Author Archives: Erik Smith

Navy veteran and submariner MacEwen presents Navy Day resolution

Navy veteran and submariner MacEwen presents Navy Day resolution

 

Sen. Drew MacEwen, R-Shelton, speaks on the Senate floor Thursday as Navy Day resolution is presented. To see video, click here.

OLYMPIA – During ceremonies on the Senate floor Thursday, Navy veteran and submariner Sen. Drew MacEwen presented the annual Navy Day resolution.

Senate Resolution 8628 recognizes the historic importance of the U.S. Navy in protecting our shores and the role of Puget Sound naval installations in our national defense. The resolution has special meaning for MacEwen, R-Shelton, who served six years in the branch, including five patrols with the Navy’s submarine force on the U.S.S. Nevada. He developed his affinity for the 35th Legislative District while stationed at Naval Base Kitsap.

“Today I had the honor on the Senate floor to recognize the U.S. Navy’s many contributions to our great state,” MacEwen said. “The Navy has a storied history in Washington and is an integral part of the fabric of our state.

“As one of the most trade dependent states in our nation, Washington needs to remember that sea supremacy is vital not only to our national security but also our trade. We cannot take that for granted, and must continue to stand alert in today’s ever-changing world. Along with all of my fellow sailors past and present, I take great pride in our Navy and its contributions to our state. “

The resolution notes the Navy’s enormous economic impact on Washington state, home to more than 11,000 Navy service members. The Navy generates more than $11 billion in economic activity within Washington, provides more than 79,000 military and civilian jobs, and generates more than $303 million in state and local taxes. The resolution expresses “unwavering gratitude and appreciation for the United States Navy and the prosperity and protection it has provided to Washington.”

 

Full text of Senate Resolution 8628:

WHEREAS, The United States Navy was officially created by Congress in April, 1798, and has its earliest roots in General George Washington’s Continental Navy, which he formed in 1775 to defend the American colonies from British attack; and

WHEREAS, The United States Navy maintains, trains, and equips combat-ready forces for the purpose of deterring aggression toward the United States and maintaining freedom on the seas; and

WHEREAS, The United States Navy is also responsible for the seaborne support of the other branches of the United States military; and

WHEREAS, The United States Navy has seven active fleets currently in service, with 11 aircraft carriers, 92 cruisers and destroyers, and 59 small-surface combatants and combat logistics ships; and

WHEREAS, The United States Navy’s submarine fleet consists of 50 fast-attack submarines, 14 ballistic-missile submarines, and four cruise-missile submarines, all working in close collaboration with navies of American allies; and

WHEREAS, All submariners in the United States Navy have volunteered for their positions and take enormous pride in the level of sacrifice and difficulty of their unique duty and service in seas around the world; and

WHEREAS, Six United States presidents served in the United States Navy in World War II alone before they led our nation, including John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George H.W. Bush; and

WHEREAS, The United States Navy maintains a strong presence in Washington state through Naval Base Kitsap, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, and Naval Station Everett; and

WHEREAS, Naval Base Kitsap is the third-largest United States Navy installation in the United States, and is home to a diverse naval force, including all types of submarines, two Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, and the Manchester Fuel Depot; and

WHEREAS, A naval station was established in Bremerton, Washington, in 1891, becoming the 179-acre Puget Sound Naval Shipyard after World War II, which has been responsible for construction, modernization, conversion, maintenance, and nuclear refueling of Navy vessels; and

WHEREAS, Washington is home to more than 11,000 Navy service members and generates more than $11 billion in economic activity, provides more than 79,000 military and civilian jobs, and more than $303 million in state and local taxes; and

WHEREAS, Former Governor Dan Evans served in the United States Navy during World War II from 1943 to 1946; and

WHEREAS, Many members and staff of the Washington State Legislature have served in the United States Navy and many Navy veterans have gone on to serve their country in political office around the country; and

WHEREAS, The United States Navy has beaten the United States Army in more than half of the 123 Army-Navy football games and has the longer winning streak of the two teams;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That on behalf of the people of Washington and the more than 64,000 Navy service members and families who live in our communities, the Senate express its unwavering gratitude and appreciation for the United States Navy and the prosperity and protection it has provided to Washington.

Legislature makes half-steps toward progress on crime and drugs

Lawmakers begin correcting mistakes made two years ago on police pursuits, drug decriminalization — but need to go further

Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Drew MacEwen’s subscribers March 17, 2023. To subscribe to Sen. MacEwen’s e-newsletter, click here. 

Hard at work on the Senate floor.

Dear friends and neighbors,

Two weeks ago, a horrific accident in Eastern Washington offered a reminder that what we do in the Legislature affects people’s lives.

