Geoff Simpson - Political Career

Political Career

He is a member of the Transportation Committee, the Insurance, Financial Services, and Consumer Protection Committee, and the Local Government Committee, where he serves as chairman.

Simpson’s legislative career has focused on several key issues and problems. The second bill Simpson introduced after being elected to the state legislature was to equalize the penalty for hit-and-run death with the penalty for vehicular homicide involving alcohol. Simpson’s inspiration for the legislation came from a first-hand experience as a Kent firefighter when he was dispatched to the scene of a hit-and-run that resulted in the death of Carol Thueringer. Simpson also sponsored HB 2713 which expanded the state database of DNA samples from criminals primarily convicted of sex-related offenses.

In the wake of reports of price gouging by various merchants around the state of Washington after the September 11, 2001 attack on America, Simpson introduced legislation to protect consumers from the practice. In January 2003, Rep. Simpson introduced legislation to regulate the practice referred to as "dead peasants insurance" whereby corporations purchased life insurance on employees without that employee’s knowledge or consent.

On January 19, 2004, Simpson introduced HB 2660 which was signed into law and required a DUI offender to install an ignition interlock device as a condition of restoration of their driving rights. The legislation was hailed by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) as the first of its kind in the nation.

In February, 2005, Simpson introduced a bill that passed the Washington State House focused on offering financial incentives for state employees who choose to purchase prescription drugs from Canada. The bill authorized state agencies to buy prescription drugs directly from Canada pending FDA approval. Governor Gary Locke created a Washington State website to assist residents in purchasing drugs from Canada.

In the 2006 legislative session Simpson supported HB 2292, which regulated medical malpractice by focusing on patient safety, insurance industry reform, and health care liability reform by reducing cost of dispute resolution without infringing on fundamental rights of individuals.

In the 2010 legislative session, Simpson was the prime sponsor for HB’s 2830 and 2831 which increased regulatory tools for the Department of Financial Institutions to intervene when financial institutions were in financial trouble. The legislation increases the Department’s ability to suspend officers who commit fraud and the ability to impose civil fines on law-breakers. Simpson also sponsored HB 2739 in the 2010 session, the House companion of a new law to increase the safety of children in school crosswalk zones by allowing crossing guards to report vehicles driving dangerously to police who can issue double fines after investigation.