Actions You Can Take This Week
Hi everyone!
On Sunday, Pastor Rich told us about an incident that happened on Tuesday, February 23 at the Catholic Community Services housing facility in Seattle's Central District at 23rd Ave. S and Yesler Way. A man got into a confrontation with a woman in the courtyard. He was at the facility for a legal counseling appointment. He threatened the woman, then pulled a gun out and shot at her but she managed to escape without any injuries. Shortly after, the man took his own life.
This was a very traumatic event for the 40-50 people who were inside. Let's some of us send cards of caring and concern for what happened there - to let them know that we, at Keystone UCC, are sending them our prayers, love and support as they heal. Say what is in your hearts. The address to send a card is: 100 23rd Avenue So. Seattle, WA 98144.
On a brighter note and good news, the Thea Bowman Apartments, developed by Catholic Housing Services and Catholic Community Services, just opened a new property in Kent which provides 80 units of housing and supportive services for formerly homeless individuals and veterans in the community. Let us celebrate this!
Thank you to everyone who took action last week! Here are the Updates some of the bills we have been advocating for:
SB 5160 which will prevent evictions and provide the right to counsel for Washington renters is on the House the floor for a vote! Let's keep this bill advancing - urge your lawmakers to vote YES!
HB 1236 - Requiring a landlord to have a legitimate business reason to evict, is on the House floor for a vote! Let's keep this bill advancing - urge your lawmakers to vote YES!
HB 1372 - Billy Frank, Jr. statue - Voted out of Rules and now on the House floor for a vote. Urge your lawmakers to vote YES!
HB 1441 - Prohibiting discrimination against prospective tenants for unpaid rent or eviction during the COVID-19 pandemic. This bill passed to the House floor today for a vote. Urge your lawmakers to vote YES!
HB 1091 Clean Fuel Standard - Passed the House on Saturday (52yay, 46 nay) and will move on to the Senate! This bill will help Washington achieve its carbon reduction goals, address health care costs and promote healthier communities, and support and incentivize more electric cars, trucks, and buses. Please send your Senator a note of support.
SB 5141-Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act 2.0 Bill passed out of Rules and is on the Senate floor for a vote. Please urge your Senator to vote YES!
SB 5096 - Instituting a tax on capital gains - Voted out of Ways & Means and now in Rules. Please push the rules committee to get it to the Senate floor for a vote!
HB 1090 - This bill bans private, for-profit prisons and detention centers right away – but it keeps them from staying open after their current contract expires. The Tacoma Northwest Detention Center is a private immigration detention center owned by the GEO Group. This is the only private prison, jail or dentention center open in Washington right now. This bill will prevent the contract renewal – this bill would cause NWDC to shut down by 2025. This bill has passed and is moving to the other chamber which in this case is the Senate! Yay!
From Rich Voget on Sunday - HB 1099
This bill requires that the ten largest/fastest growing Counties/Cities plan for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions/vehicles miles traveled according to state goals for these measures. Additionally, the bill would require resiliency planning for all cities and counties to identify and protect areas most likely to be impacted by climate change or to mitigate against climate change. This bill is on the House floor - tell your lawmakers to vote yes!
Factsheet on HB 1099 – Futurewise
HERE ARE A FEW OTHER BILLS TO LOOK AT:
SB 5237 Fair Start for Kids Act - Expanding accessible, affordable child care and early childhood development programs.
HB 1297 - Working Families Tax Credit This bill gets money into the pockets of low-wage workers. It passed out of Rules and will go to the House floor for a vote!
HB 1310 - Use of deadly force as a last resort. This bill passed to the Rules 2 committee and on to the House floor. Urge your lawmakers to vote YES!
HB 1368 - Emergency Relief for Immigrant Workers An early action bill including $65M in additional money for the Washington Immigrant Relief Fund has passed both the House and the Senate, and was signed into law by the Governor last week.
Here are two Federal Action Items This Week:
The Covid Relief package passed out of the House and is now in the Senate. As they negotiate on the contents of a final COVID relief package, they must hear from us on key provisions that could expand and protect health care for millions of Americans that need it the most:
Expand the Affordable Care Act with a subsidy boost to make health care plans more affordable for people on unemployment, low-income families, and middle-class families that don’t qualify for assistance now;
Incentivize red states to expand Medicaid, encouraging them to cover health care for up to 4 million low-income Americans who aren’t covered now; and,
Expand emergency funding for Medicaid-provided home and community-based services to enable millions of disabled Americans of all ages to live safely at home.
Join us in contacting your Senators: We need COVID relief now, and we need health care. Keep the provisions in the COVID relief bill that expand and protect health care for millions of Americans!
ANOTHER ACTION ITEM:
Pass the For the People Act Now: Almost 100,000 signatures so far -- Add your name now!
May we continue to educate ourselves and take action, advocating for justice and the well being of everyone here and in our world!
Thank you!
Barb and Rich V.