Legislative Update: Week of April 12th
We’re officially past the opposite chamber deadline for legislation to pass: here’s what we’ve accomplished together.
Housing Justice Passes the Senate
I am so incredibly proud to share that HB 1220 – our housing justice update to the GMA that prevents exclusionary policy statewide – passed the senate at 11:30 PM Saturday night!! 🎉🎉🎉
With a final vote count of 25-24, HB 1220 just squeaked through and this victory is a testament to the work of Futurewise supporters like you and all that you have done to see this bill to the finish line.
HB 1220 is a game-changing update to the GMA that will ensure that cities are planning for housing affordable to people at all income levels, that cities redress the impacts from historic racist housing policies, and that cities adequately plan for and allow homeless housing and shelters in a majority of zones.
Click here to send a thank-you tweet to your senators and representatives who voted yes on this bill!
Laying the Groundwork to Win Climate Justice Next Year
On the other hand, I’m disappointed to share that despite hundreds of emails and calls from supporters like you, HB 1099 did not make it this year, either as a standalone bill or as an amendment to HB1241, which died on the Senate floor.
You know that we can’t wait to plan for climate, and we especially can’t wait to make sure that Central Puget Sound counties are incorporating planning for climate change in their next round of comprehensive plan updates, which take effect in 2024.
That’s why we’re laying the groundwork in this year’s budget to pass a climate element to the GMA first thing in the 2022 session. We’re advocating for funding for the Department of Commerce to do all the scoping work for climate plans this year so that when (!) we pass a climate element next year, a bulk of the required work will already be done and King, Pierce, Snohomish and Kitsap counties will be able to incorporate this important work into their 2024 comprehensive plans. Stay tuned over the next weeks and months to learn how you can help ensure this policy gets written into law in 2022!
Celebrate with me at Peninsula to Palouse
It’s been a wild ride with you these last few months and now it’s time to be in community with one another and celebrate our hard work. I hope you’ll join me at Futurewise’s annual spring celebration, Peninsula to Palouse, coming up on May 18th. Peninsula to Palouse is a virtual fundraiser bringing together our Futurewise community from every corner of Washington. It’s free to attend, but we’ve got some goodies for you if you donate at the $30 or $100 level! Register here!
This session is wrapping up but our work together is only just beginning. Your passion for and dedication to these issues is what has kept me going for the last seven, crazy months. I’ve so appreciated the opportunity to organize with you and to get to know you this year. I can’t wait to see what more we’re going to accomplish as we continue to build our power to impact meaningful change in our state’s land-use policy.
