A Note from the Director
Since January 20th, the continuous assaults on 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and communities of color, specifically on trans/intersex issues and immigration have been inhumane. We knew this was coming; the plan wasn't a secret. Even still, living it is different than anticipating it. As a Commission we are tracking and monitoring federal, state, and local impacts during this time. We know reading the news coming out around this issues can be heavy – please know that we are listening, reading, and following.
There is no way around what we are experiencing. The only way out is through. Knowing that, I cannot encourage you enough to stay connected to your people, the things that ease your nervous system, or that remind you of how loved and cared for you are by those in your life. There are many who care greatly and are fighting for you every day. There are organizations fighting on a state and local level, through government and non-profit work, mutual aid, and other support networks to get people the help that they need.
We need you. We need each other.
We are tracking all constituent concerns that come to our office and are sharing your concerns in regular conversations with state leaders in regards to these recent and ongoing federal Executive Orders. Your input is ESSENTIAL to helping us give these individuals the information they need to continue to fight for 2SLGBTQIA+ Washingtonians. Please consider using our anonymous input form today. Please note that if you have already sent an email to us through our contact email you do not need to fill this out but you are welcome to. Moving forward we will be collecting feedback through the form.
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 Lisa Keating, Executive Director - Washington LGBTQ Commission
“Many people in the LBGTQ community directly participated in advocating for expansions to our civil rights. Improvements to FDA processes, the end of criminalizing same-sex relations, the dawn of marriage equality, and the implementation of informed consent to lower barriers to gender-affirming care all came about through principled promotion of our needs and rights. And in each of these instances, people in authority listened to community members to make lasting change. The rollback to our rights that we have seen these last two weeks have come about with no community input. While it is frightening and frustrating to witness this unnecessary backlash we are a very practiced group of advocates, and we have many allies in the fight with us to retain our civil rights.”
— Co-Chair, Commissioner Everett Maroon, Walla Walla, WA
Commission News
 Please head to lgbtq.wa.gov/2025session to see a full list of the bills that the Commission is actively tracking and monitoring! This website page is updated every weekday by 10AM PST.
Here are just a few of the bills we are following and their current status in the legislative process. For a complete list, visit our website.
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HB 1052/SB 5038: Clarifying a hate crime offense.
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HB Current Status: Passed House Committee on Community Safety, Referred to Rules 2 Review on 1/17
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SB Current Status: First reading, referred to Law & Justice on 1/13
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HB 1129/SB 5121: Concerning health plan coverage of fertility-related services.
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HB Current Status: Referred to Appropriations on 1/28
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SB Current Status: Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care at 8:00 AM on 1/24
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HB 1296: Promoting a safe and supportive public education system.
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Current Status: Referred to Rules 2 Review
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SB 5179: Establishing a complaint process to address noncompliance with certain state education laws.
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Current Status: Scheduled for executive session in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 10:30 AM on 2/6 (Subject to change)
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SB 5180: Securing the rights of students to have a safe, civil, and respectful learning community.
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Current Status: Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 8:00 AM on 1/21
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SB 5181: Amending the parents' rights initiative to bring it into alignment with existing law.
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Current Status: Placed on second reading by Rules Committee
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HB 1262/SB 5228: Updating the governor's interagency coordinating council on health disparities.
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HB Current Status: Referred to Rules 2 Review
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SB Current Status: Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care at 8:00 AM on 1/24 (Subject to change)
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HB 1604/SB 5490: Providing parameters for conducting searches of transgender and intersex individuals confined in a local jail in compliance with federal law.
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HB Current Status: Scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Community Safety at 1:30 PM on 2/3 (Subject to change)
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SB Current Status: Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Human Services at 1:30 PM on 2/4 (Subject to change)
For more, visit our website here!
Are you looking to get involved this legislative session? Wanting to learn how to testify on bills that matter to you, or how to keep track of everything happening?
Look no further! The Washington State LGBTQ Commission has created a Legislative Toolkit full of helpful resources to understand all sorts of different ways to engage, so you can find what works best for you. We hope you find this is a helpful document if you are new or returning to session!
Click this link to download a copy!
In addition to reaching out to your state legislators (which you should absolutely do!), you are always welcome to reach out to contact@lgbtq.wa.gov to share your feedback on legislation. It is very helpful for us to hear your thoughts so that we can best advise the Governor and the Legislature on what is most important to our community. Please reference the bill number in the subject line of the email.