A Mustang blew past a state trooper on I-90 heading east near Ellensburg, and a Washington State Patrol officer pulled behind the car and flashed his lights. The driver sped up to 111 mph. The trooper was forced to drop back, because state law for the last two years has forbidden police pursuits except in certain limited cases.

Over the next hour, two more officers spotted the car moving at a high rate of speed, and the car sped away both times. Cops spotted the man in the Mustang gassing up in Sunnyside. As they called their supervisor for permission to approach, he took off, got on Interstate 82 going the wrong direction, hit another car head-on and killed two children, ages 6 and 8.

I wish I could say we have addressed the problem that led to this tragedy. Instead, we passed a bill in the Senate last week that goes only halfway toward restoring the tools police need in order to do their jobs. The incident shows us we need to do better, and I remain hopeful this bill will be strengthened in the House. The police pursuit issue is one of the most important before us this session, In this newsletter, I’ll give you a rundown on this and others we have dealt with during our 2023 legislative session.

 

 

 

 

Drew MacEwen

Senator, 35th Legislative District

 

The big picture – hundreds of bills are passed as deadline approaches

March 8 was ‘cutoff’ for most bills introduced in House and Senate

We spent most of the last few weeks on the Senate floor, passing bills one-by-one. Most bills introduced in the Senate needed to pass by March 8 in order to remain under consideration this session. We passed 280 bills in the Senate, and now we have a bit of breathing space while we consider the 331 bills the House sent over to us.

We have six weeks to go in our session – we are scheduled to adjourn on April 23. Next week we will see an operating budget proposal in the state Senate, and we will continue debating the budget through the end of session. For the Legislature, this is really the midpoint of the session, and it is a good time to take stock.

Police pursuit and drugs are top issues

Law enforcement is at the center of the year’s two biggest debates. One is restoring police pursuits, and the other is recriminalizing drug possession. There is a common thread to these issues. Two years ago majority Democrats in the Legislature went too far in weakening the hand of law enforcement. The result has been disaster.

On police pursuit, law enforcement officers are now prohibited in most cases from chasing suspects even when they have “reasonable suspicion” that a crime has been committed. Crime has gone through the roof – car thefts are up 50 percent – and criminal “drive-aways” have tripled as lawbreakers realize they don’t need to stop for red-and-blue flashers.

On hard-drug possession, we barely have any penalties at all. The law is so weak police have given up on arrests that might force addicts into the treatment they need. Meanwhile, fentanyl usage has exploded. Last week the Department of Health released new figures showing overdoses are the leading cause of death for Washington residents under age 60, bigger even than cancer.

Democrats came to us with proposals on both these issues that aren’t strong enough and do not fully restore the ability of police to do their jobs. The problem is that many on their side would prefer we do nothing at all. Republican votes were required if anything was to pass. This forced every member on our side of the aisle to make a difficult choice.

The pursuit bill (SB 5352) offers only a partial restoration of the rules police need to keep our communities safe. It does not restore pursuits for reckless driving, stolen vehicles or other non-violent offenses. The drug bill (SB 5536) turns possession of drugs like heroin and fentanyl into a gross misdemeanor, and if addicts fail to respond to treatment, eventually they may do jail time. I voted yes on both of these bills, to keep these issues alive and provide a pathway for passage of stronger legislation. The consequence of doing nothing is too great.

Other important votes

Teen trans runaways – One of our biggest arguments was on Senate Bill 5599, a measure that interferes with family relationships by allowing teenagers to stay in shelters or “host homes” without notifying parents, if they are seeking gender-changing therapy or treatment. It is difficult to imagine the anguish of parents who do not know why their child has disappeared. The bill passed 27-19, and has moved to the House for further consideration. As an expression of compassion, this bill goes too far, and I voted no.

Suits against firearms manufacturers – Senate Bill 5078 is an attempt to hold the firearms industry responsible for the actions of third parties – that is, for crimes committed with guns. This back-door effort to drive legal firearms from the marketplace would allow suits by the attorney general against gun manufacturers, dealers and distributors. This bill passed the Senate on a party-line vote, and is now in the House. I voted no. If this bill passes the Legislature, it is certain to face a challenge in federal court, and most likely will fail.

Funding for rural domestic violence shelters – Senate Bill 5398 is one of my proudest accomplishments this session, a bill that will assure adequate funding for Shelton’s Turning Pointe shelter and others. State funding currently is provided based on county populations, but rural shelters often serve a larger clientele, including those fleeing violent situations in cities. I led efforts to increase funding last year; this bill would launch a study of a permanent fix. (Read more here.)

Other bills I sponsored that won passage in the Senate included SB 5323, reforming procedures at the state Department of Veterans Affairs, and SB 5437, establishing processes for filling vacancies on boards and commissions.

