2024 Legislative Session Recap
While this legislative session was brief, it was incredibly intense. We engaged in advocacy days, bringing young people to the Capitol to advocate for their priorities. Additionally, young people shared their voices in an advocacy blog, and we tracked bills throughout the legislative session. We celebrate the victories, no matter their size, and use the losses to be a torch of inspiration to continue to advocate for youth justice.
Policy Updates and Key Developments
The elimination of Juvenile Legal Fines and Obligations (LFOs) (HB2251/SB 5974) was passed in last year’s session. Regardless of the Juvenile LFO’s being uncollectable, the fees were still lingering and appearing on records. Working closely and in collaboration with our partners on the Debt Free Youth Justice WA Coalition, we advocated for these lingering LFO’s at the Clerk's office to be marked as null, void, and satisfied, and it passed! To learn more about how important this is, please watch this video from Debt Free Justice that explains how it affected people.
Additionally, we supported Juvenile Court Jurisdiction, (HB 2217) a huge win for young people navigating the juvenile courts as it allows for cases to be heard in the juvenile court if their offenses were committed while they were a minor, even if they reached the age of 18 during the legal proceedings.
The Under 25 Resentencing Review bill (HB1383/SB 5981) was authored by Young People from the Green Hill School, who passionately testified in both House and Senate hearings. While this legislation did not pass, our focus remains on amplifying the voices and experiences of young people as a key priority for guiding our ongoing legislative efforts
Taking Time and Space
Advocating and fighting for justice fills us with a sense of hope that we can create better systems and lives for our young people, and it can also leave us feeling hopeless and defeated when we see the bills stall and flame out on the committee floors. We urge you to use the ashes of those bills to reignite and reinforce your courage to continue to advocate. Every effort we put into liberation is a seed for the liberation of the collective, even if at times it does not feel like it.
Take time to grieve, with the Spring replenishing your power, as we get ready to sharpen our tools to continue la lucha, to transform systems of oppression.
Self-preservation is an act of resistance and is key to our work. Self care is different for all of us, from simply existing and doing nothing, to walking barefoot on the grass, reading a book, slowly sipping a cup of tea, painting, playing sports, weight lifting, or swimming. As Spring is blooming in Seattle, spending time out in the sporadic sun is a guarantee to support the cure of the post-winter and legislative session blues.
Recap of the Youth Advocacy Celebration
On March 23, CHOOSE 180 collaborated with Team Child on an event to celebrate youth and young adult advocates and their efforts during the legislative session. Together, we discussed their experiences, shared in celebrations and disappointments, and talked about hopes for the future. We created an art project which used flags as a visual representation of their hopes, goals, and motivations in advocating for change. It was amazing to share space with young advocates from the CHOOSE 180 Youth and Young Adult Advocacy Program and Team Child’s Youth Advisory Board.
Call to Action: Be an Advocate with us!
We are already preparing for the next legislative session and would love to hear from you, the young experts, on what our priorities should be. Fill out the survey here to make your voice heard!
Join a coalition to prep for the next legislative session
Support our YYA Advocacy program at CHOOSE 180 to help build the next generation of advocates
Volunteer! If you are interested in learning more about ways to get involved and volunteer at advocacy events and preparing for legislative sessions please fill out our Volunteer Interest Form.