The 2024 Washington State legislative session just wrapped, and we are celebrating some mom-umental wins. None of these would have been possible without MomsRising members meeting with their lawmakers, speaking out, testifying, testifying some more, and even mobilizing in Olympia (kiddos and all!) to bring the voices of moms and families into the capitol. 

Here's what we were able to accomplish together: 

• Banning Book Bans in Public Schools (ESHB 2331): This bill was introduced by Representative Monica Stonier with a Senate companion championed by Senator T'wina Nobles. This law will prohibit the banning of books or other instructional materials simply because they are related to the contributions of individuals or groups that are part of a protected class. It also requires all districts to create and implement a materials challenge policy based on best practices in school libraries, allowing educators, not extremists, to make professional and thoughtful decisions on diverse, affirming, and inclusive materials. 
• Including Chosen Family in Paid Sick Days (SB 5793): Sponsored by Senator Rebecca Saldaña with a House companion championed by Representative Mary Fosse, this bill makes an important update to Washington's paid sick leave law. Under state law, employees can use paid sick days to care for their family members, but only specific biological family members like children and parents. This bill adds chosen family to the state leave law so that workers can use their paid sick time to care for extended family as well as chosen family who depend on them for care. This is a huge win for families with diverse, non-nuclear family structures which are more likely in LGBTQ+, immigrant, and BIPOC communities. Excitingly, this bill passed with strong bipartisan support in the House, a reminder of how we can work together to support families across the aisle. This bill goes into effect January 1, 2025. 
• Improving Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Medical Certification Processes (HB 2102): Representative Liz Berry sponsored this legislation that successfully passed the House and Senate unanimously! Senator Derek Stanford sponsored the Senate companion. MomsRising worked with our partners to bring forward HB 2102 after hearing from many of you that it was taking several weeks to receive the required medical certification form for PFML back from health care providers. This bill requires all health care providers to return the form within 7 calendar days and it prohibits them from charging for completing the form (which is one page, about half of which is contact information). The bill becomes law 90 days after March 7th, 2024. 

Help us say thank you to Washington lawmakers for these major victories by signing our thank you card here!