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Legislative Wrap-Up 2020

27 Apr Legislative Wrap-Up 2020

Posted at 15:24h in Public by

This post originally aired on Apr. 16, 2020.

Dear Friends,

In the midst of everything that has happened with COVID-19, it’s easy for things to get lost in the shuffle. But the world doesn’t stop spinning just because there’s a crisis, and the fight to protect the most vulnerable amongst us continues even now. The 2020 Washington Legislative session wrapped up not too long ago and, virus or no virus, its effects will be felt.

Many of you are probably too swamped to go hunting through a mound of government documents to get the highlights, and lowlights, of the session. That’s why we at Human Life of Washington are bringing you this summary from our own Government Relations Expert, Sarah Davenport-Smith. Many thanks to Sarah for all her hard work!

2020 Legislative Session Wrap Up
Sarah Davenport-Smith
April 13, 2020

The 2020 session started off with a BANG! As I talked with legislators and their assistants throughout the session, everyone agreed that 2020 was an unusually fast and furious year. While the 2019 session focused mainly on the budgets, this session was focused mainly on policy. The primary reason that the last couple sessions have been so difficult for anyone with a pro-life focus is that the Democrats and Republicans in this state are currently so very different in their fundamental beliefs.

Only about 15 years ago, you could find common ground on protecting life. Now, the two political parties are diametrically opposed on the issue. Washington State Republicans have generally voted to protect the pre-born and to oppose PAS (Physician Assisted Suicide), while State Democrats have generally voted to allow the pre-born to be killed up to birth (and occasionally even beyond) for any reason. The latter have also broadly voted to expand PAS to include all age groups.*

*This data is not endorsed by either the Democrat National Party or the Republican National Party. It is based on their party platform statements and the current WA State party-line votes on all legislation related to these topics.

We began this 2020 session by following over 60 bills, most of which went against our deeply held beliefs. I knew before the start of this session that we would have a gigantic uphill battle. With the Democrats holding the majority in both the Senate and the House, as well as the Governor’s seat, there would literally be nothing to stop them from pushing their pro-death agenda. Why do I say, “pro-death”? I say it because they relentlessly pushed to expand abortion coverage so that no business, no college or university, no insurance provider, and no taxpayer can opt-out. I say it because they relentlessly pushed to expand physician-assisted suicide to all age groups. These policies encourage death, not life. The bills we followed included such measures as:

  • The State replacing parents in making physical and mental health care decisions for their children (HB 2288, HB 2562, HB 2708, SB 6279, SB 6416, SB 6563).
  • The State forcing abortion-centered, pornographic, and pleasure-based sexual education curricula for K-12 on every parent and school district (SB 5395, SB 6175, HB 1407, HB 2184).
  • The State forcing insurance providers and health care facilities to inform, encourage, and pay for medication and medical procedures which go against their deeply held religious beliefs (HB 1608, HB 2554, SB 6400, HB 2326).
  • The State forcing taxpayers to pay for study committees which push assisted suicide to new heights and encourage further inhumane experimentation on the most vulnerable in Washington (HB 2419, HB 2273).
    The State allowing minor prostitution to be legalized (HB 1775).**

There were several GOOD bills which never received a public hearing, let alone an opportunity for a vote. These bills included:

  • Recognizing and allowing parents or guardians to be solely in charge of their children in terms of the social, religious, medical, and educational upbringing, and the keeping of their personal information (HB 2648, HB 2718 SB 6608, SB 5365, SB 5185, HB 2928/SB 6664[Parental Bill of Rights]).
  • Parental notification of minors seeking abortions (SB 5185, HB 1525, HB 2154, HB 2935, HB 1526, HB 1560, HB 1990).
  • Protecting women, especially young women, by ensuring all health care professionals provide them with complete transparency concerning their reproductive health care decisions (SB 5966, SB 6598).
  • Not allowing public funds to be used for the harm and death of our pre-born Washington citizens (HB 2935, including removing operating budget line-items).

