2002 Legislative Update

The 2002 Session of the Washington State Legislature ended with reasons for Friends to be encouraged. Please share the news with your Meetings and Worship Groups. DRUG SENTENCE REFORM BILL DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR LOCKEFCWPP’s key legislation in this session, the drug sentence reform bill, which reduces prison sentences for non-violent drug offenders and expands funding … Read more

HOUSE VERSION OF ANTI-TERRORISM BILL REFUSED BY SENATE

On Tuesday the 12th the State Senate refused to concur with House-amended Senate Bill 6704 by a vote of 32-13. The bill was immediately returned to the House, which appears ready to stand firm on its amendments, which replaced all of the more carefully crafted language offered by prime sponsor Senator Adam Kline with language from House bills … Read more

ANTI-TERRORISM BILL PASSES HOUSE

Brief messages by you on Friday or early Saturday will make a difference.Senate Bill 6704, which in its current form creates new terrorism crimes, expands the application of the death penalty, and expands police surveillance authority, passed the House 70 to 23 on Wednesday, with five Representatives absent or excused. It is notable that the … Read more

INITIAL SUCCESS WITH DRUG REFORM BILL!!

FCWPP’s key legislation this session, the Drug Sentence Reform bill, passed the House with a 72 to 25 vote on Monday February 18th! We should thank representatives for their yes votes on 2nd Substitute House Bill 2338.  Voting yea: Anderson, Ballasiotes, Barlean, Benson, Berkey, Campbell, Casada, Chase, Clements, Cody, Conway, Cooper, Crouse, Darneille, Delvin, Dickerson, Doumit, … Read more

YOUR VOICE NEEDED IN OLYMPIA!

State Legislators need to hear from you on several pieces of legislation that have survived initial deadlines for passage. Anti-Terrorism Immediate action is required on a package of “anti-terrorism” bills that resemble aspects of the Patriot Act passed by Congress at the Federal level. Here in Washington State, House Bill 2879 would define new terrorism crimes, House Bill 2416 would expand wiretap … Read more

TRANSPORTATION CHOICES

We support incentives and increased funding for effective public transportation in order to: give people better access to employment, housing, health care, and education; conserve natural resources; preserve the integrity of local neighborhoods; reduce air pollution and traffic congestion; and increase accessibility for residents of low-income communities.  Washington State Department of Transportation spends approximately 93% … Read more

Protest the Execution of James Elledge

Next week, just past midnight on Tuesday, August 28, our State of Washington will kill James Elledge. Opposition to the death penalty is fundamental to Friends. The policy statement of the Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy (FCWPP) reads: “We seek the abolition of the death penalty because it denies the sacredness of human life … Read more

SHUT DOWN THE FAST FLUX TEST FACILITY (FFTF)

While Secretary of Energy Richardson (under President Clinton) signed an order to permanently shut down the FFTF, the new Secretary of Energy Abraham has suspended this decision and ordered a review. The Department of Energy (DOE) is now requesting comments on the shutdown decision.  ACTION: Send your comments by Tuesday, July 3, 2001:  Mail: FFTF … Read more

LEGISLATIVE ALERT – Criminal Justice

Dear Friends, In our first Alert for the 2001 session of the Washington State Legislature, we’d like to focus on criminal justice concerns. We’ll be touching on other areas of interest in future alerts. DRUG TREATMENT RATHER THAN INCARCERATION. The passage of California’s Proposition 36 mandating treatment rather than incarceration for most nonviolent drug offenders charged … Read more