Since we couldn’t meet candidates face-to face in 2020, we presented them online.

Indivisible Tacoma is proud to have initiated a collaboration with Indivisible chapters all over the state and the Washington State Indivisible Podcast to produce the Town Hall Series, moderated by Stephan Cox.

Indivisible Tacoma was a key part of the WIN/WSIP/IT Town Halls for most of these excellent presentations!  You can still see them on WIN You Tube.

New episodes, focused primarily on Legislative issues, can be found in our NEWS section and in our NEWLETTER.

IT advocated for or followed the bills listed below which have been passed by both chambers.

Some are awaiting the Governor’s signature. 

Underlined bills have been signed by the Governor by May 1st.  

We sent out 294 calls to action via email and social media, and Indivisible Tacoma documented 1186 legislator contacts in Take Action Network (TAN).

It is likely that IT actually made three times as many contacts as many actions were not documented. 

Statewide Indivisibles made over 10,000 documented legislator contacts, which also would likely be 3 times more. (TAN was created by FUSE and WA Indivisible Legislative Action (WILA) increased its effectiveness immensely.

 

Environment/Climate

1050   Prohibit certain fluorinated gases

1091   Clean Fuels will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) by reducing carbon intensity of transportation fuel.  Aims to reduce transportation GHG 20% below 2017 levels by 2035

1168   Long term forest health and wildfire prevention

5000   Hydrogen electric vehicles

5022   Managing solid waste through prohibitions on expanded polystyrene, providing for food service ware upon customer request, and addressing plastic packaging

5026   Zero emissions cargo handling equipment at the ports

5126   Carbon cap & trade bill allows polluters to buy pollution “credits” that would shrink over time. We wanted a stronger bill. Climate groups disagreed on this bill.

5141  (HEAL Act) uses a racial & equity justice lens for plans & implementation of environmental actions

Police Reforms 

1267   Creates an office of Independent Investigations within the Governor’s office to investigate deadly force incidents involving police officers

5055   Establishes a statewide roster for arbitrating law enforcement disciplinary grievances and publishing decisions. (ACLU & IT supported a stronger bill- still this is a victory)

1054   Police Tactics – Bans chokeholds, no knock warrants, limits police use of military equipment, places restrictions on use of tear gas, vehicular pursuits, and police dogs

1088   Police Impeachment disclosures. Prosecutors must disclose to the defense any prior misconduct by a police officer that would discredit their testimony.

1089   Compliance Audits of law enforcement agencies by the State Auditor

1140   Juvenile Access to Attorney

1310   Establishes a statewide standard for police use of force, requires de-escalation and use of less lethal methods when possible

5051   Increases state oversight/accountability of peace and corrections officers, including background investigations of applicants and expanding the conduct that can result in decertification. Increases civilians on Criminal Justice Training Commission

5066   Requires police officers to intervene if other officers engage in excessive force or misconduct

5259   Law enforcement data collection on police uses of deadly force. (Nobles – Primary sponsor)

5263   Allows people to bring civil lawsuits against police for personal injury, even if the person injured was said to be committing a felony

5353   Creates a partnership model to facilitate community engagement with law enforcement (Sen. Conway – primary sponsor)

Social Justice 

1016   Makes Juneteenth a state holiday (Rep. Morgan is the primary sponsor

1078   Restores voting rights to felons no longer in total confinement

1090   Bans private detention centers

5015   Bans fraudulent ballot boxes

5038   Bans open carry of firearms at demonstrations and at the capitol

5135   Racist 911 Calls. Criminal charges for false reports, victims can bring civil action

5183   Non-Fatal Strangulation – increases forensic nurse training and makes examinations free of charge for victims (Sen. Nobles is the primary sponsor)

5226   Driving While Poor – failure to pay a traffic infraction will no longer result in license suspension. Makes payment plans available

5293   Mental health sentencing alternatives

5476   Blake v. State bill – Makes possession of personal amounts of controlled substances a misdemeanor instead of a felony and prioritizes treatment

Education

1166   A pilot program to provide resources to homeless and former foster care students attending college. (Rep. Leavitt is primary sponsor)

1370   Grants for early learning facilities

5184   Provides support for foster care students in schools (Sen. Nobles – Primary sponsor)

1044   Reduce incarceration through education in prison (Rep. Leavitt – primary sponsor)

1139   Requires testing for lead in school drinking water

5044   Equity training in public schools

5237   Fair Start for Kids – Expands accessible, affordable child care

5321   Expanding access to the College Bound scholarships. (Sen. Nobles – primary sponsor)

 

Health

1276   Allows EMTs to work in diversion centers providing short-term placement and shelter to homeless adults with a substance use disorder or other behavioral health issues, diverting them from incarceration toward treatment. (Rep. Bronoske – primary sponsor)

5068   Expands postpartum Medicaid

5052   Requires the WA Department of Health to designate health equity zones based on health disparity data and to work with community groups to address these inequalities

5140   Protect the Pregnant Patient Act. Hospitals cannot prevent providers from providing medically appropriate miscarriage care

5203   Allows the Health Care Authority to enter into partnerships to purchase generic drugs

5399   Universal Healthcare Commission to explore pathways to assure comprehensive, affordable healthcare to all WA residents

 

Tax Equity/ Economic Relief

1151   Bolster economic recovery and provide food and cash assistance to families in need. Rep. Leavitt – primary sponsor)

1297   Working Families Tax exemption-provides low income families a larger tax refund, based on income and number of children

5096   Capital Gains Tax – imposes a 7% excise tax on capital gains over $250,000 from the sales of stocks, bonds and other large capital assets. Affects the top 0.5% of households to increase tax equity. Retirement accounts, homes and family businesses are exempt.

