Sam Merrill Restoration of Voting Rights: Legislative progress on criminal justice often requires persistence and patience. Full restoration of voting rights upon release from prison was finally approved in 2021, ten years after partial rights were restored. Finally, a clearly stated act HB 1078 will restore this most sacred citizen right of democracy to all persons not … Read more
Two bills we supported this year are becoming law: (1) A bill to prohibit contracts by the WA Dept. of Corrections for privately-operated prisons (2) A “bail-jumping” bill, that will reduce penalties for not appearing in court, which tend to affect low-income people most. We are greatly pleased with the success in implementing the corrections … Read more
The bill to Abolish the Death Penalty (SB 5339) and the bill to prohibit contracts with privately-operated prisons (SB 6442) have both passed the Senate and must receive votes in the House by Friday, March 6, 2020. Unfortunately, the following efforts did not succeed this session: Restoration of voting rights for persons released from prison … Read more
The bill to Abolish the Death Penalty (SB 5339) and the bill to prohibit contracts with privately-operated prisons (SB 6442) have both passed the Senate and must receive votes in the House by Friday, March 6, 2020. Unfortunately, the following efforts did not succeed this session: Restoration of voting rights for persons released from prison … Read more
Date: February 11, 2018 This year we have the best chance in years to abolish the death penalty in Washington State. SB 6052 is in the Senate Rules Committee and needs to be brought to the floor for a vote in the full Senate by Wednesday, Feb. 14. Can you ask your state Senator to … Read more
Environmental Stewardship and Peace Working Group Support a carbon tax proposal, in particular
Quaker Voice Annual Meeting Criminal Justice Working Group: Clerk, Sam Merrill. We celebrate the passage in 2018 of not one but two of the criminal justice bills that we have worked on for at least the past ten years: Establish a Corrections Ombuds Office, independent of the Dept. of Corrections (Success): An Independent Corrections Ombuds … Read more