Tag Archives: religious liberty

Hearing on controversial abortion-mandate bill set for this afternoon

Padden says bill is ‘unnecessary, unconstitutional and could prove costly for state’

Mike PaddenThe Senate Ways and Means Committee will hold a public hearing at 3:30 p.m. today on House Bill 2330, a controversial measure that would require private-insurance plans which provide maternity coverage to also pay for elective abortions.

“Proponents of this legislation are jeopardizing nearly six billion dollars’ worth of revenue from the federal government through their support of this bill, which almost certainly constitutes a violation of federal law,” said Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley and a chief opponent of the measure.

Padden, along with other Senate Republicans, sent a letter to Governor Gregoire in late January detailing some possible ramifications of HB 2330 (and its Senate companion bill, SB 6185). It warns of the conflict between HB 2330 and a provision in the federal omnibus appropriations bill (H.R. 2055) passed in December, specifically within the “Department of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012”:

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Padden votes against Senate bill to redefine marriage, offers amendments to protect religious liberty

Mike PaddenThe Senate tonight, by a vote of 28 to 21, passed Senate Bill 6239, a measure that would redefine marriage in Washington to include relationships between same-sex couples. Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, voted against the bill, and offered this statement:

“Marriage has always been understood to be a comprehensive relationship between a man and woman, as husband and wife, grounded in their complementary nature and their ability to naturally conceive and give birth to children, and serve as father and mother.

“The state has always recognized the special nature of that relationship and its benefits for society as a whole, but the state did not create or define marriage. Marriage was created by society and the church prior to the creation of the state. In fact, the institution of marriage, as well as its definition and purposes, pre-dates all reliable recorded history. To change such a fundamental pillar of our society is not only foolish, but dangerous.

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