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In a surprising and unprecedented move recently, House Democrats changed the rules that govern the House floor where bills are amended, debated, and voted on – either to die or pass the House.
The initial rule has been in place for over a century (132 years!) and allows for open, honest debate for ALL representatives. Legislators are able to speak for up to 10 minutes on a bill, which then drops to three minutes as we get closer to certain deadlines and the end of session. In order to “Call for the question,” which ends all debate and requires an immediate vote, a two-thirds majority was needed. This rule was changed to a simple majority. This means it will be much easier for the ruling party to end all debate on legislation at any time, silencing the voices of the minority representatives who represent over 3 million citizens in Washington state! As our House Republican Leader, Drew Stokesbary put it in his floor speech:
“This rule change puts the convenience of the majority ahead of the rights of the minority.”
Rep. Chris Corry meets members of the Capital Press Corps – January, 2025
You can read news stories on the rule change here and here, where I’m quoted (in part):
“We’re setting ourselves up on a dangerous path,” Rep. Chris Corry, R-Yakima, told legislators during House floor debate on Friday regarding a resolution adopting House rules for the session. “This underlying House rules is going to take away our ability or take away the ability of the minority party to have a robust discussion … and that’s very concerning. We’ve had those good debates in the past and we’ve discussed the repercussions of potentially making this change. The fear is what we’re adopting in here is a rule that can be used to silence the minority party.”
Parental rights Initiative gutted
One of the main components of the very popular parental rights initiative (I-2081) is that it now requires schools to immediately inform parents if their child is the victim of a crime while at school. Democrats in the Legislature want to gut the new law. Their bill, House Bill 1296, will change it so schools have 48 hours before notifying parents if their child has been abused or the victim of a crime. This is unconscionable.
Rep. Travis Couture, one of my House Republican colleagues, sponsored an amendment to HB 1296 in committee that would have reinstated the “immediate” language. However, Democrats voted it down. Our subsequent caucus social media posts went viral and were reposted by President Trump, Elon Musk and Libs of TikTok. It seems many agree with us.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B6tBa1ya9/
X: https://x.com/WaHouseGOP/status/1885029275419672667
Further info: https://x.com/WaHouseGOP/status/1886924028285477092
Imagine your child isn’t eating or sleeping, having nightmares, lashing out in anger, or – God forbid – harms themselves or commits suicide (it HAS happened, folks) and you don’t know the reason! Such behavior may be attributed to “kids being kids” or the “tough teenage years,” when what they desperately need is help to get them through their devasting abuse. Forty-eight hours is too long. If a child is abused or there is an allegation of abuse or a crime, the school should call 911 and the parents IMMEDIATELY!
The parental rights initiative also gives parents the right to:
- Review their child’s school records, including medical and mental health records.
- Review educational materials, such as textbooks and curriculum.
- Opt their child out of certain assignments and activities.
Democrats should leave these provisions alone and allow parents to be the key teachers in their lives. As one of my colleagues has said repeatedly, “We do not – and will not – give our children to the state.”
Protecting female student-athletes
House Bill 1699 will protect women’s interscholastic sports by allowing school boards to adopt policies prohibiting biologically male students from competing with and against female students and provides procedures for the determinization of student biological sex. I am a cosponsor of this legislation. The President’s Executive Order, along with the recent NCAA announcement that they will adopt new rules to comply, are two huge steps towards righting this wrong. In too many instances, in high school, collegiate and international competitions, biological males are competing against female athletes and in the process setting various records and even causing physical harm. Sanity must be restored.
More from me
“Closing Yakima Valley School is a shortsighted, cruel approach to balancing the budget” – Column by Rep. Chris Corry and Rep. Jeremie Dufault
“Republican leaders fight to protect parental rights, reject Democrat efforts to weaken public safety and drive up costs” – Media Availability with Rep. Chris Corry
“The Deputies Podcast with Rep. Chris Corry and Sen. Drew MacEwen”
You can also always check my website for more information.
Thank you for reading my legislative update and for the honor of serving you in Olympia.
Sincerely,
Chris Corry
