Report from Olympia | February 11, 2022
  Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We’ve almost reached the end of the fifth week of the 2022 Legislature. Only four weeks remain in the regular session. The majority of this week has been spent on the Senate floor, voting on bills that were advanced by the policy and fiscal committees.
The universe of measures we are addressing is broad. Some very troublesome bills have passed. SB 5883 would greatly damage parental rights. SB 5078 will face legal challenges due to Second Amendment constitutional protections in our state and federal constitutions, if the legislation passes the House and is not vetoed by the governor. Fortunately, some positive proposals have also passed the Senate. You can read more about some of these measures below.
If you have any questions about the issues covered in this e-mail or any other topics before the Legislature, please don’t hesitate to give our office a call or send me an e-mail.
It’s an honor to serve as your state senator.
Best Regards,
 Senator Mike Padden
Senate approves ‘assault on parental rights’
 Julie Barrett, with the Conservative Ladies of Washington, testified against SB 5883 before the Senate Law and Justice Committee.
On Wednesday, the Senate’s majority voted to approve legislation that would allow a child of any age to provide consent for medical procedures and care without seeking the consent or even informing the child’s parents or legal guardians.
The controversial measure, Senate Bill 5883, would also grant blanket immunity to a health-care provider or facility against any action, civil or criminal, or other disciplinary action, should their decision result in the death, injury or mental or emotional harm to an unaccompanied minor.
This bill is really about putting parents on the sideline, and it is so extreme that it apparently has no minimum age limit. Moreover, there is no accountability for the adults who would come between parents and their children, no matter how much damage that interference might cause the child. This is really an unconscionable bill, which the Senate should have rejected.
Click here to read my full press release on this topic.
AUDIO UPDATE: You can also click here to listen to Sen. Mike Padden discuss this issue on The Lars Larson Show.
Audio Update:
Sen. Mike Padden on KXLY Radio in Spokane
 Senator Mike Padden on 920 News Now with Teresa Lukens and Dave Spencer talking about anti-police bills and his DUI legislation. Click on the image above to listen now!
Legislative Update:
Bipartisan felony DUI bill passes Senate unanimously with new treatment option
 Just before 11 p.m. Wednesday, in its final vote of that night, the state Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 5054, our measure aimed at strengthening the state’s felony-DUI law and reducing the pain and suffering faced by victims of impaired drivers. The 48-0 vote sent the proposal to the House of Representatives for the fourth year in a row.
The bill would extend the “look-back” in DUI cases, allowing courts to consider convictions over the previous 15 years during sentencing. Washington makes the 4th DUI conviction a felony, but under state law, courts may only consider convictions within the previous 10 years.
A change made on the Senate floor brought in language from a related proposal sponsored by Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, so that SB 5054 would also authorize a court to order a combination of confinement plus a highly structured six-month inpatient-treatment program. It is a no-nonsense treatment alternative that has been spoken of highly by Amy Friedheim, a King County deputy prosecutor who has prosecuted the most felony-DUI cases in the state.
Engrossed Senate Bill 5054 now moves to the House of Representatives for its consideration.
In the News:
Proposed law offers offenders serving long sentences a chance to walk free
By Juan Morfin, Washington State Journal | Feb 10, 2022
Incarcerated individuals who serve 15, 20, or 25 years of total confinement would have the opportunity to apply for a conditional commutation under a bill passed by the Washington State Senate and now being considered in the House.
…Some Republicans opposed to the bill said it allows people like Gary Ridgway, The Green River killer, to get out of jail. For that to happen, the Pardons and Clemency Board and the governor would have to approve the release.
“I don’t know of that particular case in terms of the Green River killer, but I think there are other individuals where we believe it would be safe being able to have them in our communities again,” said Sen. Joe Nguyen, D-West Seattle.
During the floor debate for Senate Bill 5036, Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, said this bill would reverse an inmate’s sentencing allowing inmates to serve a sentence that is “only less and not more.”
Padden said he was also concerned the bill would mandate the Clemency and Pardon Board review every petition it receives after an inmate serves 20 years.
Click here to read the full story.
In the News:
Central Valley School District: Thieves steal catalytic converters from school vans
Claire Graham, KHQ Anchor | Feb. 4, 2022
 Click on the image above to watch KHQ coverage of this story.
The Spokane Valley Police are investigating a frustrating theft case, where people have been stealing catalytic converters.
The Central Valley School District says they've been hit twice at Mica Peak High School by thieves who have stolen the converters from two of their vans, which they use to take students in their special needs program to work sites and on different trips.
The school is right next to the car dealership National Motors, who says they've also been hit by the same thieves at least three times in the last few months.
Click here to read the full story.
NOTE: My fellow Freedom Caucus member, Sen. Jeff Wilson, R-Longview, has sponsored legislation to address this worrisome problem. You can read more about his bill, by clicking here.
If you have a question or concern about state government, please do not hesitate to contact our office. We are here to serve you!
Phone: (360) 786-7606
Street address: 106 Irv Newhouse Building, Capitol Campus, Olympia, WA 98504
Postal address: PO Box 40404, Olympia, WA 98504
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, which will be open starting Jan. 6, at (360) 786-7606.
To request public records from Sen. Padden, please contact Randi Stratton who is the designated public records officer for the Secretary of the Senate and Senate members.
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