“Vulnerable to Confusion,” Bill Squeaks Through Committee
Emily Fischer, Michele Black and teammate Eric Johnson sit through this year’s hearing for SB 5838. None of the three were called to testify. Photo credit: Eden Palmer
After last-minute wrangling of votes, SB 5838 has been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Unfortunately, misconceptions still abound after last week’s hearing was cut short due to time constraints.
The Seattle Times reported prematurely last week that all but one senator on the committee were in favor of the Vulnerable User Bill, but this was not the case.
In fact, only two signed on by the end of the committee's executive session, and the rest of these votes were hard-won.
A big thanks to the five of eight committee members who voted to move the bill forward! They are:
The bill now must pass through the Senate Rules Committee before a vote on the floor of the Senate. Cascade will need the help of a large coalition of supporters so that SB 5838 make it on the list of priorities that the full body of the Senate chooses to debate. If you haven’t already, please take a moment to contact your senator with a phone call and email in favor of the bill.
If you have a compelling story for why this bill is necessary, the best thing you can do is to come down to Olympia to speak with your legislators. It will be very difficult to make appointments, so please email us if you are able to travel there and we’ll do our best to find a time.
Make sure your senator knows about SB 5838 and clear up his or her confusion – here are a few resources that should help:
FAQ - UPDATED
Printable Fact Sheet
Senate Bill Report and Substitute Language (bottom of page)
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