Weekly Call To Action - March 19, 2023

Quote of the Week:

“The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.”
― Elie Wiesel

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Legislative Actions:

Action: Take the following actions and then click the green 'I took this action' button. You will see the button if you are logged into TAN.

These bills have survived the March 8 cutoff date and moved to the opposite chamber.

These 2 lobby actions need your help.

Support gender/reproductive justice: Ask for a YES Executive session vote for HB 1469
DEADLINE: Mar 22 6:00pm
HB 1469 needs your advocacy to provide safety of those providing and seeking reproductive and gender-affirming care. Do this by asking for a "YES" vote for HB 1469 at the Mar. 22nd Executive Session.

Ask for YES Executive Session vote to protect orcas (SB 5371) ASAP
DEADLINE: Mar 29 11:00pm
Orca protection (SB 5371) is stuck in the House Agriculture & Natural Resources committee. It was scheduled for a vote on Mar. 17 but no vote was taken. Ask for it to be passed out with a YES vote ASAP.

The position on the following actions is ‘PRO’. 

Education
Support HB 1479 (Ending isolation, mechanical/chemical restraint of students) by Signing in "Pro" 
DEADLINE: Mar 20 12:30pm
Tell Legislators to ban isolation, mechanical and chemical restraint of students in schools.
Note: See how most House GOP vote to keep these harsh measures.

Good Government
Support HB 1317 (Grassroots lobbying) by Signing in "Pro"
DEADLINE: Mar 21 12:30pm
The public has a right to know who is sponsoring political advertisements.

Support HB 1541(Nothing About Us WIthout Us) by Signing in "Pro" 
DEADLINE: Mar 21 12:30pm
This bill will require meaningful participation from underrepresented communities on any task force or workgroup whose work directly impacts them.

Law & Justice
Support HB 1579 (Independent prosecutions) by Signing in "Pro"
DEADLINE: Mar 20 9:30am
This bill will appoint an independent prosecutor for cases of alleged police criminal misconduct. 

Environment
Support HB 1791 (Commercial aviation services) by Signing in "Pro"
DEADLINE: Mar 21 3:00pm
HB 1791 forms an Airport Workgroup to collect information and make an information based decision, then recommend a transportation solution that increases passenger capacity at SEATAC. 

Support HB 1433 (Residential energy labeling) by Signing in "Pro" 
DEADLINE: Mar 22 7:00am
This bill will create a state-wide system that homeowners may use to obtain a “home energy score.” This will help buyers evaluate the energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions of an existing home.

Healthcare
Support youth and young adults seeking protected health care service
DEADLINE: Mar 22 12:30pm
Please help support youth and young adults seeking protected health care services. This bill doesn't change medical laws or consent required, but provides support for trans youth.

The position on the following action is ‘CON’. 
Oppose SB 5536 (Increasing penalties for drug possession) by Signing in "Con" to the House Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry's Public Hearing
DEADLINE: Mar 20 12:30pm
Sign in CON on SB 5536, which continues the failed War on Drugs by increasing the penalties for drug possession.


Bonus Action: Please take a moment to watch this 17-minute podcast from Washington Indivisible Podcast with Sen. Yasmin Trudeau about HB 1469. This bill is under attack from anti-reproductive rights organizations and needs your help! HB 1469 protects abortion and gender-affirming care providers, helpers, and seekers from malicious out-of-state investigation and prosecution.

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​Local Actions:

County and City Official’s Visions for Improved Local Planning Forum

Let's get our elected officials on the record. Please join local elected officials including Thurston County Commissioner Carolina Mejia and City of Olympia Council member Clark Gillman. We are working on adding 2 more officials.

This information presentation and discussion is sponsored by the Local Good Governance Coalition (LGGC) in coordination with Thurston Climate Action Team.

The aim of the event is to learn about the vision of elected officials for improved planning as a result of work over the coming two years on the Periodic Update of Comprehensive Plans in each jurisdiction. The public is welcome. 

What: County and City Official’s Visions for Improved Local Planning Forum 
When: Wednesday, March 29 2023 - 6:30 pm
Where: Jacob Smith House, Lacey and virtually via Zoom

Action 1: Register here to attend in person: County and City Official’s Visions for Improved Local Planning Forum 

Action 2: Register here to attend by Zoom. 

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​How Are You Going to Vote on These Proposed Major Changes to the Olympia and Tumwater Fire Departments?

​Olympia Indivisible has created a Voter Education Page on our website for Proposition 1, the Proposed Olympia-Tumwater Regional Fire Authority (RFA). Proposition 1 will be the subject of a single-issue special election on April 25, 2023.

Action: Please visit our website at Olympia-Tumwater Regional Fire Authority to learn about this complex issue and read the expanded For/Against statements. Watch for your ballot and be sure to vote!

