The editorial board of The Everett Herald recently highlighted the Commission on Boys and Men bill as one that’s worthy of fuller consideration during the next legislative session, which begins in January 2024. The bill gained bipartisan sponsorship in 2023, and its two lead sponsors are women from opposite parties, but Representative Bill Ramos declined to schedule it for a public hearing in the House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee that he chairs.
This marks the 20th piece of media coverage that House Bill 1270 has garnered to date (that we’re aware of). All articles have been neutral or positive toward the idea of creating a commission in our state’s capital tasked with addressing key ways in which today’s boys and men are struggling. Another noteworthy piece of media coverage was this one by Real Change, a social justice oriented Seattle newspaper: “Does Washington need a Commission on Boys and Men?“
Opioid crisis severely harming Everett residents
With a population of over 110,000, Everett is Washington’s 7th largest city. It falls within the state’s 38th legislative district, whose lawmakers in the House of Representatives are Julio Cortes and Mary Fosse, both Democrats. Our coalition has not yet had substantial dialogue with either of these legislators, but we will pursue it. (If you or someone you know has Everett-area connections that could be helpful, please let us know.)
See related: Mom in Everett Leads ‘Let Me Run’ Program Helping Boys Gain Confidence
KING 5 News reported last month that the City of Everett reached a $4 million settlement with several pharmacies over their contributions to the opioid crisis Everett residents are suffering from. The City said in a press release that Everett has faced “sharp rises in drug abuse, addiction and associated illegal conduct as a result of the ongoing opioid epidemic.”
Over two-thirds of the 3,640 deaths in Washington from opioid overdoses between 2019 and 2021 were men, according to the Department of Health.
The Everett Herald‘s editorial from April 15 includes a link to an article published by the Brookings Institution. That article makes a robust case for state-level commissions on boys and men, with Washington leading the way.
Some Mercer Island residents saw this same editorial by The Everett Herald, as the Mercer Island Reporter included it in their April 26 print issue.
READ ALSO: Our recap of the legislative effort for HB 1270 in 2023 and the plan for gaining more political support by January 2024
