Come to Olympia for WSPTA Focus Day

As MISD PTA members, we are also part of the large Washington State PTA (WSPTA). There are opportunities to use our collective power as WSPTA members, particularly during active legislative sessions in Olympia. Focus Day is when individual members travel to Olympia for a day full of engagement around our mission. Members meet with legislators, tour the capitol, and demonstrate advocacy in action.

WSPTA members have adopted a robust legislative platform that is focused on student safety and success. Here is an opportunity to show up and advocate for it!

Plan to come to Olympia for Focus Day on Monday, January 20th, and meet with your legislators. WSPTA advocacy leadership has organized a day of focused action that includes speakers and lunch (requires pre-registration). This year’s Focus Day is also a school holiday – a ideal time to involve students in the process of local government and citizen action! We have PTA members from Mercer Island going, so please contact advocacy@mihsptsa.org to connect and arrange carpools.

To learn more about the WSPTA 2020 legislative platform, check out the WSTPA advocacy webpage.

If you are unable to head to Olympia, you can still participate in the legislative session for Action Week! Sign up to receive action alerts and information bulletins sent to members who subscribe to WSPTA’s Action Network Group. These alerts are a quick, easy way to communicate with our legislators on topics they are actively working on. https://actionnetwork.org/users/sign_up

Please also consider calling or sending an email or postcard – WSPTA has a printable postcard that highlights the Top 5 Legislative Issues, as well as other issues being supported. Just send to your Senate and House Reps with a short personal message about the issues most important to you. Taking action and letting our elected representatives know what matters to us is critical. They need to hear from us!

Gun Violence Prevention Sub-committee – Legislative Session and Opportunities to Advocate!

With a new decade upon us, we have a clean slate to energize our work in 2020 to attain our goals of safer schools and communities. The 2020 legislative session is about to start in the Washington State Legislature and there are a number of truly impactful, lifesaving, gun violence prevention bills being introduced. Restricting high capacity magazines, regulating ammunition, and centralizing and improving background checks, to name a few. If you are headed to Olympia on Monday, January 20, you can attend hearings and show your support.

Here’s what’s involved:

1. Show up early, by 8am if possible, so that you can get a spot in the main hearing room. After that fills, you can watch on monitors in overflow rooms.
2. Wear orange (GVP) or blue (WSPTA) and be counted! Be a body in attendance in support of GVP. Legislative staff do a headcount of who’s there in support or opposition to a bill. Your presence is your voice!

If January 20th doesn’t work for you due to the school holiday (this is an ideal opportunity for students to go!), people are needed to attend additional hearings for GVP bills on Tuesday, January 21st as well. PTA members from Mercer Island are going both days; to arrange carpool or if you have any questions, contact gvp@miptacouncil.org. We would love to have you join us!

Please sign up for our monthly newsletter – we will continue to update on bills being introduced and share ways you can lend your voice and time in support. All are welcome to attend our monthly meetings to find out how you can get involved and support our work!

Upcoming GVP Sub-Committe Meeting Dates – all meetings at Mercer Island Library

February 6th @ 10am
March 17th @ 10am
April 16th @ 10am
May 13th @ 10am