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WA State Actions:

Urge Fossil Fuel Divestment from State Pension

Photo: Robert S. Donovan

Source: From our friends at 350 WA and Divest Washington

Background: The 350 WA and Divest Washington just launched a new report: Making Washingtonians’ Money Matter - how our state pension is failing on climate.

The report reveals how the $192 billion WA state pension fund voted on critical climate-related shareholder resolutions at banks, fossil fuel companies, and utility companies last year. Unfortunately, the findings aren’t pretty. 

In 2022, our state pension fund…

• Opposed a series of shareholder resolutions that would have pushed banks to take the actions required to limit global warming to 1.5°C
• Opposed an anti-greenwashing resolution at JPMorgan Chase
• Opposed a resolution at ExxonMobil that called on the company to create a plan for reducing its dependence on fossil fuels 

 
These votes run counter to the values of the vast majority of the 550,000 public employees and retirees the pension fund represents and are a breach of the pension fund’s fiduciary duty, as they mean that the state pension is failing to protect its members’ savings from climate-related financial risk. 

With the annual shareholder meetings of the world’s largest funders of fossil fuels right around the corner, we need our state pension fund to do better.

Action: Urge State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti to support climate justice and Indigenous rights this shareholder season

Option A: Take this action with one click in Take Action Network (TAN) Urge state pension fossil fuel divestment

Option B: Email State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti as follows

Email address: watreas@tre.wa.gov
Subject Line: Vote yes to support climate justice and Indigenous rights 

Script:
Dear Treasurer Pellicciotti, 
 
Ensure that the Washington State Investment Board votes yes on 4 critical shareholder resolutions at banks and insurance companies this spring.  
 

1. Time-Bound Phase-Out of New Fossil Fuel Exploration and Development 
2. Indigenous Rights Report  
3. Absolute Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets 
4. Report on Climate Transition Planning​

These resolutions would require banks to publish a comprehensive plan detailing how they will meet their 2030 climate targets. 

If the world warms by 3.2°C, the economic losses will hit $23 trillion by 2050, or eighteen percent of global economic value. As our State Treasurer, you have a responsibility to ensure that WSIB staff are managing beneficiaries' savings in a manner that mitigates this climate-related financial risk. 
 
Sincerely,  

[NAME] from [CITY], [ZIP]

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​Community Participation:

Annual Community Hunger Walk
Helping Our Hungry Neighbors

Community Hunger Walk Challenge
With the continuous decrease in affordable housing and the rising price of groceries, many of us are experiencing hunger as never before. Once a year, for the last forty years, Olympia/Lacey/Tumwater religious, service, and individual groups gather together (in a bit of a competition) to raise money for two of our most important food providers in the area: the Food Bank and the Community Kitchen. 

The Food Bank provides locations where food can be picked up. The Community Kitchen serves meals to the hungry twice a day at their downtown location.

OI Accepts the Challenge
For the second year, Olympia Indivisible has taken up the challenge to solicit donations for the two food providers, and to join the community event where we get together to walk in solidarity. Please join our donation team, and donate on OI’s donation page. Check out what the other teams are doing. As of this moment, we are right behind the lead in donations. 

And then, Let’s Walk on May 7 at 3:00 PM
This year’s walk will take place at Lacey’s Huntamer Park 618 Woodland Square Loop SE, (Corner of Woodland Square Loop and 7th Avenue SE). Register here and join us for the actual walk. ​

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Have You Scheduled This Event?

Save the Date for OI’s All-member April Meeting

On Saturday, April 22nd, find out how you can help strengthen democracy -- here in Thurston County and across our state and nation -- to make a difference in 2023 and 2024. Come to Building our Bench Strength for a Sustainable Democracy (in person or by Zoom) and discover Olympia Indivisible's recipe for activism that is practical, impactful, and filled with friendship, laughter, and inspiration. This meeting is open to the public, so bring a friend!

What: OI All-member Building our Bench Strength for a Sustainable Democracy

When: Saturday, April 22, 2023, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Where: Either by Zoom or in person in Multipurpose Room A of the Olympia Community Center, 222 Columbia St NW Olympia WA 98501
 
Registration: is encouraged and we’ll have that set up this coming week!

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Action Cafe 2023,
Every Monday at Noon

Chef Lisa and the Action Cafe crew are back! The Cafe is a weekly Monday Zoom noon-hour gathering where OI members meet, make new friends, and take actions together. Every Cafe comes with a side order of live music and a heapin’ helpin’ of good cheer!

Action Cafe is a GREAT place to take legislative action: we’ll do the list of bills at the top of this page and Chef Lisa will help out if you need any tech support!
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Cafe patrons receive an email on Sunday with a sneak-peek at what we'll do at the cafe the next day. On Monday morning, Chef Lisa will send you a pdf "Menu" which has links to the actions we'll take together at the Cafe. 

Action: Register HERE. We will send you a Zoom link and tomorrow morning, Chef Lisa will send your "menu." 

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