Public Pressure can Kill Bad Bills
Future 42 recently posted
on Facebook that “SB 5382 The Initiative
Killer is DEAD! This is by far the biggest win of the session.” The
Washington
State Senate Republican Caucus noticed the
stiff opposition that this bill received in public testimony:
“...Thank you to everyone who signed-in CON on SB 5382! Public
pressure can kill bad bills.” This is important news for citizen
activists: Your efforts make a difference!
It
is important to remember that no bill is really “dead” until the
end of the session. As the Washington
State Republican Party noted, “This might
turn out to be the most consequential win for common sense in the
legislative session. Still, stay vigilant. Radical Democrats in
Olympia are notorious for late-night, out-of-sight, backroom deals.”
This
week will feature activity on the floor of the House and Senate, as
all bills must be passed in their houses of origin before March 12.
Now is the time to focus on the bills sitting in the House or Senate
rules committees. According the legislative
website, “A rules committee chooses which
bills the entire House or Senate should vote on.” Those are very
powerful committees, but there’s no public hearings in Rules.
Actions
you can take:
If
you look up a bill at leg.wa.gov, you can immediately discover where
it is in the legislative process. If it’s sitting in House Rules or
Senate Rules, it’s probably going to come to the floor for a vote
this week. Below, we’ll take a look at some of the worst bills that
need your attention.
But
first, let’s figure out what actions you can take. Go to leg.wa.gov
and enter the bill number. On the “bill info page” click the
button “Send a comment on this bill”. You will be able to send
your thoughts to your legislators. I recommend that you keep it
simple, because the legislators and their staff don’t have time to
read a long letter. Unless you are an expert on the topic, just
write “Please support” or “Please oppose.” That way, the
legislator’s assistant can easily track how much support or
opposition there is for an idea.
You
could also send emails directly to members of the House Rules
Committee, since they are the ones who will decide which bills will
go to the floor. It’s important that they know that voters are
carefully watching their decisions. You can find a list of those
emails at this
spreadsheet provided by InfluencingOlympia.com.
Bills
of Concern:
Representative
Travis Couture
is the assistant minority floor leader in the House.
His office provided the following list of bills he’s concerned
about:
House
Bill 1150 – This bill is a
“hidden tax” on groceries. This bill expands government
control over recycling by creating extended producer responsibility
organizations, which will ultimately drive up costs for Washington
families. Producers will be forced to pay hundreds of millions of
dollars, and those costs won’t just disappear—they’ll be passed
directly to consumers at the grocery store. Industry leaders warned
during public testimony that grocery prices could spike as much as
16% because of this bill. Washingtonians are already paying some of
the highest grocery prices in the country. The last thing families
need right now is another cost hike, especially one driven by
government overreach. Make a comment to oppose 1150 at
app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/1150.
House
Bill 1274. This bill, along with at least two other similar
proposals, made it out of committee this week. If passed, it would
allow for the early release of violent criminals by automatically
recalculating their sentencing scores. Washington is facing a
serious public safety crisis. Our crime rates rank among the top ten
in the nation in multiple categories. Letting violent
offenders—including murderers and rapists—out early not only
denies justice for victims but also puts every law-abiding citizen at
greater risk. Submit a comment in opposition on HB 1274 at
app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/1274.
House
Bill 1380. This bill will make Washington’s homelessness crisis
even worse, leading to more dangerous tent encampments in cities
across the state while failing to address the root causes of the
problem. It gives homeless individuals the ability to endlessly sue
local governments whenever their encampments are removed, creating a
legal loophole that prevents cities and counties from taking
necessary action. If this bill becomes law, we’ll see even more
encampments in our communities. Worse yet, it will turn Washington
into a magnet for homeless populations from other states. It’s
urgent that you submit a comment to OPPOSE HB 1380 at
app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/1380.
Sheriffs
and Gun Rights
House
Bill 1399. According to an article from Franklin
County, Sheriff Jim Raymond
is raising concerns about HB 1399, fearing it could
shift the power to elect sheriffs from the public to the state.
“Currently, sheriffs can only be removed from office through recall
or by being voted out. If HB 1399 is passed, the state could
decertify sheriffs and remove them from office without a public vote,
based on a finding of ‘unsuitability.’ Other sheriffs across the
state are also raising the alarm. Submit a comment on 2SHB 1399 at
app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/1399
and please OPPOSE.
House
Bill 1163. Spokane County Sheriff
John Nowels raised his concerns about HB
1163 in a powerful interview with KHQ. This bill would require
Washingtonians to apply for a permit before purchasing or
transferring a firearm. Sheriff Nowels said, "This bill is a
direct threat to citizens of the State of Washington who wish to
maintain their right to keep and bear arms. This law amounts to
nothing less than the 21st century Democratic party's version of Jim
Crow laws. The only difference now is that instead of limiting one's
rights by race, they are limiting rights by socio-economic class.”
Submit a comment to oppose SHB 1163 at app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/1163.
Taxation
Washington
doesn’t have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem. But
Democrats love spending so they need to raise taxes to fund their
special projects! Here’s just a couple of taxation bills that need
your attention.
Senate
Bill 5314. This bill regarding
the Capital Gains Tax is already on the Senate floor calendar, but
you can still send a comment to oppose this bill at
app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/5314.
Senate
Bill 5095. Do you want your
property taxes to go up? SB 5095, “School construction
debt,” would make it much easier for school districts to go into
debt without a vote of the people. Send a comment to oppose SB 5095
at app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/5095.
Fight
the Psy-War with Action
This
article highlights just a small sample of the bad ideas Washington
Democrats are trying to impose on you. Your feedback could make them
reconsider. I know it might seem like a few comments won’t make
much of a difference, but they do.
A
flood of emails and public input from across the state creates real
pressure. It encourages embattled Republicans in the minority,
reminding them they have support. And it forces the majority party to
think twice, knowing the next election is always around the corner.
This session may finally be a step too far. Make your voice heard and
let them know you’re paying attention.
Democrats
are counting on you to feel hopeless and powerless. Don’t let them
win that psychological battle. Push back—submit your comments
opposing these bills today!
Nancy
Churchill is a writer and educator in rural eastern Washington State,
and the state committeewoman for the Ferry County Republican Party.
She may be reached at DangerousRhetoric@pm.me. The opinions expressed
in Dangerous Rhetoric are her own. Dangerous Rhetoric is available on
thinkspot,
Rumble
and Substack.
SOURCES:
1)
Future 42, SB 5382 Initiative Killer Bill, https://bit.ly/3EYeiyv
2)
Washington State Senate Republican Caucus, SB 5382 Initiative Killer
Bill, https://bit.ly/4kge3ip
3)
Washington State Republican Party, SB 5382 Initiative Killer Bill,
https://bit.ly/4h6SUo7
4)
Washington State Legislature, Rules Committee Review,
https://bit.ly/43kWqbc
5)
InfluencingOlympia.com, Rules committees spreadsheet,
https://bit.ly/4i64hxW
6)
NBC Right Now, Franklin County Sheriff Voices Concerns Over House
Bill 1399, https://bit.ly/4hYubDG
7)
Spokane Sheriff on YouTube | Proposed (2A) Bill that, if passed, will
affect your SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS, https://bit.ly/3EYHa9A
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