Upon release, felons deserve to cast ballots

Kudos to the P-I ("Voter rights: Still citizens," Friday editorial) and to Washington Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerry Alexander for recognizing the kernel of truth at the issue of restoring voting rights to felons: The right to vote should not be predicated upon one's financial status. more>>>

Senate Democrats committed to keeping the public safe

OLYMPIA – Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, today issued the following statement regarding House Republicans’ call for a special legislative session to address public safety laws: more>>>

Kohl-Welles to press forward with legislation to restore felon voting rights

OLYMPIA – Notwithstanding opinions handed down today by the Washington State Supreme Court on the issue, Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, said voting rights should not be denied to those who have served their time but have been unable to pay their fines. more>>>

Let’s fix the problem of reoffending, not just build more prisons

Last summer, we co-chaired a legislative task force on prison and re-entry reform. Our goal: to reduce recidivism by changing how our state deals with felons both inside our prisons and upon re-entry into our communities. more>>>

Washington scores high in fight against human trafficking

OLYMPIA – In a first-ever report card issued on human trafficking, Washington rates highly among the 50 states for efforts to confront human trafficking of women and girls into the country. more>>>

Tom’s anti-crime bills signed into law

OLYMPIA – The governor today signed two bills sponsored by Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Bellevue, to cut down on drug-related theft by regulating scrap metal sales, and toughen the penalty for intentional animal abandonment. more>>>

Balancing the scales of justice

OLYMPIA – In a society that values government transparency, the concept of confidentiality may seem out of place. Yet often it is the confidential source of information who reveals the truth others try to hide. That’s the impetus for the state Legislature’s approval of a “reporter’s shield” that affirms the unique relationship between a newspaper or broadcast reporter and a source of information. Gov. Chris Gregoire today signed this measure into law. more>>>

Revamped offender re-entry bill passes Legislature

OLYMPIA – Earlier this year, a comprehensive offender re-entry bill that provided a dramatic expansion of research-based offender programming to curb recidivism and increase public safety stalled in the state House of Representatives, much to the dismay of Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood, and Sen. Debbie Regala, D-Tacoma, co-sponsors of Senate Bill 5070. more>>>

Governor signs bill outlawing discrimination against veterans

OLYMPIA – They don’t expect parades. But they don’t expect discrimination either. Veterans returning from war want nothing more than a smooth re-entry into society. For many, however, their return from the Middle East is marred by a new and unsuspected enemy: discrimination based on ignorance about post-traumatic stress disorder and displaced anger about Iraq. more>>>

Governor signs Spanel’s bill to create a new judge position for Island and San Juan counties

OLYMPIA — Citizens in the counties of Island and San Juan will have more access to the courts now that Gov. Chris Gregoire has signed legislation sponsored by Sen. Harriet Spanel, D-40th District, to create an additional superior court judge position, pending approval by the counties. Rep. Dave Quall, D-40th District, was the lead in the House of Representatives to move the bill through the House process. more>>>

Bill on commercial sex abuse of a child on way to governor

OLYMPIA – It was such a good idea that it passed both houses of the Legislature without a single dissenting vote.

And according to sponsor Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, it was a no-brainer. more>>>

Current laws must address strangulation

The statistics are chilling: Washington law enforcement agencies responded to 53,770 domestic violence-related calls in 2005. Put another way, six individuals each hour reported an assault by a domestic partner in our state. What an appalling picture, especially with the knowledge that so many cases are never reported. more>>>

Discrimination against vets won’t be tolerated in Washington

OLYMPIA – When our family members, friends and coworkers are called to war, we wish them a safe return. But for too many veterans, re-entry into society poses its own challenges. Ignorance about post-traumatic stress disorder and displaced anger about Iraq have caused veterans to fight a different enemy: discrimination. But that’s about to change in Washington. more>>>

Legislature passes protections for gay and lesbian families

OLYMPIA – In what supporters say could provide a model for the nation, the Washington Legislature has taken the first step in an incremental process of securing legal protections for Washington’s gay and lesbian families. more>>>

