Celebrating the women of the House!

Almost twenty years ago, President Clinton began the tradition of issuing a presidential proclamation every March in honor of Women’s History Month. Last week, President Obama issued his proclomation celebrating the contibutions women have made to our country. You can read the full proclomation here.

Washington state has a proud history of female leadership. In 1976, Washington elected Governor Dixy Lee Ray. Governor Ray was the fifth female governor in the United States, and only the second who wasn’t a wife or widow of a previous governor. Patty Murray became Washington’s first female senator in 1992. Finally, Washington became the first state to have both a female governor and two female senators in 2005.

Currently, 45 of Washington's 147 legislators are women. That equals out to about 30 percent, which makes us the 8th best state in terms of female representation.

18 of those 45 women call the House Democratic Caucus home. They come from places like Vancouver, Anacortes, Puyallup, Tacoma, and Seattle. They are nurses, teachers, veterinarians, former school board members, and attorneys.

They include a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, a former defense intelligence analyst at the Pentagon, an accomplished guitar player, and a powerlifter. They are mothers and grandmothers - and have cats with names like Astrophe.

In the legislature, they are leading the fight to protect our priorities - providing for our schools and building a better future, quality and affordable healthcare, opportunity and skills for the real world, and investing in businesses and jobs for a secure middle class.

We appreciate the contributions this diverse group of women bring to our caucus every month of the year. However, in March we will take a little extra time to celebrate the women at the table, the struggles they overcame to get there, and the men who helped them along the way.

Read this story in Spanish.

Honoring Dr. King

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1964 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Today our nation honors and celebrates the life of one of the greatest civil rights leaders - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Civil Rights Movement brought an end to racial discrimination deeply embedded in many local, state, and federal laws. Policies that imposed poll taxes, prohibited interracial marriages, and allowed "separate but equal" schools and business were common throughout several parts of the country.

Dr. King helped lead a movement that tore down the wall of discrimination. But while the Civil Rights Movement brought an end to many racial injustices, several still remain.

• In 2013, one in three black men can expect to end up in prison at least once in their lifetime.
• People of color make up 60 percent of our prison population though are only 30 percent of our total U.S. population.
• Black students are more likely to be disciplined in schools compared to white students.
• Native American students drop out of high school at far greater rates than other students.
• Complaints of workplace discrimination are not dwindling - quite the opposite.

These are just a few many inequities that continue to exist today - nearly 50 years after the Civil Rights Act was signed into law. Our nation has come a long way since days when one person could legally own another as property. The progress towards equality has been slow, but leaders like Dr. King have helped accelerate the progress. While we pause today to remember his life and legacy, let's also remember his dream is not yet realized.

(Tune into TVW today to hear lawmakers from both chambers pay tribute to Dr. King.)

Read this story in Spanish here.

Marriage equality is the law of the land today

Photo: Northwest News Network

Gov. Chris Gregoire and Secretary of State Sam Reed pose for a photo after certifying the results of Referendum 74.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Curious about marriage equality?

Tina Roose and Teresa Guajardo (Photo courtesy Teresa Guajardo)

It's about to happen: many same-sex couples will tie the knot in about two weeks at the state Capitol. Tina Roose and Teresa Guajardo, who have been together for 13 years and have a big white poodle named Brooke, wanted a Capitol wedding, so they reserved the Rotunda back in February, soon after Governor Gregoire signed the bill into law.
 

Guajardo says they trusted the people of Washington would stand for equality and she went on planning her wedding with the certainty that Referendum 74 would pass.

It was on election night that Roose and Guajardo came up with the idea of inviting other same-sex couples to marry on the same day with them. It has turned into a great public event and, so far, 20 couples have confirmed they will say I do at the state Capitol on Saturday, December 15. Guajardo believes that number will increase between now and then.

Many other couples throughout the state are expected to follow suit in the coming weeks and months.

But as the new law goes into effect, questions have begun to pop up:

• Can couples married in other states still marry here?
• What do couples in domestic partnerships have to do to get married?
• If someone got married somewhere else but then split, can he or she marry a different person in our state?
• What about folks in civil unions from other states who are moving here?
• Can couples who live in states that don't allow equal marriage get married here, and would it be valid?
• Will seniors in domestic partnerships be allowed to stay in those partnerships?
• If one of the parties is a foreigner, will equal marriage give that person legal status?

Had you thought about all of these things and are you now curious? Lucky for you, Lornet Turnbull with the Seattle Times has the answers right here.

To read this story in Spanish, please click here.

One step closer...

Washington is one step closer to becoming the seventh state to authorize marriage equality. The Senate voted 28-21 in favor of allowing same-sex unions on Wednesday evening.

SB 6239 sponsored by Sen. Ed Murray (D-Seattle) was approved after 90 minutes of debate on Wednesday. Amendments that strengthened the religious exemption clauses were added to the bill with bi-partisan support. 

Washington currently allows for same-sex couples to register as domestic partners, which provides the same legal benefits as marriage.  However, marriage equality proponents argue domestic partnerships are essentially “separate, but equal” relationships, which historically have proven to be less than equal. For example, during a public hearing on the issue, same-sex couples described difficult and frustrating conversations with hospital staff concerning visitation rights.

You can read more about this historic vote here, here, and here. You can watch the entire floor debate on TVW’s website here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Marriage equality has first hearings today

Will Washington become the next state to pass marriage equality?  Today marks the next step toward answering that question as committees in both the House and Senate hear bills that would make civil marriage between same-gender couples legal.

