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Council president moves to fast-track shield law to committee after mayor's submission
Summary
Council President announced plans to fast-track council bill 120-950 to align city law with Washington's shield law and extend protections to city employees; the governance committee will consider the bill March 13 and full council is scheduled for final action March 25.
Council President Nelson said Monday she will move a proposed ordinance to align Seattle law with the Washington state shield law and to extend its provisions to city employees through an expedited committee schedule.
"Specifically the bill incorporates relevant portions of state statute into city law and extends its provisions to city employees," Nelson said, describing the legislation the mayor's office transmitted to council as council bill 120-950. She said the mayor's office worked with the city's LGBTQ Commission on the draft and urged a rapid committee timeline given the perceived urgency of protecting access to reproductive and gender-affirming care.
Nelson said her governance, accountability and economic development committee will consider the bill at its March 13 meeting, with the intention of moving the ordinance to full council for final passage on March 25. The presentation described state statute protections that the city bill would mirror, including protections against out-of-state investigations and civil liability and safeguards for consumer data related to reproductive and gender-affirming care.
No formal committee vote was recorded in Monday's briefing. Nelson said the quickest path forward without delaying final passage would be to add the bill to the committee's March 13 agenda and then to take final action at council later in the month.
Councilmembers whose comments appeared in the mayor's press release in support of the measure were noted in the briefing; Nelson characterized the ordinance as a reaffirmation of the city's policy to be a welcoming place that protects access to services for historically disadvantaged communities.