Streamlined procedures for missing persons signed into law

OLYMPIA – When a child goes missing, time and information are crucial factors in ensuring a successful recovery and happy reunion with family members. Monday, Gov. Chris Gregoire signed into law a bill sponsored by Sen. Brian Hatfield, D-Raymond, to streamline the processes used by the law enforcement community to execute a missing persons report. more>>>

Car thieves beware

OLYMPIA – Responding to a public fed up with having cars stolen, Sen. Tracey J. Eide, D-Federal Way, sponsored Senate Bill 5038 to give law enforcement officers better tools to fight the crime of auto theft. The House companion measure unanimously passed the Senate on April 4. more>>>

There are better ways to achieve ‘fair share’

The News Tribune published opinions from the Pierce County’s Prosecutor’s Office expressing concerns that our Senate Bill 5070 doesn’t contain “fair share” language (Mar. 16, 24). There is more than one way to accomplish a goal. more>>>

Recognizing gay and lesbian families

Just imagine your spouse in the hospital, dying. Now imagine that you are not allowed to enter your spouse’s room to comfort him or her. Imagine your spouse has died, and you are prohibited from making the funeral arrangements, or planning to be buried next to your spouse in the future. more>>>

‘No silver bullet’ to offender re-entry, says Regala, but progress is being made

OLYMPIA – The percentage of offenders that return back to the community after release from incarceration: 97 percent. The percentage of parole violators that recidivate and return to prison: 50 percent. Reaching across the aisle to increase public safety: priceless. more>>>

Discrimination: The hidden enemy for our returning veterans

OLYMPIA – Call it misplaced anger about the Iraq war. Call it ignorance about post-traumatic stress disorder. Either way, the Senate today confirmed that discrimination against our returning veterans will not be tolerated in Washington. more>>>

Senate votes to study effectiveness of “three strikes” law

OLYMPIA – Is Washington’s “three strikes” law still effective or does it need improvement? That’s the question the Senate wants to put to a task force charged with evaluating the crimes classified as most serious offenses. more>>>

Childhood prostitution: stolen youth, stolen dreams

It’s time to stop blaming the victim. Let’s call it what it really is: commercial sexual abuse of a minor, to put the onus on the perpetrator instead of the victim. more>>>

Preserving the free flow of information

OLYMPIA – Affirming the unique relationship between a newspaper or broadcast reporter and a source of information, the Senate today passed legislation to protect the source from disclosure. more>>>

Senate restores rights of disabled

OLYMPIA – What exactly is a “disability”? And who should decide: legislators or judicial activists?

“The everyday lives of the disabled are already filled with difficulties and barriers,” said Sen. Adam Kline, D-Seattle. “For the State Supreme Court to take it upon itself to impose another obstacle is simply unconscionable.” more>>>

Protections for same-sex couples clear major legislative hurdle

OLYMPIA – Legislation providing legal protections for the thousands of same-sex couples in Washington cleared a major legislative hurdle today when it passed the state Senate. more>>>

Media Advisory

OLYMPIA – The state Senate tomorrow will take up a resolution honoring the late King County Deputy Steve Cox. Members of Cox’s family, as well as former co-workers from the King County Sheriff’s Office, are expected to attend. more>>>

Kline: Time to revisit “three strikes” law

OLYMPIA – Noting that more than 10 years have elapsed since Washington’s “three strikes” law was put into effect, Sen. Adam Kline, D-Seattle, believes that it’s time to take another look at the law’s effectiveness. more>>>

Senate committee considers death penalty legislation

OLYMPIA – Concerned that the death penalty may be applied inconsistently, the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday heard testimony on two bills that could change Washington’s current law. more>>>

Trafficking Fight

Thanks to pieces such as yours ["Free at Last," Jan. 31], we can be more vigilant for the often hidden victims in our midst. As a member of the state Legislature, I have been fighting against human trafficking for years. more>>>

Airport security screening should be more efficient, effective

OLYMPIA – Tired of waiting in line at the airport? Sen. Ken Jacobsen, D-Seattle, is proposing a bill that would create a task force to evaluate whether Washington should participate in a federal program to expedite airport screening at international airports in the state. more>>>

