Johns and pimps better beware or pay-up!

Currently a john only pays a $150 fine the first time he gets caught in the act of buying sex.  And a pimp only pays $300 the first time he’s caught selling sex.

Reps. Tina Orwall, a Democrat from Des Moines and Kevin Parker, a Republican from Spokane, decided that’s just not enough, so they put their political differences aside and worked on a couple of bills that increase the fines.

UnderHouse Bill  2692, instead of $150, johns will pay $1,500 for a first offense, $2,500 for a second offense, and $5,000 for a third or subsequent offense. And under House Bill 1983, instead of $300, pimps will pay $3,000 for a first offense, $6,000 for a second offense, and $10,000 for a third or subsequent offense.

The revenue from these fines will be put to good use to educate offenders about the negative costs of prostitution, and on prevention and rehabilitative services to help victims get out of the sex trade industry.

Both bills passed the House unanimously and are on their way to the Senate.

Read the press release here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

What you can do to fight hunger

Nutrition is one of the basic necessities of life and yet one out of nine households in the United States struggles to put food on the table. Nearly one-fourth of those that go hungry in our country are children.

Not only do real families suffer due to lack of adequate nutrition, but the problem also has economic consequences. The Alliance to End Hunger reports that the U.S. spends more than $90 billion each year on direct and indirect costs associated with hunger. 

Food assistance programs like the Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) are key to fighting the battle against hunger. Through a partnership with U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OPSI) can reimburse some costs associated with providing meals to eligible programs and organizations that serve children and adults.

In 2010, the OSPI helped provide over 3 million meals to low-income children and families through organizations participating in the CACFP.

If you operate a child or adult day care center, an at-risk afterschool program, ECEAP or Head Start, or emergency shelter and are interested in applying for the program, contact Adele Roberts, Child Nutrition Services, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, P.O. Box 47200, Olympia, Washington 98504-7200.

If you or someone you know is in need of nutrition assistance, contact the Washington Basic Food Program at 1-877-501-2233.

To read this blog post in Spanish, click here.

State Bar Association award hails Moeller’s work toward stronger protection for vulnerable citizens

Much-needed standards passed and signed into law earlier this year will build sturdier security for senior citizens and other people potentially at-risk of abuse and exploitation. These legislative victories were championed by state Rep. Jim Moeller, who emphasized that his goal is "assuring a safer world for our vulnerable population."

Moeller will receive the 2011 Distinguished Service Award from the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) Elder Law Section. This year's Bar Association recognition is being presented to Moeller for "his tireless service as sponsor and supporter of the legislation implementing the recommendations" submitted by the Guardianship Task Force of the State Bar's Elder Law Section.

Karen I. Treiger is an attorney with the law firm of Thompson & Howle who is active with the task force. Ms. Treiger said that Moeller is distinguished for "his ongoing tremendous commitment to the vulnerable adults of our state. He sponsored our WSBA Elder Law Section's guardianship legislation this year in Olympia, and then he worked very hard to get it passed and signed by the governor. Representative Moeller works with many stakeholders who share a commitment to ensuring the safety and happiness of senior citizens and other vulnerable people."

Key vulnerable-adult legislation passed this year includes:

• House Bill 1494 establishes needed standards for agencies that refer citizens to social-help programs and services.

"The majority of referral agencies do a good job matching senior citizens with appropriate services," Moeller said. "Fortunately most of the time, there's no problem at all. But yes, there are those agencies that fall way short of meeting their responsibilities, sometimes endangering the health and well-being of very vulnerable adults."

Moeller explained that the new law requires a disclosure form including "clear and cogent information acknowledged by the senior citizen about what the agency does and doesn't do, and directions for making a complaint to the Attorney General. An intake form to assist with a proper referral (i.e., information on any medical conditions, special diets, behaviors or cultural needs) would also need to be completed."

