Legislative Action Committee (LAC)

The duties of the Legislative Action Committee are to:

• Review legislation being introduced and determine which issues the Chapter will support: one issue in each of the following areas: client based issue, social justice, professional and the annual budget;
• Assist the Chapter lobbyist in lobbying for items on the Chapter’s legislative agenda;
• Provide training for members on “how to lobby effectively”;
• Develop and coordinate an annual Lobby Day event.

2008 Lobby Day

NASW WA Chapter 2008 Lobby Day was held on Monday, February 18, 2008 in Olympia.

2008 Lobby Day Agenda

Professional Practice

Support Title Protection for social workers
Washington State is one of only six states that does not have some form of title protection for social workers. Workers lacking professional social work educations or licenses increase the danger of unqualified, unethical, and improper social work practice. NASW’s Title Protection bill will allow only social workers with a social work degree or license to claim the title of social worker.

Client Rights

Support the Washington State Working Families Credit
Lower paid workers in our state have difficulty meeting their basic needs in today’s economy, and they pay a disproportionate share of their income in taxes. A Working Families Credit would increase a family’s Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) by 10%.

Civil Rights

Support an expansion in the domestic partnership law
Families of same-sex couples in our state enjoy only a fraction of the rights enjoyed by heterosexual couples. NASW supports increasing the protections afforded to persons who register as domestic partners.

Restore voting rights for felons who have completed their responsibilities to the state
An estimated 151,000 Washingtonians – 3.7% of the state’s total voting population – are currently disenfranchised from voting because of their status as an ex-felon who has served a sentence but is still completing financial responsibilities to the state. NASW supports the restoration of voting rights for these individuals.

Budget

Preserve health and human services funding
Health and human services programs play critical roles in keeping communities healthy and safe. NASW will continue to work to protect health and human services funding in the 2008-2009 Supplementary Washington State Budget.

Read the Lobby Day position papers.