Despite massive pushback, protests, and letter-writing campaigns, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed SB 5599 in May. The legislation introduced by State Sen. Marko Liias, allows shelters to provide housing for runaway minors without being required to notify their parents “to receive protected health care services.”
SB 5599 allows shelters to contact the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) instead of the parents if the child is seeking a sex change and does not require proof or allegation of abuse.
Merely seeking protected health care services is reason enough to keep the runaway’s location hidden from parents of children ages 13 to 18 seeking services related to gender dysphoria and gender transitioning.
Republicans in Olympia unanimously voted against the bill.
Senate Republican Leader John Braun said, “Children between the ages of 13 and 18 can already access these same health and mental health services under Washington law, without their parents’ permission. The only thing SB 5599 would do is cause harm by driving a wedge between vulnerable kids and their parents, at a time when a teen lacks the perception and judgment to make critical life-altering decisions.”
“A parent may not even know why the child ran away and could involve law enforcement or other groups in a desperate search, all the while going through an unnecessary emotional nightmare, imagining the worst about what might have happened. It’s also wrong how this bill would also apply to children from other states who may travel thousands of miles for services not available to them at home. Unless there is reason to suspect parental abuse or harm, parents deserve to know where their teenagers are.”
“SB 5599 received a hearing before the Senate Human Services Committee on Feb. 6, more than 4,700 people signed in with an opinion on the bill and 98 percent were opposed, including parents from the LGBTQ community.”
The Washington State Catholic Conference (WSCC) is refusing to allow parishes to collect signatures to repeal SB 5599.
Thomas A. Daly, Bishop of Spokane wrote a letter to Monsignors, Fathers and Administrators to disregard the recent letter sent out from the WSCC and Director Villanueva as not signed by the bishops and that it does not reflect their intention. It goes on, “In the Diocese of Spokane you are free to collect signatures seeking to overturn SB5599.”
In a June 15 letter, the WSCC stated, “We have received recent inquiries regarding referendum 101 also known as the ‘Reject 5599’ campaign. This campaign seeks to overturn Senate Bill 5599 which passed during the recent 2023 legislative session.” “Washington State Catholic Conference is taking no position on this referendum. This means that signatures may not be collected at parishes,” it says.
WSCC Executive Director Mario Villanueva acknowledged that under SB 5599 parents do not need to be notified if a child is seeking protective health care services, namely, if a youth is seeking an abortion or gender-affirming care. “The WSCC certainly supports individual parishioners signing the petition if they choose to do so,” but stressed “…because the measure is unlikely to be successful, we are not actively encouraging parishes to take action on this referendum.”
State Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, in a statement said, “People are rushing across Washington to gather signatures to reject SB 5599 and protect parental rights, and WSCC blatantly attempts to hinder those efforts a month before signatures are due, with no real knowledge of how many signatures were collected.”
