News from the Caucus

Washington state House and Senate Republicans today unveiled their common-sense solutions to the public safety crisis ravaging communities and destroying lives across the state. “During the last legislative session, the majority dropped the ball on public safety,” said Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, ranking member of the Senate Law and Justice Committee. “Democrats removed critical...

Forward-looking approach aims to head off problems before they occur Ongoing problems at the scandal-plagued state Department of Corrections are prompting a trio of Senate Republicans to introduce a package of sweeping reforms to address what they call a costly and fatal record of mismanagement. Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, said recent inmate deaths due...

Padden will propose expanded package of reforms in 2020 session As yet another major scandal rocks the state Department of Corrections, Senate Republicans who have been urging sweeping reforms for the agency since 2016 say enough is enough, and it’s far past time that Gov. Jay Inslee show some leadership and address the mismanagement of...

Bill restores pretrial-monitoring tool for protecting the public On June 11 the state Supreme Court ruled that the costs for pre-trial drug and alcohol monitoring fit under the statutory meaning of “pretrial supervision,” limiting the ability of courts to order these protective measures in cash-strapped counties. By July 6 – just 25 days later –...

By Ruby de Luna This week a state senate committee will hear a proposal that would make it illegal to sell e-cigarettes and vapes to minors. Last fall Sen. Judy Warnick got a tip from a police officer from her district in Moses Lake. He noted that students were buying e-cigarettes easily. “They were modifying...