Today’s action is adapted from http://www.instagram.com/p/CNN0C3ahAqn/
SB 5476 was made in direct response to the WA State Supreme Court’s Blake Decision, which decriminalized simple drug possession of all forms, for all of time. SB 5476 re-criminalizes drug possession above a certain amount. The bill sponsors believe this is a progressive update to existing drug laws, but it only increases police contact and creates monetary incentives to target houseless communities.
This bill ultimately attempts a *softer* War On Drugs instead of taking proactive steps to put an END to it.
SB 5476 imposes fees for using drugs in a public space. The collected fees would go towards the State vs. Blake ‘reimbursement fund,’ which is meant “to reimburse individuals for legal financial obligations paid in connection with sentences that have been invalidated as a result of the decision in State v. Blake.”
While on the surface this *sounds* progressive, in reality the fee is draconian, as it incentivizes the system to target houseless and low-income communities.
Further, garnering fees from the pockets of low-income, houseless, and most likely Black & Brown people in order to pay off the legal obligations of those previously harmed by the system is absurdly backwards and a point-blank reflection of the racist and classist grounds that policing and criminalization are built on.
Low-income and houseless communities already suffer from failed policies, and should not shoulder the responsibility of rectifying them.
Following the Blake Decision, the WA Defender Association & WA Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers advised against focusing on criminalization this legislative session. Instead, they argue, the State should make swift moves to support folks impacted by the Blake Decision by increasing access to counsel, streamlining resentencing, and making significant investments in treatment-based solutions.
Instead of rushing to create laws that merely restructure punishment, we should be building infrastructure that supports healing, upscale community-led harm prevention, and increase access to housing, healthcare, & employment.
In solidarity with communities who are perpetually harmed by racist drug policies, we demand the following:
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Withdraw SB 5476 and go back to the drawing board.
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Create legislation that will provide relief to those who have suffered under unconstitutional drug possession charges.
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Ensure adequate funding and access to counsel for those impacted by the Blake decision, and streamline moving resentencing cases through the legal system.
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Create a workgroup as recommended by the WA State Defenders Association and WA Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and build a path towards healing by co-designing solutions with the very people who have been impacted by these unconstitutional policies.
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Significantly increase funding for treatment services.
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Make meaningful investments in community-designed and community-led harm reduction programs.
There will be a PUBLIC HEARING this Monday, April 5th @ 10:00 am.
For full details / email script / & instructions, visit http://tinyurl.com/stop5476, or perform our two actions.
Action 1: Tell your state legislators to stop SB 5476
Contact your state legislators: http://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/5476
Position: Oppose
Sample script: see below
Action 2: Submit committee testimony (note: doesn’t require you to speak)
Position: Other
Sample script: see below
Sample Script for Both Actions
I am writing to strongly urge you to withdraw your support for SB 5476 and pull it from consideration. While the bill attempts to make drug possession laws “constitutional” and in compliance with the WA State Supreme Court’s Blake decision, SB 5476 ultimately attempts a softer War On Drugs instead of taking proactive steps to put an END to it.
Instead of rushing to create legislation that tries to merely restructure punishment, we should be focusing our attention and resources on building infrastructures that will support people towards healing, reduce barriers to resentencing, upscale community-led solutions to harm, and increase access to housing, healthcare, and employment.
In solidarity with communities who are perpetually harmed by racist drug policies, I demand the following:
* Withdraw SB 5476 and go back to the drawing board.
* Create legislation that will provide relief to those who have suffered under unconstitutional drug possession charges.
* Ensure adequate funding and access to counsel for those impacted by the Blake decision, and streamline moving resentencing cases through the legal system.
* Create a workgroup as recommended by the WA State Defenders Association and WA Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and build a path towards healing by co-designing solutions with the very people who have been impacted by these unconstitutional policies.
* Significantly increase funding for treatment services.
* Make meaningful investments in community-designed and community-led harm reduction programs.
Events
Monthly Meeting – Wednesday, April 7
Attend Our Monthly Meeting featuring: Massage Parlor Outreach Project, Black Lives Matter, Midterms Preview.
Join us on Wednesday, April 7th at 6:30 on Zoom for our monthly general meeting!
RSVP Here: http://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/380443/
FEATURED SPEAKERS:
Deaunte Damper – Chair of Black Lives Matter Seattle King County & member of our Advisory Council. Deaunte will recap the state legislative session and let us know what we can do to make sure the fight for Black lives remains front and center in our work moving forward.
Kevin Jones – Indivisible Vashon & Washington Indivisible Network. Kevin will break down the 2022 midterms, what we need to do to maintain control of Congress, and how you can get plugged in to help.
Rosanna Sze and Diana Xin – Massage Parlor Outreach Project. They will speak about MPOP’s mission and the community’s needs in the wake of the Atlanta massage parlor shootings.
If you can’t make it, please spread the word instead, support Black Lives Matter-Seattle King County and the Massage Parlor Outreach Project in other ways, and we’ll see you next time!
Anti-Voter Suppression Phone Bank – Sunday, April 11
Seattle Indivisible Anti-Voter Suppression Phone Bank w/ the Center for Common Ground – join us on Sunday, April 11 at 2pm on Zoom as we connect voters in key states to the legislators who have the best chance of stopping punitive voter suppression bills in states like Arizona and Georgia! Register here: http://www.mobilize.us/seattleindivisible/event/381660/
