Letter: ‘Another day, another bad bill’

Vancouver resident Julia Dawn Seaver shares her views on HB 1399

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and do not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com

Another day, another bad bill – one that puts more women at risk. HB 1399 claims to be about modernizing and clarifying laws concerning sheriffs, chiefs, marshals, and police matrons, but at the end of the 21 page bill is a section calling for the repeal of several RCWs (Revised Code of Washington). You have to go to the codes to find out exactly what is being repealed since it’s not specified in the bill.

Current law states that no member of one sex under arrest shall be confined in the same cell with a member of the other sex. It also requires police matrons to be in charge of females who have been detained. Both requirements would be repealed under HB 1399, effectively making all jails and prisons co-ed.

We’ve already seen what’s happened to women since gender ideology took over. Men who simply declare themselves to be a woman are being placed in cells with women, sometimes with disastrous results. Mozzy Clark is suing Washington state for failing to protect her from sexual assault after placing a 6-foot-4 fully intact biological man with a history of violence and sexual assaults, into her cell. He’s just one of at least 11 biological men, many with a history of violence and sexual assault against women and children, who are housed at Washington State’s women’s prison. It’s one of many stories from states around the country.

Women say the experience of having to share living quarters including open showers and toilets with men is dangerous and degrading. The majority of women who are incarcerated – 86% according to one study – have been sexually assaulted during their lives. These situations retraumatize them, preventing healing from taking place. Putting vulnerable women at further risk is just plain wrong.

A hearing on the bill will take place Wednesday, February 19 at 4 p.m. Click on the links to weigh-in or testify against the bill.

To register a CON on this bill click here: https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifier/Add?chamber=House&mId=32861&aId=164631&caId=26009&tId=3

To testify online during the hearing click here: https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifier/Add?chamber=House&mId=32861&aId=164631&caId=26009&tId=2

Julia Dawn Seaver
Vancouver