 

Within our scope of concern, these are the bills which passed the legislature and were signed by Governor Inslee:

  • HB 1608: Now individual physicians can go against their host health care facility’s policy on Physician Assisted Suicide and provide patients with encouragement and information on how to utilize legal suicide.
  • HB 1775: Minor Prostitution in WA is now legal, as well as “Sexting” (texting images and message of sexual nature with and between minors (HB 1742)).**
  • HB 2554: WA state now discriminates against insurance providers who do not pay for the killing of the pre-born. There’s currently only ONE insurance provider in the whole state who does not offer abortion coverage, and now they must pay a fine for protecting the pre-born.
  • SB 5395: WA state now forces ALL publicly funded schools to teach pro-abortion, pornographic, and pleasure-based sexuality health education to ALL K-12 children. (For further reading, we elaborate on this in our white paper, “3 Rs Curriculum”).

 

**HLW understands the connection between sex trafficking, the sexualization of youth, and the increase of abortions, and for this reason adopts a more comprehensive legislative agenda.

While the session was disappointing, and many terrible bills were passed – especially in the midst of very strong public opposition – the HIGHLIGHTS of this session were people like you. Thousands of people came out to support the Washington State March for Life and the Walk for Life Northwest in January.

Thousands more came to the many hearings and rallies related to stopping SeXXX Education, and to pro-life community gatherings and prayer rallies. I have to say that the 2020 Legislative session is the BEST in terms of participation from our friends from around the state.

While the outcome of the policies during this session was not encouraging, the awakening of thousands of concerned Washington voters is very encouraging. In the months to come, there will be referendums, initiatives, and candidates that will give Washingtonians a clear choice between two very different outcomes:

  1. Restore Washington to Sense and Freedom; or
  2. Keep Washington Shackled

At no other time in recent history have we ever had so a great a need for those of moral character to stand up in our families, our communities, our schools, and our government. If this COVID-19 crisis and the magnitude of our neighbors’ awareness and frustration about the situation in Olympia can be utilized at all, then it is RIGHT NOW. Here are some ways you can help us fight back, even during quarantine:

  1. Register to Vote and help others to Register to Vote by sending them this link (#RememberInNovember).
  2. Request signature sheets for Referendum 90 from Parents for Safe Schools (this repeals SB 5395, the SeXXX Education Bill).
  3. Sign the Abortion is NOT Essential Petition and tell Governor Inslee to keep vital medical supplies available for vital medical workers and procedures during this COVID-19 crisis.
  4. Help us to help you Restore Washington to Sense and Freedom by giving of your time, talent or treasure.

-Sarah Davenport-Smith
Your Government Relations Expert

We are grateful to Sarah for her thorough review of the last legislative session. Washington is an uphill battle for life, but with time, dedication, and compassion, we will reclaim our State for life!

This is not to say it will be easy, however. Now is a hard time for us all, and for charities especially. As you’re no doubt aware, the economic upset is hurting non-profits. Human Life of Washington is no exception. Many who have donated in the past find themselves unable to do so. We know this is a difficult time to be asking for money, but we depend exclusively upon the generosity of donors to keep ourselves afloat.

If you could give us even $5, about the cost of one coffee out of a week or one movie rental out of a month, it would go a long way to helping us to weather the storm as we pivot to producing more online content. If you’re shopping on Amazon, you can help us at no extra cost to yourself by shopping with our link through Amazon Smile, which ensures that a portion of the sale of eligible items is donated to us.

We thank you in advance for any support you are able to offer us.

From all of us here at Human Life of Washington, stay safe, stay healthy, and have a great week!

 

 

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, Human Life of Washington is making an increased effort to optimize our website and other online resources. As such, our Flocknote communications will be coming out more frequently for the foreseeable future. To join our general Flocknote mailing list, please text HLW to 84576 or follow this link: https://humanlifewa.flocknote.com/everyone. If you wish to join additional sub-groups, click the relevant options when prompted. If you only wish to be added to the general group, simply proceed without selecting additional sub-groups. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at info@humanlifewa.org.