Tag Archives: Senate Bill 5000

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.

Committee backs bills to hold felons, corrections officers accountable

Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Padden’s subscribers Feb. 3, 2023. To subscribe to Sen. Padden’s newsletter, click here.

Dear friends and neighbors,

Officers who work in Washington’s correctional facilities are part of the law-enforcement community just as much as the officers who patrol our communities and investigate crimes. Like all the other people we entrust to administer justice, corrections officers must be held to a high standard, especially considering the unique level of authority they have over people in custody.

The crime of first-degree custodial sexual misconduct is already a Class C felony, but that unfortunately does not seem to be having the appropriate deterrent effect. I introduced Senate Bill 5033 to reclassify this crime as a Class B felony, which would allow a prison term of 10 years instead of the current five-year maximum.

The Law and Justice Committee heard testimony about the bill on Monday, as reported by KING-TV in Seattle (click here to view the report). The committee unanimously passed SB 5033 yesterday. I expect it will be sent to the Senate Rules Committee, which acts as a final gatekeeper before bills that have been passed by other Senate committees can reach the Senate floor.

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

Panel hears bill requiring pursuit of community-custody violators

One of the problems with Washington’s criminal-justice system is the state Department of Corrections’ failure to prioritize the pursuit of felons who have violated terms of their community supervision, which leaves them free to commit more crimes.

Senate Bill 5226 aims to address that problem. It would require the Department of Corrections to prioritize staffing to pursue active warrants for community-custody violators. In doing so, my bill tries to refocus the agency on its highest duty, which is public safety – because that duty is not being carried out if arrest warrants are going unserved.

This proposal resulted from a 2016 Senate investigation into the premature release of about 3,000 prisoners from the Department of Corrections. Information related to that investigation can be viewed here.

Offenders who have warrants out on them are more prone than others to reoffend. By serving these warrants, we can see some positive changes, including the possibility that these people will not reoffend.

Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney Larry Haskell, Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels and Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl testified remotely from Spokane in favor of the proposal. Their willingness to offer support is greatly appreciated; that testimony can be seen here.

DUI ‘lookback’ bill clears
second committee hurdle

The Senate’s 12 policy committees have until Feb. 17, or a little more than two weeks from now, to act on Senate bills. When a bill passed by a policy committee has a budget component, it almost always goes before a fiscal committee as well. That means more work for the Senate’s two fiscal committees, which is why they are given an additional week to decide which bills move ahead.

My Senate Bill 5032, known at the Capitol as the DUI “lookback” bill, received the Senate Transportation Committee’s endorsement on Monday. It aims to reduce impaired driving in Washington, and had already been approved at the policy level, by the Senate Law and Justice Committee.

The Senate’s 12 policy committees have until Feb. 17, or a little more than two weeks from now, to act on Senate bills. When a bill passed by a policy committee has a budget component, it almost always goes before a fiscal committee as well. That means more work for the Senate’s two fiscal committees, which is why they are given an additional week to decide which bills move ahead.

My Senate Bill 5032, known at the Capitol as the DUI “lookback” bill, received the Senate Transportation Committee’s endorsement on Monday. It aims to reduce impaired driving in Washington, and had already been approved at the policy level, by the Senate Law and Justice Committee.

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. The proposal would increase the penalty from a gross misdemeanor to a felony offense for any person who has three or more prior DUI offenses within that “lookback” period.

Transportation is a fiscal committee, and ordinarily a bill that has received fiscal-committee approval proceeds directly to the Senate Rules Committee. For some reason – perhaps because it would increase the prison population, which costs money – SB 5032 is instead headed for Ways and Means, the Senate’s other budget committee. Considering half of the sponsors of this bill are also members of Ways and Means, this added stop should not be a roadblock.