Did you know…?

In K-12 education, money isn’t everything. We are number one for teacher compensation, but Washington is a cellar-dweller in student performance. Our colleagues in the House Republican Caucus have put together a fascinating analysis, and it is worth a read.

 

Developer gives up on Tenino sex predator home

Long-term solution still needed

Good news for South Thurston County — the developer of a proposed sex-predator home in the Tenino area has given up, following community protest and fast action by Thurston County officials on permit and zoning issues. The community was blindsided by the plan to transfer convicted sex predators from their secure facility on McNeil Island to a low-security group home, in an area lightly patrolled by law enforcement, alongside a lake utilized by schoolchildren. You can read more about this issue here.

I joined my fellow 35th District lawmakers, Reps. Travis Couture and Travis Griffey, in introducing bills that would improve community notification procedures and reexamine the state policy that is sending violent sex predators into light-security facilities statewide. This policy remains a problem in other areas of the state — a similar spate of protests has erupted in Enumclaw for the same reason. These bills did not receive votes before the March 8 deadline, but could be revived, and should be. The governor also should show leadership and place a moratorium on new community placements while the underlying policy is reconsidered.

Carbon auction twice as expensive as advertised

Higher gas prices one result — windfall for state, bad news for motorists, state economy

Advocates said “cap and trade” would not be costly when our Democratic colleagues voted to launch the program two years ago. I’m afraid the predictions were wrong. This is an issue I follow closely, as ranking Republican member of the Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee. The state finally held its first auction for carbon “allowances” on Feb. 28, and it generated $300 million, twice as much as predicted.

Advocates are calling this great news, and the Legislature is considering ways to spend this windfall. But we should remember that this extra money comes from industry and from people like you and me. If these auction prices hold, this new program will add 39 cents to the cost of a gallon of gasoline, 47 cents for diesel. The only question is how much of this increased cost will be passed on to the consumer. Since the beginning of the year, gas prices in Washington already have risen about a quarter higher than other states. At the very least, we need to make sure this extra money is spent responsibly. For more detail, click here.

Contact me!

My most important duty is to serve you. I hope you will contact me or my legislative assistant, Rob Barnes, if you have any concerns about state government, or a problem with a state agency.

Phone: (360) 786-7668

Email: Drew.MacEwen@leg.wa.gov

Mail: P.O. Box 40435, Olympia, Wash.  98501

Leave a message on the Legislative Hotline: 1-800-562-6000

MacEwen: Washington’s first carbon auction is windfall for state bureaucracy, bad news for motorists, economy

Carbon ‘allowances’ twice as expensive as predicted two years ago

Sen. Drew MacEwen, R-Shelton, ranking Republican on the Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee, offered the following comment regarding Washington state’s first carbon-allowance auction. Results were announced Tuesday by the Department of Ecology, a week after the Feb. 28 auction. It was the first of a series of quarterly auctions under the Climate Commitment Act, the Washington-state cap-and-trade program that won narrow approval from Washington lawmakers in 2021.

“When the Legislature debated this program two years ago, its advocates told us it was going to be cheap and not harmful to consumers,” MacEwen said. “They sure got that wrong. The estimate in 2021 was that carbon ‘allowances’ under this program would cost $22.78 per metric ton of carbon. Instead, once the market had its say, these allowances cost $48.50.

“That’s a stunner. Bureaucrats missed the mark by a mile. This money comes from the businesses that keep our workforce employed, and from people like you and me, every time we fill up our cars and trucks. This $48.50 allowance cost translates to 39 cents a gallon for gasoline, 47 cents for diesel. No matter how many times advocates promise, ‘the big oil companies will eat it,’ those of us who live in the real world know most of these additional costs will be passed on to the people, one way or another.

“With these new allowance figures and the state’s latest plans for sales volume, a program that was supposed to take $1.1 billion from the Washington economy will instead extract at least $2.7 billion. As inflation hits 8 percent and our economy shows great weakness, this program will hobble Washington all the more.

“I also am concerned with how the money will be spent. The governor has proposed large expenditures for feel-good studies at just about every state agency. Instead, we should utilize this money to improve our infrastructure, grid stability and power generation so that we minimize the impact on Washington residents. I hope budget writers will do so.”

Senate passes MacEwen bill to boost rural domestic violence shelter funding

Shelton’s Turning Pointe shelter would benefit under new funding formula

OLYMPIA – Shelton’s Turning Pointe domestic violence shelter would be among the beneficiaries of a new funding plan Sen. Drew MacEwen shepherded through the Senate Friday.

Senate Bill 5398 creates a workgroup under the Department of Social and Health Services that would devise a new funding formula based on shelter capacity and clients served, not by county population. The bill passed the Senate Friday 48-0 and now moves to the House for further consideration.

