Quote of the Week: "A day is coming when the times will be a changin’, again, and there are a lot of us who are going to fight with our very last breaths to make that change happen, and not leave this world until it does." - Will Bunch in The Philadelphia Inquirer Legislative Actions: The Key to Statewide Activism is Using TAN!If you're new to Take Action Network (TAN):
Sign in PRO Support HB 1217 (Rent Stabilization): Sign in "Pro" for House Appropriations's Public Hearing Limits annual rent and fee increases to no more than 7% for existing tenants and manufactured homeowners. DEADLINE: Feb 3 • 3pm Support SB 5011 (Ballot Box labeling.) Requires prominent display of two specified messages: (1) the box is the property of the county or county agency which purchased and placed the box; and (2) tampering with the box may be a crime under state and federal laws. DEADLINE: Feb 3 • 3pm Support SB 5069 (Voter Pamphlets in Even Year Elections) Requires the secretary of state to print and distribute a voters' pamphlet prior to the primary in each even-numbered year and prior to the general election every year. DEADLINE: Feb 3 • 3pm Support SJM 8008 (Rescinding Historical Article V Conventions) It is unclear whether applications from WA State for a constitutional convention ever expire and whether the scope set forth in the applications must be adhered to. This measure takes care of that. DEADLINE: Feb 4 • 12:30pm Ask your Senator to vote DO PASS in support of Increasing representation and voter participation in local elections. This bill sets up the procedures for how Ranked Choice Voting will be implemented across the state. DEADLINE: Feb 4 • 1:30pm Support HJR 4201 (Simple majority for school district bonds.) Makes it easier for school districts to get approval of bond financing proposals by eliminating the 60% “supermajority” requirement and requiring only a simple majority; eliminates the requirement that voter turnout be at least 40 percent of the previous general election. DEADLINE: Feb 4 • 3pm Support HB 1032 (Allow school district bonds and levies to pass with a simple majority) Allow school district bonds and levies to pass school district bonds with a simple majority. Current law requires a 60% majority. DEADLINE: Feb 4 • 3pm Support HB 1196 (Free the Vote Act): Sign in "Pro" for House State Government & Tribal Relations's Public Hearing Revoking a person's voting rights only when convicted of a state crime punishable by death. DEADLINE: Feb 5 • 12:30pm Support HB 1710 (Concerning compliance with the Washington voting rights act of 2018.) Will require certain local governments that wish to change their voting policies to vet those changes with the Attorney General or the Thurston County Superior Court to ensure changes do not impact the ability for anyone to elect candidates of their choice. DEADLINE: Feb 5 • 12:30pm Support HB 1114 (Support WA State entrance into the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact): Sign in "Pro" for House Appropriations's Public Hearing This bill would simplify and streamline the licensing of respiratory therapists in Washington State. DEADLINE: Feb 5 • 3:00pm Support SB 5033 (A bill concerning the sampling or testing of biosolids for PFAS Chemicals): Sign in "Pro" for Senate Environment, Energy & Technology's Public Hearing This bill would require the development of a sewage sludge management program, an advisory committee and sampling or testing requirements for PFAS chemicals to ensure that municipal sewage sludge can be reused in a manner that minimizes risk to human health and the environment. DEADLINE: Due: Feb 7 • 9:30am Contact the Legislature Tell your state legislators not to cut education, health care, and housing Please contact your State representatives and senator to advocate for tax fairness. DEADLINE: Feb 6 • 10:00am Federal Actions: Defend Trans Women and Girls: Stop HR 28Source: Wikimedia Commons. Author: Mielon via Wikimedia Commons The deceptively-titled “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025,” now on its way to the Senate, is an attack on young trans athletes. Representative Dave Min (CA-47) describes it well: “a sad political stunt that cynically uses our universities, our schools, and our kids as pawns. As the father of three, including a 12 year old girl, I understand the concerns of parents about their daughters competing with trans athletes who were born as biological males. But this bill intentionally goes too far and would force local schools, universities, and any other institutions receiving federal funding to not only ban all trans kids from all sports—including intramural sports and elementary school contests—but also to potentially implement outrageous measures such as genital inspections. Guidelines to ensure fair competition should be left to our local school districts and sports leagues, not decided through overreach by the federal government.” Action: Call and write your senators. Calls are more effective right now.
Sample Script (edit to personalize): I’m _____, one of your constituents in ______, in ZIP code _____, and I urge you to oppose HR 28. It’s not about protecting women and girls; it’s a deceptive and cynical attack on trans youth, drumming up fear and hatred against one of our most vulnerable minorities to score political points. There is no protection it offers that could not be provided better at the organizational or individual level. WA State Actions:Thank Attorney General Nick BrownFrom Our Friends at Indivisible Eastside Indivisible has always been about holding our elected officials accountable to their constituents. In this new era of growing authoritarianism it will be tempting for those in power to succumb to the fear of retribution and begin to ‘obey in advance’. We have already seen this from the tech oligarchs and unfortunately also from some elected Democrats, most notably in the recent vote to pass the dangerous Laken Riley Act, where two of our Washington Representatives were among those who voted to pass it. (Indivisible members in their areas are definitely letting them know what they think of that!) In this climate, it is equally important to thank our elected officials when they do the right thing and to let them know that they have our support for their actions, because they will definitely be receiving criticism and worse. We are grateful that our new Attorney General, Nick Brown, working with several other states, was ready to hit the ground running with his lawsuit against Trump’s unconstitutional attempt to deny birthright citizenship to the children of immigrants who will be born in the United States. Action: Let’s let our AG Nick Brown know that we have his back for leading the way in filing suit to protect birthright citizenship for immigrant children.