• House Bill 1053 implements recommendations from a 2009 report delivered by the WSBA Elder Law Section's executive committee guardianship task force. Recommendations carried out in the new law direct that:
  • Lay guardians will receive free training, which will be available online from the state Administrative Office of the Courts or superior courts.
  • Expiration dates will be set for letters of guardianship.

"A serious problem also addressed in the legislation is the fact that it's been very difficult to determine the number and status of guardianships in Washington," Moeller said.

• Senate Bill 5042, which includes directions outlined in House Bill 1104, adds what Moeller calls "very important and much-needed teeth" to current laws on the books to protect vulnerable adults. The measure will:
  • Prohibit either wrongful control or withholding of a vulnerable adult's property (and it spells out exactly what constitutes financial exploitation).
  • Require the Department of Social & Health Services to provide a statement of rights to vulnerable adults whose cases are under investigation.
  • Provide standards for the department to work with federally recognized Native American tribes to investigate abuse or financial exploitation that has taken place on tribal land.

The new standard expands the definition of "financial exploitation" beyond just the illegal or improper use of a vulnerable adult's property. The proposal would include in the law's definition the illegal or improper control over or withholding of property.

Moeller has worked with a task force of southwestern Washington citizens and other concerned individuals and organizations to create protective standards, including this year's meticulous effort against exploitation.

New standards add stronger protection for vulnerable people

Three recent legislative victories have been signed into law to strengthen protection for senior citizens and other people potentially at-risk of abuse and exploitation, a topic recently reported extensively by the Seattle Times. State Rep. Jim Moeller, who has been working on the problem for several years, said these measures “definitely merit highlighting in the Win Column for our vulnerable population.”

* House Bill 1494 establishes needed standards for agencies that refer citizens to social-help programs and services. “The majority of referral agencies do a good job matching senior citizens with appropriate services,” Moeller said. “Fortunately most of the time, there’s no problem at all. But yes, there are those agencies that fall way short of meeting their responsibilities, sometimes endangering the health and well-being of very vulnerable adults.”

Moeller explained that the new law requires a disclosure form including “clear and cogent information acknowledged by the senior citizen about what the agency does and doesn’t do, and directions for making a complaint to the Attorney General. An intake form to assist with a proper referral (i.e., information on any medical conditions, special diets, behaviors or cultural needs) would also need to be completed.”

* House Bill 1053 implements recommendations from a 2009 report delivered by the Washington State Bar Association elder law section’s executive committee guardianship task force. Recommendations carried out in the new law direct that:
* Lay guardians will receive free training, which will be available online from the state Administrative Office of the Courts or superior courts.
* Expiration dates will be set for letters of guardianship.

“A serious problem also addressed in the legislation is the fact that it’s been very difficult to determine the number and status of guardianships in Washington,” Moeller said.

* Senate Bill 5042, which includes directions outlined in House Bill 1104, adds what Moeller calls “very important and much-needed teeth” to current laws on the books to protect vulnerable adults. The measure will:
* Prohibit either wrongful control or withholding of a vulnerable adult’s property (and it spells out exactly what constitutes financial exploitation).
* Require the Department of Social & Health Services to provide a statement of rights to vulnerable adults whose cases are under investigation.
* Provide standards for the department to work with federally recognized Native American tribes to investigate abuse or financial exploitation that has taken place on tribal land.

The new standard expands the definition of “financial exploitation" beyond just the illegal or improper use of a vulnerable adult’s property. The proposal would include in the law’s definition the illegal or improper control over or withholding of property.

Moeller in recent years has won widespread public, legislative and gubernatorial support for laws to halt exploitation of vulnerable senior citizens and other people. Moeller has worked with a task force of southwestern Washington citizens and other concerned individuals and organizations to create protective standards, including this year’s meticulous effort against exploitation.

Here’s a very good link to a May 16, 2011, Washington State Court of Appeals decision on what’s called the slayer statute: http://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/65101-3.pub.doc.pdf.