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Today, February 28, marks the Fiscal Policy Cutoff for the Washington State Legislature, a critical deadline in the legislative process.  By midnight, bills with financial implications must pass out of their respective fiscal committees—either the House Appropriations, the Senate Ways & Means, or the Transportation committees—or they are effectively considered "dead" for the session. This cutoff ensures that only bills with a viable fiscal path forward continue through the legislative process.

TAKE ACTION

Now is the time to reach out to all your state legislators about the bills that have moved forward from the fiscal committees via the legislative hotline (1-800-562-6000) or bill comment. It is also time to advocate with the Rules Committees to ensure that our priority bills get to the floor (House Rules Committee & Senate Rules Committee).

The Rules Committee plays a pivotal role by determining which bills advance to the floor for a full vote. The next significant deadline is the House of Origin Cutoff on March 12. By then, bills must pass out of the chamber where they were introduced (either the House or the Senate) to remain in play. Over the coming days, strategic advocacy will be crucial, including engaging legislators, mobilizing community support, and ensuring robust testimonies and public comment.

Please look for a letter template on budget cuts for you to personalize and sign coming next week.

BILLS Advanced to RULES COMMITTEES

(For details about the content of each of these bills, please check our Legislative Agenda or Bill Tracker)

HB 1125 Judicial Discretion Act 

HB 1150/SB 5284 Recycling Reform Act 

HB 1163 Permit to Purchase Firearms 

HB 1217 Rent Stabilization 

HB 1303 Cumulative Risk Burden (CURB) Pollution Act 

HB 1380 Objectively Reasonable Regulations of People without Housing (Safe Spaces, Strong Communities Act)

HB 1434 State Recognition of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha 

HB 1432 Improving Access to Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services 

SB 5123 Protections for Students 

SB 5131 Accommodating Religious Celebrations in Correctional Facilities 

SB 5436 Prohibiting Interference with Access to a Place of Worship 

SB 5284 Recycling Reform Act 

SB 5768 Working Families Tax Credit Expansion

While not on our original Legislative Agenda, Policy Director Kristin Ang has recommended that we may want to advocate on two immigrant justice bills:

HB 1232 Private Detention Facilities Accountability and Transparency including NW Detention Center.

SB 5714 Declaring civil immigration enforcement as unprofessional conduct for bail bond recovery agents "bounty hunters," including breaches of confidentiality by disclosing a defendant’s immigration status to individuals outside the bail bond agency’s legitimate business operations.

UPCOMING TOWN HALLS: ANOTHER CHANCE TO SPEAK UP 

As the legislative session continues, legislators wrestle with proposed budget cuts and significant bills to protect our neighbors and our earth. Legislative Town Halls in March provide another chance for us to gather folks from our district and faith communities in order to make our values heard. Washington Democrats are offering a list of upcoming Town Halls here:  https://housedemocrats.wa.gov/blog/2025/01/10/2025-town-halls/

Washington Republicans do not seem to have a similar list, but all three Republican legislators of LD 12 are holding a virtual Town Hall on March 20 and Rep. Mendoza in LD 14 is holding a Town Hall March 13 as well. 

TAKE ACTION ON ANY OF FAN'S BILLS ON OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA BY WRITING YOUR LEGISLATORS. 

Go to our Bill Tracker or our Legislative Agenda and click on a bill you care about. It will take you to the legislative website where you can click "Send a comment on this bill to your legislators."

FAN is committed to advancing policies that promote justice, equity, sustainability and dignity for all Washingtonians. We encourage our network to stay engaged and continue advocating for these important legislative priorities.

"The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any. " - Alice Walker, novelist and social activist

Since January 20, corporations and nonprofits have been terminating their commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion, three foundational principles in many faith traditions. Are you wondering what you can do?  Many Black leaders, organizations and faith communities are supporting an economic blackout today, Friday 2/28, and economic steps beyond to leverage our buying power to small local businesses and corporations and media outlets that remain committed to DEI. The NAACP and the National Action Network are tracking those companies.  Learn more at the Black Consumer Advisory and the Equity Alliance of Washington and join in now!

From FAME-Equity Alliance of Washington February 2025 Newsletter:

"The recent wave of corporate DEI rollbacks isn't just disappointing – it's economically shortsighted. Research shows that companies with strong DEI practices outperform their competitors, innovate more effectively, and better serve diverse customer bases. Abandoning these initiatives can lead to talent exodus, reduced innovation, weakened market understanding, and damaged brand reputation. Most critically, it threatens to erase decades of progress in workplace equality and economic opportunity for Black professionals. But we have the power to respond. The NAACP has outlined clear actions we can take: spend intentionally with companies like e.l.f. Cosmetics, Microsoft, Pinterest, Costco, and Ben & Jerry's that maintain strong DEI commitments. Meanwhile, we must hold accountable companies like Amazon, Google, McDonald's, Meta, Target, and Walmart that have chosen to step back from their DEI commitments. By supporting Black-owned businesses, advocating for stronger diversity policies, and staying informed about corporate practices, we can send a clear message: DEI is essential for building a fair and prosperous future for all."

Policy Recap

Great news: SB 5106 State Recognition of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha has passed the Senate Chamber!

This past week was a whirlwind of legislative activity in Olympia, marking "Fiscal Week" due to today's fiscal cutoff. Following last week's policy cutoff, which narrowed the field of bills that could move forward based on their policy merits, this week focused on bills with financial impacts. Committees such as Senate Ways & Means, House Appropriations, and Transportation held long hearings, often stretching late into the evening, to review and debate the fiscal implications of proposed legislation.