MacEwen, R-Shelton, said the current funding formula is outdated. “The Turning Pointe shelter in my community serves people from beyond Mason County, and the formula really doesn’t fit in an era when many agencies are moving toward rapid housing deployment rather than the traditional communal shelter model,” he said. “We are seeing similar issues in rural communities statewide. Funding should be based on capacity, not zip code.”

During committee hearings, shelter providers testified that victims frequently seek shelter in rural communities, because they believe abusers are less likely to find them there. Population-based formulas penalize rural shelters, they said. In 2022, lawmakers led by then-Rep. MacEwen made the first step toward a new funding system when they appropriated an additional $750,000 to domestic violence shelters based on bed capacity.

If the bill passes, DSHS would report back to the Legislature next year with new funding-formula recommendations.

Cancellation of Tenino sex predator group home is relief, 35th District lawmakers say

Will continue seeking legislation to fix underlying policy

OLYMPIA – Cancellation of a planned Tenino-area group home for sex predators offers relief for South Thurston County, say lawmakers representing the 35th Legislative District, but Olympia isn’t finished with the issue.

The lawmakers say they will continue to press for bills that would improve community notification procedures and declare a moratorium on the state policy that is sending the state’s most incorrigible sex offenders to low-security adult group homes in communities across the state.

“Thank you to the active Tenino community members who brought this matter to all our attention and were relentless in making sure their voice was heard,” said Sen. Drew MacEwen, R-Shelton. “I am pleased that predators will not be placed in the Tenino community. I also am grateful for the quick action by Thurston County to slow this down. Now it is time for the Legislature and governor to enact meaningful legislation that creates an open process and ensures the safety of all of our communities.”

Supreme Living, operator of the proposed group home at 2813 140th Ave SW, confirmed in January that it would be housing sex predators offshored from a secure facility on McNeil Island, just three weeks before the first was due to arrive. The announcement blindsided neighbors, the community, county elected officials and law enforcement. Local uproar ensued, as no special security arrangements were planned, and because the property fronts a lake frequented by children in summertime.

County officials reacted quickly, declaring water permits to be insufficient, giving commissioners time to review zoning for the property. On Tuesday, Supreme Living announced on Facebook that it was throwing in the towel “due to resources and expenses associated with land use requirements, it will not proceed with providing supportive housing services at its Tenino property.”

“Today’s welcome news is the result of the persistent efforts by the people of Tenino and Thurston County officials,” said Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn. “For now, Tenino is safe from the state’s plan to release sexually violent predators into their neighborhoods. But we need to put a stop to this practice for good. No community in Washington state deserves what almost happened to Tenino and what is happening in other regions. State government needs to get back to the basics and do what it takes to protect law-abiding citizens from the most dangerous sex predators in our society. I won’t quit pushing reforms until the public is made absolutely safe.”

 

“While this is a victory for Tenino, other communities are still facing the same scenario as we speak, and any one of our communities could be next if the current policy remains on the books,” said Rep. Dan Griffey, R-Allyn. “That is why it is imperative that we put a moratorium in place and create a task force to find the best path forward for placing dangerous, sexually violent predators in less restrictive alternatives that meet the constitutional requirements of the court while protecting the most vulnerable in our communities.”

 

The 35th District lawmakers said the immediate issue appears to be resolved, but the case has exposed serious problems with the state’s community sex-predator housing plan. The predators are a special class of sex offenders, held over by the state in civil commitment on McNeil Island after their prison terms are completed, due to the high likelihood they will reoffend. In 2021, lawmakers passed SB 5163, outlining procedures to house them in high-security and less-restrictive facilities statewide.

However, the law imposes no special notification requirements on the state when sex predators are housed in group homes. Similar uproars have occurred in Enumclaw and Lakewood.

The 35th District lawmakers have introduced legislation addressing the issue. Sen. MacEwen has introduced a bill to improve community notification procedures, SB 5544, and Rep. Couture has introduced a companion bill in the House, HB 1734.

Reps. Griffey and Couture have introduced HB 1813, which would end sex-predator placements in less-restrictive group homes while a legislative task force reconsiders the policy.

Police pursuit issue calls attention to the Legislature’s mistake

Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. MacEwen’s subscribers Feb. 13, 2023. To subscribe to Sen. MacEwen’s email, click here.

Concerns about sex-predator housing spread — it’s not just an issue for Tenino

Dear friends and neighbors,

Sometimes it’s hard for the Legislature to admit a mistake. We are seeing that today, as police stand down, car thefts explode, and criminals get away – yet the Legislature resists a sensible solution.

The problem is a law passed two years ago that makes it harder for police to chase suspects who flee the scene of the crime. Most of us are eager to repeal it, and go back to the old law. Unfortunately, we face internal resistance within the Legislature,  and it looks like a showdown is coming.

