The end of the calendar year means that Washington’s legislative session is just around the corner! Every year, session commences on the 2nd Monday in January and runs for either 105 days (a “long session” during odd-numbered years) and 60 days (a “short session” during even-numbered years). That means 2023 will be a long session, during which lawmakers will not only debate and pass policy bills, but also build the state’s next two-year (biennial) budget. After the Governor signs the budget in late spring, it will fund state government infrastructure, programs, and services beginning July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2025 (with budget adjustments made in the 2024 supplemental session).
LCYC’s legislative work is informed by the holistic, youth-centered direct representation our staff attorneys provide to over 600 young people annually across all our program areas—child welfare, juvenile court, immigration, and homelessness—and in collaboration with key partners. Because youth of color and LGBTQ+ youth are overrepresented within all the systems that LCYC navigates, it is critical that our legislative advocacy addresses these disproportionalities.
Here is a brief preview of some of the key issues we’re working on as we prepare for the 2023 session:
Youth access to safe shelter. For far too long, minors in Washington State have been unable to consent to safe shelter when they are unwelcome or unable to return home. Due to safety concerns, our state laws require that a parent or legal guardian provide consent for them to stay out of the home. This creates a dangerous situation for too many youth who are out of the home because of the parent/legal guardian who they must also rely on for consent to safe shelter—LCYC clients often find themselves in situations where they cannot return home, but also cannot access safe shelter because of a parent’s unwillingness to provide consent or their unavailability to do so. We are advocating for changes that would allow youth under 18 who are unaccompanied, currently unhoused, or whose current living situation is unsafe and/or harms them to consent to safe shelter, and have access to supportive services while they are temporarily staying out of the home.
Extended Foster Care Reimagined. Since the Extended Foster Care (EFC) program first launched in Washington State in the early 2010s, it showed incredible promise for young people who chose to opt into the program and remain in foster care after age 18 until age 21. While the EFC program has provided meaningful support (housing navigation, independent living services, and a monthly living stipend) to young people, we have learned ways to strengthen the program to better serve all youth who are in foster care at age 18. Increasing the monthly stipend to better reflect the cost of housing and removing program requirements that have been barriers to accessing services and financial support are high priority.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress and then the Washington State Legislature provided funding for monthly stipends for young people who aged out or would age out of EFC during the pandemic. This extended financial support beyond age 21 showed how crucial is it to help young people bridge to independence as they transition out of foster care. Advocates hope to take lessons learned from that experience and make them more permanent for young people.
There are several other issues LCYC is tracking across juvenile court, child welfare, and youth homelessness, as well as potential legislation that would make it easier for all people to access the name change process. LCYC clients who have sought name changes have faced significant barriers, even with the support of a lawyer. The current draft proposal would expand access to justice by removing barriers for all people seeking a name change by waiving all filing fees and allowing petitioners to file in any judicial district in the state.
If you want to learn more about our systemic advocacy work next session or how you can get engaged and provide in-person, remote, or written testimony on a bill you care about, please contact LCYC’s Director of Policy and Systemic Advocacy, Erin Shea McCann: esmccann@lcycwa.org.