 

Housing

5160   Provides tenant protections during the public health emergency, providing for legal representation in eviction cases, establishing an eviction resolution pilot program for nonpayment of rent cases, and authorizing landlord access to certain rental assistance programs. Gov signed with line item veto.                                                                                 

1220   Includes planning for homeless shelters and low income housing in the Growth Management Act

1236   Just Cause Evictions – Tenants cannot be evicted unless there is just cause.

1277   Creates a $100 document processing fee, with the funds being used for rental assistance and eviction prevention. We lobbied to exempt sewer and water districts from the fee and the amendment was passed.

Broadband

1336   Public Broadband- Allows public entities to provide broadband services.

1457   Broadband on limited access highways.

 

Privacy   We vigorously lobbied against 5062, a corporate-supported bad privacy bill, and it did not pass. A victory!

 Indivisible Tacoma members and leaders were a strong force in the 2020 elections!  While we were disappointed in three key races and two Legislative Districts, we are also excited about the WINNERS!

• WA State Results for President:  Biden/Harris  58%  Trump/Pence  38.75%

ENDORSED by Indivisible Tacoma:

Indivisible Tacoma is so relieved that Governor Inslee was strongly re-elected over extremist Trump follower Culp and Bob Ferguson had the backing of the WA voters!

• Jay Inslee, for Governor  58% to 43.09%

• Bob Ferguson, for Attorney General 45% to 43.45%

• Mike Pellicciotti, for State Treasurer  43% to 46.49%
  

  Indivisible Tacoma worked ferociously to help Mike Pellicciotti flip the State Treasurer’s office bringing a progressive Democrat into that office at a crucial moment!

• Chris Reykdal, for WA Sup’t of Public Instruction   59% to 44.9%

  We strongly supported Chris Reykdal to out perform a right-wing “Betsy DeVos” type candidate who lied about her credentials and R-90!

• Derek Kilmer, for Congress 33% to 40.43%
  Derek called to thank us for our support in his strong win for CD6

• LD27 State Legislature:  Jeannie Darneille 55% to 30.23%,
  State Senate; Laurie Jinkins, Pos 1 78.84% to 17.5%;
  Jake Fey, Pos 2  71.39% to 27.66%
  

  Not unexpected, yet very grateful that these three Democrats were re-elected, with Jinkins again the Speaker of the House!

• LD28 State Legislature:  T’wina Nobles, State Senate 62% to 49.18%

  YAY!   We are so excited to help elect progressive T’wina Nobles replace regressive Steve O’Ban.  She will currently be the only Black woman in the WA Senate, long overdue!

  Mari Leavitt, Rep Pos 1  57.21% to 42.62%

  We are so pleased to help re-elect the person we helped elect in 2018 – Mari Leavitt and to help elect Dan Bronoske to replace

  Rep. Kilduff , Pos 2  55.02% to 44.77%.

  Go T’wina, Mari and Dan!

Indivisible Statewide Town Hall project was one of the first to support and present the excellent new WA Supreme Court Justice candidates who diversified our court in important ways.

Montoya-Lewis is just the second indigenous State Supreme Court Justice, and Whitener represents Black, gay, disabled, and immigrant communities.

• Raquel Montoya-Lewis, Justice Pos 3  –  35% to 46.21%

• Helen Whitener, Justice Pos 6 –  62.33% to 37.03%

RECOMMENDED:

 

• Hilary Franz, for WA Commissioner of Public Lands 71% to 43.19%
  

  We were extremely disappointed when Hilary endorsed Doglio’s opponent in a Democrat on Democrat race where she did not have to endorse at all.

• Pat McCarthy, for State Auditor  45% to 43.45%

• Mike Kreidler, for WA Insurance Commissioner    41% to 34.11%

• LD29 State Legislature: 

  Melanie Morgan, Rep Pos 1   61% to 36.03%     
  Steve Kirby, Rep Pos 2          58.9% to 40.74%

  We welcome back Morgan and Kirby and look forward to working with them.

• County Council, District 4: Ryan Mello   73% to 36.78%

• County Council, District 6: Jani Hitchen   04% to 47.8%

  Indivisible Tacoma is deliriously happy that we flipped the Pierce County Council by strongly supporting Jani Hitchen to flip a Republican seat – in spite of the disappointment in several Democrat officials who endorsed her opponent.  With Jani and Ryan Mello, the County Council will have a Democratic majority and will elect a Democratic Chair, changing the dynamics completely!

• IT supports:  WA Referendum 90 passed by 57.83% to 42.17%

 

LOSSES: 

Indivisible Tacoma is sorely disappointed that progressives Marko Liias, Gael Tarleton and Beth Doglio lost their bids for Lt. Governor, Secretary of State and CD10!

• Senator Marko Liias, our recommended progressive candidate who is the WA Senate Majority Leader, lost to Denny Heck  66 to 33.52 w 20.8 (R)

• Gael Tarleton, our endorsed candidate, lost to Republican Kim Wyman 53.6% to 46.28%

• Beth Doglio, our endorsed candidate, lost to Marilyn Strickland 33% to 35.56% and write-in candidate 15.11%

We will work with Marilyn Strickland in the hope she will become the progressive she claimed to be.  We will monitor Kim Wyman for problems in the SOS position.

 

LD25 and LD26:  We are devastated at the losses of the excellent candidates in these two important LDs:  Jamie Smith 46.48% to 53.39%, Brian Duthie 47.42% to 52.42%, Julie Door 46.05% to 53.79% (LD25) and Joy Stanford 44.61% to 55.28% and Carrie Hesch 46.78% to 53.11% (LD26). 
We must do more groundwork in both places!