I attended a CIR training on Saturday, July31st @ Phinney Ridge Lutheran. The training was led by Diakonda Gurning and Stacy Kitahata. We reviewed a timeline of US immigration legislation, learned the correct terms for immigration status, i.e. resident alien, refugee, etc. We also read the many old testament, new testament and Koran verses regarding our response to the stranger or aliens in our land. Time well spent. Kathy Long, LPPO Advisory Council member. More events are upcoming!
The legislative session continues to speed along with the fourth week bringing the first legislative cutoffs, dates by which bills need to pass certain legislative hurdles on their way to passage. Tomorrow at 5 PM (Feb. 2nd), policy bills originating in the House need to be passed out of their committees in order to have a chance of passage. For bills originating in the Senate, the deadline to pass out of committee is this Friday at 5 PM. This week’s alert features two bills that need to survive these cutoffs–your timely response is crucial!
InterFaith Advocacy Day
A reminder to register for InterFaith Advocacy Day. Come join LPPO and our interfaith and ecumenical partners on Tuesday, February 16th, for a day to “Lift Every Voice” at the state capital in Olympia. The day begins at United Churches, across the street from the Capitol, where we will worship, hear from experts on the current state of the budget and policy legislation, and receive instruction on how to be successful advocates. At noon the group moves to the legislative building to eat lunch and hear from leading legislators and, for the first time at Faith Advocacy Day, Governor Chris Gregoire. The afternoon also features appointments for attendees to meet with their individual state legislators. Bus transportation is available from Seattle and Tacoma and carpools are being organized from other areas.
Please register ASAP to reserve reserve your preferred transportation option and lunch.
Register Now!
Ways to Communicate/Advocacy Tools
- Toll Free Legislative Hotline # 1-800-562-6000 Reach any of your legislators or the governor in one call!
- Via Email or Mail Know you 9 digit zip code? Head to www.lppowa.org or www.leg.wa.gov to find your representatives’ contact information.
- Latest Bill and Committee Information The state legislature’s website is an excellent resource for everything related to the legislative session.
Action Bills for Week Three
Food Policy Council Bill (HB 6343) LPPO along with other members of the Good Food Coalition are supporting this bill to help strengthen our state’s ag economy with better coordination. Our food system in Washington State is not working well and we need to do better. Food Policy Councils (FPCs) are being established at local & state levels throughout the country to address the food system challenges. Working across the different sectors of our food system, FPCs coordinate action among the many stakeholders that can expand production, consumption and access to Washington-grown foods. Multiple benefits can ensue, including job creation, keeping food dollars and tax revenue in-state, and improved health based upon improved access to healthy food. A Food Policy Council would also position Washington State to take advantage of new federal dollars that support improved nutrition and food system integration. For more information visit The Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network’s issue page.
Status and Action: The bill is currently in the Senate Agriculture and Rural Economic Development Committee. If your legislator serves on this committee (member list) please urge them to have committee chair Sen. Brian Hatfield bring the bill up for executive session and vote it out of committee.
Ban Unfair Insurance Practices (HB 2513/SB 6252) LPPO supports these bills which would eliminate the use of credit scoring to determine auto and property insurance premiums. Proposed by State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, these bills would eliminate a barrier to affordable insurance for all Washingtonians. For more information, visit the website of the Insurance Commissioner.
Status and Action: Both bills are scheduled for votes in their respective committees tomorrow, February 2nd. If one of your representatives serves on the Financial Institutions Committee in the House (member list) or if your senator serves on the Labor and Commerce Committee (member list), urge them to support this legislation ASAP!
Security Lifeline Bill – (HB2782) creates a online benefits portal system to reorganize the delivery of services to recipients of public assistance – particularly those on GA-U (General Assistance Unemployable) and renames GA-U to “Disability Lifeline Program”. The bill also takes a number of steps to improve human services in Washington including establishing a permanent housing pilot program and expanding the food stamp employment and training program in community colleges around the state.
