We’re keeping our eyes on the Legislature this week as conversations shift to budget proposals and negotiations. See below what’s at stake and we invite you to take action.

 

Week 6 Recap

We are currently 40 days into a 60-day legislative session. The deadline for passing bills in their house of origin was this past Tuesday. We are nearing the next critical cutoff dates: February 21, for moving bills out of policy committees in the opposite house; and February 26, for House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees to report bills from the opposite house.

The highlight of the week was the passage of HB 2114 Rent Stabilization on Tuesday, February 13, house of origin cutoff. HB 2114 was the last bill taken up by the House of Representatives. House Democrats took a firm stand in support of tenants burdened by high rental costs, endorsing a bill to cap annual rent increases at 7%. The average rent in Washington stands at $1,763, and at $2,100 in King County. Rep. Emily Alvarado spearheaded House Bill 2114, which swiftly passed the House with minimal debate and fewer amendments than expected. The bill, which passed by a vote of 54-43 along party lines, mandates a six-month notice for rent increases over 3% and does not tie increases to inflation. Critics worry it might slow housing development and investment. The bill’s future in the Senate remains uncertain, reflecting the divided opinions on how to address the state’s rental market challenges.

Further great news this week was the passing of HB 2239 Supporting student well-being through instruction in social-emotional skills, as well as HB 2368 Assisting Refugees and Immigrants, which would provide emergency and legal services for people who do not qualify for federal refugee programs, including a $25M budget ask for the state Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance.

Unfortunately on the environmental front, for the second consecutive year, HB 2040 ReWrap Act, a comprehensive proposal to reform Washington’s recycling system, failed to reach a vote in the House. Rep. Berry’s bill aimed at making producers responsible for recycling their packaging did not advance, and Rep. Stonier’s bill for a bottle-deposit system akin to Oregon’s also faltered in committee. Despite their potential to significantly boost the state’s recycling rate, currently below 50%, these initiatives were halted by concerns over the financial and operational impact on businesses.

FAN-supported bills below that made it through house-of-origin cutoff continued to undergo hearings in the opposite chamber this week:

SB 5427 – Biased Incidents Hotline. FAN testified in collaboration with our partners in strong support of this proposal to establish a hotline for individuals targeted by hate crimes and bias incidents, providing a much-needed support system and resource for victims.

SB 5421 – Keep Our Care Act has momentum this year, and the House Committee on Civil Rights & Judiciary held a public hearing. This critical bill aims to ensure that any consolidations of health entities lead to improved access to affordable, high-quality healthcare within our communities. Importantly, it includes provisions for gender-affirming and reproductive healthcare, ensuring that these essential services remain accessible and comprehensive.

SB 6007 – Grocery Worker Standards was heard in the House Labor & Workplace Standards Committee. This legislation is a step towards recognizing the essential services grocery workers provide, and aims to improve their working conditions and job stability during mergers.

HB 1332 – Education on Tribal Sovereignty was heard in Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee. This bill is dedicated to supporting public school instruction on Tribal sovereignty and the rich histories and cultures of federally recognized Indian Tribes, fostering a deeper respect and understanding among students for indigenous communities.

HB 1579 – Independent Prosecutor. Impacted family members from the WA Coalition of Police Accountability testified at the Senate Law & Justice Committee. The bill proposes the appointment of an independent prosecutor for cases involving the unlawful use of deadly force by police officers. This bill aims to enhance accountability and trust within our justice system, ensuring fairness and impartiality in such critical matters.

HB 1929 – Support for Young Adults after Behavioral Health Treatment was heard in the Senate Committee on Human Services. This legislation focuses on providing support to young adults transitioning from inpatient behavioral health treatment, recognizing the importance of continued care and assistance in reintegrating into the community.

HB 1541 – Nothing About Us Without Us was heard in the Senate Committee on State Government & Elections. This bill emphasizes the importance of including individuals with direct lived experience in state committees, ensuring that their valuable insights and perspectives shape the policies affecting them.

SB 5444 Concerning Firearms in Sensitive Places had a hearing in the House Committee on Civil Rights & Judiciary, with Alliance for Gun Responsibility advocates dressed in orange attending in strong support. The bill would prohibit carrying a weapon into premises of libraries, zoos, aquariums, transit stations, and transit facilities.

Resources for You and Your Communities

During these quickly moving weeks of session, we want to gather these resources for your easy reference as you advocate:

Register for Yakima Advocacy Day

Our friends in Yakima are planning an advocacy day for Saturday, February 24, 9am-3pm at Wesley United Methodist Church. Sponsored by Between the Ridges: Alliance for the Common Good, a new organizing project in the Yakima Valley, and co-sponsored by FAN, Yakima Association of Faith Communities, Asian Pacific Islander Coalition, and other community groups. Goals include developing local advocacy, civic engagement, statewide advocacy, and mobilizing voters. Lunch and interpretation services will be provided, and donations accepted. 

