Friends and neighbors,
The 2023 legislative session ended on April 23. I’ll recap the session in a future update, but I wanted to share some important legislation we are working on to protect people from sexual harassment on campus and support trans youth seeking help.
VIDEO: No more passing the harasser in high education.
For years I have been leading the effort to stop the practice of “passing the harasser” from one institution of higher education to another. This practice means staff and faculty who have committed sexual harassment or assault in one institution can move on to another without any form of disclosure. That is wrong and must stop.
Two years ago, I developed and passed the first bill in the nation to put an end to “passing the harasser.” This session, working with UW faculty and student survivors from across the state, we passed House Bill 1522 to expand our law.
Protecting Transgender Youth
There are up to 30,000 unsheltered young people across the state at any given time. A very large number of them find their way to the University District here in the 46th. As many as 40% of these kids identify as LGBTQ+. Living on the street without protection incredibly dangerous for anyone, but it is especially terrifying for trans youth. Frequently, trans youth in are in this situation because their family has kicked them out or they face unimaginable physical and mental abuse back home. When trans youth seek help at shelters, it isn’t because they have a supportive family. Instead, this is often happening because their parents issue an ultimatum: trans youth can hide who they truly are and pretend to be the gender their parents want, or they can get out.
Currently, if a child runs away from home and turns to a licensed shelter, that shelter is required to notify the parents. Even if that parent is the reason the child left, the shelter must still notify the parent. About 10% of trans people report being physically assaulted by a family member after coming out. Which is why returning a young person to an unsafe, unsupportive, or even violent environment is not the answer and can lead to suicidal ideation.
Senate Bill 5599 allows certified shelters to contact the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) instead of parents in certain specific instances, such as when a youth is seeking reproductive health services or gender-affirming care. This is about keeping young people safe and providing access to the services they need. Accessing gender-affirming care lowers rates of adverse mental health outcomes, including suicide, builds self-esteem, and improves overall quality of life for trans and gender-diverse youth. We must do everything in our power to ensure every kid in our state, regardless of gender or sexual identity, gets to grow up to be exactly who they truly are.
We acted by voting this important bill off the House Floor on Wednesday, April 12. I look forward having the Governor sign House Bill 5599 into law. This sends a message to trans youth. We see you. We support you. And we love you.
My commitment to open government
In March, I was honored with the Washington Coalition for Open Government’s Ballard Thompson award for legislators who have demonstrated commitment to open government. Click below to watch that awards ceremony.
Government should be open, transparent, accessible and responsive. I have always believed this and continue to remain steadfast in my efforts to improve government transparency. I will not waiver in this commitment.
Thank you,
Rep. Gerry Pollet