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Weekly Summary
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The legislature has now passed the halfway mark of the 2017 regular legislative session. By the March 8 cutoff, bills needed to be voted out of their original chamber to be considered "alive." But as with most things, there is an exception. Those bills considered to be necessary to implement the budget (NTIB) are exempt from the cutoff dates.
The bills that were passed by their original chamber are now in the opposite chamber where they are eligible to be heard and passed by a policy committee before March 29, the next cutoff date.
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. If a bill is amended in two Committees, it is designated with the addition of a 2 before the S, e.g. 2SHB 1234. Bills that are amended while being considered on the floor of a chamber are designated by the addition of "E" (engrossed) before their number, e.g., ESSB 5234 or ESHB 1234, or even E2SHB 1234. |
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New Resource for Catholic Advocacy Day
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In preparation for Catholic Advocacy Day on March 16, WSCC has posted its Briefing Papers. These cover key bills in four categories: Life & Dignity, Economic Justice, Criminal Justice, and Housing. The Briefing Papers can be accessed by clicking here. |
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Update on Bills that are still "Alive"
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Human Trafficking - SB 5030: Currently, child victims of commercial sexual abuse crimes do not benefit from the extended statute of limitations that applies to child victims of other sexual exploitation crimes. This bill would extend the statute of limitations for trafficking crimes to ten years after the crime is committed, unless the victim is under the age of eighteen years old when the crime occurs. If the victim is a minor when the crime occurs, the statute of limitations for commercial sexual abuse and promoting commercial sexual abuse of a minor would be extended to the victim's thirtieth birthday. The bill was passed unanimously by the Senate on Feb. 8. The House Public Safety Committee heard SB 5030 on Mar. 9, and it is scheduled for a vote by the Committee on March 16.
Vacating Convictions - SSB 5272: This bill would vacate convictions if they arose from offenses committed as a result of being a victim of trafficking, promoting prostitution, or promoting commercial sexual abuse of a minor. The conviction could only be vacated if the person could prove by a preponderance of evidence that the other conviction was also a result of Trafficking, Promoting Prostitution in the first degree or Commercial Sex Abuse of a Minor. The bill unanimously passed the Senate on Feb. 22. SSB 5272 was heard in the House Public Safety Committee on Mar. 9, and is scheduled for a vote by the Committee on March 16.
TANF Resource Limits - ESHB 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. ESHB 1831 would authorize the state to exempt one motor vehicle (other than a motor home) per applicant 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. ESHB 1831 would also exempt some other resources. 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 limit. On March 7, ESHB 1831 was amended on the floor of the House, and then passed by a 75-22 margin. The bill is now in the Senate Human Services, Mental Health & Housing Committee, where it awaits a hearing.
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. On Feb. 27, HB 1939 passed the House by a 71-25 margin. The bill is before the Senate State Government Committee, awaiting the scheduling of a hearing.
Fair Chance Act - ESSB 5312 & SHB 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. On March 7, ESSB 5312 was amended on the Senate floor and passed by a slim 25-24 margin. ESSB 5312 is now in the House Labor & Workforce Standards Committee. A similar House bill, SHB 1298, passed the House on March 1, and was heard in the Senate Commerce, Labor & Sports Committee on March 3, and is scheduled for a vote on March 9.
Homeless Housing and Assistance - SHB 1570: Both state and local homeless housing programs receive funding from the homeless housing and assistance surcharge collected by each county auditor when a document is recorded. These programs may include shelters, transitional housing, rental assistance, and vouchers for victims of human trafficking. The surcharge is $40 per recorded document, but is scheduled to change back to $10 in 2019. As a result, as many as 22,000 people could become homeless. SHB 1570 would make the $40 Homeless Housing and Assistance surcharge permanent and allow counties and/or cities to charge an additional surcharge, up to $50 for homeless programs. Bills necessary to implement the budget (NTIB) are exempt from all cutoff deadlines. SHB 1570 is considered to be NTIB and is therefore still alive, even though it didn't pass the House before the March 8 cutoff.
Legal Financial Obligations (LFOs) - E2SHB 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. E2SHB 1783 would eliminate the interest on most of the debt and limit the sanctions for those who prove an inability to pay. On March 2, E2SHB 1783 was amended on the House floor and passed the full House by a 91 to 7 vote. The bill is in the Senate Law & Justice Committee awaiting a hearing.
Public Notices in Languages other than English - 2SHB 1540 / SSB 5046: 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, the bills 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 bills 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 full House passed 2SHB 1540 by a 53-45 margin on March 1. The bill was heard by the Senate Local Government Committee on March 9, but no hearing has been scheduled. The Senate version of the bill, SSB 5046, unanimously passed the Senate in February and is scheduled to be heard by the House Public Safety Committee on March 13, and is scheduled for a vote on March 16.
School Nutrition Programs - ESHB 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. ESHB 1508 passed the House and is now before the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee, where it awaits a hearing.
