The Quaker Voice Board recognizes that we are in extraordinary times. Threats to our community are rising, and we want to respond. The role that Quaker Voice can play is with our state-level decisionmakers. They have an outstanding record of defending everyone who lives here. We want to support them in those efforts.
The Board has therefore decided to form a temporary Task Force on Human Rights. The charge to this group is to scan for state-level proposed bills or executive actions that either threaten or protect people in the state. The group is currently scanning for bills that affect LGBTQ+ rights; immigrant rights; academic, educational, or religious freedom; or are priorities for Washington racial or indigenous groups.
Jump to the contact form (at the bottom of the page) to be placed on the mailing list for the Task Force on Human Rights or send an email to .
Additional Quaker Voice priority bills can be found at this link.
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Bills that have passed both houses
These bills are now being budgeted then will go to the governor. We may need to contact our reps or the governor to express our support again in this process, but there is no action necessary right now.
LGBTQ+ Rights
HB 1052. Clarifying a hate crime offense. This bill expands what can be prosecuted as a hate crime to those acts motivated “in whole or substantial part” by prejudice, as opposed to existing law in which a hate crime is defined as exclusively motivated by prejudice. Passed by the House in February, it was also passed by the Senate on April 3. Waiting for governor’s signature.
HB 1296. Promoting a safe and supportive public education system. Requires schools to prioritize student safety and privacy. Establishes a statement of student rights. Establishes antiretaliation protections for public school employees supporting students in the exercise of their legal rights. Waiting for governor’s signature.
Immigrant Rights
SB 5104. Protecting employees from coercion in the workplace based on immigration status. Passed the Senate and went to the House Labor and Workplace Committee. Waiting for governor’s signature
HB 1232. Concerning private detention facilities. Passed the House and was sent to the Senate Committee on Human Services. Waiting for governor’s signature.
Respecting differences in abilities
HB 1432. Improving access to appropriate mental health and substance use disorder services. Passed the House and went to the Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care. The bill is scheduled for executive action in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means on April 8. Waiting for governor’s signature.
ESSB 5181. Amending the Parents Rights Initiative to bring it into alignment with existing law. This bill addresses a number of places where the Parents Right Initiative was not consistent with existing law or policy. These changes protect student privacy and safety and help parents defend their student’s educational rights. This bill passed in the Senate and was sent to the House Committee on Education. This bill is now also passed the House; may need concurrence.
SB 5263. Concerning special education funding. The bill has passed the Senate and was sent to the House Committee on Appropriations. Executive action was taken in the House Committee on Appropriations on Saturday, April 5. The Senate refused to concur; it appears that the House has agreed to concur with the Senate version. But it appears to be dead at the end of the session.
Protecting Democracy, Free Speech, and Privacy
SB 5632. Protecting the confidentiality of records and information that may be relevant to another state’s enforcement of its laws. This bill passed the Senate and was sent to the House Committee on Civil Rights and Judiciary. This bill has now passed the House as well. Waiting for governor’s signature.
Supporting indigenous communities/ dismantling structural racism
HB 1837. Establishing intercity passenger rail improvement priorities. This bill establishes ambitious goals for Amtrak Cascades intercity passenger rail, which has 12 stations in Washington State. Washington state will be receiving new train sets for Amtrak Cascades next year, but we won’t be able to take full advantage of these train cars if the infrastructure is not improved. Frequent and reliable intercity regional rail is a transportation solution for our growing population and housing crisis and will result in greater economic vitality in town centers. Waiting for governor’s signature.
Bills that have passed both houses and the governor has made his decision. Some may be waiting for the signing ceremony.
LGBTQ+ Rights
SB 5577. Concerning Medicaid coverage for HIV antiviral drugs. This bill requires that Medicaid (“Apple Health”) plans cover all FDA-approved HIV antiviral drugs with no prior authorization or step therapy. Passed by both the House and Senate and signed by the Senate President and the Governor. It is “session law”!
Immigrant Rights
HB 1875. Allowing the use of paid sick leave to prepare for or participate in certain immigration proceedings. Additionally, the bill outlines the verification process for such leave, allowing employees to use documentation from a variety of sources, without disclosing information about their immigration status. Passed the House and was sent to the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee. This bill has passed both chambers and has been signed by the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate. Governor has signed. This is now “session law”!
Supporting indigenous communities/ dismantling structural racism
HB 1540. Expanding eligibility for the students experiencing homelessness and foster youth program to an accredited tribal college. Passed the House and was sent to the Senate Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development. This bill has now been signed by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate. Governor has signed. This is now “session law”!
HB 1696. Modifying the covenant homeownership program. This bill passed the House and received a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Housing on March 19. Two people from Quaker Voice testified. Passed by the House and by the Senate. Governor has signed. This is now “session law”!
Bills that are not moving forward this year
LGBTQ+ Rights
SB 5490. Body searches in local jail. This bill prohibits strip searches in jails for the sole purpose of examining a person’s genitals. The bill also outlines specific conditions under which strip searches may be conducted, including the requirement that they be performed by medical professionals or female staff, and allows individuals to express their preferences regarding the gender of the staff conducting the search. Passed by the Senate, it was sent to the House Committee on Community Safety. The bill did not reach the House floor for action and is not moving forward this year.
Immigrant Rights
SB 5103. Expediting review of sentences when there exists a pending deportation proceeding. Speeds up petitions for pardons or clemency when there is an urgent need. Clarifies that applicants are eligible without regard to immigration status. Passed Senate and went to the House Community Safety Committee. Executive action was scheduled on March 31, but no action was taken. This bill is not moving forward this year.
Respecting differences in abilities
SB 5123. Expanding protections for certain students to promote inclusivity in public schools. Adds protected classes to the nondiscrimination provisions that apply to Washington public schools: ethnicity, homelessness, immigration or citizenship status, and neurodivergence. Separates sexual orientation, gender expression, and gender identity into three separate protected classes. Passed the Senate and went to the House Committee on Education. The bill was scheduled for executive action in the House Committee on Appropriations on April 7, but no action was taken. This bill is not moving forward this year.
SB 5179. Establishing a complaint process to address noncompliance with certain state education laws. Sets up a process to investigate and address complaints alleging willful noncompliance with state laws concerning civil rights, including harassment, intimidation, and bullying. This bill passed in the Senate and was sent to the House Committee on Education. It had a public hearing in the House Committee on Education on March 24. This bill is not moving forward this year.
SSB 5436. Prohibiting interference with Access to a Place of Worship. Creates crimes related to interference with places of worship. Provides civil remedies for person aggrieved by acts which interfere with places of worship. Passed the Senate and referred to Community Safety Committee in the House. It had executive action scheduled on March 31, but no action was taken. This bill is not moving forward this year.
Supporting indigenous communities/ dismantling structural racism
SB 5374. Including tribal representation in certain transportation activities. Requires coordination with affected tribal governments to assess impact of plans on tribal areas. Adds tribal representative to a related Council and sets up a program to help tribes implement traffic safety strategies. This bill passed in the Senate and was sent to the House Local Government Committee, then referred to Committee on Transportation. Passed by the House Committee on Transportation on April 8. This bill did not receive a vote on the House floor and will not move forward this year.
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Our stories
If you have stories to share related to human rights protection or abuse in the state of Washington, please send them to . We will only post them anonymously.
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