2012 legislative session starts early

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Already "Occupy events are planned.

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1. Puget Sound Alliance for Retired Americans carpooling

The Governor has called for a Special Legislative session to make another $2 billion in cuts as a result of reduced revenue to the state caused by this 2nd Great Depression.

PSARA has joined with other groups from labor, community groups, faith groups & small business to say enough is enough. $10 billion has been cut in the last three years...no more can be cut. The legislature must:

1. Substantially increase revenue and utilize revenue bonding to protect critical services and jobs in education, health care and public safety.

2. Create 30,000 direct jobs, and many more indirectly, by building and repairing community assets - including public buildings, bridges, state parks, water and irrigation systems, and college campuses - with a $2 billion general obligation bond on the spring ballot

3. End unjustified tax breaks that don't create jobs, and reform our tax break system to make it more transparent and accountable."

Many organizations will be mobilizing in Olympia to demand that the legislature address the needs of the 99%, not the 1%. There will be activities every day of the week and no doubt some PSARA members will participate in one or more of the days of activity. PSARA has chosen three days in the first week to fly our banner.


Monday, Nov. 28th: We will join with others from around the state to demand that the legislature end unfair tax breaks and raise revenue. There is bus transportation sponsored by WA Federation of State Employees:

The bus will leave Fircrest, in Shoreline, at 7:30 AM, with stops for additional passengers at 19th and East Cherry and the park and ride, located just off 272nd street and arriving at the capitol by 9:00 AM. WFSE lobby training will be from 9-10, meetings with leg. representatives/staff from 10-12, lunch provided 12-12:30, march and rally 12:30-1:30 at the rotunda.

There will also be some PSARA members driving. If you can drive or if you want a ride, email Maureen, [e-mail] and make sure you provide a phone number. We will do the best we can to get every one there.

Thursday, December 1st. - The theme will be "Do You Stand With The 99%?" Members will have to find their own way to get to Olympia.

Saturday, December 3rd: "We Can Do Better" Once again, transportation will be on your own.

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2. Arrest protection for medical MJ users

Dear CDC Members,
The Political working group will meet tomorrow to start drafting the bill for Arrest Protection for MMJ patients that we would like to see introduced in this upcoming session. We need to act quickly as the session starts soon- November 28th.

We have some interesting things going for us. Working Group member Rachel Kurtz has reported the following from Rep Roger Goodman:
"he submitted a bill at the end of the session last year that is technically still alive. it had arrest protection with no registry. he said he would just push eileen cody to get that bill a hearing, which i thought sounded good. it's HB 2118." ...."if there are things we don't like, we can ask him to amend".

Here is the link to the bill:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2011-12/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/2118.pdf

This is an excellent opportunity to move forward. The biggest obstacle is finding a sponsor according to our lobbyist, Lonnie Johns Brown, and so this now seems possible.

We need to move quickly as well as many other groups and individuals would like to use this platform for their various agendas- all seem to go beyond simple arrest protection. Non CDC Activists have already approached us on this. It already has AP in the language, as well as the usual wish list that parallels Sen. Kohl-Welles and Rep. Dickerson's various bills, so we just need to reduce it to our goal- Arrest Protection for MMJ patients!

When: Tuesday November 22, 2011. 7PM
Where: Ballard House. 2445 NW 57th St.
Contact for further questions:
Brian Stone
206-229-2284

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3. King County Dems Legislative Action Team to meet 12/11 in Tukwila

King County Democrats
Legislative Action Committee Newsletter

2012 Legislative Draft Agenda

It's December and time to finalize our draft 2012 Legislative Agenda. We will meet Sunday December 11th, 2 to 4 p.m. at the Foster Library in Tukwila to finish our draft, which will be voted on by the King County Democrats at our January 23 meeting. This is a work session, with lively discussion over what our platform calls for, what is possible, and how to focus our efforts. All Democrats are welcome to participate.

