ACTION ALERT, FEBRUARY 23, 2011
Our Moral Compass
Dear CWA of Washington Member,
We thank you for praying, becoming informed and taking action to influence the culture of Washington State. These action alerts update you on legislative issues about which we urge you to pray, as well as for the state’s citizens so that we can fulfill our state vision: The vision of CWA of Washington is to be an instrument for the Lord to use to educate people on Judeo-Christian values and to instill these values into the culture of the state of Washington. In other words, we join more than 500,000 members of Concerned Women for America all across the nation in prayer and action to restore the moral compass to our culture. As you know, we have huge opposition on many levels, but by grace we also have God’s Holy Bible with its precepts to live by, encouraging and empowering us in this battle. We must continue to stand firm in the battlefield of ideas and principles as so many have before us:
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong; Let all that you do be done with love. (1 Corinthians 16:13)
Religion and virtue are the only foundations, not only of republicanism and all free government, but of social felicity under all governments and in all the combinations of human society. President John Adams, August 28, 1811
UPCOMING EVENTS
CWA of Washington plans to sponsor two or three regional conferences in 2011 in order to meet you and learn how we can work better together to influence the culture through the Lord’s plans for our world. “For I know the plans that I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you.” (Jeremiah 29:11) At this time, our plan is to have a conference in the Wenatchee or Yakima area in June, Pierce County in July, and/or Bellingham/Marysville in August. If you live in one of those areas, please respond to let us know if you would be interested in attending. Your response will help us determine where best to meet with our members.
CWA of Washington is again pairing up with Research Mom to offer citizen activist workshops in Olympia. Please consider joining us for the remaining sessions:
9:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 1 & 15 at the Cherberg Building Conf room B/C
Learn grassroots strategies, understand bills, get tips on testifying, and “field trip” to hearings. Please sign up in advance for information and confirmation of the class. Contact edresearch@hotmail.com for information. Special arrangements can be made for your group to have a custom class for your issues.
Research Mom and CWA also partner at our regional conferences to educate you on the basics of influencing our state’s culture from the Biblical worldview, so please consider attending a conference in your area!
LEGISLATION
We strive to give you up-to-date information on legislation. However, we also encourage you to visit the state legislative website for the latest information: http://www.leg.wa.gov/pages/home.aspx Legislation is moving quickly through committees right now with looming deadlines, but as of this writing, here is a summary of the issues we are following:
SANCTITY OF LIFE
***HB 1366/SB 5274 limited service pregnancy centers; adding a new chapter to Title 70 RCW; and prescribing penalties.
HB 1366, the House of Representatives bill, has passed all committees and is now in the Rules Committee where it will be read a second time, then scheduled for a floor vote. SB 5274 is the Senate bill, and it appears that it will die in committee, although sometimes bills can be pulled to the floor for a vote anyway.
We must keep up the pressure on these two bills to dissuade legislators from subjecting community-based, pro-life crisis pregnancy centers to onerous requirements that will stretch their limited budgets and put them at very high risk of nuisance lawsuits which could break them financially. This is simply an attempt by pro-abortion activists to burden pro-life clinics, possibly closing many of them down, and forcing more vulnerable women to pro-choice clinics that do not provide adequate information on all the post-abortion syndrome problems that can plague those women for years, not to mention the 52 million pre-born children aborted in this nation since the 1973 Roe v Wade decision made by the U. S. Supreme Court.
CALL THE LEGISLATIVE HOTLINE: 1-800-562-6000 or contact your three state legislators by telephone, letter or e-mail. You can find contact information at the legislative website: http://www.leg.wa.gov/pages/home.aspx
***HB 1442 relating to requiring parental notification for abortion; adding a new section to chapter 9.02 RCW; prescribing penalties; and declaring an emergency.
This bill has been stopped in the House Health Care & Wellness Committee. The chair of this committee is Rep. Eileen Cody (D-Dist.34), and she has consistently refused to grant a hearing to any pro-life bills during her chairmanship. What do you think of the ability of one legislator to prohibit the citizens of this state to testify about the sanctity of life issue? If you live in the 34th District, be sure to attend any Town Hall meetings and politely express your thoughts on this question!
DEFINITION OF THE FAMILY
***HB 1267 clarifying and expanding the rights and obligations of state registered domestic partners and other couples related to parentage.
