Given the challenges facing our country, the Washington state Legislature has a historic opportunity to not just defend, but make real for the people of our state, the liberties and assurances of justice and safety that they expect under our laws. By advancing legislation that secures privacy, equitable access to health care, meaningful public safety for everyone, and just treatment of those interacting with the criminal legal system, the Legislature can demonstrate its leadership at a time when individuals across the country are looking to states like Washington to be a beacon of liberty. Washington can serve as a model for the rest of the country by passing laws and breaking down barriers to ensure those in our state can exercise their freedoms, access resources, and live safely and securely in our communities, getting to the root causes of problems and building a better Washington for everyone.
The ACLU of Washington crafted its 2023 Legislative Agenda through consultation with impacted community members, allied organizations, and legal and policy experts. We look forward to supporting the leadership of the Legislature in its effort to make the promises of liberty, safety and justice real for everyone.
(Bill numbers, links to legislative trackers, and educational materials will be provided below as they become available.)
Abortion and Gender Affirming Care Access: The fall of Roe has devastating and far-reaching impacts that land disproportionately on the people who have always faced systemic barriers to care — communities of color, the LGBTQIA2S+ community, undocumented immigrants, young people, those living in rural communities, people with disabilities, and people with low incomes. States like Washington that protect abortion access will now play an even more critical role in providing care to people from states that criminalize abortion and jeopardize access to needed health care services. The ACLU of Washington is working in coalition to increase funding for abortion care, pass legislation to expand abortion access, remove barriers to care, and protect those seeking and providing abortion care. This includes advocating for a strong health data privacy bill, as the serious harms caused by data abuse are heightened in a post-Roe world. Protecting privacy is an essential step to defending and expanding access to health care.
Decriminalizing Drug Possession: The ACLU-WA supports decriminalization of drug possession, treating substance use disorder as a public health issue and expanding access to recovery services. We cannot go back to the failed policies of the War on Drugs, which undermined public safety without getting to the root causes of substance use. The time has also come for a conversation about addressing the supply of drugs themselves and whether a safe-supply policy is possible. Reducing Police Violence and Strengthening Accountability: The ACLU-WA seeks to increase safety by reducing police violence and increasing accountability. The Traffic Safety for All bill provides funding for jurisdictions to shift focus away from fees, fines and punitive enforcement and towards helping people fix their vehicles to increase compliance and road safety. The bill also restricts police from pulling people over for low-risk violations, and protects people from irrelevant questioning and unnecessary searches.
In cases where officers have harmed people, we want to strengthen the ability to provide justice for victims of police misconduct and bring systemic change to departments. One bill creates a private right of action against law enforcement for violating the Washington constitution or state law, without the shield of qualified immunity. Another bill strengthens the Attorney General’s authority to investigate and hold accountable police departments and jails where there are systemic violations of the Washington constitution or laws.
Transforming Sentencing and Reentry: The United States incarcerates a greater percentage of its population than other nations, and Washington continues to grapple with the impacts of mass incarceration. In collaboration with formerly and currently incarcerated allies, the ACLU-WA seeks to advance justice, health, and safety, prevent recidivism, and save money by reforming outdated sentencing laws for both juveniles and adults.
Protecting People’s Privacy: The U.S. does not have a comprehensive data privacy law that requires transparency and accountability for how companies can use an individual’s data. As a result, people have little insight into and even less control over how their information is collected, used, shared, and sold. The ACLU-WA, together with the Tech Equity Coalition, is working to advance the People’s Privacy Act, a bill that would require companies to get opt-in consent before collecting, using, and sharing people’s data and give people the power to enforce their privacy rights by taking companies to court for violations. We also seek to advance an algorithmic accountability bill to protect people from non-transparent and unaccountable automated decision-making.
Equitable Health Care for Immigrants: Every Washingtonian should have access to health care, but federal restrictions and state austerity cuts have left many immigrants in our state without affordable health coverage. The ACLU-WA, in collaboration with the Health Equity for Immigrants Campaign is calling on the Legislature to ensure affordable health care coverage for people who are ineligible for federal assistance. Meeting the basic health care needs for all Washingtonians will make every community healthier and our economy stronger.
