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Weekly Summary
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From Feb. 27 to Mar. 8, legislative action shifts from the committee rooms to the "floor" of each chamber, where bills are voted on by the all the Senators or Representatives. Before a bill is considered on the floor of either chamber, bills have to pass their original committee, and pass a fiscal committee, if they have implications for the budget. Bills that have passed these hurdles are sent to their respective Rules Committees. The Rules Committees do not hold hearings. Rather, committee members select a bill or bills and the entire committee votes on each selected bill, usually with minimal discussion. Once passed by the Rules Committee, the bills are placed on the "floor calendar" awaiting debate, possible amendment(s) and a vote by the entire chamber. By the end of Mar. 8, bills will need to pass their original chamber in order to "stay alive."
Note: Bills that are amended in committee are usually considered as substitute bills and are designated by the addition of "S" before their number, eg. SSB 5234 or SHB 1234.
This issue of the Advocacy Bulletin also has items on assisted suicide, immigration, the recent World Meeting of Popular Movements in Modesto, California, and a CRS video on climate change. |
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Update on Bills
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TANF Resource Limits - HB 1831: Eligibility for public assistance is determined by a combination of factors, including the resources or assets of an applicant, such as a personal car. HB 1831 would authorize the state to exempt the motor vehicle of applicants for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) from being counted as a personal asset if that vehicle is used for transportation. The current vehicle limit is $5,000. Without this legislation, some people who would otherwise qualify for TANF would be denied because the value of their car pushed them over the resource limits. On Feb. 17, HB 1831 was passed by the House Early Learning & Human Services Committee to the House Appropriations Committee which passed the bill on Feb. 24.
Cesar Chavez Day - HB 1939: This bill would recognize March 31 as Cesar Chavez Day. Cesar Chavez, a Mexican-American born March 31, 1927, was an American farm worker, labor leader, and civil rights activist that worked to improve the treatment, pay, and working conditions of farm workers. The House State Government, Elections & Information Technology Committee passed HB 1939 unanimously and it is in the House Rules Committee.
Fair Chance Act - SB 5312 & HB 1298: These bills 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. The bills 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. SSB 5312 was amended and passed the policy committee and is in the Senate Rules Committee. HB 1298 was passed by the House Appropriations Committee on Feb 22. This legislation used to be referred to as "ban the box" but is now called "fair chance."
Homeless Housing and Assistance - HB 1570: The House Committee on Community Development, Housing and Tribal Affairs heard and amended HB 1570. This bill would make the temporary $40 local Homeless Housing and Assistance surcharge permanent while increasing the local Housing and Assistance surcharge from $40 to $90. Without extending the surcharge, thousands of people would likely become homeless. SHB 1570 was heard and passed by the House Appropriations Committee, and is in the House Rules Committee.
Legal Financial Obligations (LFOs) - HB 1783: Most people convicted of a crime receive at sentencing a notice of their Legal Financial Obligations (LFOs). These obligations include victim restitution, crime victims' compensation fees, etc. Upon completion of their sentence, the court-imposed debt, plus the very high interest rate of 12%, and sanctions, often presents a formidable barrier to persons integrating successfully back into their communities. HB 1783 would eliminate the interest on most of the debt and limit the sanctions for those who prove an inability to pay. The House Judiciary Committee amended and passed the bill to the House Appropriations Committee, which also amended SHB 1783 before passing it on Feb. 23.
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. HB 1540 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 amended and passed the bill to the House Appropriations Committee, which voted on it on Feb. 24.
Parental Notification - SB 5320: This bill 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. SB 5320 is in the Senate Rules Committee.
REAL ID Act - SB 5008 & HB 1041: Currently, non-enhanced Washington driver's licenses do not meet the federal REAL ID Act regulations, which required states to comply with it in order for state driver's licenses and IDs to be used to board airplanes. SB 5008 would require the Department of Licensing (DOL) to mark standard (or non-enhanced) driver's licenses and identicards as not being in compliance with the federal REAL ID Act regulations, but DOL is authorized to continue to allow people eligible to drive to obtain a driver's license. SB 5008 is on the Senate floor calendar. The companion bill, HB 1041, was passed by the House Transportation Committee on Feb. 21.
