Climate Action This Week: Two GMA bills; Preparing for Zero Emissions Transport; Working Families Tax Rebate, and two Police Accountability bills.

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House Bills

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* 1. Supporting Emergency Shelters and Housing through Comprehensive Planning - HB 1220

This bill updates Washington’s Growth Management Act to require our cities and counties to plan for a diversity of housing options in their comprehensive plans to meet every income level.

Please click here to comment on this bill and ask your representatives to vote YES. When you “verify” your district, you can select which of your elected leaders to communicate to. For this house bill, select your two Representatives.

“Position” - please select “Pro”. The first sentence of the written comment should be: I strongly support HB 1220 and urge you to vote Yes. 

Then choose 1-2 additional sentences from the options below or feel free to write your own: 
  • It’s important to require our cities and counties to plan for and accommodate affordable housing that addresses the needs of those with moderate, low, very low and extremely low income and those who need emergency shelters or  supported housing.   
  • This bill addresses social injustice by requiring cities to identify and address historical racial bias, exclusion or displacement. 
  • This bill helps to improve economic stability by providing affordable homes for teachers, childcare workers, and many other essential members of our community.

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* 2. Preparing for Zero Emissions Transport - HB 1287

This bill eases the transition to the widespread use of electric vehicles by creating a tool for forecasting and mapping electric vehicle charging infrastructure needs. These needs must be addressed in utilities' resource planning and in state building code updates.

Please click here to comment on this bill and ask your representatives to vote YES. When you “verify” your district select your two Representatives.  

“Position” - please select “Pro”. The first sentence of the written comment should be: I strongly support HB 1287 and urge you to vote Yes.
Then choose 1-2 additional sentences from the options below or feel free to write your own: 
  • This bill is an important element of ensuring a smooth transition to electric vehicle use. Both GM and Volvo have announced their intention to produce only electric vehicles within the next ten years. This bill will provide the mapping and forecasting tools to plan for this transition.
  • It will help utilities plan for the needed amount and location of energy production and transmission infrastructure.
  • It will assist municipalities in designing appropriate building code requirements for new and retrofitted buildings.

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* 3. Working Families Tax Rebate - HB 1297

This bill would remit payments to families eligible for federal earned income tax credits and would help move Washington State’s tax structure toward greater equity.

Please click here to comment on this bill and ask your representatives to vote YES. When you “verify” your district select your two Representatives.

“Position” - please select “Pro”. The first sentence of the written comment should be: I strongly support HB 1297 and urge you to vote Yes. 

Then choose 1-2 additional sentences from the options below or feel free to write your own: 
  • This bill would help state residents who file using a tax identification number in the same way as the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit. It would be a step toward making our tax system less regressive.
  • Studies have shown that each dollar returned to low income tax filers generates up to $2.00 in local economic activity, supporting local businesses, since they are most likely to spend the money on groceries, child care, etc.

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* 4. Law enforcement data collection - HB 1092

This bill would require law enforcement agencies to report certain information when an incident occurs involving a fatality, great bodily harm, or substantial bodily harm in connection with the use of force by a law enforcement officer, or when an officer uses or deploys certain types of weapons or other force.

Please click here to comment on this bill and ask your representatives to vote YES. When you “verify” your district select your two Representatives.

“Position” - please select “Pro”. The first sentence of the written comment should be: I strongly support HB 1092 and urge you to vote Yes. 

Then choose 1-2 additional sentences from the options below or feel free to write your own: 
  • One of the problems in addressing violence in policing is a lack of data. Often, the only data available is painstakingly collected by scouring sources such as local newspaper reports.
  • As we are attempting to address problems in policing, we need to be able to track data. Having reporting requirements addresses that.

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* 5. Use of Force by Officers - HB 1310

This bill establishes a standard for use of physical force by peace officers.

Please click here to comment on this bill and ask your representatives to vote YES. When you “verify” your district select your two Representatives.

“Position” - please select “Pro”. The first sentence of the written comment should be: I strongly support HB 1310 and urge you to vote Yes. 

Then choose 1-2 additional sentences from the options below or feel free to write your own: 
  • This bill will make a clear statewide standard that all Washington law enforcement officers are expected to use their de-escalation training, without resorting to use of force unless circumstances require it.
  • Current law allows police to arrest someone by any means. And we've seen the results of any means, which are unacceptable.

Senate Bill

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* 1. Concerning the effective date of certain actions taken under the growth management act - SB 5042

This regulatory bill provides necessary updates to the Growth Management Act, before Washington’s cities and counties begin their next round of comprehensive plans, locking in policy for the next decade.

Please click here to comment on this bill and ask your senator to vote YES. When you “verify” your district, you can select which of your elected leaders to communicate to. For this senate bill, select your Senator.

“Position” - please select “Pro”. The first sentence of the written comment should be: I strongly support SB 5042 and urge you to vote Yes. 

Feel free to include this talking point or write your own:
  • This bill would close the vesting loophole in the GMA which allows development plans to be finalized before their legality can be determined. This bill would protect farms and forests from illegal Urban Growth Area expansions.

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* Thanks for taking action with us! How did that go?

-- The 350 WA Civic Action Team

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