2025 LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK

Annual Legislative Priorities

Overview

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

- Dr. Martin Luther King

The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle (ULMS) is committed to advancing economic equality, social justice for Black and other marginalized groups. Through advocacy, community engagement, and policy influence, we empower individuals and challenge unjust systems and work with decision-makers to prioritize co-governance for the greater good. 

Our focus on amplifying the voices of Black and underserved communities guides our work in creating lasting systemic change.

2025 Legislative Priorities

Areas of Focus

ULMS will focus on the following key areas during the 2025 Washington State Legislative session, advocating for policies and programs that promote equality, justicevand access to opportunity for historically marginalized communities:

Focus Area One

Criminal Justice Reform

To address systemic inequities in the criminal justice system, reduce incarceration rates, and ensure fairness for Black and marginalized communities.

  • Advocate for the expansion of diversion programs, reduction of sentences for youth of color, and improvements to rehabilitation services.
  • Support age-appropriate sentencing and efforts to eliminate life sentences for juveniles.
  • Expand the Civil Survival program, which helps formerly incarcerated individuals remove barriers to employment, housing, and education.
  • Focus on increasing funding for reentry programs and legal support to assist in the restoration of civil rights.
  • Advocate for the broader application of the Blake ruling to automatically expunge marijuana-related convictions for individuals disproportionately impacted by drug criminalization.
  • Ensure that individuals are not hindered from accessing housing, employment, and other opportunities due to past convictions.

Focus Area Two

Environmental Justice

To ensure that marginalized communities, especially Black communities, are not disproportionately affected by environmental hazards and pollution.

  • Support the implementation of stricter environmental regulations aimed at reducing air, water, and land pollution.
  • Advocate for environmental justice policies that ensure equitable access to clean air and water for communities of color. This includes pushing for improvements to the state’s air quality standards, particularly in urban and industrial areas.

"All advocacy is, at its core, an act of empathy." -- Samantha Power

Focus Area Three

Public Health

To close health disparities, improve access to healthcare, and promote the well-being of Black communities and other marginalized groups.

  • Advocate for expansion of Medicaid and other state health programs that serve low-income communities.
  • Push for policies that ensure Black and underserved communities have access to comprehensive, affordable, and culturally competent healthcare.
  • Address the mental health crisis within Black communities, advocating for more resources dedicated to mental health services, crisis intervention, and community-based care.
  • Push for policies that protect the rights of Black women and other marginalized groups to make decisions about their bodies and health, ensuring equitable access to reproductive healthcare, including birth control, abortion, and maternal health services.

Focus Area Four

Housing & Homelessness

To ensure that Black and marginalized communities have access to affordable, stable housing and are not displaced due to gentrification or market forces.

  • Advocate for increased funding and policies that prioritize the development of affordable housing for low-income communities.
  • Support initiatives that create pathways to homeownership for Black families and communities of color.
  • Support rent control measures and stronger tenant protections to prevent displacement and ensure that individuals and families are not priced out of their homes.
  • Push for more resources to address homelessness, focusing on long-term solutions such as supportive housing, rental assistance, and mental health services for individuals experiencing homelessness.

Focus Area Five

Economic Justice

To address economic disparities and support the financial well-being of Black and underserved communities.

  • Advocate for a comprehensive community reinvestment policy, which includes investment in Black communities and local businesses, particularly small businesses and cooperatives.
  • Support policies that address wealth gaps and promote economic mobility.
  • Push for the inclusion of Black and underserved communities in the cannabis industry through equitable licensing practices, funding for minority-owned businesses, and expungement of prior marijuana convictions.
  • Advocate for prioritizing communities disproportionately harmed by the War on Drugs in the distribution of marijuana revenue.
  • Increase support for Women- and Minority-Owned Business Enterprises (WMBEs), with a focus on providing access to capital, contracting opportunities, and business development resources.
  • Advocate for policies that promote diversity in public procurement and ensure that WMBEs are given a fair opportunity to compete.