Right to Counsel and Dependency Hearings - HB 1251: This legislation 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. HB 1251 was passed by the Judiciary Committee to the House Appropriations Committee, which voted on it on Feb 24.
School Nutrition Programs - HB 1508: The bill would require high-needs schools, beginning in the 2018-19 school year, to offer breakfast after the bell to each qualifying student and provide adequate time for students to eat. All public schools are encouraged to offer breakfast after the bell even if not required to do so. The bill would also direct districts with school lunch programs to begin eliminating lunch copays for qualifying students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 and to complete the copay phase out in the 2020-21 school year. The bill was amended in the Education Committee and passed to House Appropriations Committee, which heard it and passed it on Feb. 23.
Safe Surrender of Newborn Children - SB 5522: The legislation 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 Children 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 Senate Human Services, Mental Health & Housing Committee passed SB 5522 on Feb. 14 by a 6-1 margin and is in the Senate Rules Committee.
Informed Consent for End-of-Life Decisions - SB 5433: The bill would revise the state's "Death with Dignity Act" to require an attending physician to inform the patient of feasible alternatives, including the treatment for the purpose of cure and the treatment for the purpose of extending the patient's life, to ensure that the patient is making an informed decision. SB 5433 is in the Senate Rules Committee.
Preventive Health Services (Mandating Contraceptives) - HB 1523: On Feb. 17, the House Health Care & Wellness Committee amended and passed SHB 1523, and it is in the House Rules Committee. It would require all health plans in the state to provide contraceptives at no cost. The contraceptives covered include those that are abortifacients. This constitutes a direct threat to the life and dignity of the human person. The WSCC opposes this bill. |
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Congress Fails to Disapprove Suicide Law in Time
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A Washington, DC, law authorizing physician-assisted suicide went into effect after Congress was unable to block the legislation in time. Under the federal Home Rule Act, a disapproval resolution passed by both houses of Congress and signed by the president within 30 legislative days would have blocked the law from taking effect. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform voted to send a disapproval resolution to the House floor, but it never received a vote. A corresponding Senate resolution did not make it out of committee. Congress can still neutralize the District's "Death with Dignity Act" by cutting off its funding through the appropriations process.
The District of Columbia is now the seventh jurisdiction in the country to permit physician-assisted suicide. The "Death with Dignity Act" passed the D.C. Council late last year. The District joins five states-California, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont and Washington-where physician-assisted suicide is legal. The Montana Supreme Court has ruled that the practice does not violate state law there. |
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USCCB Urges Reconsideration of Immigration Memos
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On February 20, 2017, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued new guidance implementing President Trump's January 25th Executive Orders on "Border Security and Immigration Enforcement" and "Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States." These memos provide guidance to law enforcement on how to implement the previous Executive Orders and sets out new prioritization for removal of undocumented individuals. To read the DHS memos, click here and here. In response to the memoranda, the Most Reverend Joe S. Vásquez, Bishop of Austin and Chair of the USCCB Committee on Migration, issued a statement and the following are some excerpts:
"We recognize the importance of ensuring public safety and would welcome reasonable and necessary steps to do that. However, the two memoranda issued by Secretary Kelly on February 20th contain a number of provisions that, if implemented as written, will harm public safety rather than enhance it. Moreover, taken in their entirety, the policies contained in these memoranda will needlessly separate families, upend peaceful communities, endanger the lives and safety of the most vulnerable among us, breakdown the trust that currently exists between many police departments and immigrant communities, and sow great fear in those communities.
