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Faith Action Network presents 2024 priorities

The Faith Action Network (FAN) of Washington is planning its Interfaith Advocacy Day in-person on Thursday, Feb. 8 in Olympia, as an opportunity for advocates from faith communities to bring their voices to the state legislature.

Faith Action Network Advocacy Day is Feb. 8 at Olympia. Photo courtesy of FAN

The day includes opportunities to attend plenaries and workshops to explore the issues on FAN’s 2024 Legislative Agenda.

The 2024 Legislative Session that starts on Monday, Jan. 8, is the short, 60-day session.

“Our network has broad interests, and we know that there are intersections for justice everywhere among our categories of work to make our state a more just and equitable place to live,” said Elise DeGooyer, executive director.

FAN shapes its legislative priorities with more than 25 coalition partners, its statewide network, its Policy Committee and the FAN Governing Board.

“We advocate for policies that advance our values grounded in faith and spirituality: belonging and human dignity, justice and equity, interconnectedness, collaboration and pluralism,” she said.

The FAN legislative agenda is at https://fanwa.org/advocacy/legislative-agenda.

The agenda includes eight priorities.

1) to promote economic justice through the Working Families Tax Credit Expansion, Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot Projects, Extreme Wealth Tax, WA Future Funds, and WA Gift Card Accountability Act;

2) to protect and expand the social safety net with funding for food banks, free school meals, senior nutrition and ensuring families on TANF keep their child-support payments;

3) to address climate change and environmental justice through the Cumulative Risk Burden Pollution Act, WA Recycling and Packaging Act, Clean School Buses and Hold Oil Companies Accountable and Address Gas Prices;

4) to increase safe affordable housing and prevent homelessness by increasing real estate excise tax, limiting rent increases, protecting tenants, protecting licensed long-term care and increasing Housing Trust Fund;

5) to advance immigrant and refugee rights through unemployment benefits, health equity and fund, and legal and emergency services;

6) to reform the incarceration system related to solitary confinement, sentencing emerging adults, jail based voting and legal financial obligations; 7) to foster public safety and civil rights, and

8) to expand access to health care.

In response to requests for additional orientation before Interfaith Advocacy Day, FAN will offer an online Legislative Briefing/Preview from 3 to 4:15 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 7, to give an overview of the issues being addressed on the legislative agenda.

At 7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 10 and at noon, Thursday, Jan. 11, FAN will provide Advocacy 101 online to train people in advocacy skills.

FAN is also collaborating on planning the Eastern Washington Legislative Conference from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 27, at Spokane Valley United Methodist Church and online.

FAN urges early registration for the Interfaith Advocacy Day 2024, because the capacity is limited to 200 people at United Churches of Olympia. Registration closes Monday, Jan. 29.

For information, call 206-625-9790 or visit fanwa.org.

 

Pacific Northwest United Church News © Winter 2023-24

 

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