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OLYMPIA – Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law today a bill that will prevent defendants from citing a victim’s gender identity or sexual orientation — the so-called “panic defense” — to justify a violent assault.

House Bill 1687 was introduced in 2019 by then-Rep. Derek Stanford (D-Bothell). Now a state senator, Stanford moved it through the Senate this year to full passage by the Legislature.

HB 1687 makes clear that the discovery of a person’s actual or perceived gender, gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation provides no justification ...

The state’s newly created state LGBTQ Commission will meet Saturday with stakeholders to discuss the commission’s initial steps, Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn) said today.

Wilson’s Senate Bill 5356 was signed into law earlier this month by Gov. Jay Inslee, establishing a commission to identify concerns specific to LGBTQ individuals and apply those concerns to inform practices and policies at state agencies.

“Our state constitution promises to protect us against discrimination in its many forms, but not everyone receives those protections,” Wilson said. “Many people regularly experience discrimination and other challenges, including physical violence, based merely on ...

Legislation to establish a state commission to identify concerns specific to LGBTQ individuals and apply those concerns to inform practices and policies at state agencies is on its way to the governor to be signed into law.

“Our state constitution promises to protect us against discrimination in its many forms, but not everyone receives those protections,” said Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn), the sponsor of Senate Bill 5356. “Many people regularly experience discrimination and other challenges, including physical violence, based merely on their identity or someone else’s perception of their identity.”

Wilson’s legislation will establish a state ...

Legislation passed late Friday by the House would establish a state commission to identify concerns specific to LGBTQ individuals and apply those concerns to inform practices and policies at state agencies.

“Many members of our community face an extreme and disproportionate risk of violence, discrimination and other challenges based merely on their identity,” said Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn), the sponsor of Senate Bill 5356. “This action is needed to ensure that LGBTQ people receive the same consideration and protections against discrimination guaranteed all other Washingtonians under our state constitution.”

The legislation would create a state LGBTQ Commission whose ...

Legislation to create a state commission to work with state agencies to develop and implement policies to address the unique needs of the LGBTQ community passed off the Senate floor today on a 34-14 vote.

Sponsored by Sen. Claire Wilson, Senate Bill 5356 would direct the governor to appoint commissioners who present a balanced and diverse representation of race and ethnicity, geography, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, and occupation.

"This will help members of our community whose identify puts them at extreme and ...

From The Trevor Project: This week the state of Washington made history, becoming the first state in 2018, and the 10th state in total, to pass protections for LGBTQ youth from the barbaric practice of conversion therapy. Conversion therapists falsely claim be able to change LGBTQ youth into straight and cisgender youth. Prominent professional health associations—including the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, among numerous others—oppose the use of conversion therapy on youth, calling the practice harmful and ineffective. As the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services ...

The Washington State Senate today took a significant step to protect LGBTQ youth by passing legislation to ban so-called “conversion therapy” and require school districts to adopt or amend anti-harassment policies to include transgender students. “It is long past time for Washington to make it clear to our LGBTQ youth that we value their safety and affirm that they too deserve protection as they navigate their young lives,” said Sen. Marko Liias, D-Lynnwood, sponsor of Senate Bill 5766 and Senate Bill 5722. “I am thankful to my colleagues in the Senate for taking this stand today ...