This clash over the police-pursuit bill is provoking one of the biggest dramas so far in our 2023 legislative session, and I’ll tell you about it in this week’s e-newsletter. Also, there’s more news to report on the sex-predator housing issue that has caused such a stir in South Thurston County – we’re not alone. I hope you’ll let me know what you think about these issues and others. My contact information is below. Your views are important to me, as I represent you in the Washington Senate.  

 

 

 

 

Drew MacEwen

Senator, 35th Legislative District

 

Legislature restricts criminal pursuits, and car theft rises 50 percent

Bipartisan support for fix, but resistance within Legislature could force showdown

If anyone still thinks it was a good idea to restrict police chases, the widow of Sgt. Jeremy Brown will tell them otherwise. If it wasn’t for House Bill 1054, Brown might be alive today. Brown was shot and killed in Vancouver on July 25, 2021, by suspects who earlier had been allowed to flee the scene of a crime.

The law restricting police pursuits was passed just a few months before, part of a wave of anti-police legislation we saw that year. Urban lawmakers were responding to the George Floyd riots and the complaints of activists who believe law enforcement is the problem, not people who break the law. We got laws that put the handcuffs on police. The new rules restricted police weapons and tactics, and established central control from Olympia of police-conduct investigations – ensuring political interference when high-profile complaints are considered. At one point, when a Longview SWAT team cornered a suspect in a house, police were reduced to throwing rocks.

The hysteria of 2021 has waned, and last year we turned back some of the worst of these restrictions. But the police-pursuit law remains an enormous problem. Police arriving at the scene of a crime used to be able to give chase based on an eyewitness description – the “reasonable suspicion” standard. But the new law changed it to “probable cause” – for example, seeing the suspect in the act. Police are forced to stand down as suspects flee, and criminals know it. The State Patrol tells us there used to be about 1,200 cases annually in which police pursuit was justified under the old standard. Last year it was 3,100. Car thefts statewide are up 50 percent.

Today there is strong bipartisan support to restore the old law and let police do their jobs. Lawmakers of both parties have signed on to bills that would fix the problem. Unfortunately there are still a few holdouts, and these include the chair of the Senate Law and Justice Committee, who has vowed not to let reform legislation pass her committee. The issue is too “politicized,” she says – Olympia-speak that means she’s getting too much pressure from the other side. One outcome may be a vote in the full Senate to overrule the chair. Votes like these are rare, but sometimes they are absolutely necessary. Stay tuned!

 

 

 

Tenino sex-predator placement put on hold; concerns spread to other communities

Several bills tackle statewide problem

State officials held an informative webinar about the Tenino-area sex-predator housing plan. To watch, click here or on the video above. They may be following the law, but the weaknesses in the law are becoming apparent.

Many of you are concerned about the state’s plan to house convicted sex predators in a low-security adult group home in rural Thurston County. I’m with you on that. The plan has raised concerns about security, law enforcement response times, the failure to alert the community and local government agencies in a timely fashion, and the wisdom of the idea in the first place.

There are new developments to report. The most important is that the plan has been put on hold. Thurston County’s decision to require new drinking water and septic permits at 2813 140th Ave. SW has forced a delay, and the first move-in did not take place on Feb. 1 as scheduled.

While county officials reconsider zoning rules, we’re working at the Capitol on the underlying problem – the state’s plan to move some of Washington’s most dangerous sex offenders from a secure facility on McNeil Island to less-restrictive group homes in communities across the state. Our area is simply one of the first to be affected. The city of Enumclaw witnessed a similar uproar last week when a similar sex-predator placement was announced.

I have introduced a bill in the Senate to improve community notification procedures, SB 5544, and my 35th District seatmate, Rep. Travis Couture, has introduced companion legislation in the House, HB 1734. The senator representing the Enumclaw area, Phil Fortunato, has introduced SB 5739, which would prevent less-restrictive sex-predator housing within two miles of a school.

But the most overarching proposal comes from my other 35th District seatmate, Rep. Dan Griffey. HB 1813 would halt new sex-predator placements in these less-restrictive group homes while a legislative task force reconsiders the policy. It’s a good idea. We need an immediate moratorium until the Legislature can come up with a comprehensive long-term plan to protect our communities.

 

Did you know…?

Costs imposed by government add $127,968 to the price of a typical new home in Washington state. Something worth thinking about, as the Legislature considers ways to increase the availability of affordable housing.

 

Contact me!

My most important duty is to serve you. I hope you will contact me or my legislative assistant, Rob Barnes, if you have any concerns about state government, or a problem with a state agency.