Foster Library,
4060 S. 144th St, Tukwila, 98168
206-242-1640

LAC Agenda Criteria

The King County Dems Legislative Agenda is in support of the KCDCC platform and would never contradict it. However, a legislative agenda is chosen by a different set of criteria.

The criteria we are using are unofficial, but look something like this:

1) What are the top progressive issues being debated in this session?
2) What has to be done in this session to preserve our Democratic values?
3) What issues are at the top of our allies' agendas, to which we can add our voices?
4) What additional issues are critical to our Party, particularly having to do with elections and initiatives?
5) Which of these have bill sponsors?
6) Which of these have momentum to get passed by policy and budget committees in both houses?
7) Which of these issues have a strong voice on our LAC committee who will act as liaison and bill tracker for us?

Each of our allies, which are themselves mostly statewide coalitions, works extremely hard over the interim to develop bills and bill language, to find sponsors and to educate grassroots about the importance of these issues.

Unlike the WSDCC platform and the resolutions, our legislative agenda begins and ends with the legislative process. If there isn't likely to be a bill, we aren't likely to support it this year. The more we focus our efforts, the stronger our impact.

Review our 2011 Legislative Agenda Here
http://wa-demchairs.org/kcdems/2011/lacfinalagenda.20110125.pdf

You can also participate by email before Dec. 11th. Our 2012 draft is about half complete. We've already deleted the bills that passed last session. We've updated the environmental priorities to match those of the Environmental Coalition. If you are part of another progressive coalition that has published legislative priorities for 2012, let us know. If we are missing something very important to you--that fits the guidelines for the 2012 session--let us know before next Sunday and we'll bring it up.

Contact Information
Sarajane Siegfriedt, Legislative Action Chair
sarajane3h {at} comcast.net
phone:[phone]

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4. Environmental Priorities Coalition Legislative Workshop; Seattle 1/12

I am proud to live in Washington. Not only because Washingtonians value a healthy environment, but because of the people and community who come together to win landmark legislation year after year.

The Legislature is in special session right now and the regular 2012 session begins this January. Washington Conservation Voters is the political arm of a coalition of more than twenty leading environmental groups in the state that selects up to four priority issues for each legislative session. The Environmental Priorities Coalition knows that we are stronger together and by sharing resources we implement strong campaigns to ensure that the Legislature supports policies that protect Washington’s environment.

Every year, our partner organization Washington Environmental Council hosts the Environmental Priorities Coalition Legislative Workshop for the community to learn more about the priorities and how to take action to influence legislators.

Click here to register for the Legislative Workshop.
ttool.com/registrar/ShowEventDetails?ID=1608&EID=11028

Environmental Priorities Coalition Legislative Workshop
When: Saturday, January 7th, 9:30 AM - 2:45 PM
Where: University of Washington, Kane Hall 120
Cost: $20 with lunch, $10 without lunch, and $10 for students with lunch
Who: You and dozens of the state's leading environmental organizations

We'll have experts on hand and a panel of our state legislators to answer your questions about this year's Environmental Priorities. We'll also have helpful break-out sessions on how you can take action.

The 2012 Priorities are:

• Toxic-Free Kids: Protecting Children’s Health from cancer-causing flame retardants and help put businesses on the path to using chemicals that won’t harm health, the environment, or their bottom line.

• Fulfill our Clean Energy Initiative: Sustain the success of I-937 in bringing investments, jobs and economic development throughout Washington.

• Pollution-Free Prosperity: Prevent attempts to weaken, delay or rollback state environmental laws and programs that are critical for clean air, clean water and healthy communities.

All together, the 2012 Environmental Priorities work to protect the things that are most important to Washington’s families – our kids’ health, rebuilding our economy, and maintaining our clean air and clean water.

Thank you for all you do. And remember to register for Legislative Workshop today.

Nicole

Nicole Keenan, MSW
Organizer
Washington Conservation Voters