During Fiscal Week, advocates, stakeholders, and legislators delved into the budgetary details of numerous bills, weighing costs, revenue impacts, and funding priorities. These fiscal committees play a critical gatekeeping role, deciding which bills will move forward to the next phase of the legislative process. Bills with substantial financial impacts or those requiring new appropriations needed to make a strong case to avoid being cut. As the fiscal cutoff passes, attention will shift to the Rules Committees, which will determine which bills advance to the floor for a full vote ahead of the March 12 House of Origin cutoff. This transitional period is crucial for advocacy efforts, as stakeholders push to ensure their priority bills make it through the legislative gauntlet.

On Thursday, February 27, Governor Bob Ferguson held a press conference at the State Capitol to address Washington's projected $12-$15 billion budget shortfall. He unveiled a comprehensive plan aiming to save approximately $4 billion through various measures, including government efficiencies and strategic reductions. The governor emphasized that his proposals would preserve essential services, maintaining all K-12 education investments, public safety funding, and homelessness assistance programs.

Additionally, the plan honors existing collective bargaining agreements. A notable aspect of Governor Ferguson's proposal is the introduction of furloughs for state employees. He recommends that most state workers take one furlough day per month over the next two years, a move projected to save $300 million. Certain public employees, such as state troopers and staff in prisons and state hospitals, would be exempt from this requirement.

Governor Ferguson outlined that his budget savings are built on four key principles: implementing good government efficiencies, carefully examining unimplemented spending, reconsidering recent expenditures, and evaluating the sustainability of programs initially funded by one-time federal COVID-19 relief funds.

At the press conference, concerns were raised about the proposed budget's potential impact on vulnerable communities. One particularly alarming aspect of Governor Ferguson’s plan is the proposed decrease in funding for food banks, coming at a time when food insecurity remains high and demand for food assistance is surging across the state. Many advocates worry that reducing resources for food banks could strain already stretched organizations that provide critical support to families in need. Critics argue that this is not the time to scale back food assistance, as inflation and housing costs continue to drive more Washingtonians to rely on food banks.

In response to inquiries about implementing progressive revenue measures to address Washington's projected $15 billion budget shortfall, Governor Bob Ferguson emphasized a focus on expenditure reductions before considering new taxes. He stated, "We’re not going to tax our way out of this thing. Not going to happen. $15 billion is a lot of money." While not entirely dismissing the possibility of future tax measures, he indicated that it is "too soon to say" whether new taxes will be necessary, underscoring that current efforts are concentrated on budgetary efficiencies and spending cuts.

Saturday, March 1, 9:00am-3:00pm, Yakima Advocacy Day, in-person. Central Lutheran Church, 1604 W. Yakima Ave. Join fellow advocates for Yakima Advocacy Day as we build momentum for the common good.  Sponsored by Between the Ridges: Alliance for the Common Good, NAACP, WA Conservation Action, Asian Pacific Islander Coalition, and Poder Latinx.  The day includes sessions on power building and how to take effective action together, workshops on Immigration, Environmental Justice, Mental Health, an overview of status of bills in Olympia, policy priorities at the local, state and federal level, and resource tables from a diversity of community partners.  Let us know if you'd like a table.  Lunch is provided.  Interpretation Services available. Register here or email betweentheridges@gmail.com.

Friday, March 14, 10:00am-4:00pm, Olympia, in-person. WLIHA Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day. Register here.

Saturday, March 1, 10:00am-12:00pm, Eco-Anxiety Café, in-person. Manito United Methodist Church, 3320 S. Grand Blvd., Spokane. Are you worried about climate change? Join with other Spokane community members to share your feelings and thoughts, find or share resources, and connect with others who share your concerns. Register here. Eco-anxiety cafes are on the first Saturday of the month through April 2025. Free to Attend!

Saturday, March 8, 10:00am-4:00pm, Weaving Our Strengths, in-person. University Congregational United Church of Christ, 4515 16th Ave. NE, Seattle. The Church Council of Greater Seattle invites you to join for a day of workshops and reflection on the community organizing principles and anti-racism values that ground us in transformational change for liberation & justice. Keynote speaker Rev. Shalom Agtarap will open the plenary session, then the group will break into workshops in the afternoon. Workshop options and more information can be found on their landing page. We hope to see you there! Register here.

Saturday, March 8, 7pm, Decolonization in Action: Creating a Posture of Repair, in-person. Westminster Congregational United Church of Christ, 411 S Washington St., Spokane. Join Sarah Augustine, Executive Director of the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery and author of The Land is Not Empty, for this presentation cosponsored by Westminster UCC and the Spokane Alliance. Decolonization is climate justice and climate justice requires decolonization. This presentation will focus on concrete actions our community can embody as we assume a posture of decolonization.

Sunday, March 9, 12:30-1:45pm, Lunch & Learn: Climate Safe Investing Pt. 1, in-person and online. First United Methodist Church, 180 Denny Way, Seattle. Michael Richardson, co-facilitator of Third Act Upstate New York and seasoned source of knowledge and support on green investments, will present an overview of climate safe investing, ranging from the selection of personal investments to shareholder advocacy. You will also learn from Anne Shields, a Third Act Washington activist, who will present about the Costco Climate Shareholders Club, a group of U.S. investors concerned about Costco’s credit card partnership with Citibank, one of the biggest global funders of the oil, gas, and coal industries contributing to climate change. Anne will also share ways for investors and other shareholders to use their proxy votes to address climate change. To register, visit this link.  After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email with a Zoom link.

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