Addressing issues that affect women in King County
and empowering Democratic candidates and representatives to face these challenges.
banning child marriage in Washington signed into law
Stonier bill to ban child marriage in WA signed by Governor Inslee
March 8, 2024
Governor Inslee signed House Bill 1455, sponsored by Rep. Monica Stonier (D-Vancouver), to prohibit child marriage in Washington state. Child marriage primarily affects girls, subjecting them to coercion to wed adult men to conceal potential sex crimes or due to pregnancy. As the U.S. federal criminal code does not classify sex with a child aged 12 to 15 within marriage as a crime, child marriage has been exploited for child trafficking. Rep. Stonier emphasized that raising the legal marriage age to 18 enhances young individuals' autonomy and closes a harmful legal gap. The bill received bipartisan approval in both the House and Senate.
Sponsors: Stonier, Berry, Farivar, Rude, Fey, Reed, Morgan, Thai, Fosse, Pollet, Macri, Bateman
Companion bill sponsors: Sponsors: Stanford, Dhingra, Rolfes, Saldaña, Shewmake
news and politics
EMILYs List Endorses Manka Dhingra for Washington State Attorney General - Press Release
Dec 5, 2023 Excerpts
“Mankra Dhingra has the vision, passion, and leadership to guide the state of Washington into a future that is more just and sustainable for all. In the state Senate, she’s been a powerhouse for Washington’s women and children, and she has spent her career serving the members of her community who are most in need. With reproductive freedom increasingly dependent on our state and local elected officials, supporting pro-choice champions like Dhingra is non-negotiable. EMILYs List is proud to endorse her candidacy for attorney general, and we look forward to seeing all that she will accomplish for the Evergreen State.”
abortion rights
How Abortion Redefined the 2023 Elections, and What It Will Mean in 2024 - Emily's List
Dec 4, 2023 Excerpts
Abortion rights and access will remain salient heading into 2024—and embracing it is a path to victory for candidates up and down the ballot. As we’ve seen in every election since the Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs, this issue matters to voters. It helped make the difference for candidates up and down the ballot during the midterms and propelled candidates to victory in special elections and the 2023 elections. What we’ve seen time and again in these races is that when candidates run proactively on their support for abortion, they win.
women's health research
Unprecedented White House Initiative on Women's Health Research to be led by First Lady Jill Biden
Nov 13, 2023 Excerpts
The White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research intends to bring in members of executive departments across the federal government to work holistically on this issue; deliver concrete recommendations on how to advance women’s health research within its first 45 days; set priority areas where additional investments could have the biggest impact; and facilitate collaboration between the scientific private sector, philanthropic groups and the government to create new research initiatives.
Photo - Anna Rose Layden, Getty Images