Status and Action: Unlike the previous bills, the Security Lifeline Bill has been passed out the Health House Human Services Committee. Contact your representatives in the House and urge them to support the bill before the February 16th house of origin cutoff.
Week Three in Review
Week three of the legislative session featured two successful advocacy days sponsored by coalitions to which LPPO belongs.
- On Tuesday, January 26th the 25 organizations of the Envriomental Priorities Coalition and nearly 500 advocates descended on Olympia for Environmental Lobby Day. A coalition dedicated to advocating for the environment in Olympia, the coalition has a tremendous record of legislative success. This success continued this year with one of the coalition’s priorities, the Safe Baby Bottle Bill (HB 1180/SB 6248) already passing both the House and Senate. The coalition’s other priority, due to be introduced this week, is an increase of the hazardous substance tax from .7% to 2.5% which would raise $225 million in new revenues.
- On Friday, January 29th, the members of the Anti-Hunger and Nutrition Coalition and 130 of their member advocates joined together in Olympia for Hunger Action Day. The day highlighted the issues facing hungry families in Washington and brought their stories before legislators in the position to take action to reduce hunger. LPPO’s partner, and last year’s recipient of LPPO’s Evergreen Justice Award, the Children’s Alliance, played a significant role in organizing the event.
LPPO traveled this past weekend to Spokane for the Eastern Washington Legislative Conference on Saturday, January 30th. Sponsored by LPPO, Washington Association of Churches, The Fig Tree, and Catholic Charities of Spokane, the event was an opportunity for nearly 40 people of faith in the greater Spokane area to learn how to engage in advocacy for “the least”. While in Spokane, LPPO Director Rev. Paul Benz also preached at The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Spokane Vally.
January 15
9:30am
Everett, WA: Clark Park to the office of Rick Larsen (Directions)
The National Week of Action for Comprehensive Immigration Reform is January 12-15. The largest action in Washington will be a march called “Our Work, For America!” in Everett, WA, to the office of Rick Larsen. Join us in the movement for Immigration Reform and let’s show our leaders in Washington State the strength of our collective voice! Organizations, unions, workers, faith groups, students, let’s make our voices heard!
Why March?
To show our elected leaders how immigrant labor strengthens Washington’s economy and ask Representative Rick Larsen to support Comprehensive Immigration Reform Now!
We have 2 specific asks of Congressman Larsen:
- Will you support Comprehensive Immigration Reform by becoming a co-sponsor of the Gutierrez immigration reform bill?
- Will you work with us to be a part of a large town hall meeting in Mt. Vernon with your constituents either during Presidents’ Day or Easter Recess?
What to wear?
People should march dressed in their work clothes and holding something that represents their labor, such as flowers, fruits, vegetables, brooms, construction hats, or nursing uniforms. Not only blue-collared workers should wear their clothes: if you are a doctor, come in your scrubs! If you are a teacher, dress as a teacher and bring some children from your school with signs saying what they want to be when they grow up!
Transportation
We will have 2 buses transporting people, one leaving from Mt. Vernon and the other from Bellingham. Apart from this, we will organize a community carpool from Bellingham, Mt. Vernon, and Lynnwood, to bring people to Everett. If you have a car that you could use to help carpool or would like to organize a carpool in your city, please let us know!
To participate please call OneAmerica information line at 206.452.8422 or email Kendra Anderson at Kendra@weareoneamerica.org.
Representative Rick Larsen (Washington’s 2nd District) recently introduced legislation to improve low-income children’s access to nutritious after-school meals and snacks.
“The Ensuring All Students Year-round (EASY) Access to Meals and Snacks Act, would amend the Child Nutrition Act to allow the organizations that currently serve snacks and meals during summer programs expanded federal reimbursement to serve low-income children throughout the school year, improving nutrition for this potentially vulnerable population.”
