Bellevue—Washingtonians across the state are celebrating the certification of Initiative 2081, concerning parental rights.

On Thursday, Jan. 18, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs delivered official notification to the Legislature on I-2081, the third of six commonsense citizen initiatives aimed at fixing what’s broken across Washington state.

“I am very happy to see that the WA Secretary of State has officially certified Initiative 2081, which strengthens parental notification requirements around school and health and medical activities,” says WAGOP Chairman Walsh.

“For many Washingtonians, I-2081 may be the most important of the recent group of initiatives to the legislature,” he adds. “Some people call I-2081 a ‘Parents’ Bill of Rights’—and that phrase does appear in the initiative. To me, it’s most important that I-2081 clearly states that, according to Washington law, ‘Parents are the primary stakeholders in their children’s upbringing.’”

In all, I-2081, “encourages and empowers stable and healthy families, by allowing parents and legal guardians to know what their minor children are experiencing,” emphasizes Chairman Walsh.

The signatures on the remaining three pending initiative petitions are being verified by the Office of the Secretary of State Elections Division team using a state-mandated process of examining a 3% random sample of submitted signatures, according to the SOS website.

Chairman Walsh further notes: “The Washington state constitution creates the initiative process as a tool for the people to speak about state law and public policy. That tool is working well with these initiatives. The people of Washington are speaking. Washington’s politicians need to listen and heed what the people are saying.”

Even so: House Democrats, led by Speaker Laurie Jinkins, declined motions by WA House Republicans for public hearings on I2081, I-2117 and I-2113, recently.

According to the Washington State Constitution, initiatives to the legislature, once they are certified, take precedence over all other matters, except for appropriations bills.

Still, Speaker Jinkins is reneging on her Constitutional obligation to grant hearings on I-2081, I-2117 and I-2113.

I-2117 would repeal Governor Jay Inslee’s disastrous cap-and-trade tax that has inflicted a heavy financial burden on Washingtonians, especially working families and those on fixed incomes.

I-2113 is also a commonsense initiative that would restore the traditional “reasonable suspicion” standard to police pursuits, which would allow police officers to prevent crimes and do their jobs.

 

###