WASHINGTON ANTI-DISCRIMINATION ACT (WADA) - ENDORSEMENT RESOLUTION
Whereas, Initiative 1000 (I-1000) – Washington’s Initiative to the Legislature, was signed by nearly 400,000 voters, voted into law by the Washington State Legislature and came just 1% away from passage by the voters last November; and
Whereas, I-1000 has been reintroduced as the WASHINGTON ANTI-DISCRIMINATION ACT (WADA), an Initiative to the Washington State Legislature which prohibits age, gender, racial, veteran, disabled and LGBTQIA+ discrimination in public jobs, schools, public health, safety and contracting; and
Whereas, WADA finds that the COVID-19 pandemic has created a State of Emergency and unmasked Washington’s systemic racism and the discriminatory educational, employment, economic, health & safety disparities which have long plagued seniors, women, persons with disabilities, persons of color, military veterans, the LGBTQIA+ community and other vulnerable communities; and
Whereas, WADA is America’s only initiative demanding COVID-19 vaccines for all Washingtonians who voluntarily request and consent to vaccinations by prohibiting discrimination in the vaccine’s availability and accessibility based on age, race, gender, sexual orientation, gender equity, disability, citizenship, county, income or employment; and
Whereas, WADA reflects the 2020 Democratic Party platform by protecting all Washington residents from police and other law enforcement officers’ discriminatory use of deadly force, including but not limited to the chokehold or carotid hold which police used to kill George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN and Manuel Ellis here in Tacoma, WA; and
Therefore, be it Resolved that the 23rd Legislative District Democrats endorse WADA as “do sign and vote yes”, to strengthen WA State’s discrimination laws to protect individuals in public health & safety, public education, public employment and public contracting; and
Therefore, be it Further Resolved, that the 23rd Legislative District Democrats urge the Kitsap County Democrats and the Washington State Democrats to endorse the WADA signature gathering campaign, sign the WADA petition and vote for WADA’s final passage.
Therefore, be it Finally Resolved, that the 23rd Legislative District Democrats assign their State Committee members to immediately submit this resolution to the Washington State Democrats for their statewide endorsement at the September 12-13, 2020 Washington State Democratic Central Committee virtual meeting.