Read the full press release.
Email Congressman Larsen to thank him for his leadership on his issue.
January 18
9:00am-3:00pm
Olympia, WA
Register here
On January 18, 2010, over 500 people with low incomes will march on the state capitol in Olympia to demand a change. We believe our state government has a responsibility in ensuring that all people are able to meet their basic needs and providing greater opportunities to prosper.
The People’s Summit is an opportunity for people with low incomes to weigh in on issues and policies that directly impact them. This year, we will release the Racial Justice Report Card, which assesses the performance of the Washington Legislature on policies that address and strengthen racial equity in our state.
In addition to the March and rally, the People’s Summit includes skill-building workshops, a chance to network with people from across the state, and meetings with lawmakers so that we can ensure racial and economic justice is a priority.
Schedule
9:00am – Summit, Capitol Theatre, 206 5th Ave SE
11:30am – March & Rally, Capitol Theatre & Capitol Campus
1:00pm – Workshops & Lawmaker Meetings, Capitol Campus
Join us as we urge our lawmakers to fight for:
- Affordable housing and mortgage foreclosure protections
- Opportunities for low-income families
- The protection of safety net programs and critical services
- Progressive revenue options
January 9
9:30am-12:00pm
Seattle University Law School, Room 110 (Sullivan Hall)
2010 is being marked as the year to build momentum and mobilize to abolish the death penalty in Washington State.
Join concerned citizens and members of the Washington Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (WCADP) to discuss ways we can all get involved. Share ideas and learn about the upcoming legislative session in Olympia as well as opportunities around the state.
Questions: 206.622.8952 or info@abolishdeathpenalty.org
Light breakfast refreshments will be served, and WCADP’s annual meeting will follow.
View event details and RSVP on Facebook.
January 9
9:30am-2:15pm
Seattle Pacific University, Gwinn Commons
3310 Sixth Avenue West
This annual event is your opportunity to be involved as the state’s leading conservation groups prepare for the upcoming legislative session. You’ll hear from legislators, environmental lobbyists, and others regarding the community’s Environmental Priorities.
This year’s Environmental Priorities are:
- Safe Baby Bottle Act
- Working for Clean Water
- Sustain Environmental Protections in the Budget
$20 with lunch or $10 without lunch.
Student price (w/ valid student ID) is $10 with lunch.
January 9
4:00-6:30pm
Greater Mt. Baker Baptist Church, 2425 S. Jackson St. Seattle
The purpose of this Gathering is to bring communities together and to discuss the issues that affect us and prepare, strategize, and organize our plans for Black Legislative Day on February 12. We want the entire community to be apart of this event so they can be heard and represented by those who have been chosen to represent our issues.
Rosalund Jenkins, of the Commission on African-American Affairs, will be present to talk about African American Legislative Day and to discuss how to effectively represent issues that affect our community.
Dinner and Childcare will be available!
For More Information Call: 206.937.2701
January 7
12:30-2:00pm
University Lutheran, 1604 NE 50th St, Seattle
A simple lunch will be provided
Please RSVP to Mari at University Lutheran: 206.525.7074
The religious community needs to continue to organize itself around this critical issue as we seek to serve the common good, help people rise out of poverty, and build a sustainable and equitable future for our state.
All King County state legislators have been invited. If you can, send a personal email to your state representative, encouraging him/her to attend this discussion with you.
The meeting on January 7th will focus on the short-term (Getting Revenue in the 2010 state budget) and long-term (Reforming Washington State’s tax structure). Join us for this critical discussion.
(Info provided by the Community Food Security Coalition)
The Community Food Security Coalition and the National Farm to School Network have been leading the campaign for mandatory funding for Farm to School programs in the upcoming Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR). We only have this opportunity every four or five years. Your call or e-mail can make all the difference.
Several congressional offices are currently working on Farm to School legislation. We need your help to gain Congressional support for mandatory funding for Farm to School!