Official Daily Action for Wednesday, February 9th, 2022
Today’s daily action is adapted from the Creative Justice Newsletter. We are in the midst of the Washington State Legislative Session. There are so many important bills including four bills the cultural collective at Stafford Creek prison and the Youth Consortium (a coalition of youth from Community Passageways, Rainier Beach Action Coalition and Creative Justice) have identified as key bills to address institutional racism in the criminal legal system. Today, we contact our representatives about two of the bills. Another action later this week will involve the other two.
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HB 1413, also known as the juvenile points bill, would end the use of juvenile adjudications in our state’s sentencing calculations. The use of juvenile adjudications in sentencing calculations results in longer sentences for community members, disproportionately those from BIPOC communities.
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SHB 1169 aims to reduce the application of sentencing enhancements which have been used to target BIPOC communities. These sentencing enhancements have contributed significantly to people of color receiving much longer sentences and have had an adverse impact on our communities.
ACTION: Tell Your State Representatives to Support Bills that Address Institutional Racism in the Criminal Legal System
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Identify your Representative – you can identify who your representative is by clicking the following link: https://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/
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EMAIL: Please send separate emails for each bill.
Script
SUBJECT: Pass HB1169 out of house rules
Dear Representative,
I am a community member and voting constituent from the ___ District. I support the Cultural Collective at Stafford Creek Corrections Center, which is composed of the Black Prisoners’ Caucus, Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Awareness Group, Nuestro Grupo Cultural, and Native Circle. SHB 1169 is a significant legislative priority.
SHB 1169 aims to reduce the application of sentencing enhancements which have been used to target BIPOC communities. These sentencing enhancements have contributed significantly to people of color receiving much longer sentences and have had an adverse impact on our communities.
SHB 1169 would take drastically needed steps towards addressing institutional racism and sentencing disparities within the WA State criminal justice system. I strongly urge you to support this bill, vote it out of committee, and vote it into law. Thank you for your time.”
Sincerely, ________
SUBJECT: Pass HB 1413 out of house rules
Dear Representative,
I am a community member and voting constituent from the ___ District. I support the Cultural Collective at Stafford Creek Corrections Center, which is composed of the Black Prisoners’ Caucus, Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Awareness Group, Nuestro Grupo Cultural, and Native Circle. HB 1413 is a significant legislative priority.
HB 1413 would end the use of juvenile adjudications in our state’s sentencing calculations. The use of juvenile adjudications in sentence calculations results in longer sentences for community members, disproportionately those from BIPOC communities.
HB 1413 would take drastically needed steps towards addressing institutional racism and sentencing disparities within the WA State criminal justice system. I strongly urge you to support this bill, vote it out of committee, and vote it into law. Thank you for your time.”
Sincerely, ________
Background
Creative Justice Newsletter
https://mailchi.mp/908de29da3fe/urgent-action-alert-2022-legislative-session?e=0fec31a68b