Phone: (360) 786-7668

Email: Drew.MacEwen@leg.wa.gov

Mail: P.O. Box 40435, Olympia, Wash.  98501

Leave a message on the Legislative Hotline: 1-800-562-6000

 

Tenino sex-predator uproar calls attention to statewide problem

Working for the 35th Legislative District in the Washington State Senate

Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Drew MacEwen’s subscribers Jan. 27, 2023. To subscribe to Sen. MacEwen’s e-newsletter, click here.

I was honored to take my seat in the state Senate Jan. 9 after a decade representing you and the 35th Legislative District in the state House.

Dear friends and neighbors,

The biggest news for our district as I take office in the state Senate is the public uproar over a proposed group home for sex predators in the Tenino area. Neighbors, law enforcement agencies and elected officials were kept in the dark until the last possible moment, and the case demonstrates serious shortcomings in state policies and state law. In this newsletter, I’ll tell you what we’re doing about it.

At the same time, I have taken on a new role as the ranking Republican on the Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee. This is a focal point for the sweeping policies on electricity and gas prices the Legislature has launched over the last few years. I think we take a realistic view of these issues in the 35th District, and I am proud to bring that to the table. Other committee assignments are Business and Financial Service, Labor and Commerce and Transportation.

My most important duty is to serve you. If you have a problem with a state agency, or a comment or concern about the direction of state government, I hope you will contact my office. You can reach me and my legislative assistant Rob Barnes at (360) 786-7668. You can send me an email at Drew.MacEwen@leg.wa.gov, or a letter at P.O. Box 40435. And you can stay in touch by visiting my website, at https://drewmacewen.src.wastateleg.org/.

I want to thank the people of the 35th District for the faith they have placed in me, and I will repay it by putting our district first.

 

 

 

 

Drew MacEwen

Senator, 35th Legislative District

 

 

Sex-predator housing in Tenino forces Olympia to take action

Marker shows location of planned adult group home for sex predators at 2813 140th Ave SW in rural Thurston County. Under current state law, there is no requirement for advance public notice when the Department of Social and Health Services arranges to place violent sex predators in low-security group homes operated by private/for-profit vendors. SB 5544 would change that.

Residents of the Tenino area were shocked this month when they learned the state was planning to house sex predators right in their community, and that the first arrival was due Feb. 1.

The incident shows how government should never work. While Thurston County officials do their best to head this off, I am working with my fellow 35th District lawmakers to make sure communities like Tenino are never blindsided again.

It is hard to imagine a worse place for sex-predator housing than the three-bedroom home at 2813 140th Ave SW. This is a quiet, rural area near Millersylvania State Park, where law enforcement response times are long. The home fronts a lake where children’s camps are held in summer. The sex criminals the state is planning to send here have been thoroughly evaluated and found to be a high risk for reoffense. Yet the only security measures contemplated are ankle bracelets. What could possibly go wrong?

How a bad idea like this one could get this far is a great question.

A loophole in state law

Until recently, Washington kept all its high-risk sex criminals under confinement at McNeil Island on Puget Sound, using a “civil commitment” process to keep them in custody after their prison terms end. Over the last few years, state agencies have embarked on a program to place them in neighborhoods and communities across the state. When the state places sexually violent predators (SVPs) in secure facilities designed specifically for them, heightened public notice requirements apply, and neighbors and law enforcement are able to weigh in before any final decisions are made.

But when the state places sex predators in less-secure adult group homes, no extensive public notice requirements apply. These homes aren’t run by the state, but rather by private/for-profit operators who face only routine scrutiny from local-government building and zoning departments.

That’s how south Thurston County was caught off-guard when private operator Supreme Living proposed an adult group home. The fact that it was planning to house sex predators triggered no special requirements. The vendor attempted to configure its proposal so that no special county permit would be required. The public didn’t have a chance to raise an objection because no special public comment or approval process was required.

No wonder the community went into an uproar when it found out. For now, it appears this rush to house sex predators in rural Thurston County has been slowed down. Thurston County health department officials have told Supreme Living that it must apply for new permits for drinking water and septic tanks. This should buy enough time for commissioners to consider changes to zoning rules.

Meanwhile, I have introduced legislation to require the Department of Social and Health Services to take responsibility for public notification. Senate Bill 5544 would require DSHS to hold public meetings before it contracts with private vendors to place violent sex predators in neighborhood group homes – and these meetings would have to be publicized widely, with newspaper, radio and TV advertising. My 35th District seatmates Dan Griffey and Travis Couture will introduce similar legislation in the House.

We are hoping this bill will be fast-tracked for passage in the 2023 legislative session. Other communities are being affected by this offshoring of sex predators from McNeil Island, and some may not even know it. A similar public uproar occurred in Lakewood in 2021. Legislation to require public notice will help correct this major oversight, and ensure communities have a voice when the state sends sex predators their way.