Decolonization for Transformation

Our friends in the Wenatchee area invite all to an interactive, in-person training to explore core concepts of justice for Indigenous Peoples, including an analysis of the doctrine of discovery. Join us for this engaging training with Sarah Augustine, a Pueblo (Tewa) descendant and renowned activist and leader for indigenous rights. We will explore core values, engage in power analysis, and explore decolonization from a cultural lens with an emphasis on seeking repair. This day-long training will be held in-person at the Sunnyslope Church (3330 School St., Wenatchee) from 9 AM – 4 PM, and include a catered lunch and training manual for participants. Although many of our sponsors are faith-based organizations, this is a secular training intended for community members and organizational leaders who are seeking to learn how we can identify and challenge systems of colonization and join with indigenous communities today as they organize for the survival of all life.

Event Sponsors: The Sunnyslope Church, Pacific Northwest Conference – United Church of Christ, Northwest Intermountain Synod – Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, NCW Equity Alliance, Plaza Super Jet and Faith Action Network.

Lobby Days with our Coalition Partners

Monday, February 19, 9:00am-5:00pm, in-person. NAMI(National Alliance on Mental Illness) Washington Lobby Day. Learn more here.

Monday, February 19, 9:00am-3:00pm, in-person. APRI Seattle, Charles Rolland African American Lobby Day. Learn more here.

Wednesday, February 21, 12:00pm-3:00pm, in-person. Budget Proviso Rally, led by WAISN.

Saturday, February 24, 9:00am-3:00pm, in-person. Yakima Advocacy Day, learn more.

Tuesday, February 27, Noon-1:00pm, in-person. Balance Our Tax Code Coalition Rally.

Opportunities

Webinar: Spring Safety and Security Religious Holiday Briefing Wednesday, February 21, 11:00am, online. Please join FEMA’s Voluntary Agency Coordination Section and the DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships for a briefing that will provide attendees information to prepare their facilities for upcoming religious observances and other public gatherings. 

Look for opportunities to meet with your state legislators during their Town Halls–either by phone, online or in-person. This is an effective way to keep pushing for the bills that have successfully crossed over into the other chamber. Find your legislator here and look on their website for town hall opportunities. You can also use this Housing Alliance link for townhalls that have been announced.

Thanks to the advocacy of the Coalition for Free and Fair Filing, we share good news: You can save money this year when you file your taxes with DIRECT FILE, a historic new service that will allow eligible taxpayers to file their taxes for free directly with the IRS. It’s quick, easy, & free, includes ITIN filers, and people with Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. Learn more at directfile.irs.gov.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, February 20, 3:00-5:00pm, Sacred Ground: A Film and Article Based Series on Race and Racism, in-person and online. Sponsored by St. Augustine’s in-the-Woods, Freeland. Register by e-mailing dmcglannan5@gmail.com.

Tuesday, February 20, 4:00-6:00pm, From Exodus to Jesus and Beyond: Progressive Christianity, Social Justice, and the Bible, online. This five-part online Lenten workshop series from the Justice Leadership Program will explore how the lessons and faith values can inform our work to build a better world. 

Tuesday, February 20, 7:00-8:30pm, online, Book Launch Conversations: Pluralism in the Abrahamic Tradition & the Temptation to Supremacy. Presented by Paths to Understanding.

Tuesday, February 27, 7:00pm, Meaningful Movies Presents: Ever Green, online. Learn what is happening through the Whidbey Environmental Action Network (WEAN). E-mail Dave Isaak disaak1@gmail.com for more details.

Saturday, March 2, Noon, WA Poor People’s Campaign March to Stay Alive, in-person, WA State Capitol, Olympia. Join in the Mass Poor People’s Assembly in Olympia. 

Saturday, March 9, 3:00pm, Interreligious Dialogue Initiative Film Screening and Discussion: Carving the Divine, in-person, Seattle University, Seattle. An event in solidarity and support for the Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple which recently experienced arson.

Saturday, March 10, 1:30-3:30pm, American Democracy in Peril: What History Tells Us and How We Take Action Today, in-person and online, University Unitarian Church, Seattle. Learn from lecturer David Domke about how the civic choices that we make today will determine the future of American democracy and justice. Learn more here.

August 5-9, Holden Village Summer 2024 Lecture Series, in-person, Holden Village, Chelan. Learn from FAN Staff members Kristin Ang and Tomo Duke as well as Board Member Dr. Rev. Edward Donalson III on their work with FAN and beyond. Learn more here.