Sample Script (edit to personalize): Hello, My name is _____, from _______ and my zipcode is _________. I would like to thank AG Brown for taking an early and clear stand against the Executive Order to ban birthright citizenship. I am proud to see our state helping to lead the fight for the rights of children born in the United States, rights that are clearly stated in the Constitution of our country. Phonebank for Starbucks Workers Feb. 8-9Starbucks baristas across the country are infuriated and demoralized by the recent paltry raise they received (just 30 cents an hour on average!). At the same time, Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) baristas are escalating their fight for a fair contract - and the more stores that join the union, the more power they have at the table. This is the perfect moment to activate not-yet union baristas to join the fight, so SBWU is doing something bold: they are going to talk to baristas at every single not-yet union Starbucks store in the country, and they need our help to make it happen. Here’s how you can help: Action: Join in a massive phone banking effort Feb. 8 and 9. The goal is to speak to baristas at every single not-yet union Starbucks store in the country, and get them in the fight for better wages through a union contract!
Local Actions:Thank Olympia City Council for LGBTQIA2S+ Sanctuary City Resolution Source: Wikimedia Commons. Author: Nikki Background: See additional details in The Olympian On January 28th, the City of Olympia joined a growing number of jurisdictions across the nation in declaring itself a sanctuary city for LGBTQIA2S+ people, just a month after community members came to City Council asking for leaders to expand protections. The expanded LGBTQIA2S+ acronym stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and trans, queer and questioning, intersex, asexual or agender, and two-spirit. The plus-sign signifies additional identity terms to be inclusive. Action: Send an email to thank our Council Members for unanimously supporting this Resolution that clearly affirms community and city values around treating people with dignity, equity and respect, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. While you’re at it, please ask the Council members to work with City staff to post Olympia’s Sanctuary resolutions on their website where they can be easily found (neither the Resolution against Hate nor the LBGTQIA2S+ resolution are currently posted). Email list: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Suggested Script: (please personalize!) Dear Olympia Council Members, As a resident of [Olympia, if you live there–otherwise, Thurston County], I want to thank you for your recent unanimous passage of a resolution declaring Olympia a sanctuary city for LGBTQIA2S+ people. I deeply appreciate the City of Olympia’s commitment to recognize the inherent worth and equal rights of LGBTQIA2S+ people and your commitment to protecting and advocating for this community by rejecting policies and actions that promote discrimination, harm and inequity. I also wish to request that you work with City staff to post Olympia’s Sanctuary resolutions on their website where they can be easily found– currently, the City’s Ordinances, Resolutions & Agreements webpage only posts enacted resolutions from 1859-2018. Thank you! Bonus Action: Write an LTE to The Olympian expressing your appreciation for this resolution. Support Our City Bus DriversSource: Wikimedia Commons. Author: Bluedisk From Our Friends at Amalgamated Transit Union 1765 Here in Olympia, our local Intercity bus drivers are unionized through the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), local 1765. ATU’s contract with the transit agency expired on December 31, 2024 and the union has been bargaining for a fair contract for months. Many of our bus drivers are struggling to make ends meet because their pay is not keeping up with the rise in food and housing costs. Action: Attend the Transit Authority Board meeting on Wednesday, February 5th at 5:30 PM to express support for the ATU 1765’s request for better pay and safer working conditions. This meeting is at the Intercity Transit Administration building, 510 Pattison St SE, Olympia. Please show up a few minutes early to sign up to give a public comment before the start of the meeting. Even if you don’t get a chance to speak, your presence shows the board that the community is behind transit workers. You can also attend and comment virtually via Zoom. Email [email protected] to receive a video link. If you plan to speak, make sure to pre-write your comment and time it to ensure that it is 3 minutes or less. You can use the following as a jumping off point (but don't say this word-for-word... make sure your comments are your own:) Suggested Script: (please personalize!) Hi, my name is [_________] and I am here to speak in support of ATU 1765’s demands for a fair contract as a [member of the public / regular rider]. Bus drivers provide an integral free service to our community. Without the work bus drivers do, as well as paratransit drivers, dispatchers, and customer service representatives, Intercity Transit wouldn’t exist. I hope that Intercity Transit accepts the demands that ATU 1765 put forward because I don’t want bus drivers in my city to be living [in poverty / paycheck to paycheck]. We deserve good public transit, but it shouldn’t have to come at the cost of the employees who provide that transit. I stand in solidarity with the workers in ATU 1765 and will have their back as they continue this contract fight. Note: If you are a union member, be sure to mention it in your comment. Please keep your comments positive, while demonstrating that the public is on the side of the ATU. Have You Scheduled These Events? WIN Meeting with Indivisible Co-Founders Washington Indivisible Network (WIN) is very excited to announce that Leah Greenberg or Ezra Levin (we’ll know which one closer to that night) will be joining us for a special conversation at our February 10th WIN meeting @7pm PT. All Indivisible members in Washington are invited to attend. This will be a moderated conversation focused on what the Blueprint for Blue States Strategy means for our work in Washington state. Since we will have limited time with our guest, we ask that you send us your questions in advance via the registration form or email us at [email protected]. Familiarity with the Blueprint for Blue States Strategy is recommended. Action: Register to attend. The meeting will be recorded and sent out for those who may not be able to attend that evening. -------- Come to the Action Cafe! Every Monday at noon the Action Cafe provides a virtual space 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! 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" with links to the actions we'll take together at the Cafe. Action: Register HERE. Thank Our Heroes: Send a Thank You Note to Bishop Budde Who Spoke Truth to Trump:
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde stepped into the crosshairs of the Trump Administration by speaking up for the vulnerable at his inauguration. Send her a thank you note: Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde Washington National Cathedral 3101 Wisconsin Ave. NW Washington, DC 20016 Comments are closed.
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