Today is a critical day for several of the bills we’re supporting – they must be voted out of the Senate Transportation committee by the end of the day to keep moving forward this Legislative Session.
One of these bills is our “Free to Walk” bill to end harmful jaywalking enforcement (SB 5383). This bill stems from our commitment to advance equity in transportation and has been several years in the making. Through extensive research we’ve found that jaywalking enforcement not only doesn’t keep people safe, it creates its own harm and disproportionately impacts Black and unhoused people across Washington. It’s time for Washington to join states like California, Nevada, and Virginia in passing jaywalking reform.
Please take action right now: Tell legislators to move SB 5383 out of committee.
Read on for more of what’s going on this week, and check out our Bill Tracker to see the status of bills we’re keeping an eye on this Session.
Keep moving,
Transportation Choices
WHAT’S COMING UP THIS WEEK
Help end harmful jaywalking enforcement
Jaywalking enforcement doesn’t protect people from getting hit by cars, disproportionately impacts Black and unhoused individuals, and is an inefficient use of public resources.
Our updated Free to Walk bill reduces police discretion as to when they can enforce jaywalking laws. Instead of selectively using jaywalking as a pretextual stop, officers would only be able to stop pedestrians for jaywalking if they create a danger to themselves or others.
The Senate Transportation Committee will be voting TODAY on whether to move Senator Saldaña’s amended SB 5383 out of committee. Send a quick note to committee members to keep this bill moving!
Extending the Sandy Williams Connecting Communities Program
The Sandy Williams Connecting Communities Program funds critical investments in active transportation in communities that are most impacted by environmental health disparities and barriers to opportunities. The program name honors Sandy Williams, a Black community activist who worked tirelessly to reconnect her Spokane neighborhood after the construction of Interstate 90 split it in half. We’re excited to support a bill that would extend the life of this program.
SB 6283 would remove the July 1, 2027, expiration date for this program.
The Senate Transportation Committee will be voting TODAY on whether to move SB 6283 out of committee.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK
Transit-oriented development moved forward with changes
We need affordable housing to be built near transit, to ensure that people of all income levels can access safe, equitable, and low-carbon transportation.
HB 2160, a bill promoting community and transit-oriented housing development, was passed out of the Capitol Budget Committee with several changes. One of those changes was getting rid of a provision that would have decreased parking by ending parking minimums. Parking minimums are bad urban policy that require a certain amount of parking to be built as part of new developments. We’ll be advocating for provisions that end parking minimums to be added back in as the bill moves forward through the legislative process. Transit-oriented development also means transitioning away from car-oriented development.