Other bills still moving:

  • Senate Bill 5218, which would provide tax relief to people who require specialized, medically prescribed equipment such as custom wheelchairs — “complex rehabilitation technology products,” as the legislation puts it. SB 5218 is scheduled for a public hearing Feb. 7 before the Senate Ways and Means Committee, after receiving approval from the Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee.
  • Senate Bill 5096, which would aid businesses looking to adopt an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), is also before the Senate Ways and Means Committee after being passed last week by the Business, Financial Services, Gaming and Trade Committee. Ways and Means has through Feb. 24 to take action.

Washington has a shortage of homes that people can afford to buy – especially those looking for their first home – and the staggering cost of regulations is a big reason why. The Building Industry Association of Washington recently compiled the latest numbers showing how the cost of a home is inflated by a variety of government-controlled factors. I am a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 5027, to promote housing affordability and home construction; it has received a public hearing before the Senate Housing Committee, a new panel for 2023.

West Valley student
serves as Senate page

It is a joy to see young people from across our state come to the Capitol to serve as pages for the Legislature. This week I had the honor of sponsoring Hadassah Duff as a Senate page. She is the 15-year-old daughter of Jaime Colds-Duff and Rocky Duff of Spokane, and a sophomore at West Valley High School. Hadassah is involved in cross country and track, National Honors Society, and is the president of her school’s HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) club. 

Celebrating and honoring
Americans of Chinese Descent

Those of us serving in the Legislature know January as the month that our annual sessions begin, as specified in Washington’s constitution. If Senate Bill 5000 becomes law, January will also become “Americans of Chinese Descent Month” in our state.

The Senate passed SB 5000 unanimously this week, with the prime sponsor – Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley – noting how the designation is a perfect fit for Washington, as Americans of Chinese descent make up the largest percentage of Asian-Americans in our state.

This bill also would encourage public schools to remember and honor the many contributions and achievements made by the Chinese-American community, and designate time for appropriate activities in commemoration of our state’s complicated history with the Chinese community – “the good and the bad,” as Senator Wagoner put it.

There’s a heartwarming tie between this bill and our legislative district, as I noted when speaking in the Senate chamber prior to our vote (click here to view my remarks). In January, Central Valley High School student Lucy He received a legislative certificate of appreciation for winning the Chinese American History Month national essay contest, sponsored by Asians for Equality – a group that also testified in support of SB 5000 at the committee level.

The connection became deeper when Dr. John Parker, the Central Valley School District’s new superintendent, also spoke in favor of the legislation, with a compelling recollection of the three years he and his wife, Ashley, spent at Shanghai Community International School in Shanghai, China.

The Senate unanimously passed a version of this legislation in 2022, but it was not brought to a vote in the House. Hopefully SB 5000 will become law this year, so we can mark Americans of Chinese Descent Month in 2024; either way it was uplifting to hear senators offer their respect to those in the Chinese-American community before passing the bill.

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.

Padden to honor student during Central Valley School Board meeting Monday

Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, will help honor a local high school student for winning a national essay contest. The ceremony is Monday (Jan. 9) night.

Central Valley High School student Lucy He will receive a legislative certificate of appreciation for winning the Chinese American History Month essay contest during the Central Valley School Board’s meeting Monday at 6:30 p.m. at the school district’s Learning and Teaching Center, 2218 N. Molter Road in Liberty Lake.

Chantel Fan, a representative of the Spokane Chinese community, will present He with the certificate.

Padden will appear remotely via Zoom from Olympia to speak about the Central Valley student, who recently won the contest sponsored by Asians for Equality.

“It’s a tremendous honor for Lucy to win this national essay contest, and I look forward to congratulating her on this outstanding achievement,” said Padden.

Senate Bill 5000, which would designate January as Americans of Chinese Descent History Month, has been prefiled for the 2023 legislative session, which begins Monday, Jan. 9, in Olympia. SB 5000, prime-sponsored by 39th District Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley, is scheduled to receive a public hearing Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. in the Senate State Government and Elections Committee, with a committee vote on the proposal slated for Friday at 8 a.m.