WHEREAS, Mike Carrell was first elected to the Washington State House of Representatives in 1994, and spent ten years in the House before being elected to the Washington State Senate in 2004, again in 2008, and again in 2012, comprising a distinguished 19-year career dedicated to public service; and
     WHEREAS, Mike Carrell authored the state's "Becca" laws, which help identify at-risk youth who skip school so they can be given the assistance they need to keep from becoming juvenile – and later adult – offenders; and
     WHEREAS, Mike Carrell spearheaded the landmark prison and supervision reform bill, changing the criminal justice system in Washington and better protecting the public by assuring that no single community is overburdened by returning felons; and
     WHEREAS, Balancing the care and treatment needs of the mentally ill with the protection of the public and employees of the state's mental health facilities was always a priority for Mike Carrell, who worked tirelessly to reform the state's mental health system; and
     WHEREAS, Mike Carrell was a vigilant watchdog of state government operation, constantly working to identify and eliminate areas of fraud, waste, or abuse of programs and services, drafting the first real reforms to the state's welfare laws since the program's creation; and
     WHEREAS, Mike Carrell's fight to ensure those in management within state agencies were held to the highest ethical standard culminated with his Ethics in Public Service Act, which provides whistleblower protections to state employees who file ethics complaints; and
     WHEREAS, Mike Carrell was a stalwart defender of the United States and Washington State Constitutions, successfully shepherding two separate state constitutional amendments through the legislative and electoral process; and
     WHEREAS, Mike Carrell was as staunch a supporter of our country's military men, women, and families as ever could be found, sponsoring dozens of bills and resolutions honoring their service and sacrifice; and
     WHEREAS, Mike Carrell was an ardent pro-life supporter, each year speaking to crowds of thousands gathered on the Capitol steps for the annual March for Life in Olympia; and
     WHEREAS, Mike Carrell could see history that needed preservation where others saw only dilapidation, driving his efforts to restore the grounds of Western State Hospital, identify the occupants of thousands of unmarked graves in its nearby cemetery, protect Fort Steilacoom's historic parade grounds, and restore DuPont's historic narrow-gauge dynamite train; and
     WHEREAS, Mike Carrell – a self-professed "car buff" – spent his free time working under the hood restoring his three Triumph automobiles; and
     WHEREAS, Mike Carrell was also a lover of animals, sponsoring bills to combat animal neglect, cruelty, and abuse, and spending his weekends training and playing with his beloved German Shepherds; and
     WHEREAS, Mike Carrell was also a master gardener, often spending his evenings in his backyard greenhouse cultivating lemons, grapefruits, and hibiscus; and
     WHEREAS, Mike Carrell had a lifelong career in science and math education, retiring from the Franklin Pierce School District after having taught at Keithley Middle School, Franklin Pierce High School, and the district's GATES alternative school, as well as at the collegiate level; and
     WHEREAS, Of Mike Carrell's many titles, such as "teacher," "mentor," "advocate," and "senator," perhaps his most cherished roles were as "husband" to his loving wife, "dad" to his four children, and "grandpa" to his five grandchildren;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate honor and remember the life and legacy of Senator Mike Carrell – a true statesman, devoted husband and father, and unwaveringly loyal friend who always put the needs of others before his own – who will be missed by his family, constituents, friends, and colleagues more than this resolution can convey; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to Mike Carrell's wife, Charlotte Carrell, his three sons, Matthew, Larry, and Carlton, the commanding officers of Camp Murray and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Pierce County's executive and councilmembers, and representatives of each city in Washington's 28th Legislative District.