Friday, February 17 marks the first cutoff day for bills of this legislative session. All bills must pass out of their policy committee in their originating house by this date. The next hurdle for most bills will be to pass out of House fiscal committees and Senate Ways and Means and Transportation committees by February 24. Following that date, bills must then pass via a floor vote in their originating house by March 8. For many bills, the process will then begin again in the opposite house. Today’s action alerts are driven by these deadlines. Thank you for your advocacy!
If you haven’t done so already, please click here to send a message to your legislators and urge them to oppose the expansion of assisted suicide,Senate Bill 5179 (SB 5179) and House Bill 1281 (HB 1281). Both bills are eligible to be voted on by the full House and Senate next week. More details about these bills can be found on the Action Alert page. Earlier this month, Bishop Joseph Tyson of the Diocese of Yakima testified against the bill. In accordance with the bishops' legislative priority to respect life from conception to natural death, the WSCC opposes SB 5179 and HB 1281.
Sign in “pro” for Senate Bill 5225 (SB 5225), which would increase access to the Working Connection Child Care (WCCC) program. Please sign in by Monday, February 20 at 8 am. SB 5225 is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways and Means one hour later. When signing in you may leave the "organization" box blank or write in "parishioner of --- Church." The WCCC provides child care subsidies to families in need. SB 5225 would improve the WCCC by increasing the eligibility of child care workers who have incomes up to 85% of the state median income. Copayments would also be waived to the extent allowable. In line with the bishops’ legislative priorities of economic justice and supporting children and families, the WSCC supports SB 5225.
Sign in “pro” for Senate Bill 5180 (SB 5180), the interstate teacher mobility compact. Please sign in by Saturday, February 18 at 8 am. SB 5180 is scheduled for a hearing one hour later in the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. When signing in you may leave the "organization" box blank or write in "parishioner of --- Church." This bill would support teachers from other states in pathways to licensure in Washington. SB 5180 would also help eligible military spouses in becoming licensed in our state. SB 5180 could be advantageous for teachers seeking employment in Catholic schools. In line with the bishops’ Catholic schools and education legislative priority, the WSCC supports SB 5180.
Sign in “con” for House Bill 1151 (HB 1151) to oppose the mishandling of human embryos. Please sign in by Monday, February 20 at 12:30 pm. HB 1151 is scheduled for a hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations one hour later. When signing in you may leave the "organization" box blank or write in "parishioner of --- Church." HB 1151 and its companion bill,Senate Bill 5204 (SB 5204) would mandate health coverage of fertility services. The WSCC specifically opposes the promotion of in vitro fertilization (IVF), which creates human embryos that are not properly cared for. Our Catholic faith teaches us to respect all life and that life begins at conception. However, IVF often results in unused embryos that are frozen indefinitely, destroyed, or abandoned. Life is not properly cared for nor respected. Additionally, IVF can treat children as commodities that are manufactured outside of the construct of the expression of love of a married couple. A more thorough explanation of the complexity of the Church’s opposition to IVF may be found here. In line with the legislative priority to respect life, the WSCC opposes HB 1151 and SB 5204.
As mentioned above, most bills must pass out of fiscal committees by February 24. If one of your representatives is a member of House Appropriations, please contact your representative and urge your legislator to pass the following bills out of Appropriations: HB 1087, HB 1089, HB 1095, HB 1131, and HB 1238. Identify your legislators and obtain their contact information here. Details of these bills are below.
Solitary confinement can have devastating and inhumane effects on incarcerated individuals. Those placed in prolonged solitary confinement have higher rates of medical conditions, shorter life expectancy, and higher recidivism rates. Solitary confinement is also disproportionately imposed on Black, Indigenous, and Hispanic individuals. The United Nations defines solitary confinement of 15 days or more as torture. In Washington, prisoners may be isolated for up to 30 days. House Bill 1087 (HB 1087) and its companion bill, Senate Bill 5135 (SB 5135), limit the use of solitary confinement to 15 consecutive days or 45 cumulative days during a fiscal year. In accordance with the bishops’ restorative justice legislative priority, the WSCC supports the Solitary Confinement Restriction Act.
House Bill 1089 (HB 1089) will administer funding for healing, support, and transition services for adults who are survivors of human trafficking. In accordance with the bishops’ legislative priority to respect the dignity of every human person and assist survivors of human trafficking, the WSCC supports HB 1089 and its companion bill, Senate Bill 5114 (SB 5114) .
House Bill 1095 (HB 1095) and Senate Bill 5109 (SB 5109) would establish a wage replacement program to help undocumented immigrant workers who are ineligible for unemployment insurance and meet certain qualifications. In line with the bishops’ economic justice, immigration, and dignity of work and rights of workers legislative priorities, the WSCC supports SB 5109 and HB 1095.