Taking the lead on energy

As new rules promote green energy, let’s protect affordability and the free market

Last week, I was delighted to appear on TVW’s Inside Olympia program, to talk about my new role in the state Senate as ranking Republican member on the Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee. You can see this interview here.

I drew one of the most interesting assignments in Olympia when I joined the state Senate this year, as the lead Republican on the Senate committee that deals with energy and environmental issues. Our colleagues are driving the agenda, with efforts to promote “green energy” and phase out fossil fuel usage in Washington state. We need to make sure their plans are carried out responsibly, without disrupting our economy and forcing huge costs on people like you and me.

Over the last few years, we’ve seen plenty of sweeping new initiatives from Olympia that leave the nitty-gritty details for later. The Climate Commitment Act is forcing the shutdown of coal plants throughout the Pacific Northwest and the phaseout of natural gas, without much thought as to what comes next. Another political effort aims to tear down the Snake River dams. Experts tell us the chance of a catastrophic blackout is rapidly increasing, and by 2050, we’ll have to count on other states for most of our power. Meanwhile, cap and trade and low carbon fuel standards are driving up the price of gas and diesel — exactly how much is a matter of debate.

Amid the upheaval these governmental efforts are causing, we need to make sure we’re not going too far too fast – we can’t pass laws that mandate technological miracles. We need to leave a role for the free market, our best tool to drive creativity and keep costs low. And we need to avoid locking ourselves into approaches and technologies, when the only thing we can be sure of is that things will change. I have watched energy markets for years in my day job. Now that I am involved at the policy level, I see how important it is to make sound decisions today that will help assure a better future.

 

Contact me!

My most important duty is to serve you. I hope you will contact me or my legislative assistant, Rob Barnes, if you have any concerns about state government, or a problem with a state agency.

Phone: (360) 786-7668

Email: Drew.MacEwen@leg.wa.gov

Mail: P.O. Box 40435, Olympia, Wash.  98501

Following Tenino surprise, bill requires adequate public notice for sex predator homes

35th District lawmakers respond to public uproar – new requirements from Thurston County delay Feb. 1 opening

OLYMPIA – A Tenino sex-predator home that caught lawmakers and neighbors by surprise is prompting action at the state Capitol and county seat.

Legislation has been introduced by Sen. Drew MacEwen to require adequate public notice when the Department of Social and Health Services contemplates placing sexually violent predators (SVPs) in nearby adult group homes. Fellow 35th District Reps. Dan Griffey and Travis Couture are planning to introduce the same measure in the House.

Meanwhile, Thurston County officials appear to have thrown a wrench into the plan for a Feb. 1 grand opening at 2813 140th Ave SW, notifying the owner that existing water permits are not adequate. The Thurston County Public Health and Social Services Department told Supreme Living Residential Care Services Tuesday that it would need to apply for new permits for drinking water and septic tanks.

Tenino-area residents formally learned of the plan to open a group home for sex predators at a public meeting this month, mere weeks before the first predator was due to arrive.

MacEwen, R-Shelton, said Thurston County’s water-permit requirements will likely delay the opening of the new sex-predator home, and give county officials time to consider changes to county zoning. The 35th District lawmakers say they hope their legislation will get a quick hearing, and prevent communities from being caught off-guard in the future.

“The people in the area are telling us this is absolutely the wrong place to put a home for sex predators, and government needs to listen to them,” MacEwen said. “The house is in a rural area where law enforcement response times are long. It is adjacent to a lake where children attend summer camps. The state says these sex offenders are at a high risk of reoffending, yet the only security measures contemplated are ankle bracelets. What could possibly go wrong?

“But the worst part of the story is that the community never got a chance to speak up and head this off. When the state plans to move sex predators into the neighborhood, people deserve a chance to be heard.”

Senate Bill 5544 closes a loophole in state law, imposing public notice requirements on the Department of Social and Health Services when it moves sexually violent predators to low-security adult group homes operated by private vendors. Under Washington law, DSHS takes “civil custody” of high-risk sex offenders after their prison sentences expire, housing them initially at its Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island. Some predators eventually are moved elsewhere in the state. Heightened notice and public comment rules apply when predators are moved to secure facilities, but not when they are placed in less-secure group homes.

The bill says DSHS must ensure opportunities for public notice and comment before contracting with group home operators to take sexually violent predators. Before public meetings are held, the agency or the vendor must provide 14 days’ advance notice, including ads in newspapers and on radio and TV. DSHS also would be required to contact local government planning agencies and coordinate public meetings to allow effective input from neighbors and other interested parties.

