FAN staff are raising the banner for progressive revenue. We continue to plan and join events to raise our collective voice, and we are grateful for your continued advocacy within your own communities.

We strongly encourage you to join with our partners at the Balance Our Tax Code advocacy day at the Washington State Capitol on Monday, 3/17, for a full day of action for progressive revenue. The day will include a lunchtime rally and lawmaker meetings for advocates on campus. Register here.

Photo Credit for our day in Olympia: Mark White

This March is a time of awe and wonder, as we observe holy days in multiple faith traditions. We wish all of you peace, joy, and blessing especially during these sacred times of Ramadan and Lent. We also wish you an exuberant Purim March 13-14, sharing our hope for the end of oppression and religious discrimination everywhere. We wish joy and renewal on the Sikh New Year and Holi March 14, on Nowruz and the Spring Equinox on March 20, and during the Higan-e Festival the week of March 17. We are envisioning this month as an eloquent movement of prayer, reflection, and compassion enveloping us and our world.

TAKE ACTION

Now is the time to reach out to all your state legislators about the bills that have moved forward but not far enough, 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 utilizing media channels such as op-eds and social media discussions to shape public discourse.

Act Now: Urge Lawmakers to Bring These Bills to a Floor Vote!

(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 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 5131 Accommodating Religious Celebrations in Correctional Facilities
SB 5768 Working Families Tax Credit Expansion
HB 1232 Private Detention Facilities Accountability and Transparency including NW Detention Center.

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.

UPCOMING TOWN HALLS: ANOTHER CHANCE TO SPEAK UP 

As the legislative session continues, legislators are wrestling 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 and a list of Washington Republican Town Hall meetings can be found here.  

TAKE ACTION BY PERSONALIZING AND SIGNING OUR NEW  ADVOCACY LETTER  

Sign on to our new Senior Nutrition Funding Letter

Nutrition programs are a crucial part of the safety net for low-income older adults. Our population is aging, and the need for group meals and home delivered meals is rising. The state budget must sustain our current service levels for these programs. Nearly 1 in 10 older adults now live in poverty. 

Budgets are documents that manifest our values. And the recent House Budget Resolution proclaims that our federal government--claiming to speak for our country--values greed over care, might over right, the unimaginably wealthy over those earning their livelihood day to day. Our spiritual traditions tell us otherwise. “God commands justice and fair dealing…” says the Quran, (16:90). "Woe to those who make iniquitous decrees, who write oppressive statutes, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right,
to make widows their spoil and to plunder orphans!" thunders the prophet Isaiah (10:2).

Our prophetic voices are needed in this day, to encourage our federal Representatives and Senators to stand fast against the devastating and disgraceful proposed cuts to Medicaid and SNAP in the 2025 budget.

As the Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice write, "The House proposal would cut $880 billion from Medicaid and $230 billion from SNAP (food stamps)—yes, billions—to give $1.1 trillion—yes, trillion—in tax breaks to America’s 1% wealthiest individuals. That is food straight out of the mouths of kids. Those are prescriptions gone from medicine cabinets... It is medical care for families canceled, delayed, and denied border-to-border."

According to Mom's Rising, Medicaid currently finances nearly half of the nation’s births. Approximately 62 percent of long-term care residents in nursing homes and about one in three people with disabilities rely on Medicaid.

The Statewide Poverty Action Network details the threats for Washington residents:

"... these cuts would be disastrous for Washingtonians across the state... In 2023, Washington received $12.5 billion in federal funding for Medicaid. Without this funding, our state's healthcare system would be gutted. Hospitals across Washington  would be forced to close, especially in rural areas, limiting access to healthcare for all patients whether they are covered by Medicaid or private insurance. At particular risk are already vulnerable populations: 47% of children in Washington are covered by Medicaid, and this number skyrockets in rural areas. [In addition,] SNAP provides lifeline food assistance to our friends and neighbors. In 2024, 1 in 9 Washington received support from SNAP. Cutting funding for this essential program would make life harder for families already struggling to make ends meet."

Faith communities and nonprofits are challenging this cruelty. Please sign one of the following letters, call your legislators, or share a message at a town hall when your U.S. Representative is back for in-district work days March 13-21. Check your Representative's website to see what community meetings are being scheduled.

• Statewide Poverty Action: Tell Congress: Oppose Cuts to Medicaid and SNAP!
• The Episcopal Church: Protect Medicaid
• Friends Committee on National Legislation: Protect Health Care and Food Assistance
• Lutheran Services in America/ELCA Advocacy Action Center: Protect Medicaid and Oppose Cuts and Caps
• Moms Rising: Tell Your Governor to Stand Up Against Reckless Cuts to Medicaid

• Union of Reform Judaism Religious Action Center: Tell Congress: Oppose Cuts to Health Care and Food Assistance

• Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice: No Cuts to Healthcare or Nutrition Programs

• United Church of Christ: Tell Congress to Stop Stealing from the Poor to Give to the Rich

• United Methodist Church: Prioritize Grace Over Greed

In the Washington State Legislature, the period between the Fiscal Committee Cutoff (February 28, 2025) and the House of Origin Cutoff (March 12, 2025) is commonly referred to as the Floor Action Period. During this phase, bills that have passed through their respective policy and fiscal committees are debated and voted upon by the full chamber in which they were introduced—either the House or the Senate. ​Floor Action Period is characterized by heightened activity and urgency. Legislators engaged in extended debates, negotiated amendments, and worked diligently to advance bills this week before the impending House of Origin Cutoff.

