Dear CWA of Washington Member,
“…since we have such hope we use great boldness of speech.” –Corinthians 3:12
CWA of Washington is watching several bills at this point of the 2016 session, but the most urgent ones about which you need to use “great boldness of speech” are SB 6443 and HB 2589. Since this is a short legislative session (sixty days), things move very quickly, and since the legislature’s leaders hoped to focus primarily on budget issues, we need to work extra hard to educate others and act on our concerns. There is a rising tide of citizen response to the Human Rights Commission’s interpretation of the 2006 law (HB 2661) about nondiscrimination. CWA is part of that rising tide, and WE NEED YOU to join the movement!
LEGISLATION
SB 6443 – AN ACT Relating to the human rights commission’s rule-making authority; and adding a new section to chapter 49.60 RCW.
Click here to read the bill.
CWA of Washington supports this bill.
Five unelected Human Rights Commission (HRC) members issued a ruling on December 26, 2015, that requires all “places of public accommodation” to allow transgendered individuals access to opposite-sex bathrooms and locker rooms. No one is allowed to question that access or to inquire as to an individual’s gender identity. As stated in my previous alert, there are two main concerns: public safety and right to privacy. The HRC ruling fails to include adequate safeguards to prevent deviant persons from abusing the policy through voyeurism or worse. Women are particularly concerned about their safety and privacy, given the potential danger (both physically and emotionally) to themselves and their daughters and granddaughters, since they are more often the targets of sexual assault and are certainly vulnerable in these settings. If the dignity of women is equally as important to you as the dignity of transgendered individuals, you need to express that to your three state legislators.
There is a public hearing scheduled for SB 6443 on Wednesday, January 27, at 1:30 p.m. in the Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor. We need to fill up the hearing room and beyond with supporters of this bill. Please bring a carload or vanload of others with you on Wednesday to show your support for the bill and also to thank Senator Ericksen and the other sponsors for having the courage to propose this bill that limits the Human Rights Commission’s rule-making authority on this issue.
HB 2589 – AN ACT Relating to allowing the use of gender-segregated facilities; and amending RCW 49.60.030.
Click here to read the bill.
CWA of Washington supports this bill.
This bill was introduced in the House and referred to the House Committee on Judiciary. Rep. Laurie Jinkins (D-Distrtict 27) refuses to allow a public hearing on this bill. We need to persuade her that in our democratic Republic, we the people have a right to be heard on any issue in order for our elected legislators to properly represent our interests. Please consider contacting Jinkins’ office to express your interest in this issue. Call Rep. Laurie Jinkins’ office at 360-786-7930 or e-mail her at laurie.jinkins@leg.wa.gov. Request that she schedule a hearing on HB 2589.
With such a short session, the last day to read this bill in committee is February 5. Without a hearing, this bill will not proceed to the House floor for a vote.
CWA of Washington implores you to TAKE ACTION and contact your three district legislators today to support these bills. Click here to find out who they are as well as how to contact them. You may call the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000 and leave a message for your senator and two representatives. This only takes a couple minutes of your time and the operators will forward your message. You may also call, fax or e-mail your concerns; this website makes it easy to send your comments: app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/.
“We the people” need to storm Olympia by attending the public hearing on Wednesday or through e-mails and letters or telephone calls to both the Hotline (800-562-6000) and your own individual legislators’ offices, plus committee members. If you cannot attend the hearing, please contact each member of the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor. Simply click here and go to “Commerce and Labor” then click on one name at a time to contact.
PRAYER
To encourage and motivate us all to share and apply Biblical principles in order to engage and influence the culture, I share some of my favorite Scriptures:
1 Corinthians 16:13 – “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.”
Ephesians 6:10-11- “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
Acts 5:29 – “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men.’”
James 5:17 – “Faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead.”
Philippians 4:6-7 – “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
In His Service,
Maureen Richardson
State Director
CWA of Washington
director@washington.cwfa.org
wa.cwfa.org
425-869-1923
PO Box 143
Woodinville, WA 98072
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