On March 8, 2017, the state House of Representatives passed the Equal Pay Opportunity Act, which aims to close the gender pay gap in Washington state by prohibiting pay secrecy policies and banning retaliation against workers that ask for equal pay. The measure passed on a vote of 61-36.
Rep. Jessyn Farrell, D-Seattle, spoke in favor of the bill, pointing out that equal pay isn’t just a women’s issue – it’s a family issue.