Concerns include financial aid for higher education, abortion mandate, toxic toys, sexual abuse education and juvenile sentencing Legislation which would expand eligibility for financial aid for higher education passed the state House with a wide margin on March 13.
HB 1817 would expand the eligibility to include those undocumented migrants who have been granted deferred action status by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Commonly referred to as “DREAMers,” these are immigrants who were brought to the United States by their parents as children, and have resided in Washington state for at least three years, and have a Washington state high school diploma or its equivalent.
The bishops support this legislation. “These young adults didn’t choose where to be born. They have lived in our state for most of their lives, attended our schools and become our neighbors,” said Dominican Sister Sharon Park, executive director of the Washington State Catholic Conference, in an interview with The Progress.
“This legislation would enable qualified young immigrants to access higher education, so they can fully contribute their services and talents to our state’s society and economy.” Other youth-related priorities The abortion mandate legislation passed the House on Feb. 22 and has since been scheduled to be heard in the Senate.
The Senate Committee on Health Care is scheduled to hear HB 1044 at 10 a.m. on April 1. Sentencing reform for juveniles has not passed the House. HB 1338 would have outlawed lifetime sentences without parole for juvenile offenders, and though it was voted out of committee, the WSCC-supported bill failed to receive a majority vote on the House floor by the March 13 deadline.
Legislation requiring schools to create and provide materials on the prevention of sexual abuse and trafficking of minors passed the Senate unanimously with 49 votes. SB 5563, which is supported by the state’s bishops, was heard by the House Committee on Education on March 14. HB 1294, legislation prohibiting the manufacture or sale of children’s products or upholstery containing certain toxic chemicals, narrowly passed the House and was scheduled to be heard in the Senate Committee on Energy and Environment & Telecommunications on March 19.
The state’s bishops support this bill.
March 21, 2013