WAISN Action Alert from JCIRA
Unemployment for Undocumented Bill SB 5438 has a hearing this Wed. Feb. 2nd at 10:30am in the Senate Labor, Commerce and Tribal Affairs Committee. We know this is late notice but your action only takes 5 minutes!
More than 250,000 undocumented immigrants call Washington home. These workers make substantial contributions to Washington’s economy, including paying nearly $400 million each year in state and local taxes. They are overrepresented in industries that have been decimated by the pandemic, including agriculture, restaurants, hospitality, landscaping, and construction. Yet they have been deprived of millions in federal relief funding that they would have received if they were U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
WA can and should be a leader in groundbreaking programs that uplift all residents, regardless of citizenship status. All workers deserve dignity and support for their families.
Below is an action alert to mobilize support for this bill. The Senate Labor Committee really needs to hear from us on the importance of this issue. We need this bill to be passed out of committee on Wednesday otherwise the bill dies there.
Action Items
1) Sign in Pro for the bill hearing on Wednesday. You can sign in tonight and until the hearing on Wednesday at 10:30am. This is a way to register your pro position without testifying.
https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifier/Add?chamber=Senate&mId=29732&aId=145361&caId=19260&tId=3
2) Send a letter here through WAISN's Action Network to show your support for SB5438.
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/critical-deadline-help-pass-unemployment-for-undocumented-workers?source=direct_link&
3) Email or Call senators on the Senate Labor, Commerce and Tribal Affairs Committee. You can use the same letter as found on the WAISN Action Network link above or craft your own. See list below for the Senate Labor, Commerce and Tribal Affairs Committee members. You'll find their email on their name links below.
Keiser, Karen (D) Chair (360) 786-7664
Conway, Steve (D) Vice Chair, (360) 786-7656
Stanford, Derek (D) Vice Chair, (360) 786-7600
King, Curtis (R) (360) 786-7626
Braun, John (R)(360) 786-7638
Rivers, Ann (R) (360) 786-7634
Robinson, June (D) (360) 786-7674
Saldaña, Rebecca (D)(360) 786-7688
Schoesler, Mark (R) (360) 786-7620
Advocates keep hearing there is support for the policy outlined in the bill, but not a commitment to move the bill through committee before this critical deadline.
We need your help to get Senators to vote YES.
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