Senate Passes Amended HB 1267

By Rebecca Faust

This morning, the Washington Senate passed a newly amended version of HB 1267, which would overhaul the Uniform Parentage Act. Because the House and Senate must pass the identical bill before it can be signed into law by the governor, HB 1267 has been sent back to the House. The House may be considering it tomorrow or possibly even this evening.

Victory & Defeat: Senate Passes Surrogacy Bill Without Surrogacy

Just before the 5 o'clock deadline on Tuesday afternoon, the State Senate passed HB 1267 by a vote of 27-21 making significant modifications to the state's "uniform" parentage law.

However, an amendment passed by the Senate gutted the most controversial portion of the bill which would have authorized contract surrogacy. However, the bill will still remove the words "mother" and "father" from state law in favor of "parent" and make other revisions that move Washington further away from the expectation that children should be born with a mother and father.

Therefore, the passage of the bill was simultaneously a victory and a defeat.

Paid Surrogacy Bill Passes Rules Committee, Final Vote Pending

On Friday, the Senate Rules Committee voted to send HB 1267, re-writing the Uniform Parentage Act and legalizing paid surrogacy, forward to the full Senate for debate. If the bill is going to be passed by the State Senate, it will happen either tonight or tomorrow. If you haven't yet contacted your senator about this bill and wish to do so, it is important that you do so right away. Even if you have, it would be good give them another reminder of the need to oppose this bill.

This bill would allow a woman to be paid to become pregnant and give up custody of her child, even if the child is biologically hers. The bill would require the women to give up the child immediately upon birth. She would have no opportunity to reconsider her decision. She could seek an abortion during pregnancy, but could not rescind the surrogacy agreement. Custody of the child would be based solely on the surrogacy contract, without any allowance for a judge to consider the best interests of the child. It is a lengthy and complicated bill with numerous problems. But if you believe that parental rights and a child’s well being is not something that should be bargained for in a financial transaction, you should oppose this bill.

Please ask your senator to oppose HB 1267. You can leave a message for your senator by calling the legislative hotline: 1-800-562-6000.

Thank You, U.S. Supreme Court: A Win for Religious Liberty in Education

Supreme Court upheld the Arizona Scholarship Tax Credit legislation that provides a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for contributions made to private tuition organizations, which in turn fund scholarships for private schools - many of which are Christian schools.

Despite the loud voices of a few disgruntled individuals, complaining that the law was a violation of church and state, the court ruled that a legitimate claim did not exist.

In many other states, similar legislation is being considered. As a result of this tax credit, funding for private and religious education may increase, allowing parents to more easily afford a private or religious education for their children.

The Family Policy Institute of Washington gladly supports the U.S. Supreme Court for its commitment to Parent's Rights and Religious Liberty in Education.

U.S. Supreme Court's Decision

Arizona's Private School Tax Credit Law

Senate Committee Votes for Paid Surrogacy

By Rebecca Faust

The Senate Committee on Government Operations, Tribal Relations and Elections voted to recommend passage of House Bill 1267 on Tuesday, March 22nd. If enacted, HB 1267 would make numerous changes to Washington's Uniform Parentage Act, including the legalization of paid surrogacy.

HB 1267 is rife with opportunities for abuse. It not only allows a surrogate mother to be paid for giving her child, but it eliminates criminal penalties for violating surrogacy laws and requires that if a surrogacy contract doesn't meet statutory requirements, custody of the child will be awarded on the basis of the parties' intent and not the best interests of the child. So whatever safeguards it does provide, which for the most part seem to be more about protecting the surrogate and intended parents than the child, have limited enforceability.

Truth Project Training in Vancouver, WA!

is coming to Vancouver/Portland on April 2, 2011


In a recent study, the Barna Research Group revealed a stunning statistic that continues to reverberate throughout the evangelical world. Only 9 percent of professing Christians have a biblical worldview (See sources below).

Because of this, today's believers live very similarly to non-believers. A personal sense of significance is rarely experienced, we spend our money and time on things that fail to satisfy, and the rates of addictions, family breakdown, and other problems are no different within the church as without. We are, in short, losing our bearings as the body of Christ because we tend to view the world the same way as those who do not have Christ. In essence, the body of Christ is conforming to the world when we need to be transformed by renewing our minds with a biblical worldview (Romans 12:2). Jesus commanded us to make "disciples," not just church members, and to teach them all things He taught us (Matthew 28:18-20). This is discipleship, or worldview, training.

FPIW Testimony in Opposition to Paid Surrogacy Bill

Yesterday, the Family Policy Institute of Washington testified before the Senate Government Operations, Tribal Relations & Elections Committee in opposition to HB 1267. Below is a copy of the testimony we will be providing to the committee.

Thank you for this opportunity to testify on behalf of the Family Policy Institute of Washington in opposition to HB 1267.

There are a number of issues that we are concerned about. The first is more symbolic. This bill would replace the words mother and father in state law with the word “parent”. We are concerned with this provision because state government would be changing an expectation that we believe serves the public well.