Washington State chapter
National Organization for Women
Position Paper
1998 Legislative Priorities

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1998 Legislative Priorities

FIRST PRIORITY

Reproductive Rights - NOW opposes any changes in Initiative 120'’s guarantee of reproductive rights. NOW opposes bans on specific abortion procedures, such as D & X; parental notification for minors to have abortions; waiting periods for abortion and the mandating of birth control. NOW supports expansion of eligibility under Medicaid for men and women for birth control up to the 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.

LESBIAN AND GAY RIGHTS - NOW supports legislation to protect lesbians and gays from discrimination and opposes any bills that would restrict their rights (such as those that would deny them the right to be a foster or adoptive parent).

WELFARE - NOW supports full implementation of the Wellstone-Murray provision in the Federal welfare bill that would allow states to exempt victims of violence from the work requirement and time limits. NOW supports adequately funding child care, health care and transportation costs for low-income people struggling to leave and stay off assistance. NOW supports training and education for low-income people to help create career ladders and thus moving people not just off welfare, but out of poverty.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION - NOW opposes Initiative 200, which would do away with affirmative action programs at the state, local and county levels, and any legislation that would prohibit the use of this tool for equal access.

SECOND PRIORITY

HEALTH CARE - NOW supports expanding and stabilizing funding for the Basic Health Plan (BHP) to increase enrollment at least up to the promised 200,000 and to return co-pays to a level that low-income people can afford. NOW opposes reductions in benefits in the BHP and any efforts to change the insurance rules regarding pre-existing conditions and insurance portability.

CHILD SUPPORT - NOW supports efforts to increase collection of child support through mandatory reporting of arrearages to credit agencies.

JOINT CUSTODY - NOW opposes mandatory joint custody, doing away with award of support for post-secondary education, and any other efforts to weaken our state'’schild support collection system.

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN - NOW supports putting the rape shield law for teens into statute and expanding the mandatory reporting requirements for suspected child abuse to include church volunteers and personnel such as Sunday school teachers and youth advisors. NOW also supports legislation that prohibits discrimination in insurance against victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.

CHILD CARE - NOW supports expanding funding for child care to bring the reimbursement rate up and to help defray cuts in the federal child care food program.

TAX CUTS - NOW opposes tax cuts that would put the state general fund in jeopardy in the case of economic downturn and any cuts to those taxes that support the Violence Reduction and Drug Education (VRDA) and the Health Services (HSA) accounts.

GENDER PRICING - NOW supports legislation that prohibits the practice of charging men and women different prices for the same services (such as hair cuts and dry-cleaning).

per Washington State NOW Activist - January 1998

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Washington State NOW Legislative Agenda ("www.wa-now.org/leg/NOW_Agenda.html")
Maintained by William Affleck-Asch, email web@wa-now.org
Last updated: January 26, 2002