The Washington Recycling and Packaging (WRAP) Act addresses plastic and packaging waste by creating a set of graduated fees to be paid for by packaging manufacturers. Fees will be based on how reusable, compostable, or recyclable products are. Fees will then be used to fund improvements to infrastructure and provide uniform recycling access across the state. In line with the legislative priority to care for God’s creation, the WSCC supports House Bill 1131 (HB 1131) and its companion bill, Senate Bill 5154 (SB 5154).
House Bill 1238 (HB 1238) would provide free school meals for all students. This would ensure that no student experiences hunger or food insecurity within a public school. Both breakfast and lunch would be provided. In line with the bishops’ legislative priorities of children and families, economic justice, and education, the WSCC supports HB 1238 and its companion bill, Senate Bill 5339.
If your senator is a member of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, please contact your senator and urge your legislator to pass the following bills out of Ways and Means: SB 5109, SB 5154, and SB 5203. Identify your senator and obtain his or her contact information here. These bills must pass out or Senate Ways and Means by February 24. Bill descriptions are below.
The Growth Management Act (GMA) is a series of laws that was passed in 1990 and requires fast-growing cities and counties to develop a comprehensive plan to manage their population growth. Senate Bill 5203 (SB 5203) updates the GMA by adding a climate change and resiliency goal and requiring some counties and cities to address adverse impacts of climate change on people, property, and ecological systems and identify ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled. In line with the bishops’ legislative priority of caring for God’s creation, the WSCC supports SB 5203 and its companion bill, House Bill 1181 (HB 1181).
If you have not done so already, please use this Action Alert to send a message to the governor and your legislators to urge them to oppose Senate Joint Resolution 8202 (SJR 8202) and House Joint Resolution 4201 (HJR 4201), which would create a constitutional right to an abortion. It is still a good time to send your legislators a message. Last year, the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, giving states the ability to determine their own laws on abortion. Abortion laws in our state did not change. Current law was determined by an initiative approved by the people, allowing for abortion up to the point of a fetus’s viability. SJR 8202 and HJR 4201 propose enshrining abortion in the state constitution. The proposed amendment would expand abortion, allowing babies to be aborted up to the point of their birth.
Bishop Frank Schuster testified against SJR 8202 and his testimony may be viewed here. The initial screen for the clip appears to be for a different bill, but if you press play, the video will be cued to Bishop Schuster’s testimony.
In light of increased pro-abortion legislation this session, the WSCC bishops released a statement, “Supporting Life and Justice for the Common Good in Washington State,” emphasizing the Church’s teaching to respect the dignity of every human person, from conception to natural death.
SJR 8202 passed out of the Senate Committee on Health and Long Term Care, but it is not expected to pass a floor vote if legislators vote along party lines. Unlike other bills, a joint resolution to change the constitution must receive a two-thirds affirmative vote from the full legislature. If SJR 8202 did happen to pass out of the legislature, it would then be on the next ballot for approval by the citizens of the state.
The WSCC bishops’ statewide PREPARES Open Your Heart Appeal is occurring this month. PREPARES – Pregnancy and Parenting Support – is an initiative of the Washington state bishops to provide a nurturing response and promise to mothers and fathers who have chosen life - a promise of support and care from pregnancy to their child’s fifth birthday. Regardless of religious beliefs, this parish-based program offers low-income families vital life-affirming services.
PREPARES has supported thousands of families with one-on-one companionship and child essentials. To learn more, volunteer, or donate to the bishops’ PREPARES Open Your Heart Appeal visit www.preparesforlife.org.
100% of your donation will go directly to serve families in need thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Knights of Columbus Council #676.
Last day to pass bills out of committee from originating house (exceptions: House fiscal committees and House Senate Ways and Means and Transportation committees)
February 22
Ash Wednesday, Lent begins
February 24
Last day to pass bills out of all committees in originating house
March 8
Last day to pass bills in house of origin
March 29
Last day to pass bills out of committee from opposite house (exceptions: House fiscal committees and House Senate Ways and Means and Transportation committees)
April 4
Last day to pass bills out of all committees in opposite house
April 9
Easter
April 12
Last day to pass bills out of the opposite house
April 23
Last day of the session
WSCC Staff
We invite you to contact us at any time.
Mario Villanueva, Executive Director
mario.villanueva@wacatholics.org
Adrienne Corpuz Joyce, Director of Policy & Communications
adrienne.joyce@wacatholics.org
Tracey Wilson Yackley, Operations Manager
tracey.yackley@wacatholics.org
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