The ACLU of Washington crafted its 2023 Legislative Agenda through consultation with impacted community members, allied organizations, and legal and policy experts. We look forward to supporting the leadership of the Legislature in its effort to make the promises of liberty, safety and justice real for everyone.
(Bill numbers, links to legislative trackers, and educational materials will be provided below as they become available.)
Abortion and Gender Affirming Care Access: The fall of Roe has devastating and far-reaching impacts that land disproportionately on the people who have always faced systemic barriers to care — communities of color, the LGBTQIA2S+ community, undocumented immigrants, young people, those living in rural communities, people with disabilities, and people with low incomes. States like Washington that protect abortion access will now play an even more critical role in providing care to people from states that criminalize abortion and jeopardize access to needed health care services. The ACLU of Washington is working in coalition to increase funding for abortion care, pass legislation to expand abortion access, remove barriers to care, and protect those seeking and providing abortion care. This includes advocating for a strong health data privacy bill, as the serious harms caused by data abuse are heightened in a post-Roe world. Protecting privacy is an essential step to defending and expanding access to health care.
- HB 1155, SB 5351: Washington My Health, My Data
- HB 1115, SB 5242: No cost-sharing for abortions
- HB 1263, SB 5241: Keep Our Care Act
- HB 1340, SB 5400: Provider licensing protections
- HB 1469, SB 5489: Shield law
Decriminalizing Drug Possession: The ACLU-WA supports decriminalization of drug possession, treating substance use disorder as a public health issue and expanding access to recovery services. We cannot go back to the failed policies of the War on Drugs, which undermined public safety without getting to the root causes of substance use. The time has also come for a conversation about addressing the supply of drugs themselves and whether a safe-supply policy is possible. Reducing Police Violence and Strengthening Accountability: The ACLU-WA seeks to increase safety by reducing police violence and increasing accountability. The Traffic Safety for All bill provides funding for jurisdictions to shift focus away from fees, fines and punitive enforcement and towards helping people fix their vehicles to increase compliance and road safety. The bill also restricts police from pulling people over for low-risk violations, and protects people from irrelevant questioning and unnecessary searches.
In cases where officers have harmed people, we want to strengthen the ability to provide justice for victims of police misconduct and bring systemic change to departments. One bill creates a private right of action against law enforcement for violating the Washington constitution or state law, without the shield of qualified immunity. Another bill strengthens the Attorney General’s authority to investigate and hold accountable police departments and jails where there are systemic violations of the Washington constitution or laws.
- HB 1513, SB 5572: Traffic Safety for All
- HB 1025: Access to Fairness
- HB 1445: AG Investigation and Reform
Transforming Sentencing and Reentry: The United States incarcerates a greater percentage of its population than other nations, and Washington continues to grapple with the impacts of mass incarceration. In collaboration with formerly and currently incarcerated allies, the ACLU-WA seeks to advance justice, health, and safety, prevent recidivism, and save money by reforming outdated sentencing laws for both juveniles and adults.
- HB 1440, SB 5434: Raise the Age
- HB 1325, SB 5451: Emerging Adults
- HB 1324, SB 5475: Juvenile Points
- Additional materials
Protecting People’s Privacy: The U.S. does not have a comprehensive data privacy law that requires transparency and accountability for how companies can use an individual’s data. As a result, people have little insight into and even less control over how their information is collected, used, shared, and sold. The ACLU-WA, together with the Tech Equity Coalition, is working to advance the People’s Privacy Act, a bill that would require companies to get opt-in consent before collecting, using, and sharing people’s data and give people the power to enforce their privacy rights by taking companies to court for violations. We also seek to advance an algorithmic accountability bill to protect people from non-transparent and unaccountable automated decision-making.
Equitable Health Care for Immigrants: Every Washingtonian should have access to health care, but federal restrictions and state austerity cuts have left many immigrants in our state without affordable health coverage. The ACLU-WA, in collaboration with the Health Equity for Immigrants Campaign is calling on the Legislature to ensure affordable health care coverage for people who are ineligible for federal assistance. Meeting the basic health care needs for all Washingtonians will make every community healthier and our economy stronger.
- TBD: Health Equity for Immigrants
