Opinion: Citizen activism works - ClarkCountyToday.com

Nancy Churchill discusses the power of citizen activism in influencing legislative decisions and stopping controversial bills in Washington state.

Nancy Churchill believes public pressure can kill bad bills

Nancy Churchill
Dangerous Rhetoric

Future 42 recently posted on Facebook that “SB 5382 The Initiative Killer is DEAD! This is by far the biggest win of the session.” The Washington State Senate Republican Caucus noticed the stiff opposition that this bill received in public testimony: “…Thank you to everyone who signed-in CON on SB 5382! Public pressure can kill bad bills.” This is important news for citizen activists: Your efforts make a difference!

It is important to remember that no bill is really “dead” until the end of the session. As the Washington State Republican Party noted, “This might turn out to be the most consequential win for common sense in the legislative session. Still, stay vigilant. Radical Democrats in Olympia are notorious for late-night, out-of-sight, backroom deals.”

This week will feature activity on the floor of the House and Senate, as all bills must be passed in their houses of origin before March 12. Now is the time to focus on the bills sitting in the House or Senate rules committees. According to the legislative website, “A rules committee chooses which bills the entire House or Senate should vote on.” Those are very powerful committees, but there’s no public hearings in Rules.

Actions you can take:

If you look up a bill at leg.wa.gov, you can immediately discover where it is in the legislative process. If it’s sitting in House Rules or Senate Rules, it’s probably going to come to the floor for a vote this week. Below, we’ll take a look at some of the worst bills that need your attention.

But first, let’s figure out what actions you can take. Go to leg.wa.gov and enter the bill number. On the “bill info page” click the button “Send a comment on this bill”. You will be able to send your thoughts to your legislators. I recommend that you keep it simple, because the legislators and their staff don’t have time to read a long letter. Unless you are an expert on the topic, just write “Please support” or “Please oppose.” That way, the legislator’s assistant can easily track how much support or opposition there is for an idea.

You could also send emails directly to members of the House Rules Committee, since they are the ones who will decide which bills will go to the floor. It’s important that they know that voters are carefully watching their decisions. You can find a list of those emails at this spreadsheet provided by InfluencingOlympia.com.

Bills of concern

Rep. Travis Couture is the assistant minority floor leader in the House. His office provided the following list of bills he’s concerned about:

House Bill 1150 – This bill is a “hidden tax” on groceries. This bill expands government control over recycling by creating extended producer responsibility organizations, which will ultimately drive up costs for Washington families. Producers will be forced to pay hundreds of millions of dollars, and those costs won’t just disappear—they’ll be passed directly to consumers at the grocery store. Industry leaders warned during public testimony that grocery prices could spike as much as 16% because of this bill. Washingtonians are already paying some of the highest grocery prices in the country. The last thing families need right now is another cost hike, especially one driven by government overreach. Make a comment to oppose 1150 at app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/1150.

House Bill 1274. This bill, along with at least two other similar proposals, made it out of committee this week. If passed, it would allow for the early release of violent criminals by automatically recalculating their sentencing scores. Washington is facing a serious public safety crisis. Our crime rates rank among the top ten in the nation in multiple categories. Letting violent offenders — including murderers and rapists — out early not only denies justice for victims but also puts every law-abiding citizen at greater risk. Submit a comment in opposition on HB 1274 at app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/1274.

House Bill 1380. This bill will make Washington’s homelessness crisis even worse, leading to more dangerous tent encampments in cities across the state while failing to address the root causes of the problem. It gives homeless individuals the ability to endlessly sue local governments whenever their encampments are removed, creating a legal loophole that prevents cities and counties from taking necessary action. If this bill becomes law, we’ll see even more encampments in our communities. Worse yet, it will turn Washington into a magnet for homeless populations from other states. It’s urgent that you submit a comment to OPPOSE HB 1380 at app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/1380.

Sheriffs and gun rights

House Bill 1399. According to an article from Franklin County, Sheriff Jim Raymond is raising concerns about HB 1399, fearing it could shift the power to elect sheriffs from the public to the state. “Currently, sheriffs can only be removed from office through recall or by being voted out. If HB 1399 is passed, the state could decertify sheriffs and remove them from office without a public vote, based on a finding of ‘unsuitability.’ Other sheriffs across the state are also raising the alarm. Submit a comment on 2SHB 1399 at app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/1399 and please OPPOSE.

House Bill 1163. Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels raised his concerns about HB 1163 in a powerful interview with KHQ. This bill would require Washingtonians to apply for a permit before purchasing or transferring a firearm. Sheriff Nowels said, “This bill is a direct threat to citizens of the State of Washington who wish to maintain their right to keep and bear arms. This law amounts to nothing less than the 21st century Democratic party’s version of Jim Crow laws. The only difference now is that instead of limiting one’s rights by race, they are limiting rights by socio-economic class.” Submit a comment to oppose SHB 1163 at app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/1163.

Taxation

Washington doesn’t have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem. But Democrats love spending so they need to raise taxes to fund their special projects! Here’s just a couple of taxation bills that need your attention.

Senate Bill 5314. This bill regarding the Capital Gains Tax is already on the Senate floor calendar, but you can still send a comment to oppose this bill at app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/5314.

Senate Bill 5095. Do you want your property taxes to go up? SB 5095, “School construction debt,” would make it much easier for school districts to go into debt without a vote of the people. Send a comment to oppose SB 5095 at app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/5095.

Fight the Psy-War with action

This article highlights just a small sample of the bad ideas Washington Democrats are trying to impose on you. Your feedback could make them reconsider. I know it might seem like a few comments won’t make much of a difference, but they do.

A flood of emails and public input from across the state creates real pressure. It encourages embattled Republicans in the minority, reminding them they have support. And it forces the majority party to think twice, knowing the next election is always around the corner. This session may finally be a step too far. Make your voice heard and let them know you’re paying attention.

Democrats are counting on you to feel hopeless and powerless. Don’t let them win that psychological battle. Push back — submit your comments opposing these bills today!

Nancy Churchill is the state committeewoman for the Ferry County Republican Party. She may be reached at DangerousRhetoric@pm.me. The opinions expressed in Dangerous Rhetoric are her own.