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Weekly Summary
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The annual Mass for Life (above photo) and March for Life took place on Monday, with thousands of Catholics participating.
In the week of January 30th, the fourth week of the legislative session, bills will continue to be introduced and hearings scheduled. All policy bills need to be passed out of their assigned committees by February 17th or they will be considered "dead." |
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Action Alert: Parental Notification
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Urge your Senator to vote YES on SB 5320!
SB 5320 would require parental notification prior to abortions performed on girls who are unemancipated and under 18. Unless the parent or guardian has waived their right to notice, or there is a medical emergency, the abortion practitioner must give notice to one of the minor's parents or legal guardian at least 48 hours before the procedure. An exemption, known as a judicial bypass, would allow minors to undergo an abortion without parental notification. Petitions for judicial bypass are confidential and free.
Click here to send a message to your Senator in support of parental notification. |
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Action Alert: BRIDGE Act
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Please Support the BRIDGE Act and Protect DACA Youth
The BRIDGE Act (Bar Removal of Individuals who Dream and Grow our Economy), S.128/H.R. 496, was recently introduced in Congress as a bipartisan effort to sustain the temporary relief from deportation and employment eligibility offered to youth through the Department of Homeland Security's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Under the BRIDGE Act, young people who came to the United States as children would maintain their eligibility to work and live in the U.S. without the fear of deportation and family separation as long as they meet certain requirements, such as showing a commitment to education or honorable service in our military and having no history of serious crime.
Click here to send a message to Congress in support of the BRIDGE Act. |
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Bills WSCC Supports
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Safe Surrender of Newborn Children - HB 1312: The bill would require the Department of Social And Health Services to collect and compile information concerning (1) the number and medical condition of newborns surrendered by the parent under Washington's Safety of Newborn Childrens Law; (2) the number and medical condition of newborns abandoned within the state who were not surrendered; and (3) report its findings annually, to the public, which may be on its web site. The House Early Learning & Human Services Committee will hear HB 1312 on Tues., Jan. 31, at 8:00 am, in the House Hearing Rm C, John L. O'Brien Building.
Public Notices in Languages other than English - HB 1540: When wildfires ravaged so much of the state during 2015, many agricultural and forestry workers did not understand urgent evacuation notices because the notices were only in English. To address this public safety situation, HB 1540 would require state agencies to provide health and safety notices in the language that diverse residents can understand when a significant segment of the community speaks a language other than English. The bill would also mandate each local organization for emergency management to maintain updated demographic data for their jurisdictions and information on the languages represented by their respective communities. The House Public Safety Committee will conduct a hearing on HB 1540 on Mon., Jan. 30, at 1:30 pm (House Hearing Rm D, John L. O'Brien Building).
Fair Chance - SB 5312: On Wed., Feb. 1, at 1:30 pm, the Senate Commerce, Labor & Sports Committee will hear SB 5312 that would prohibit employers from asking about arrests or convictions before an applicant is determined otherwise qualified for a position. Many job applications have a check box on the initial application form concerning arrests and/or convictions. SB 5312 would prohibit use of this check box so that applicants could have a fair chance at being considered for a position based on their qualifications. Senate Hearing Rm 4, J.A. Cherberg Building, is the location of the hearing. This bill is similar to HB 1298 that was mentioned in last week's Advocacy Bulletin. This legislation used to be referred to as "ban the box" but is now called "fair chance."
Guardianship for Displaced Children - SB 5363: This is the identical bill to HB 1251 which was heard last week by the House Judiciary Committee. It would give children, who have been removed from their homes and are at risk of entering the foster care system, the right to be represented by counsel. It would also require the court to appoint an attorney for a child before the initial shelter care hearing. On Mon., Jan. 30, at 1:30 pm, the Senate Human Services, Mental Health & Housing Committee will hear SB 5363 in Senate Hearing Rm 2 of the J.A. Cherberg Building. The House Judiciary Committee has scheduled a vote for Thurs., Feb. 2, on HB 1251 (1:30 pm in House Hearing Rm A, John L. O'Brien Building). |
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President Trump Reestablishes Mexico City Policy
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Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Chairman of the USCCB's Committee on Pro-Life Activities, applauded the decision by President Donald Trump to restore the Mexico City Policy and extending its requirements to all U.S. global assistance. The Mexico City Policy, first announced at the United Nation's 1984 Conference on Population in Mexico City, requires foreign-based non-governmental organizations receiving U.S. aid to certify that they will not perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning in developing nations.
Cardinal Dolan offered the following statement in response: "We applaud President Trump's action to restore the Mexico City Policy, which withholds taxpayer funds from foreign non-governmental organizations that promote or perform abortions overseas (often in violation of the host country's own laws). This is a welcome step toward restoring and enforcing important federal policies that respect the most fundamental human right--the right to life--as well as the long-standing, bipartisan consensus against forcing Americans to participate in the violent act of abortion." |
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USCCB Migration Chair Opposes Wall at U.S./Mexico Border
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President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order to construct a wall at the U.S./Mexico border, to significantly increase immigrant detention and deportation, and to disregard/preempt/overrule the judgment of state and local law enforcement on how best to protect their communities. The U.S./Mexico border, spanning approximately 2000 miles, already has roughly 700 miles of fencing and barrier that was constructed under the George W. Bush administration.
In response to the decision to build a wall on the U.S./Mexico border, Bishop Joe Vasquez, Chair of the USCCB Committee on Migration and Bishop of the Diocese of Austin, stated: "I am disheartened that the President has prioritized building a wall on our border with Mexico. This action will put immigrant lives needlessly in harm's way. ... Instead of building walls, at this time, my brother bishops and I will continue to follow the example of Pope Francis. We will "look to build bridges between people, bridges that allow us to break down the walls of exclusion and exploitation.'"
In regards to the announcement of the planned surge in immigrant detention and deportation forces, Bishop Vasquez added: "The announced increase in immigrant detention space and immigration enforcement activities is alarming. It will tear families apart and spark fear and panic in communities. While we respect the right of our federal government to control our borders and ensure security for all Americans, we do not believe that a large scale escalation of immigrant detention and intensive increased use of enforcement in immigrant communities is the way to achieve those goals. Instead, we remain firm in our commitment to comprehensive, compassionate, and common-sense reform."
Bishop Vasquez also noted: "We will continue to support and stand in solidarity with immigrant families. We remind our communities and our nation that these families have intrinsic value as children of God. And to all those impacted by [this] decision, we are here to walk with you and accompany you on this journey."
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The Washington State Catholic Conference (WSCC) is the public policy voice of the Catholic Bishops of Washington |
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