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Here we go!
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Welcome to first day of the 2018 session of the Washington State Legislature! There will be many issues important to the Catholic Church that will be addressed by the Legislature over the next 2 months. Given this is a 'short' (60-day) session of the Legislature, the pace will be fast in the Capitol. Life, religious liberty, social justice and education issues will be raised early in the session and, in some cases, moved quickly through the legislative process. As Catholics, our need to stay informed and engaged is essential. To that end, we will be publishing the WSCC Advocacy Bulletin each Monday morning during the session. We will share highlights from the past week and a preview of hearings and other important expected actions in the week ahead. We will supplement these weekly bulletins with Action Alerts sent when an especially critical piece of legislation is at a point where legislators need to hear from you. Our system makes it easy for you to contact your legislator.
We have spent the past weeks since the election preparing for this legislative session. With a new majority in the State Senate, the political landscape has changed and this will impact legislation. In the section below, you will see our 2018 legislative priorities. The voice of Catholics in Washington State will be more important than ever. Please help us engage legislators on these important topics, and encourage other Catholics to sign up for our Catholic Advocacy Network. Many thanks for your support.
God Bless!
Joe Sprague, Executive Director, Washington State Catholic Conference |
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WSCC Legislative Priorities for 2018
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The Catholic Bishops of Washington State have approved the following priorities for the 2018 legislative session.
Life & Religious Liberty
WSCC Supports:
- Requiring parental notification for abortions performed on minors - SB 5320 would require at least 48 hours' notice to one parent or legal guardian prior to performing an abortion on a pregnant minor.
- Abolishing the death penalty - HB 1935/SB 5354 would repeal the death penalty.
WSCC Opposes:
- Mandating abortion coverage in all health care plans. HB 2409 would mandate coverage for abortions.
Education
WSCC Supports:
- Improving safety for all schools - HB 1982 would require first responders to notify private schools of safety situations in their vicinity.
- Funding child abuse prevention education programs for all K-12 students - HB 1539 would establish a task force to develop a prevention of sexual abuse curriculum for students in grades K-12.
Poverty, Family & Restorative Justice
WSCC Supports:
- Approval of a capital budget including funding for the Housing Trust Fund - HB 2395/SB 6095 includes $106 million for affordable housing projects across the state, including seven being developed by Catholic Housing Services and Catholic Charities in the three dioceses.
- Changes to the Legal Financial Obligations (LFOs) for those convicted of a crime - HB 1783 would help those trying to get back on their feet after being incarcerated by eliminating the interest on most of the court-imposed debt and limiting the sanctions for those with an inability to pay.
- Continuing the Document Recording Fee in support of homeless programs - HB 1570 would make the temporary Homeless Housing and Assistance surcharge permanent while increasing the surcharge from $40 to $90. Without extending the surcharge, thousands of people would likely become homeless.
- Ensuring legal counsel for youth (SB 5363 and 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.
We are tracking many other bills across the spectrum of Catholic teaching, including care for God's creation, and will adjust these priorities as the situation in Olympia warrants. |
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Upcoming Advocacy Opportunities
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January 20 (Spokane) - Mass for Life & Walk for Life: Mass begins at 9:30 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes with the walk following at 11 a.m. at the Red Wagon in Riverfront Park. Contact walkforlifenw@gmail.com for more information.
January 22 (Lacey / Olympia) - Mass for Life, Saint Martin University, 9:30 am, and March for Life, State Capitol Building, Noon. For details and promotional materials, visit the Archdiocese of Seattle website.
January 25 (Olympia) - WCADP (WA Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty) Death Penalty Lobby Day, for more information and to register: https://abolishdeathpenalty.salsalabs.org/lobbyday2018/index.html.
January 27 (Spokane) - Eastern Washington Legislative Conference, St. Mark's Lutheran Church, "Framing Faithful Discourse for the Common Good," 9 am - 3 pm, for more details: http://www.thefigtree.org/FigTreeEvent.pdf.
February 21 (Olympia) - Catholic Advocacy Day: Gather at St. Michael's parish, before meeting with state legislators. Includes Mass celebrated by Archbishop J. Peter Sartain. For additional details, see the flyer in English and Spanish. Parishes can also use the bulletin announcements in English or Spanish. Registration for CAD is now open - please do so by February 2. For questions, call: 206.223.1138 or email: catholicadvocacyday@ipjc.org.
Did a relative or friend forward this WSCC Catholic Advocacy Bulletin to you? Sign up for your own free subscription here.
Click here to view WSCC bulletins on our website. |
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