Senate Substitute Bill 5123 (SSB 5123) expands nondiscrimination protections in Washington public schools by adding ethnicity, homelessness, immigration or citizenship status, and neurodivergence as protected classes while separately defining sexual orientation, gender expression, and gender identity. Supporters argued that the bill promotes inclusivity, ensures clearer protections, and aligns with the diverse needs of students, particularly those from marginalized communities. Opponents, however, raised concerns about implementation challenges, potential legal challenges from Federal government, and the additional resources required for enforcement. Despite these concerns, the bill passed the Senate on March 6, 2025, with a 30-19 highly partisan vote, reflecting strong Democratic support and significant Republican opposition.

​SSB 5714 proposes amendments to the professional conduct standards for bail bond agents and bail bond recovery agents in Washington State. Specifically, it seeks to classify the enforcement of civil immigration warrants and the unauthorized sharing of a defendant's immigration status as unprofessional conduct. Under this bill, agents would be prohibited from using their positions to execute civil immigration warrants and from disclosing a defendant's immigration status outside of their agency's operations. Violations could result in disciplinary actions by the Department of Licensing, including fines, license suspension, or revocation. The bill passed the Senate on March 3, 2025, with a vote of 44-5.

​SSB 5436 establishes criminal offenses and civil remedies for actions that interfere with access to places of religious worship in Washington State. Specifically, it criminalizes willful or reckless conduct that obstructs or impedes entry to or exit from a place of worship, disrupts religious services, or threatens individuals on the premises. Violations are classified as gross misdemeanors, carrying mandatory minimum sentences that escalate with repeated offenses. Additionally, the bill provides aggrieved individuals and religious organizations the right to seek civil remedies, including injunctive relief and monetary damages. The bill passed the Senate unanimously on March 3, 2025, with a vote of 49-0.

HB 1303 has evolved from its original form and now focuses on Integrating environmental justice into the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). While it no longer mandates cumulative impact analyses of polluting facilities, the bill aims to strengthen SEPA by requiring agencies to assess how proposed actions prioritize vulnerable populations, equitably distribute resources, and eliminate harm. The bill remains a critical step toward environmental justice, ensuring that communities disproportionately affected by pollution have stronger protections in policy decisions. The bill is currently in the House Rules Committee, awaiting a floor vote.

Public Protests: Demonstrators Rally at State Capitol

On Tuesday, A large protest took place at the Washington State Capitol, with demonstrators voicing opposition to President Trump’s policies. The rally, organized by advocacy groups, labor unions, and progressive activists, addressed concerns over immigration, healthcare, labor rights, and climate change. Protesters urged state lawmakers to resist federal policy rollbacks and uphold Washington’s progressive stance on reproductive rights and environmental protections.

Constitutional Amendment for Reproductive Freedom and Gender-Affirming Care.

Also on Tuesday, Democrats introduced Senate Joint Resolution 8204 which proposes an amendment to the Washington State Constitution to protect individual rights to reproductive freedom—including abortion, contraception, and assisted reproductive technology—and to ensure access to gender-affirming care. This resolution aims to prevent state interference in personal healthcare decisions related to these areas.​

Transportation Funding: Road Usage Charge Debate Returns

As Washington faces declining gas tax revenue due to the rise of electric and fuel-efficient vehicles, the debate over implementing a road usage charge has resurfaced in Olympia. Lawmakers are exploring a per-mile fee to ensure all drivers contribute fairly to infrastructure funding. Proponents argue this system would create a more sustainable revenue stream, while opponents raise concerns about privacy, tracking mileage, and the financial burden on rural drivers with long commutes. The issue remains controversial, with lawmakers reviewing pilot program data and considering how to equitably implement the policy while addressing public concerns.

FAN Board Chair, Rev. Carol Jensen, stands with leaders of multiple faith backgrounds to advocate for refugee and immigrant rights in Seattle.

Photo Credit: Karen Ducey/Seattle Times

As the new federal administration continues to disrupt and attempt to dismantle refugee resettlement, faith leaders are showing up and speaking out. Jewish, Christian, and Muslim organizations signed on to this Interfaith Solidarity Statement on Refugees and Immigrants on March 7, urging people of faith and conscience to continue advocating for the restoration of this critical work.

FAN Board Chair, Rev. Carol Jensen, shared, “One day after the Seattle federal district judge issued an injunction against the administration for halting funding for refugee resettlement, the administration canceled agreements with all the resettlement agencies that had been doing work on behalf of the US government. It was back to the Seattle federal district court March 4 for review. As of now, funds remain cut off pending further court hearings.”

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

Monday, March 17th, 11:45am-1:00pm then afternoon appointments. Olympia, in-person. BOTC (Balance Our Tax Code) 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.

Saturday, March 15, 9am – 5pm, Peace & Justice Action Conference, in-person & virtual. Spokane Central Library (906 W Main Ave. Spokane, WA 99201). The Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane's annual Peace & Justice Action Conference is the largest event in the Inland Northwest region for activists to sharpen skills, deepen analysis, and strengthen relationships. This year’s theme Empowered Together: Collective Action for a Just Future invites activists, community organizers, and advocates from across the Inland Northwest and beyond to unite for a transformative experience focused on peace, justice, and collective liberation. Join us as we gather to strategize, inspire, and empower one another. Together we can build a just future for all. Register here.

Sunday, April 27, 3:30pm - 7pm, Uniting the Inland Northwest, in-person. Montvale Event Center (1019 W. 1st Ave. Spokane, WA 99201). FāVS News is hosting “Uniting the Inland Northwest,” a free community gathering focused on bridging regional divides. The event will feature six breakout sessions addressing regional issues and a keynote address from Itohan Idumwonyi, of the Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau, and a Gonzaga University professor, on Ubuntu: How an Ancient African Concept can Help Human Flourishing. Free to attend, register here.

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