2003

House Bill 1210, this year's version of so-called Anti-Terrorism legislation, should not pass out of the House Rules committee. We must encourage Rules committee members by Wednesday, especially Frank Chopp who is the Speaker of the House and the Chair of the committee, NOT TO PASS HB 1210.BACKGROUND: This bill would create six new felonies specific to terrorism - felony terrorism, unlawful possession of a weapon of mass destruction, making terrorist threats in the first and second degrees, providing material support or resources to terrorists, and unlawful possession of falseidentification for terrorist purposes. There is no statute of limitations for these crimes. All of these crimes cover acts already punishable by current law. No part of the bill addresses preventative measures. Passage of the bill would not prevent terrorism. The leading new crime - Felony Terrorism - is a level XV felony, the same as Murder 1, but could include acts that…

Friends: HB 1554 would restore food stamp eligibility to people who served time in prison for a drug conviction but now are clean and sober. Background: The federal government has enacted legislation to deny assistance and benefits to persons convicted of certain drug-related offenses. Under the federal statute an individual convicted of a felony offense involving a controlled substance is not eligible for benefits under the food stamp program. The federal law which restricts the food stamp benefits contains a provision allowing individual states to opt-out of this federal law. The individual states may enact a law to exempt persons from the federal restriction so that they can receive food stamp benefits. Representative Pettigrew primed sponsored 1554 which passed out of the House Committee On Children & Family Services in February. The bill is now in Rules and needs to be advanced to the House Floor. Representatives Roach, R-Auburn, and Boldt, R-Vancouver, voted in the minority…

"We are caught up in an inescapable network of mutuality; tied to a single garment of destiny. What affects one directly, affects all indirectly. As long as there is poverty in this world, no man can be rich even if he has a billion dollars. As long as diseases are rampant and millions of people can not expect to live more than twenty or thirty years, no man can be totally healthy, even if he just got a clean bill of health from the finest clinic in America. Strangely enough, I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. You can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be."-- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1968 BACKGROUND:Your FCWPP representatives were busy during the first weeks of this 2003 legislative session presenting the Secure Society Campaign and asking legislators what their vision…

House Bill 4008 is a memorial petition to the government of the United States of America on behalf of the people of the state of Washington opposing a preemptive United States military attack on the nation of Iraq unless it is demonstrated that Iraq poses a real and imminent threat to the security and safety of the United States, supporting the return to Iraq of United Nations weapons inspectors enhanced by sufficient police support to guarantee unfettered access to all targeted sites, and asking that the United States work through the United Nations Security Council and reaffirm our nation¹s commitment to the rule of law in all international affairs.The bill had its first reading on Friday, January 24, and has been referred to the State Government Committee. So far, it appears that the committee has not scheduled the bill for discussion or hearing. If passed, the bill would not have the force…

Lobby days are a great way to learn about the issues and meet your legislators.  Our Legislators need to hear our concerns and the most effective lobbying is a personal visit from a constituent.  In the past, we have encouraged Friends attendance at the Washington Association of Churches Advocacy Day, however, due to the construction at the Capitol, they are not doing one this year.  The following is a great link to a listing of Lobby Days sponsored by various organizations and prepared by Policy Watch:http://depts.washington.edu/sswweb/policyw/2003LobbyDays.html.  If you are planning on attending any of these events, let our lobbyist, Alan Mountjoy-Venning (360-556-2584) know, and he will be happy to talk with you and/or meet with you. Friends have been invited to participate in the Lutheran Public Policy Office's Lutheran Advocacy Day, Wednesday, March 12, 2003 in Olympia, Washington.  They have been great allies in our efforts concerning revenue and budget concerns and their impact on…