106 Newhouse Building ● P.O. Box 40404 ● Olympia WA 98504-0404

Jan. 23, 2015

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Today marks the end of week two for the 2015 legislative session. This has been a busy week for our office; we have had a number of visitors from the district and several of my key bills received hearings before their assigned policy committees.

We have also made great progress with our effort to offer remote video testimony to folks outside of Seattle and Olympia.

If there is anything we can do for you, or if you have questions about anything in this e-newsletter, please give me a call or send me an e-mail. I very much appreciate hearing your concerns as I work for you.

Thank you, as always, for the opportunity to serve you in the state Senate.
 

Best Regards,

Senator Mike Padden
4th Legislative District

 

More than 3,000 people attend annual March for Life

 

Tuesday was the 37th annual Washington March for Life in Olympia. It’s uplifting to welcome the marchers from across our state, and some from our area, who make their way to the Capitol steps before meeting with their state legislators.

This year was especially heart-warming, as more than 3,000 people made the trip. It was also good to be able to share some news with them: This week we introduced the parental notification bill – Senate Bill 5289. (press release)

This measure would give a parent or guardian the chance to talk with the child prior to an abortion, or get ready to care for her afterward. After all, parents need to give permission for a child to receive an aspirin at school or have her ears pierced. A parent or guardian should at least be informed if their child is undergoing a dangerous medical procedure.

 

Time for Washington to get tough on repeat DUI offenders

This week the state Senate Law and Justice Committee heard testimony on my bill to reform our driving-under-the-influence laws.

Senate Bill 5105 would make a fourth DUI conviction in 10 years a felony, not a misdemeanor, meaning state prison rather than county jail. Forty-five states have felony-DUI laws; of those Washington is the only state requiring five convictions within a 10-year period. Washington law is also the nation’s weakest when it comes to prison time for those convicted of driving under the influence.

This measure is similar to the one I introduced last year. It stalled in the Ways and Means Committee over concerns about costs. But at our hearing this week, lawmakers got to hear about the cost of inaction.

Among those testifying on the bill were the family members of Russell Bartlett, who on the morning of May 29, 2014, was struck down in a senseless, violent act by a drunk driver in Yakima while walking on a sidewalk at 9:30am.

Also testifying was Linda Thompson with the Greater Spokane Abuse Council. She told the committee how her life was changed forever when someone who had 17 arrests for driving under the influence hit and killed her three-year old son Trevor Pierce in 1986.

The heart-wrenching and compelling stories that we heard from the loved ones who testified should move all of us to action and convince us that we can no longer sit back and accept the status quo. As lawmakers, we have an obligation to these families – and any potential future victims – to do everything in our power to strengthen our DUI laws. (press release)

 

Bills seek to protect victims of ‘revenge porn’

Revenge porn is the online posting of explicit images of people without their permission. These images can devastate a person’s life and, should they go viral, it can be nearly impossible to permanently remove them from the internet.

To address this problem, Rep. Tina Orwall and I sponsored identical measures in the House and Senate that would make a person civilly liable for distributing intimate images of another intentionally and without consent.

Under these bills (SB 5502 and HB 1624), anyone who distributes an intimate image of another is liable to the victim for the greater of $10,000 or actual damages. The victim can also seek to have the images removed.

Young people should understand that it is not safe to take or share these types of images. Distributing them, especially in a way that is intended to intimidate or harass someone, should never be acceptable. And when the image is of someone who is underage, it is essentially distributing child pornography. This bill is aimed at reducing this type of ‘revenge porn’ and holding those who commit these malicious acts accountable. (press release)

 

From the district… Spokane Valley Chamber visits Olympia

I was glad to be able to welcome to Olympia members of the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, including new president Katherine Morgan.

It’s always good to see faces from home, especially during the long session. It also helps me to better represent the 4th District to hear from the citizens of the district directly. If you are planning a trip to Olympia, please call my office. We would be happy to welcome you to YOUR Legislature.

 

Meet my legislative page: Vincent Baird

This week’s page is Vincent Baird, an eighth-grader at Spokane Valley Learning Academy.

Vincent is the 14 year-old son of Martin and Cheryl Baird. He is the youngest of eight children. Vincent enjoys fishing, hiking Mica Peak and almost most anything outdoors.

It was a pleasure to have Vincent spend the week as my page here in Olympia.

The Senate Page program is open to Washington students between the ages of 14 and 16. Pages spend a week at the Capitol attending classes and assisting with legislative duties. If you know of any students who are interested in applying, please have them contact my office.