The protections for abortion and gender care are new, and that’s what has eyeballs popping out of skulls and rolling across the floor. This same provision for abused children has been on the books for years. Shelters must also repeatedly check (every eight hours) a Washington State Patrol database for missing children and immediately report any child in their care that appears there. They must relay that information within 24 to 72 hours– unless there is evidence of abuse, the child is seeking an abortion, or the child is pursuing gender-affirming care. Washington law is clear-licensed homeless shelters or programs that accept children must inform the parents (and hometown police department) of the child’s mental and physical state, where they are, and how they got there. Kidnapping children is and would remain illegal if and likely when Governor Jay Inslee signs this bill. You’ll hear and read the word “kidnapping” a lot in conversations and articles about this bill.įirst of all, a homeless shelter cannot disappear a child in Washington.

No, Washington Cannot Kidnap Your Children This is speaking to making sure there are safe options when that happens,” Sen. “Right now, today in Washington, kids are being kicked out or running away. Before, shelters saw trans and pregnant youth leaving safety because they weren’t ready to talk to their parents within that three-day window. Other youth can only stay at shelters for three days without parental permission SB 5599 simply extends this time limit so DCYF can begin the reunification process, provided the child has not been kicked out of their home.

The state currently limits those options only to victims of child abuse. The bill also allows kids in these situations to remain in stable, emergency housing–such as a shelter or host home that receives state resources–and to access safety screenings without direct parental notification. It does not eliminate requirements to notify parents, and it is specifically intended to reunify children with their families. The changes are simple: A shelter can now notify the Washington Department of Child, Youth and Families (DCYF) before the parents of the young people in these cases, which increases the state’s involvement with young people. The bill, introduced by Marko Liias (D-Lynnwood), amends existing state law regarding child runaways and expands protections for those who end up in Washington youth shelters in pursuit of abortions, reproductive medicine, and gender-affirming care. Senate Bill 5599 attracted more ire and myth-making than almost any other bill in Olympia this session.

The stranger outsider