Safe Surrender of Newborn Children -SSB 5522: The legislation would require the Department of Social and Health Services to collect and compile information concerning (1) the number of newborns surrendered by the parent under Washington's Safety of Newborn Children Law; (2) the number 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. SSB 5522 will be heard by the House Early Learning & Human Services Committee on March 14.
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. On March 7, SB 5433 passed the Senate by a 26-23 vote. The bill is now in the House Health Care & Wellness Committee, where it awaits the scheduling of a hearing.
Preventive Health Services (Mandating Contraceptives) - ESHB 1523: The bill would require health plans in the state to cover the same "preventive services" required by the Affordable Health Care Act and all federal rules in effect on December 31, 2016. This includes the contraceptives, some of which are abortifacients; that is, they cause abortion. This constitutes a direct threat to the life and dignity of the human person. Following passage in the House by a 70 to 28 margin, the bill was assigned to the Senate Health Care Committee, which has scheduled a hearing on March 14. The WSCC opposes this bill. |
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Bills that Failed to Survive March 8 Cutoff
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Source of Income Discrimination - HB 1633: In searching for a home, many individuals and families face discrimination by landlords unwilling to rent to Section 8 voucher holders. Seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities receiving government or nonprofit subsidies face similar discrimination. HB 1633 would have prohibited a landlord from discriminating against applicants or tenants based on their source of income. Source of income includes income derived from social security, supplemental security income, other retirement programs, and any other public assistance programs. HB 1633 died on the House floor calendar.
Parental Notification - SB 5320: This bill would have required parental notification prior to abortions performed on girls who are unemancipated and under 18. Unless the parent or guardian had waived their right to notice, or there is a medical emergency, the abortion practitioner would have been required to 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 have allowed minors to undergo an abortion without parental notification. Petitions for judicial bypass are confidential and free. SB 5320 died on the Senate floor calendar. |
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Revised Travel Ban Still Endangers Many Innocent Lives
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Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of Austin and Chair of the USCCB Committee on Migration, says that President Trump's latest Executive Order still puts vulnerable populations around the world at risk. In a statement issued after the announcement of President Trump's travel suspension, Bishop Vásquez says that while we seek to maintain our values and safety, we must also exercise compassion in assisting and continuing to welcome the stranger.
An excerpt of Bishop Vázquez's statement follows:
"The United States has long provided leadership in resettling refugees. We believe in assisting all those who are vulnerable and fleeing persecution, regardless of their religion, including Christians, Muslims, and all others. ...
"Today, more than 65 million people around the world are forcibly displaced from their homes. Given this extraordinary level of suffering, the U.S. Catholic Bishops reaffirm their support for, and efforts to protect, all who flee persecution and violence, as just one part of the perennial and global work of the Church in defense of vulnerable persons. Resettling only 50,000 refugees a year, down from 110,000, does not reflect the need, our compassion, and our capacity as a nation. We have the ability to continue to assist the most vulnerable among us without sacrificing our values as Americans or the safety and security of our nation."
To read Bishop Vázquez's full statement, click here. |
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USCCB Calls on Congress to Consider Moral Criteria in Health Care Debate
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As Congress prepares to discuss possible changes to the Affordable Care Act, the chairs of four USCCB committees called on lawmakers to consider important moral criteria, especially pertaining to the most vulnerable among us, including the unborn and those experiencing deep poverty. The Bishops of the United States have consistently advocated for a health care system in which-as the late Cardinal Francis George used to say-everyone should be cared for and no one should be deliberately killed.
In a letter dated March 8, 2017, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the USCCB Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of Austin, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration, urged Congress: to respect life by preventing the use of federal funds to facilitate abortion or purchase health care plans that provide abortion; to honor conscience rights; and to ensure access for all people to comprehensive, quality health care that is truly affordable.
The Bishops called on Congress to ensure coverage for those who now rely upon it after the passage of the Affordable Care Act, and expressed concern about any structural changes to the social safety net that could impact access to health care for millions. The read the full letter, click here. |
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Famine Threatens East Africa
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A persistent drought has left nearly 23 million people across the Horn of Africa without enough to eat. In South Sudan, hundreds of thousands are trying to survive famine. Nearly half the country-or 4.9 million people-are now going hungry. That number will grow when the "lean season" arrives in July, just before harvest and as food reserves have been exhausted. The world's last declared famine, which lasted from 2010 to 2012 in Somalia, resulted in 260,000 deaths.
The drought is compounded by decades of violence that many hoped would end in 2011 with the country's independence. Instead, a civil war broke out, and millions have been forced from their homes and farms. Many have fled to neighboring countries.
Meanwhile, in Somalia, also plagued by decades of civil unrest, the newly elected government has declared the current drought a national emergency, with rains over the past 2 years that have been either insufficient or, in many places, nonexistent. The United Nations is warning that without enough rain by the end of April, famine is likely there too. To find out how Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is responding, click here.
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