Interested in following along with the Commission's priorities this session? Make sure you are following our social media pages for timely updates on legislation progress and more information on legislative session! Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and Bluesky! Check our website daily for bill progress updates!
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State Agency News
The Washington State LGBTQ Commission has compiled the following state agency statements in regards to recent executive action in the federal government. We will work to keep you informed of Washington state's response to any actions that might impact our community.
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Washington State Attorney General's Office:
- AG Brown, 11 state attorneys general warn federal employees about misleading buyout offer - Link
- Multistate coalition blocks Trump Administration from freezing essential federal funding - Link
- Joint statement from 13 state attorneys general: President Trump is misleading the American people on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility initiatives - Link
- Washington joins multistate suit over federal financial assistance freeze - Link
- Joint Statement from AG Brown, Twelve Other Attorneys General: State and Local Law Enforcement Cannot Be Commandeered for Federal Immigration Enforcement - Link
- AG Brown statement on federal court temporarily blocking unconstitutional order on birthright citizenship nationwide - Link
- Attorney General statement on Trump’s first-day executive orders - Link
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Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction:
- State Superintendent Chris Reykdal’s Statement on President Trump’s Illegal Plans to Withhold Funds from Washington State - Link
- Protections for Immigrant Students in Washington's K-12 Public Schools - Link
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WA Department of Commerce:
- Update on Federal Funding Actions - Link
Community Opportunities
Minority and Justice Commission - 2SLGBTQIA+ Committee Community Launch Event
There are many reasons that people across our 2SLGBTQIA+ and QTBIPOC communities must appear in Washington’s courts. Often, the legal issues bringing us into court are necessary for our safety and wellbeing, like obtaining name changes, seeking protection orders against harassment or violence, or adopting our children. Other times, we must appear because we are forced to - as defendants facing criminal allegations, or tenants facing eviction.
Nationally, about a quarter of 2SLGBTQIA+ community members have a negative experience when we access the courts, but those experiences fall most heavily on Indigenous, Black, and transfeminine people (for more data, go to protectedandserved.org). In Washington, we have a unique new opportunity not only to defy that national trend, but to create the first-ever 2SLGBTQIA+ committee in the Minority and Justice Commission, which will bring together members of our communities from across the state to design court systems that honor the complexity and diversity of our experiences.
EVERYONE is welcome! We’ll have light food and beverages, an opportunity to get to know each other and learn from one another, and we’ll learn together how to get involved in designing the future of Washington’s courts.
Parking is free, and Bethaday Community Learning Center is accessible for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility. For specific accessibility questions, please contact molly.gough@courts.wa.gov. King County Metro Routes 128 and 131 are about a five-minute walk, and the H Rapid Ride line is about a 15-minute walk away.
February 12, 2025
Bethaday Community Learning Space - 605 SW 108th Street, Seattle, WA 98146
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HearMeWA - Resource
HearMeWA is a statewide resource exclusive for young Washingtonians ages 0 to 25. Unlike other existing helplines in Washington State, this program is available for youth 24/7/365 via mobile application, chat, text, web-form, and phone, and responds to a wide range of tips related to youth safety and well-being, including, but not limited to, suicide ideation, bullying, violent threats, and sexual abuse. The AGO Youth Program Team works in collaboration with state agencies, community-based organizations, youth and historically excluded communities to strive to build a program that is antiracist, trauma-informed and youth-centered, and have equitable outcomes across the state.
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WA State Developmental Disabilities Council 5 Year State Plan Survey
The Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council (WADCC) is gathering feedback to better understand the barriers and challenges faced by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families in Washington state. This input will directly influence the Council’s 5 Year State Plan.
WADCC needs your help to ensure voices from all communities are heard, especially those in underserved or underrepresented areas. Here’s how you can support this effort:
The survey closes on July 21, 2025, and is available in multiple languages to ensure accessibility for diverse communities. We encourage you to share it widely, so all voices can contribute to shaping the future of intellectual and developmental disabilities services and advocacy in Washington State.
Your outreach is vital in reaching individuals who may not otherwise have access to this survey. Together, we can ensure that all voices are heard and represented in our work to build a more inclusive and supportive Washington.
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