my floor speech opposing HB 1110 by clicking here. Because the Senate amended HB 1110 before approving it, the proposal must return to the House for concurrence.

Padden bills update

Yesterday was “floor cutoff,” the final day for the full Senate to approve bills passed by the House earlier this session and for the full House to pass bills approved by the Senate. Three of my bills – plus a fourth bill that has been folded into a House proposal – are still alive after this key deadline. Sunday, April 23 is the last scheduled day of this year’s legislative session.

SB 5096 would aid businesses looking to adopt an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) corporate structure. This bipartisan proposal is on the House second-reading calendar. Because the proposal is considered necessary to implement the budget, it was exempt from yesterday’s floor cutoff.   

SB 5218 would make the sale of motorized wheelchairs and other mobility-improving equipment tax-exempt. This bill is scheduled for passage by the House Finance Committee tomorrow morning following a public hearing. Like, SB 5096, SB 5218 was exempt from this week’s floor cutoff deadline because it is considered necessary to implement the budget.

SB 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. The bill was passed 97-0 by the House yesterday. Because the House did not amend it, the bill now goes to the governor.

HB 1493 deals with drunk driving. Even though it is a House proposal, it now includes language from SB 5032, my bipartisan proposal 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. 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. SB 5032 would give offenders a chance to undergo a highly structured treatment program. The Senate passed HB 1493 on a 48-0 vote Tuesday. You can watch my floor speech in favor of HB 1493 by clicking here. Because the Senate amended it, the bill returns to the House for “concurrence.”   

Abortion-pill stockpile proposal receives Senate hearing

A pro-abortion bill that was introduced only last week is being fast-tracked by Senate Democrats toward passage by the Legislature this session.

Senate Bill 5768 received a public hearing Monday in the Senate Ways and Committee, which passed the bill on a party-line vote yesterday. The proposal would allow the Department of Corrections to stockpile and distribute doses of the abortion pill Mifepristone. If and when SB 5768 reaches the Senate floor, I will vote against it. This proposal is part of an effort by Governor Inslee and some Democrats to turn Washington into an abortion destination state.

The SB 5768 hearing and vote came days after Gov. Inslee announced that he was stockpiling 30,000 doses of Mifepristone in case U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk of Texas blocked federal Food and Drug Administration approval of the abortion-causing drug. The Texas judge issued a decision last Friday to block this abortion-causing drug. Later on the same day, U.S. District Judge Thomas Rice from eastern Washington’s federal court issued an order prohibiting the FDA from pulling access to the drug. The issue over Mifepristone is likely headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.     

Otis Orchards student serves as page

Brigitte Peterson (above), a sophomore at Chesterton Academy of Notre Dame, is serving as a Senate page this week. Brigitte, 15, is the daughter of Vincent and Amanda Peterson of Otis Orchards. She enjoys volleyball, softball, golf, skiing and playing the piano. Although Brigitte lives in the 4th District, 6th District Sen. Jeff Holy of Cheney was kind enough to sponsor her because I had already reached my quota of page sponsorships for this session.   

Session update video created for 4th District Slavic-speaking population

In recent years, the Slavic-speaking population in the 4th Legislative District has grown substantially, as immigrants from Russia and Ukraine have settled in our area. Just as I did a few years ago, I recently shot a video that is for our district’s Slavic-speaking population. The video is meant to welcome our Slavic-speaking neighbors and provide them with an update on the legislative session, including the Senate resolution that honors Ukrainian Americans. It also provides information on how to take English-as-a-second-language (ESL) classes at Spokane Community College. Special thanks to my legislative assistant, Irina Dolbinina, who is featured in the video translating what I say into the Russian language, which is very similar to the Ukrainian language. The video can be viewed by clicking 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.

Gun-rights initiatives to receive public hearing Jan. 29

padden_pqSen. Mike Padden will devote the Senate Law and Justice Committee’s Jan. 29 meeting to public hearings on the two gun-rights initiatives before the Legislature. His panel will begin taking testimony about Initiative 591 and Initiative 594 at 1:30 p.m. that day in Senate Hearing Room 1.

Padden, R-Spokane Valley, realizes the Legislature is expected to exercise its constitutional right to place the two measures on the November general-election ballot, rather than vote on them at the Capitol. That makes the hearing one week from today all the more important, he said.

“More often than not initiatives go straight to the people, rather than the Legislature, meaning lawmakers don’t get to ask questions about the consequences – and we all know how laws sometimes have unintended consequences,” said Padden. “Bringing these two measures before our committee, and the public, will allow for questions that might not be answered otherwise. That helps us and it can only help to inform the voters,” he said. Continue reading →