Eide bill fights domestic abuse

OLYMPIA – It’s a sad truth that in communities across Washington, domestic violence rips apart relationships, causes injuries and takes lives. In the past several months, 50 cases have been reported in Federal Way. But Sen. Tracey J. Eide, who represents the 30th Legislative District, would add another tool that prosecutors could use against domestic abusers. more>>>

Washington looks to close gun show loophole

OLYMPIA – Washington may soon join 17 other states in passing common sense legislation that requires unlicensed gun dealers to perform background checks at gun shows. more>>>

Domestic partnership bill moves forward

OLYMPIA – A handful of states including California, New Jersey and Hawaii currently provide legal protections for same-sex couples. With legislation aimed at providing domestic partnership benefits clearing its first legislative hurdle today, Washington took a step at becoming the next state to join the list. more>>>

Marr proposes to lift statute of limitations for sex crimes against children

OLYMPIA — The damage from sex crimes against children can last a lifetime. Sen. Chris Marr, D-Spokane, thinks the statute of limitations for such heinous acts should last just as long. more>>>

Senate bill targets metal thieves cashing in on crime

OLYMPIA – Copper wire, bronze vases from headstones, catalytic converters from vehicles, and aluminum manhole covers are rapidly disappearing in Washington. more>>>

Domestic partnership bill to be heard in Senate

OLYMPIA – The Senate Government Operations & Elections Committee will hold a public hearing tomorrow, Jan. 25, on legislation to provide same-sex domestic partners rights in areas such as health care decision-making, hospital visitation, death and inheritance issues, organ donation, and powers of attorney. more>>>

Senate bill seeks harsher penalties for animal abandonment

OLYMPIA – Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Bellevue, has introduced a bill to increase the penalty for abandoning an animal in Washington.

“The recent reports of puppies abandoned near Issaquah demonstrate just how important this bill is. Animals cannot defend themselves against neglect, and we need to send the message that animal abandonment is not OK in Washington,” said Tom. more>>>

Hatfield moves to streamline missing persons procedures

OLYMPIA – When a child goes missing, time and information are two crucial factors that law enforcement officials have to deal with to ensure a successful recovery and happy reunion with family members. Wednesday, lawmakers in the Senate Judiciary Committee began considering a bill that seeks to streamline the current processes used by the law enforcement community to execute a missing persons report. more>>>

Sen. Hobbs: ‘The home front shouldn’t be hostile territory’

OLYMPIA – Imagine returning from a tour of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan and discovering a new, insidious enemy in your home town. That’s the sad reality for many of the men and women returning from the Middle East. more>>>

Sen. Eide named legislator of the year by law enforcement group

OLYMPIA – For her outstanding commitment to the law enforcement community, Sen. Tracey J. Eide, D-Federal Way, has been named a 2006 “Legislator of the Year” by the Washington Council of Police & Sheriffs. more>>>

Marriage equality and domestic partnership bills are introduced

OLYMPIA – Legislation aimed at according Washington’s same-sex couples legal rights and protections enjoyed by married couples was introduced in the state Senate and House of Representatives today, with broad support among legislators in both chambers. more>>>

Prison and supervision in Washington State

In the first week of the legislative session, the state Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee considered a bill which would overhaul the state's prison and supervision system. As co-chairs of the Joint Task Force on Offender Programs, Sentencing and Supervision, we have been working since the end of last session to develop a shared vision with the state Department of Corrections that is the most comprehensive reexamination of DOC programs since its creation. more>>>

Equality for all Washington families

OLYMPIA – Democrats from the state Senate and the House of Representatives will unveil two separate legislative proposals designed to provide equality for all Washington families. more>>>

Jacobsen to introduce bills to protect against unscrupulous guardians

OLYMPIA – Finding that laws to protect elderly or vulnerable citizens are far too lax, Sen. Ken Jacobsen, D-Seattle, is introducing a series of proposed laws that would add important protections against predatory, incompetent or unnecessary guardians. more>>>