Recent Blog Posts
Michele Thomas, Director of Policy and Advocacy
Help Us Pass the Fair Tenant Screening Act
| This week started off with a bang when Part 2 of the Fair Tenant Screening Act, SHB 1529 passed the House by 81-17. That represents very significant bipartisan support! It's now over in the Senate awaiting a hearing in the Financial Institutions, Housing and Insurance Committee. Meanwhile, the Senate version, SSB 5568, is still on the Senate floor awaiting a vote. Even though the House version is moving, it's still critical that the Senate version move as well. Please contact your Senators today to ask them to bring it up for a vote...and to vote YES! |
TAKE ACTION Click here to urge your Senator to protect survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking by closing a big loophole that allows tenant screening companies to report on protection orders. Support SSB 5568! Photo Credit: Alan Cordova |
Housing and Essential Needs/Disability Lifeline Update
Discussions on the Housing and Essential Needs program between stakeholders continued to move forward this week. Housing Alliance members across the state have been working hard to ensure that we continue to protect this program and the ABD (Aged, Blind and Disabled) population. Housing Alliance members are gathering stories and getting ready to testify when the budget gets released, which we expect will be at the end of March. If you have stories to share on the importance of this program or would like to be on our Testimony Rapid Response List*, please contact alouise@wliha.org. And remember, to testify you don't have to be an expert or already have testifying experience. We can provide you with support and help you prepare for your advocacy. Contact our Communications Specialist Joaquin Uy to get the ball rolling: 206.442.9455 x208 or joaquin@wliha.org.
An Advocacy Opportunity in Your Own Back Yard
Photo Credit: Lori SR
Get ready for an important advocacy opportunity in your legislative district — town hall meetings with your elected officials! As we reported last week, many elected officials across the state are coming home on Saturday, March 16 for Town Halls with their constituents. This provides affordable housing and homelessness advocates with a very direct opportunity to ask your elected official to support the things you care about. The Housing Alliance can provide you with talking points, and don’t forget we have fact sheets on all of our lead issues. You can find the talking points and fact sheets here. The Our Economic Future Coalition is tracking Town Halls all over the state. You can find the logistics of your March gathering at their website. If your legislative district is missing from the list, you can call your elected official’s Olympia office. Find your elected officials and their phone numbers here.
Halfway Through the Session Already
Wednesday, March 13 is the house of origin cutoff. This means if a bill isn’t voted on, on the floor of their chamber of origin by this date, it will be dead for the session. To find out how all our lead and support issues are doing, check out our new bill tracker. It's one place online where you can go find the latest updates and advocacy action on our legislative priorities.
We are already about halfway through the regular session and your advocacy has been strong. Please keep it up! We’ve made incredible strides already and have a real chance to make significant progress this session.
*Our Testimony Rapid Response List is a collection of individuals who can talk about the importance of the Housing and Essential Needs and who we can call on to skillfully speak with the media at a moment's notice.
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