Given the jag we seem to be on during the last 48 hours about the ladies (Erica’s reporting on Summerfest vs NARAL and my reporting on renegade pharmacists vs. state Board of Pharmacy rules), I thought I’d throw in one more piece of news that’s relevant to the wymyn (!)
About two weeks ago, we had the four candidates who are running to replace state Rep. Sharon Nelson (D-34, W. Seattle, Vashon, Maury, Burien) in for an endorsement interview. The only woman in the race, campaign finance reformer Marcee Stone, is the candidate of choice for the National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington.
But when we asked each candidate what bills got the short shrift in the 2010 legislative session (and that they would commit to jump starting in Olympia in 2011 if elected), Fitzgibbon stood out as the lone feminist.
Fitzgibbon said he would try to pass the limited service pregnancy centers bill. Sen. Rodney Tom’s (D-48, Bellevue) bill would have required the bait and switch centers (which actually don’t provide abortions and often have religious affiliation), to disclose more information to the public. The bill died in committee in February.
Stone, not surprisingly, said she would get behind a bill that would have established public financing in state Supreme Court elections.
On a related note: As Erica reported yesterday, it was another candidate in the 34th race, King County Council aide, Mike Heavey, who bravely said he was going to boycott Summerfest (a giant campaign must for 34th District candidates) if NARAL was kept out.
Heavy’s legislative do-over, he said, would have been the hazardous substance tax, which failed under pressure from the oil industry.
