MORE Very Important Bills!
Don't forget to check out www.influencingOlympia.com if you would like to learn even more about the process.
Bills listed below to consider:
SB 5584: creates a voter ranked system that allows for computer algorithms to choose our elected officials. It essentially eliminates "one vote, one voice."
SB 5820: This Bill allows the Governor to APPOINT the Superintendent of Instruction and TAKES AWAY our vote in the process.
HB 1226 Concerning school district elections. This bill will change the Washington State Constitution to allow a simple majority to approve increassed limits on levies and property taxes. As it currently stands in our Constitution, tax increases must be approved by 60% of voters.
Don't let computer algorithms choose our vote!
Please take a few minutes to OPPOSE this bill by Tuesday, January 18, 7 am! As of today, January 16, 435 people have signed in favor of this terrible bill, and only 22 have registered their opposition. We must turn these numbers around! You may also sign up to testify, either via zoom or in written form, by 7 am, Tuesday January 18. Testifying is considered more important than just stating your viewpoint. Links below.
NAME/NUMBER OF BILL: SB 5584 Increasing representation and voter participation in local elections.
At the very least, click HERE to state your OPPOSITION. This link will take you to a Committee Sign In page. This will not sign you up to testify.
On the pull down menu, enter your position as CON.
Put in your first name, last name and email address.
You are not required to write in anything under "Organization," unless you are testifying on behalf of a group.
Putting in your address is optional, but you must include your city, state, zip and phone number.
Click the box to prove you're not a robot, then "Submit Registration." And you're done.
PASS THIS MESSAGE ON TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW WHO IS LIKE MINDED: FRIENDS, FAMILY, NEIGHBORS.
GET YOUR FRIENDS' AND RELATIVES' PERMISSION AND RECORD THEIR POSITION AS WELL. YOU ARE NOT LIMITED TO ONE COMMENT PER EMAIL ADDRESS!
If you can submit written testimony or testify via zoom, that carries more weight. You must sign up by 7 am January 18 to testify with the committee when it meets at 8 am.
Sign in to submit written testimony HERE https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifier/Add?chamber=Senate&mId=29485&aId=143957&caId=18680&tId=4. Enter your position (CON), First and Last Name, email address, city, state, zip and phone number. Then enter your written testimony, and click the box to show you are not a robot. Then Submit your Registration. You may use the paragraph below or write your own statement.
Even better, sign up to testify remotely by zoom HERE https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifier/Add?chamber=Senate&mId=29485&aId=143957&caId=18680&tId=2. Enter your position (CON), No to testifying as a panel, enter your First and Last Name, email address, city, state, zip and phone number. Click that you are not a robot and Submit Registration.
Written statement: The title of this bill is misleading. It "seeks to increase representation and voter participation in local elections." What it really does is put ranked choice voting into place. This type of election sytem violates the "one ballot, one vote" concept. A voter would receive multiple ballots, choose people on each of the ballots and then a computer algorithm would figure out top choices. We don't need more computers deciding our elections! This is a confusing election system, it is more costly, more complicated and would require more manpower to accomplish. The person with the most votes could actually lose an election. A person's vote could be wasted if that voter chooses someone who is not in the final two.
Bill Sponsors: Trudeau, Nobles, Das, Dhingra, Frockt, Kuderer, Liias, Lovelett, Nguyen, Pedersen, Randall, Stanford, Wilson, C.
OPPOSE SB 5820: Appointing the Superintendent of Public Instruction by Jan. 21, 7 am. This Bill allows the Governor to APPOINT the Superintendent of Instruction and TAKES AWAY our vote in the process. PLEASE OPPOSE!
