Update on the Campaign for a Commission on Boys and Men | HB 1270

Spent two full days at the capitol

A team of supporters of the bill that would establish a Washington State Commission on Boys and Men spent two full days last week in Olympia speaking to legislators about it. The website for the grassroots campaign backing this bill is WashingtonBoysandMen.org.

We managed to speak to nearly every Republican member of the House of Representatives and a quarter of the Democratic members, between pre-scheduled meetings, impromptu conversations in the hallways, and events hosted by Representative Mary Dye to which she invited every legislator. We also talked to:

  • four of the seven sponsors of HB 1270, and

  • five of the seven members of the State Government & Tribal Relations Committee (the committee to which the bill has been referred), including Representative Bill Ramos who is the committee chair

Among our group was Brookings Institution scholar Richard Reeves. He is an extremely effective spokesperson about the realities of the struggling modern male and the need for institutions to take up the cause and develop solutions. Richard gave several legislators copies of his book Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male is Struggling, Why it Matters, and What to Do About It.

Most of the lawmakers and their staff listened with open minds, and often they were passionately supportive of HB 1270. A small number seemed wary of the idea of a commission to help boys and men.

Through her involvement with this initiative as the bill’s prime sponsor, Representative Mary Dye has become a tremendous champion for the well-being of males in Washington. Her leadership is outstanding. She cares deeply. She is excited about the buzz we’ve created in Olympia, and she is highly motivated to help HB 1270 succeed. Rep. Dye is working very hard on behalf of those who envision a world in which the well-being of everyone, including boys and men, is equally sought.

Pictured: Blair Daly (Washington Initiative for Boys and Men), Richard Reeves (Brookings Institution), Sean Kullman (Global Initiative for Boys and Men), and Ann Silvers (Counselor and author, Gig Harbor) on the floor of the House of Representatives at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia.
Blair Daly (Washington Initiative for Boys and Men), Richard Reeves (Brookings Institution), Sean Kullman (Global Initiative for Boys and Men), and Ann Silvers (Counselor and author, Gig Harbor) on the floor of the House of Representatives at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia.

See related: A Sign Washington’s Government is Becoming More Willing to Acknowledge Inequalities Affecting Males

Media coverage of HB 1270

Below are links to all of the media pieces on HB 1270 we are aware of. (We add to this list on an ongoing basis.) The first four pieces are especially noteworthy.

  • Are Males in Crisis? (Original Guide to Men’s Health podcast episode with Rep. Mary Dye and Richard Reeves)

Uncertain if the bill will get a hearing

Representative Mary Dye (R-Pomeroy) filed the bill that would establish a commission on boys and men on January 11. The following day HB 1270 was referred to the State Government & Tribal Relations Committee. Last year our attempt to pass a similar bill ended when the committee chair at the time, Representative Javier Valdez (D-Seattle), declined to give it a public hearing. We have been optimistic about clearing that hurdle on this second attempt, with several advantages this year over last year — chief among them the bipartisan support for the bill, with three Democratic sponsors and four Republican sponsors.

House Bill 1270 has 7 sponsors, including 3 Democrats and 4 Republicans.

For the 2023 legislative session the House Democrats appointed Representative Bill Ramos (D-Issaquah) the chair of the State Government & Tribal Relations Committee. At this point we remain concerned that he, too, will decline to schedule HB 1270 for a public hearing prior to the February 17 cutoff. We are diligently pursuing many routes to help influence him to give this bill a chance in his committee as soon as possible. A hearing would help raise critically-needed awareness among policymakers about areas where our boys and men are particularly struggling.