LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON: Legislative Newsletter (Jan. 16, 2022)
Editor’s Note: The League of Women Voters (LWV) of Washington sent this legislative newsletter on Jan. 16, 2022. Our mission at the Voter Interests Project is to monitor elected officials and ballot measures; we generally do not report on the activities of non-profit organizations. However, the LWV Whidbey Island chapter conducts candidate forums during most election cycles, and are therefore of particular interest to voters. The LWV of Washington’s website states, “The League is a Nonpartisan Source You Can Trust”; however, the LWV does take positions on public policy. Our observation is that their policy positions inform their management of voter forums. Therefore, we believe it to be of interest to our readers to know the positions for which the LWV advocates. Hence, our publication of their legislative newsletter.
Action Alerts
Click on the links below to learn more about bills currently being reviewed in the state legislature. You can “take action” on these most pressing bills by sending a suggested, editable email to legislators, encouraging them to vote to promote the League issue in question.
Increasing Access to the Death With Dignity Act
Faced with terminal diagnosis, Washingtonians have a right to a full range of options for care at the end-of-life, including medical-aid-in-dying.
► Ask members of the Senate Health and Long Term Care committee to schedule a public hearing now.
Redistricting Process Reform Opportunity, 1/19 at 8am
We need to let legislators know that we care about redistricting. Remotely sign in PRO to the Senate State Government Committee hearing on January 19th at 8:00am. In addition, please use this opportunity to testify in favor of comprehensive redistricting reform.
► Remotely sign in PRO to the Senate State Government Committee hearing before January 19th at 8:00am.
Visit the Current Actions page to learn how to support all actions.
Week One of the 2022 Legislative Session Was Fast and Furious!
Committee work began quickly, with hearings on the very first day for issues such as the Governor’s budget proposals. Each committee met several times during the week and held public hearings on a variety of bills. The schedule promises to be equally demanding in the week ahead.
The bills under consideration this year include those held over from 2021 as well as nearly 1000 newly introduced bills. Even at the legislature’s fast pace, they will not be able to get through all of that work, so the Lobby Team will focus on getting our priority bills heard. That said, a number of bills have moved quickly because they were initially considered in 2021 and have already been listed for floor action.
The first cutoff date is February 3. By that date, only three weeks away, bills have to have had a public hearing in the committee of origin and be voted out to the next step or they will die. The next step might be assignment to a fiscal committee or on to Rules, for a decision about whether or not the bill will move to the floor for a vote.
The grids on each issue web page give the bill status and will be updated weekly. Additionally, each issue chair will provide a narrative about the progress they are making. Please help by responding to the Action Alerts at the beginning of this newsletter. And as you read about the issues that you care most about using the links that follow, please add your voice wherever action is indicated.
If you have any questions about specific issues or specific bills, please do not hesitate to contact the issue chair for that subject at the email listed on their issue web pages.
LWVWA Legislative Issues From the 2022 Washington State Legislative Session
Click on an issue to learn more about session results on bills the League supported and “This Week’s Updates” to read the issue chair’s report on this past week.
Democracy
Elections | This week’s updates
Money in Politics | This week’s updates
Education | This week’s updates
Redistricting (coming soon) | This week’s updates
Natural Resources and Climate Change
Climate and Energy | This week’s updates
Growth Management | This week’s updates
Transportation | This week’s updates
Social and Economic Policy
Housing and Homelessness | This week’s updates
Health and Behavioral Health | This week’s updates
Calendar
- JAN 24-27: LWVWA Lobby Week, Co-Sponsored with Fix Democracy First
Other Ways to Follow the State Legislature
- Washington State Legislature website, leg.wa.gov.
- Washington State’s public affairs TV network, TVW.org.
