It’s time now to express your opinion to the decision makers.
Here’s the link to House Bill 1771. And here is the link to comment.
From Oregon to Canada and both sides of the Cascades; from across the nation and even the world, tens of thousands oppose State of Washington Governor Jay Inslee’s plan to put a government-approved inquisitor at your doorstep upon the birth of your baby.
Since the article first appeared here on November 6, 2019, over 30,000 people have responded.
Including this from Romania: “Acu statul o sa fie al3lea p?rinte in SUA.”
Translated: “Now the state will be a parent in the us.”
Similar expressions of concern have been registered on social media sites in New Zealand, Bulgaria and Norway, folks in ‘the old country’ apparently alarmed at the portend of such government intrusion happening here as happened there.
When commenting on this bill – that opportunity again linked here – you might want to excerpt talking points from the original article again linked here.
Remind your representatives that they are just that – representatives.
They should represent you.
Let your voice be heard.
If this bill doesn’t get out of committee it is dead.
Now is the time.
Tell the drafters of this bill entitled “Universal Visitation” also known as “Welcome to Washington Baby Act” that they are not welcome at your door.
Parenting belongs to the parents, not to the State.
Paranoia strikes deep. The first line in the legislative summary includes the word “VOLUNTARY”. What is so bad about making supportive services available to new parents on a voluntary basis? Does Dave remember how scary it is to be a new parent? Do you think there are a lot of young people who don’t have the support network around them that Dave has? What is so scary to Dave about having a nurse show up at his door on a VOLUNTARY basis.
From the “My Family My Choice” website concerning previous attempts at the Legislature:
“The Washington Baby Act promotes a universal home visitation entitlement plan to visit the homes of every newborn baby. The bill claims to be voluntary but amendments to ensure that home visitation would remain strictly voluntary failed in both the Senate and House versions of the bill.
“The Dept of Early Learning, now called Dept of Children Youth and Families has a precedent of changing voluntary programs into mandatory. In the year 2013 HB 1723 created the QRIS Early Achievers system as a voluntary program but two years later in the year 2015, HB 1491 turned voluntary into ‘shall implement’ the QRIS Early Achievers system.
From the February 18, 2019 Podcast with Senator Shelly Short, Republican Floor Leader, 7th Washington Legislative District:
“They say it is voluntary, but you have to opt out. To me, voluntary is voluntary and if you want somebody you should opt in rather than opt out.
“But really my question, my big question is ‘where does this information go?’ Does it go to CPS? Do they keep case files on you?”
That last of course is a good question.
CPS, DCYF, DSHS and the Department of Early Learning all – all – were not evaluated by Gov. Inslee’s Blue-Ribbon Commission as to their past and current effectiveness in services they render.
“It is important to note,” the Commission wrote on page 17, “in part due to the limited time available to complete its work, the commission did not conduct an in-depth analysis of performance of those agencies currently providing child, youth and family services to develop its recommendations.”
The Commission members also admitted it “did not have enough time to analyze specific programmatic approaches to achieving the vision of the new agency” (p.48).
But they would spend (and this is not voluntary) upwards of $43 million, according to Sen. Short, just to set up this new agency – a new agency formed from those proven disastrously damaging in their so-called ‘child protective services’; a new agency that will be significantly funded to accomplish a goal the means to which is undetermined.
And this is paranoia?
“This new agency,” as a friend of mine wrote, “appears to be little more than a marketing gimmick for DCYF, et al, to expand their empire. How is its effectiveness going to be measure? Simple: how many newborn parents sign up for and become dependent upon DSHS freebies! It has little if anything to do with the health and welfare of the infant; more about the health and welfare of DSHS.”
Mr. David Anderson,
I tried looking at the bill and did see the word Mr. Ernest Heller references; voluntary. While I saw the word, voluntary sprinkled throughout the bill, I am not certain what it means in English.
I also wonder, does voluntary today easily become mandatory tomorrow?
It would seem while I abhore the thought of mandatory, I could be in favor of voluntary. There are lots of people who have kids, who do not have enough common sense and dicipline to not have kids before they are ready.
What is your take on the word voluntary as it relates to this new government we are here to help you bill?
To be clear, I am dead set against a mandatory government program that violates our Constitutional rights.
Joseph Boyle
See my response to Heller.
Thanks, David. I get it. One must wonder why government suggests starting another giant tax eating bureaucracy when our teachers need a pay raise, which helps kids & our roads need work. Govt should take care of what they are already responsible for.
Joseph Boyle
Ditto….ekc
David….I just tried to use the Legislative Website to voice my opinion on SHB 1771, and……………filled out everything, including some comments, but………………..the SEND COMMENT button would not activate !!
Apparently the decision has already been made?
Thank you Erick for attempting to weigh in. My guess is the problem lies with the ‘button’ on the Comment page entitled “Verify District”. Be sure to tap on that and go from there. You should then be good to go.
Sorry. Make that Eric without a ‘k’.
Thanx David…actually I had to whack it twice. The first time I clicked on it immediately after I put my Address in…nothing happened.
So…..I filled out the rest of the form and clicked it a second time resulting in: me being informed I’m in the 28th District; provided a list of my reps; and…..the SUBMIT button came to life. Here’s what I wrote them:
DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN! DSHS cannot do their job properly with the responsibilities they already have, and their so-called Child Protective Services have already cost this state hundreds of millions of dollars for their inept handling of CHILDREN. DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN!!
PS David….the first time I was on that form, I used AutoFill….maybe it didn’t like that, I thought, so I typed EVERYTHING in this time, and voilà !!
Way to stay the course Eric! Persistence and passion, two key ingredients in accomplishing anything in life, let alone navigating a legislative labyrinth! Good comment too!
Mercy Buckets, and !!!!!! A M E N !!!!!!