Make your voice heard for kids in Washington

Each year in Olympia, lawmakers come together to make decisions, big and small, from determining which ideas should be put into law to updating existing laws and funding new and existing mandates.

And each year, numerous bills are introduced in the state House of Representatives and Senate that could have a significant impact on children, parents, schools, and families.

This year, the legislature has 90 days, from Jan. 12 to March 12. That’s plenty of time to make your voice heard on the issues and legislation you care about.

Learn how a law is made

For a full review of how the legislative process works, check out the Washington State Legislature’s “Overview of the Legislative Process.” It’s easy to read and will bring up memories of high school social studies. For a great primer on the Washington State Legislature, how bills are passed, and all the inner workings of state lawmaking, check out the League of Education Voters’ “Washington Legislature 101″ webpage.

Attending ‘Have a Heart for Kids Day’ 

We encourage you to let your lawmakers know how you feel about any proposed laws. Consider attending “Have a Heart for Kids Day,” January 20, from 9 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in Olympia. The event is hosted by the statewide nonprofit advocacy group Children’s Alliance and gives parents, kids, teachers, educators, and other concerned child advocates the opportunity to meet lawmakers and speak out, particularly regarding concerns about early learning, health equity, and economic justice for children and families. Registration is now open, so sign up now to maximize your experience on this important and educational day.

Want to be part of change for the better? Speak out.

Here are other ways to make your voice heard.

Washington State Legislature

• Sign up to testify or to let lawmakers know you are PRO or CON on a bill. Go to the Washington State Legislature Bill Information webpage, find the bill you are interested in, and sign up.
• Contact your lawmaker about any bill, tell them about your personal experience with the issue at hand,  and ask how you can make your voice heard:
  • Contact members of the Washington State House of Representatives
  • Contact members of the Washington State Senate
  • Contact the Washington Governor’s office.
• Sign up for updates from All Together for Seattle Schools, a parent-led advocacy group pushing for lawmakers to fully fund public schools to keep districts like Seattle out of debt.
• Sign up for updates from the Children’s Alliance, a statewide child advocacy organization. Check out this article about the Children’s Alliance 2025 legislative agenda.
• Sign up for updates from the League of Education Voters, a statewide education advocacy organization. Check out this article about the LEV 2025 legislative platform.
• Sign up for updates from the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, a statewide advocacy organization committed to stopping gun violence.

U.S. Congress

• Call your congressional representatives. Following what’s happening in Congress, and want to make your voice heard? Find your lawmaker at congress.gov.

Stay in the know!

• Read the weekly “This Hits Home: News that impacts Washington families“ column by Seattle’s Child managing editor Cheryl Murfin. The column highlights legislation and other important news that parents should be aware of, some news commentary, and the occasional stronger opinion in the form of an Op-Ed. A new column is posted every Sunday at 7:30 p.m.