Washington Initiative for Boys and Men
Advocating for improved outcomes for boys, men, and communities
This is a guest-written piece by William Singer, Ph.D., a Bellevue-based counselor and guardian ad litem who has been court-appointed to help families through conflict for nearly fifty years.
Representative April Berg’s House Bill 2401 failed to pass the House of Representatives by the February 17 cutoff. The bill passed the State Government & Tribal Relations Committee by a 5 to 2 vote on January 30, and it passed the Appropriations Committee 22 to 8 on February 9. But it didn’t make it to the House floor for a vote in time.
After making a few changes yesterday to House Bill 2401, the House Appropriations Committee passed the bill by a 22 to 8 vote, bringing a Washington Boys & Men Commission a step closer to reality. Watch the 9-minute video.
The legislation to create a Washington Boys & Men Commission passed the House Committee on State Government and Tribal Relations by a 5 to 2 vote on Friday, January 30. Watch the 2-minute video.
Directors of nonprofit organizations, representatives of labor unions, medical doctors, a school district superintendent, and several grassroots advocates testified on January 23 at a historic public hearing for legislation to create a Washington boys and men commission. View the full 37-minute public hearing.
On Friday January 9, Representative April Berg (D-Mill Creek) introduced House Bill 2401 establishing the Washington boys and men commission. It garnered a total of 19 Democratic sponsors and 1 Republican sponsor, Rep. Michelle Valdez. On Tuesday January 13, Representative Mary Dye (R-Pomeroy) introduced House Bill 2461 establishing the Washington commission on boys and men. It garnered a total of 18 Republican sponsors and 0 Democratic sponsors.
In public hearings earlier this year, advocates with Washington Initiative for Boys and Men explained to state legislators why we oppose encoding the term “gender-based violence” into state law.