This bill has passed through all committees and is in Rules for a second reading. It is then eligible to proceed to the House floor for a vote. The prime sponsor, Rep. Jamie Pedersen (D-Dist. 43) has stated that this bill will affect all parents and all children born in Washington State with huge legal consequences. The bill neutralizes labels such as mother/father, male/female to parent and person, etc. It denies the basic biology of reproduction through its promotion of gender neutralization. A surrogacy contract with the woman allows payment for the lease of her body during the pregnancy, but disallows her any legal rights to the child she carries and births except for the right to abort during the pregnancy. The woman signs away her motherhood, and the baby is denied the truth about his/her origin. The bill would require that same-sex partners be presumed the parents of each other’s children, just as married couples are presumed to be the parents of any children born to them.
This bill is very complex. Do you think it goes too far in the depersonalization of human beings? Diminishes the human rights of mother and child? Insults and demeans motherhood? Makes women merely a means of production (in this case, reproduction) or, in other words, a “baby machine”? After all the advances for women in our culture, this bill promotes taking advantage of women without first forming a meaningful relationship that will produce and raise families within God’s plan for women and men.
PLEASE contact your three state legislators and tell them to VOTE NO on HB 1267!
***HB 1649 giving legal effect to domestic partnerships.
HB 1649 would make the “legal union of two persons of the same sex that was validly formed in another jurisdiction, and that is substantially equivalent to a domestic partnership under this chapter” recognized as a valid domestic partnership in Washington State. Again, gender neutralization is promoted; “gender-specific terms such as husband and wife used in any statute, rule, or other law shall be construed to be gender neutral and applicable to individuals in state registered domestic partnerships”.
This bill has passed all House committees, is in Rules and available for a House floor vote. If you do not want same-sex marriage in Washington State, contact your representatives and ask them to VOTE NO on HB 1649.
EDUCATION
***HB 1270 mental health and suicide prevention education.
This bill establishes the teaching of mental health and suicide prevention as part of basic education. Included are a set of standards, curriculum and assessment systems where students will be diagnosing their peers and themselves. Let’s leave the diagnosis of and treatment for mental health with families who choose adult professionals to help their families, not a one-size-fits-all curriculum and tests. If you are unhappy with the public school system’s sexual health education, how do you feel about the Department of Education defining mental health and implementing more programs to “guide” your children?
On Feb. 3 there was a public hearing in the House Committee on Education. No other action is posted as of Monday, Feb. 21.
CWA of Washington opposes HB 1270 and asks you to pray about and then contact your legislators with your opinion, asking them not to expand the state’s influence on and control of our children.
***HB 1004 social emotional learning in public schools.
HB 1004 has passed in the House Education Committee and is now in Ways & Means.
The issue is similar with this bill. Where do we draw the line for government management of our emotional health and social interactions? Again, consider the anti-family pattern of sexual health education curricula where what was considered normal and good for generations (e.g. man-woman marriage; abstinence before marriage) is questioned and clearly un-Biblical attitudes are cultivated in our children. Do we want the state to be in charge of teaching emotions, values and relationships, including standardized curriculum and assessments? This bill will mandate the teaching of “social, emotional learning” in addition to the core subjects (e.g. math, spelling, reading, social studies).
Strengthening the family unit, working to promote better marriages and healthier families is the way to improve the social-emotional learning of our children, not expanding government’s reach into our families. PRAY for the church to equip God’s people and to influence the society for good as it is intended to do.
Contact your legislators and ask them to oppose HB 1004.
NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY
***SB 5333 verifying citizenship or lawful presence of individuals upon the renewal of their state issued driver’s license or permit or identicard.
Jan 20 First reading, referred to the Senate Transportation Committee, likely not to move out of committee. Washington State is one of a few states that allows people to apply for a license, permit or identicard with no proof of citizenship or lawful residence. This will be a step in the right direction for this state and, hopefully, encourage other permissive states to follow suit.
At future Town Hall meetings with your representatives, please bring up bills like this that would strengthen our national security and sovereignty. With the addition of the Motor Voter program, too many illegal people are able to drive and vote in Washington.
As always, we ask you to pray about these issues, educate yourself and others, then take appropriate action. I want you to know there were several other bills that we wanted to support, but these bills never had a chance to be heard, much less voted on. Share this information so that other citizens will become involved through prayer, education and action, in order to preserve and promote our Biblical values and with those, the moral compass for millions for generations.
In His Service,
Maureen Richardson, State Director
Concerned Women for America of Washington