"The DHS memoranda eliminates important protections for vulnerable populations, including unaccompanied children and asylum seekers. They greatly expand the militarization of the U.S./Mexico border. Taken together, these memoranda constitute the establishment of a large-scale enforcement system that targets virtually all undocumented migrants as 'priorities' for deportation, thus prioritizing no one. The memoranda further seek to promote local law enforcement of federal immigration laws without regard for the existing relationships of trust between local law enforcement officials and immigrant communities. ...
"I urge the Administration to reconsider the approach embodied in these memoranda, just as it should reconsider the approach it has taken in a number of executive orders and actions issued over the last month. Together, these have placed already vulnerable immigrants among us in an even greater state of vulnerability. ..."
To read the entire USCCB statement, click here. |
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U.S. World Meeting of Popular Movements
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On Feb. 16-19, 2017, a regional World Meeting of Popular Movements, in Modesto, CA, brought together 700 Church leaders and grassroots advocates who seek to address the "economy of exclusion and inequality" (Joy of the Gospel, nos. 53-54) through structural change for social, economic and racial justice. Read Pope Francis' address to the gathering here, and watch video of the plenary sessions, view photos, and more at popularmovements.org. Use #USWMPM to see highlights on social media. This historic meeting was co-sponsored by the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, and the PICO National Network. |
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CRS Video: Impact of Climate Change on Education
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You can see it in the dried-up riverbeds. You can see it in the emaciated livestock. You can see it in the classrooms-where the success or failure of a small vegetable garden can stand between a child and his or her education.
Like many parts of Southern Africa, Zimbabwe has been hit hard by climate change. The most recent rainfall season was the driest in the past 35 years, leaving about 30% of the rural population without enough food.
The drought and climate change have affected all aspects of life in Zimbabwe, including children's ability to get an education. Pamhy Maranga is one of those children. Her family lost many crops in the drought. They are struggling to survive, yet education is still a priority for Pamhy. Besides trying to find ways to feed her body, the 15-year-old is also struggling to feed her mind. Click here to view the CRS video.
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Moral Duty to Protect Migrants - Pope Francis
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Speaking to participants of an International Forum on Migration and Peace taking place in Rome on Feb. 21, Pope Francis said the political community, civil society and the Church must offer a shared response to the complexities of the phenomenon of migration today. The following are some excerpts:
"'Contemporary movements of migration represent the largest movement of individuals, if not of peoples, in history' (Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, 5 August 2013). ... What is needed is a change of attitude, to overcome indifference and to counter fears with a generous approach of welcoming those who knock at our doors. ... What is required is the promotion of an integral human development of migrants, exiles and refugees. ... I feel the need to reiterate the necessity, often presented by the Magisterium, of policies directed at favoring and benefiting the reunion of families. ... Furthermore, for the Christian community, the peaceful integration of persons of various cultures is, in some way, a reflection of its catholicity, since unity, which does not nullify ethnic and cultural diversity, constitutes a part of the life of the Church, who in the Spirit of Pentecost is open to all and desires to embrace all.
"We can no longer sustain unacceptable economic inequality, which prevents us from applying the principle of the universal destination of the earth's goods. ... One group of individuals cannot control half of the world's resources. We cannot allow for persons and entire peoples to have a right only to gather the remaining crumbs. ... As Saint John Paul II stated, an 'irregular legal status cannot allow the migrant to lose his dignity, since he is endowed with inalienable rights, which can neither be violated nor ignored' (John Paul II, Message for World Migration Day, 25 July 1995, 2).
"For us Christians, hospitality offered to the weary traveler is offered to Jesus Christ himself, through the newcomer: "I was a stranger and you welcomed me" (Mt 25:35). The duty of solidarity is to counter the throwaway culture and give greater attention to those who are weakest, poorest and most vulnerable. Thus 'a change of attitude towards migrants and refugees is needed on the part of everyone, moving away from attitudes of defensiveness and fear, indifference and marginalization - all typical of a throwaway culture - towards attitudes based on a culture of encounter, the only culture capable of building a better, more just and fraternal world' (Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, 5 August 2013)."
To read the entire text of the Holy Father's remarks, click here.
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