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Last weekend FAN Co-Sponsored the Eastern Washington Legislative Conference held at Spokane Valley United Methodist Church. We discussed our legislative priorities for 2019, and over 100 faith advocates attended. Thanks to Governing Boardmember Jim CastroLang for serving on the planning committee.
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We have twelve more weeks of the Legislative Session, and we have had 1,614 bills introduced so far! Our Bill Tracker is posted and updated weekly. We hope it will be a streamlined way for you to check on the progress of your favorite bills.
Here are a few highlights from Week Three:
Monday: FAN supported the Tenant Eviction Bill/SB 5600 in solidarity with the Housing Alliance. We testified in support of the GRADs Bill/SB 5379, an important anti-poverty bill which provides support for parenting minors. SEIU Local 6 showed their movie on sexual assault in the workplace in the Senate Cherburg building.
Tuesday: Tuesday was Environmental Lobby Day. The Senate TANF Bill/SB 5684 was heard, with powerful testimonies. The Prison Education Bill/SB 5433 was voted out of committee with an amendment regarding internet protection. FAN met with
the Racial Equity team of lobbyists from partner organizations.
Wednesday: The Restoring Voting Rights Bill/SB 5076 was heard in the Senate. Co-Director Paul Benz was on a panel with Mary's Place leaders during the Senate House Committee work session on how nonprofits work to alleviate homelessness, and he testified with the Association of Washington Cities on the Religious Zoning Bill/SB 5358. FAN also testified on the House GRADs/HB 1327 anti-poverty bill and signed on in support of the Local Option Bonding Bill/SB 5646 for affordable housing. FAN met with the new Senate Majority leader Andy Billig from Spokane.
Thursday: FAN testified on the Senate DWLS-3 Bill/SB 5328 with the ACLU and the Center for Justice in Spokane, as well as the Senate Post-Conviction Review Bill. FAN and the ACLU met with Rep. Graham (whose sister was a victim of the Green River Killer) on the Death Penalty Bill/HB 1488, and FAN also met with 1-1000 leader Jesse Wineberry, Sen. McCoy,
and Rep. Lekanoff on affirmative action measures.
Friday: FAN attended a criminal justice stakeholders meeting with Sen. Darneille about bills before the legislature. FAN testified on the House Religious Zoning Bill/HB 1377.
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Looking Ahead to Week
Four
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As we move into Week Four, here are some highlights:
Monday: Muslim Advocacy Day. The Senate Ways & Means Committee will be voting on the Prison Education Bill/SB 5433 and the Religious
Accommodations Bill/SB 5166. FAN advocates in the 38th Legislative District will be holding an Interfaith Advocacy preparation event. Contact FAN for more information.
Tuesday: Immigrant & Refugee Lobby Day. The Senate Committee on Law & Justice will have a public hearing on the Death Penalty Repeal Bill/SB 5339. The Senate Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilition Committee will vote on the TANF Reform
Bill/SB 5684 and will hold a public hearing on the Fruit and Vegetables Access Bill/SB 5583.
Wednesday: The Senate Ways & Means Committee will hold a public hearing on the Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking Bill/SB 5164 and Sen. Hasegawa's Wrongful Death Bill.
Thursday: The Children's Alliance Have a Heart for Kids Day. Catholic Advocacy Day.
Take Action for Justice!
To contact your legislators, use the email formula firstname.lastname@leg.wa.gov, or use the Legislative Hotline: 1-800-562-6000 between 8 AM and 7 PM, Monday through Friday. To find out who your legislators are, click here.
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Interfaith Advocacy Days are this month! We are in the midst of planning presentations, workshops on FAN's 2019 Legislative Agenda, and scheduling meetings with your legislators.
We hope you will join us in Yakima next weekend or Olympia on February 14. Click the links to register and learn more:
February 9 - Interfaith Advocacy Day in Yakima 9am-2pm, Wesley UMC
February 14 - Interfaith Advocacy Day in Olympia 9am-3pm, The United Churches of Olympia and Capitol Campus
Carpool! We have a carpool link set up for the Olympia event. If you would like to carpool, please indicate where you are coming from and how many you can take in your car. Does your faith community have a passenger van? Help us create vanpools from across the region!
New for Olympia Interfaith Advocacy Day! We are inviting the youth to join us this year in Olympia, in partnership with Kids4Peace. We will hold independent youth workshops in the morning, and they will join their legislative districts for meetings with their legislators. Youth in grades 6-12 are invited to join - please have them indicate that they are under 18 when they register, and we will
send them the required permission form. FAN is hoping to send cards with hearts in memory of individuals who died by gun violence to our legislators since this event falls on Valentine's Day and the one-year anniversary of the Parkland shooting, so let us know if your youth group would like to engage in this way.
Volunteers needed! Contact fan@fanwa.org if you can help:
- Stuff folders and gather supplies in preparation for the event: Wednesday February 13, 12-6 PM at the FAN office
- Help with set up, registration or cleanup in Olympia, 8am-4pm.
- Is photography or videography your talent? Lots of memorable moments to share!
Download our flyer, and share it widely! We hope to see you there!
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Winter Talk: Furthering the Conversation on the Christian Doctrine of Discovery and its Dismantling February 1-2 Heritage University, 3240 Fort Rd, Toppenish
Pre-African American Legislative Day February 2, 9 AM - 12 PM Shiloh Baptist Church, 1211 South I Street, Tacoma
A Commemorative Event for Seattle Civil Rights Leader Edwin T. Pratt February 2, 2-4 PM Saint Mark's Cathedral, 1245 10th Ave E, Seattle
Muslim Advocacy Day February 4, 9 AM - 6 PM Olympia State Capitol Building, 415 Sid Snyder Ave SW, Olympia
Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Day February 5, 9 AM - 5:30 PM Washington State Labor Council, 906 Columbia St. SW, Olympia
Children's Alliance Have a Heart for Kids Day February 7, 10 AM - 3 PM The United Churches of Olympia, 110 11th Ave SE, Olympia
Solidarity City: The 1919 Seattle General Strike & 100 Years of Worker Power February 9, 12:30-4 PM Seattle Labor Temple, 2800 First Ave, Seattle
Hunger Action Day February 11, 9:30 AM - 3 PM The United Churches of Olympia, 110 11th Ave SE, Olympia
Interfaith Advocacy Day February 14, 9 AM - 3 PM The United Churches of Olympia, 110 11th Ave SE, Olympia
Discovery: A Comic Lament February 16, 7-9 PM Seattle Mennonite Church, 3120 NE 125th St, Seattle
"Hope in the Color Purple" Rev. Jean Kim Book Signing February 17, 11 AM - 1 PM Maplewood Presbyterian Church, 19523 84th Ave W, Edmonds
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Find other events and opportunities on our web calendar.
Please send your events for posting to fan@fanwa.org. We especially welcome your events outside the Puget Sound area!
Help FAN the Flames for justice year-round; support FAN with a donation!
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