“I applaud the people of Tenino and surrounding areas for standing up to this misguided and dangerous plan,” said Couture, R-Allyn. “Government has a fundamental responsibility to protect the people of Washington from violent sexual predators, and I am working with state and local officials to ensure that happens. In addition to better public notice requirements, facilities that house dangerous criminals must have high security standards and must be held liable if they fail to protect the public. We also need more local control over placement of these facilities to ensure they’re located far from schools, parks, and other vulnerable sites. The status quo is simply not acceptable.”

 

The 35th District lawmakers met Wednesday with state agency officials representing DSHS and the Department of Corrections, seeking explanations. The agency officials underscored that heightened public notice requirements do not apply when sexually violent predators are placed in “less restrictive alternative” housing, such as group homes. Griffey, R-Allyn, said the meeting demonstrated an urgent need for tighter rules for housing sexually violent predators.

“Our meeting with state officials exposed gaps in the current system that put communities at risk,” Griffey said. “At the same time, it highlighted what we need to do to protect our communities.”

Griffey led efforts in the Legislature to protect communities from dangerous sex predators with  passage of a bill in 2019 to eliminate the statute of limitations for felony sex crimes involving victims under age 16. Griffey said that when state agencies place sex predators in communities, they have a responsibility to ensure people who live nearby are informed and protected. “They can’t just punt on public safety.”

 

Legislature must close loophole that blindsided Tenino with sex-predator home, lawmakers say

Bill being drafted to improve public notice – issue for Lakewood as well

OLYMPIA – Thurston County lawmakers are working on legislation to stop what’s happening in Tenino, where residents have been blindsided by an announcement last week that a new home for convicted sexually violent predators will soon open.

Sen. Drew MacEwen and Reps. Dan Griffey and Travis Couture are working on legislation to close public-notice loopholes allowing private operators to house violent sex predators in low-security adult group homes with minimal notice and little assurance of adequate community protection. Legislation currently being drafted would impose stronger requirements for notice and public comment for privately operated group homes that house sex offenders deemed dangerous by the state. The 35th District lawmakers plan to introduce the bills in the Senate and the House.

Sen. Drew MacEwen, R-Shelton, noted that the bills are in the early drafting stages and more details about the proposal will be available later. “We want people to know we are working on legislative solutions,” he said. “No one can blame the community for being upset. This has been in the works for months, yet the neighbors found out about it just three weeks before the first sex predator is due to arrive. We’re talking about a million-dollar home with acreage, facing a small lake popular for water-skiing practice. If state agencies and the vendor really think ankle bracelets will provide adequate security, they should be willing to withstand the scrutiny of their neighbors, local law enforcement agencies, and everyone else concerned with the safety of the community.”

The home at 2813 140th Ave SW will be operated by private vendor Supreme Living to house sexually violent predators (SVPs) offshored from the state’s Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island. The center houses sex offenders who have completed prison sentences but remain in “civil commitment” due to the likelihood they will offend again. The Department of Social and Health Services plans to place sexually violent offenders in communities across the state to relieve overcrowding at the secure island facility. The Department of Corrections is supposed to be responsible when sex predators walk away from unsecure facilities such as the Tenino home.

It’s not the first time a community has been blindsided by the state’s sex-predator placement policies. A similar issue erupted in the city of Lakewood in 2021, after lawmakers attempted to solve concerns by passing a law (SB 5163) establishing strict rules for notification and public comment. The heightened rules apply when a privately operated facility is designed specifically for sexually violent predators, and local governments can establish control via zoning requirements. However, as Lakewood discovered, the tough rules for public scrutiny don’t apply when sex predators are placed in less-secure adult group homes designed for challenged adults.

In the Tenino case, the operator approached Thurston County in May with a proposal for a 11-predator home. But when county officials said they would require a permit, allowing them to impose conditions, Supreme Living avoided the tough local notice and review requirements by reducing the number of predators to five and getting approvals from DSHS instead, according to a statement from Commissioner Carolina Melia.

“We thought we had this issue addressed with the hard work done on both sides of the aisle in 2021 in SB 5163,” said Rep. Dan Griffey, R-Allyn. “But it is clear that the companies behind these efforts – and DSHS – have found a work-around, leaving our communities at risk.

“Ensuring the people of Washington State have safe communities to live in is one of our most important jobs and housing sexually violent predators considered among the most likely to reoffend in those communities – without proper notice or public process – is a clear violation of the Legislature’s intent.”

Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, said: “Placing sexually violent predators in an unsecure residential home is dangerous and irresponsible, and the people of Tenino and surrounding areas have every right to be outraged. At the very least, state agencies should have been transparent and given public notice of this plan, so that citizens could voice their concerns to the officials who are supposed to be serving them. Any legislative effort that prevents this from happening again has my full support.”