Please take a few minutes to OPPOSE this bill by January 21, 7 am! You may also sign up to testify, either via zoom or in written form, by 7 am, Friday January 21. Links below. NAME/NUMBER OF BILL: SB 5820 Appointing the superintendent of public instruction. This bill will make the office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction a position appointed by the GOVERNOR rather than elected by the People. This will affect every child in this state! Click HERE to state your OPPOSITION. This link will take you to a Committee Sign In page. This will not sign you up to testify. On the pull down menu, enter your position as CON. Put in your first name, last name and email address. You are not required to write in anything under "Organization," unless you are testifying on behalf of a group. Putting in your address is optional, but you must include your city, state, zip and phone number. Click the box to prove you're not a robot, then "Submit Registration." And you're done. PASS THIS EMAIL ON TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW WHO IS LIKE MINDED: FRIENDS, FAMILY, NEIGHBORS. GET YOUR FRIENDS' AND RELATIVES' PERMISSION AND RECORD THEIR POSITION AS WELL. YOU ARE NOT LIMITED TO ONE COMMENT PER EMAIL ADDRESS! If you can submit written testimony or testify via zoom, that carries more weight. You must sign up by 7 am January 21 to testify with the committee when it meets at 8 am. Sign in to submit written testimony HERE. Enter your position (CON), First and Last Name, email address, city, state, zip and phone number. Then enter your written testimony, and click the box to show you are not a robot. Then Submit your Registration. You may use the paragraph below or write your own statement. Even better, sign up to testify remotely by zoom HERE. Enter your position (CON), No to testifying as a panel, enter your First and Last Name, email address, city, state, zip and phone number. Click that you are not a robot and Submit Registration. Written statement: This bill will remove the People's voice and vote, and make the state superintendent of public instruction a political appointee. If this bill passes, the governor will have total control over education policy. The superintendent should report to the People, not the governor. This is nothing more than a betrayal of the People and a political power grab. How can we possibly think that governors would know more about education than an elected school superintendent who is an educator? Our children and their education should not be political tools. This is not democracy. Bill Sponsors: Reuven Carlyle (D), Sam Hunt (D)
HB 1226
Please take a few minutes to OPPOSE this bill by Tuesday, January 18, 7 am! You may also sign up to testify, either via zoom or in written form, by 7 am, Tuesday January 18. Testifying is considered more important than just stating your viewpoint. Links below. NAME/NUMBER OF BILL: HB 1226 Concerning school district elections. This bill will change the Washington State Constitution to allow a simple majority to approve increassed limits on levies and property taxes. As it currently stands in our Constitution, tax increases must be approved by 60% of voters. At the very least, click HERE to state your OPPOSITION. This link will take you to a Committee Sign In page. This will not sign you up to testify. On the pull down menu, enter your position as CON. Put in your first name, last name and email address. You are not required to write in anything under "Organization," unless you are testifying on behalf of a group. Putting in your address is optional, but you must include your city, state, zip and phone number. Click the box to prove you're not a robot, then "Submit Registration." And you're done. PASS THIS EMAIL ON TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW WHO IS LIKE MINDED: FRIENDS, FAMILY, NEIGHBORS. GET YOUR FRIENDS' AND RELATIVES' PERMISSION AND RECORD THEIR POSITION AS WELL. YOU ARE NOT LIMITED TO ONE COMMENT PER EMAIL ADDRESS! If you can submit written testimony or testify via zoom, that carries more weight. You must sign up by 7 am January 18 to testify with the committee when it meets at 8 am. Sign in to submit written testimony HERE. Enter your position (CON), First and Last Name, email address, city, state, zip and phone number. Then enter your written testimony, and click the box to show you are not a robot. Then Submit your Registration. You may use the paragraph below or write your own statement. Even better, sign up to testify remotely by zoom HERE. Enter your position (CON), No to testifying as a panel, enter your First and Last Name, email address, city, state, zip and phone number. Click that you are not a robot and Submit Registration. Written statement: This bill will cause a systemic change to the way we vote on school levies. It will change the state Constitution and permit school districts to exceed their debt and property tax limits with the approval by a simple majority of voters. Currently the Washington Constitution and state statutes require 60% approval of the voters. If approved, this will remove important controls and limitations on school spending and taxing of the citizens of this state. Bill Sponsors: Stonier, Berg, Ramos, Kloba, Santos, Ortiz-Self, Gregerson, Bergquist, Valdez, Callan, Ricelli, Macri, Frame.