The Friends Committee on Washington State Public Policy (FCWPP) recommends approval of Referendum 71, affirming the adoption of SB 5688 by the Washington State Legislature in 2009 to extend to domestic partners all of the legal benefits afforded to married persons. Background: SB 5688 was adopted by the 2009 Washington State Legislature with the intent that … Read more
Friends, With the House concurrence today, both the Senate and the House have now passed the Voting Rights Restoration bill HB 1517 in the same form, so it goes to the Governor. Please contact Governor Chris Gregoire to say that she has your support for signing this bill into law. You can leave her a message through … Read more
FCWPP Alert: Please contact your State Senator to support Voting Rights Restoration without amendments Friends, Sen. Mike Carrell will likely offer an amendment to the Voting Rights Restoration bill (HB 1517) specifying that voting rights would be revoked if an ex-prisoner failed to keep up payment for restitution. Despite all that Sen. Carrell has done in the … Read more
FCWPP Alert! – Contact Senators whose vote on Voting Rights Restoration is uncertain HB 1517, the voting rights restoration bill — having passed the House — is now in the Senate. We thank all of you who contacted the Senate Leadership asking that the bill be approved for a floor vote. Assuming it does make it to … Read more
Now that HB 1517, which would restore voting rights to ex-felons who have completed all supervision under the Department of Corrections, has passed the House, it is up to the Washington State Senate to complete the job. The bill passed out of the Senate Government Operations and Elections Committee on Monday and is now in the Senate … Read more
Dear Friends, In 2006, voters approved I-937 to guarantee that by 2020, 15% of the electricity from Washington’s largest utilities comes from new renewable energy sources. But the special interests who oppose I-937 want to use this year’s legislative session to undo its clean energy standards. The state Senate recently voted by a 27-21 margin to pass … Read more
Dear Friends, Shouldn’t excuses for inaction on climate change be a thing of the past? This week in Olympia, both the House and Senate are expected to vote on Cap and Invest, the Governor’s climate change bill. The choice is clear: vote yes and move forward to reduce our state’s global warming pollution and fossil fuel … Read more
FCWPP Alert – Ask your legislators to support Voting Rights Restoration HB 1517, which would have restored voting rights to ex-felons who have completed all supervision under the Department of Corrections, has been replaced by a substitute that calls only for a study by the Secretary of State. Please contact your legislators by email or phone … Read more
Dear Friends, Next week is a critical week of the Legislative Session. The Transit-Oriented Communities bill (HB 1490) will be up for a House floor vote by Wednesday. House Bill 1490 would create affordable, walkable communities connected by transit for Washington’s families and has strong support from both the Environmental Priorities Coalition and the Washington Low … Read more
Friends–One important action request and a reminder about Faith Advocacy Day. ACTION REQUEST: Please call Frank Chopp’s office and tell him that you are very disappointed that HB1517 was amended to call for a study instead of finally taking action to restore voting rights to released prisoners. Tell him you are particularly unhappy about this because … Read more