OLYMPIA – Yesterday, Governor Inslee signed House Bills 1541, 1618, and 2072 into law. All introduced by Representative Darya Farivar (D-North Seattle), the legislation represents an effort to utilize the lived experiences of underrepresented populations, empower childhood sex abuse survivors, and create an even playing field for businesses.
House Bill 1541 addressed the crucial need to include individuals with direct lived experiencing in formulating policy that impacts them. Driven by the disability rights community, the bill clarifies that task forces, workgroups, and advisory committees tackling issues affecting underrepresented populations need to include three or more individuals with direct lived experience on that issue. For those serving on task forces, work groups, and advisory committees, educational materials and toolkits will be created to support meaningful engagement of all participants. Finally, regular reports will assess the effectiveness of these inclusion efforts, leading to continuous improvement. To learn more about House Bill 1541, click here or on the image below.
House Bill 1618 supports survivors of childhood sexual abuse by prospectively allowing them to seek justice. Childhood sexual abuse typically has a non-linear path to recovery that requires additional time for survivors to decide to seek justice. By changing state law to ensure the clock can no longer run out for those who perpetrate the abuse, a shift towards transparency and protecting children is achieved. The legislation passed both the House and Senate with strong bipartisan support. To learn more about House Bill 1618, click here or on the image below to watch Rep. Farivar’s remarks on House passage.
House Bill 2072 addresses antitrust violations for corporations in Washington. Up until now, the maximum penalty was $900,000, which represents a slap on the wrist for corporations raking in millions through practices that often hurt small, and immigrant owned businesses and stifle competition. Working with Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Senator Trudeau, who sponsored the Senate companion SB 5994, House Bill 2072 increases penalties to three times the unlawful gains or loss avoided. By deterring antitrust practices, Washington can build a more competitive economy for all businesses. To learn more, click here.