SB 6239 will be heard this morning at 10:00 in Senate Hearing Room 2, and HB 2516 will be heard at 1:30 this afternoon in House Hearing Room A.

TVW plans to cover both hearings, as well as a press conference on marriage equality at noon.

Here's a sample of the news coverage on the issue from over the weekend.

Committees to hold gay marriage hearings Monday

A state with justice and marriage for all | Jerry Large

Gay marriage gaining momentum in WA Legislature 

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

In-House expert honors Dr. King

In 2003, Drew Hansen, a young lawyer in Seattle, wrote a book entitled “The Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Speech that Inspired a Nation.” On Jan. 16, 2012 – Martin Luther King Day – Hansen, now a state representative from Kitsap County, honored the man who inspired his book with a speech of his own in the state Legislature. Click below to see a video of Hansen’s thoughtful and heartfelt address, his first speech from the floor of the House.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Putting the “gay” back in marriage?

Photo: Lapham's Quarterly

Marriage equality was a topic of both House Speaker Frank Chopp’s opening day speech and Governor Gregoire’s State of the State address this week.

In this article from Lapham’s Quarterly, a philosophy professor suggests that same-sex marriage could revitalize matrimony, which has changed dramatically over the centuries and has taken its lumps in recent decades: The institution could be revived as a happy state – rather than, as the therapists say, something you have to work at.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Governor calls on legislators to approve marriage equality

Governor Chris Gregoire made a historic call for marriage equality this morning in Olympia. Joined by Reps. Jamie Pedersen, Marko Liias, and Laurie Jinkins, Gregoire called on the legislature to deliver her a bill legalizing same-sex marriage by the conclusion of the regular legislative session.

“Today, I’m announcing my support for a law that gives same-sex couples in our state the right to receive a marriage license in Washington- the same right given to heterosexual couples,” said Gregoire.

In the past few years alone, House Democrats have taken significant steps to ensure equal protection under the law for gay and lesbians across Washington.  Just two years ago, the legislature passed and voters OK’ed Referendum 71, which expanded rights for same-sex couples but fell short of marriage equality.

Following the governor’s announcement, House Speaker Frank Chopp said “Our caucus has a proud history of supporting equality for all people in Washington. Every family should have the same rights and responsibilities under the law, and I appreciate Governor Gregoire’s support of marriage equality.”

“It’s good for families, it’s good for the state, and it’s the right thing to do,” added Speaker Chopp. 

If signed into law, Washington would be the seventh state in the country to expand full marriage rights to same-sex couples.

You can find the full text of the governor’s speech here, as well as the video here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

House honors César Chávez’s legacy

State Reps. Luis Moscoso and Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney celebrated the life of César Chávez and honored his legacy with House Resolution 4647, adopted last Friday by the Washington State House of Representatives.

“I was a teen in the ‘60s when I first heard about César Chávez,” said Moscoso. "César’s belief in non-violence and his dedication to the poor and to workers had a great influence on me; his faith in humanity gave me the strength to persevere in the struggles of our times.”

In the other Washington, President Barack Obama signed a proclamation declaring March 31st as César Chávez Day, saying that “Chávez’s legacy provides lessons from which all Americans can learn.”

“César Chávez is a hero, not only for farm workers but for all workers who deserve to be recognized for their important contributions, and who merit dignity for the diverse—and often hard—work they carry out every day,” said State Rep. Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney.

For the full release, click here.

Honoring Dr. King

For most public employees, today is a holiday to commemorate the birthday of one of our country's greatest civil rights leaders, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

But the Legislature was open and in session today, honoring Dr. King with a floor resolution. Several legislators spoke about Dr. King's life and legacy, including Rep. Luis Moscoso, who introduced this year's resolution.

"This country must continue the heroic work that Dr. King and others sacrificed their lives for," Moscoso said.

Later, a rally in front of the Legislative Building brought together people from all walks of life to stand for racial and economic justice.

Rep. Dave Upthegrove addressed the noon crowd, speaking about America's great promise of freedom and opportunity for all that, 43 years after Dr. King's death, is not yet completely fulfilled.

“All people, regardless of our differences, have value, have something to contribute, and deserve equal rights and fair treatment," Upthegrove said. "Those are our values. That’s why we’re here."

House approves equal rights for domestic partners

In one of the most closely watched debates of this session, the House this afternoon passed legislation to broaden domestic-partnership rights. Senate Bill 5688, sponsored by Sen. Ed Murray, garnered bipartisan support and will ensure that registered domestic partners receive all of the state law rights and responsibilities of married spouses. Rep. Jamie Pedersen, who sponsored the identical companion bill in the House (HB 1727), led a broad group of supporters who spoke out on the House floor today. The bill now goes to the governor’s desk for her expected approval.

Roughly 5,200 domestic partnerships are registered with the Secretary of State, spanning 278 cities and towns across the entire state in every legislative district. Key rights and obligations in this bill include death benefits for the partners of police and firefighters killed in the line of duty, pension benefits for the partners of teachers and other public employees, the right to adopt a partner’s child without paying for a home study and more.

In total, the bill adds about 280 rights and obligations to the 197 already provided under the exiting domestic partnership law so that state registered domestic partners and married couples are treated the same for all state law purposes. This legislation builds on two previous years of legislation in 2007 and 2008.