*********************************************************** * ACTION ALERT - NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE * *********************************************************** * Bob Morton, NAC Chairman/Exec Dir: ctnudists@aol.com * * Mark Storey, NAC Board Member: storey@aa.net * * Scootch Pankonin, Gov't Affairs: scootchdc@aol.com * * Dennis Kirkpatrick, Online Rep: nat@tiac.net * *********************************************************** DATE: February 13, 2000 STATE: WASHINGTON STATE SUBJECT: Washington Senate considers measure to put second offense skinny-dippers on registered sex offender list. To All Washington Naturists: We all thought we'd laid Senate Bill 5351 to rest last year. A tremendous showing by Naturists stopped the legislation in its tracks. But Washington is a state with a legislative session that spans two years, and bills introduced in 1999 can be reintroduced in 2000 to pick up where they left off. SB 5351 is such a bill. Its sponsor, Sen. Joe Zarelli (R-Clark County) was irked that his bill was stopped last year and is pushing hard for its passage this year. THIS IS A DANGEROUS BILL FOR NATURISTS If you are a first time offender, SB 5351 would raise the indecent exposure penalty from a misdemeanor to a gross misdemeanor. For a second or any subsequent indecent exposure offense, you would be a class C felon, and SB 5351 would add you to the list of sex offenders required to register with local law enforcement agencies. Sen. Zarelli and other supporters of the bill claim that the section of state law targeted for modification by SB 5351 is not used to charge skinny-dippers, sunbathers and others who are merely nude. THAT CLAIM IS FALSE. The Naturist Action Committee has clear and recent proof that section 9A.88.010 of the Revised Code of Washington is the exact section of state law currently being used to charge and prosecute skinny-dippers. TIME IS VERY SHORT To stay alive, SB 5351 must be voted on and passed by the Senate before the end of the day on Tuesday, February 15, 2000. Bills that aren't passed by then will die, and those that die in this session WILL NOT be carried over to 2001, so the backers of SB 5351 are pushing hard for an immediate floor vote. WE CAN STOP SB 5351 AGAIN! Naturists successfully stopped SB 5351 last year, and we must stop this dangerous legislation one more time. If you are a Washington resident, NAC asks you to contact ALL THREE of the following state Senators: Senator ADAM KLINE Senator MARY MARGARET HAUGEN Senator PAT THIBAUDEAU Time is too short to send mail. We must act IMMEDIATELY. Please fax the senators, send them e-mail or call them. It's permissible to do all three! NAC asks that those who live outside the state of Washington do NOT contact these senators at this time. WHAT SHOULD YOU SAY? The Naturist Action Committee suggests that you make these key points: 1) There is already clear evidence that the existing law is being abused. Although that law should be a tool to police sex criminals, it is being used to charge and convict skinny-dippers and sunbathers. Nothing about SB 5351 would correct that abuse; it would just make the penalties for skinny-dipping unreasonably harsh and would label Naturists as sex offenders. 2) Given Washington's present state budget problems, there are far better bills to pass than a fiscally questionable one like SB 5351. Sen. Zarelli's bill would be expensive for the state and its counties, because no Naturist could afford to plead guilty and risk being forced to register for life as a sex offender. Because of that, every case will be contested and will go to court, needlessly costing enormous amounts of taxpayer money to prosecute skinny-dippers. Because SB 5351 has no appropriation associated with it, that would all be unbudgeted expense. 3) There is a present critical need to focus on pending legislation like the various "Linda David" bills that offer the promise of protecting vulnerable adults from real criminals. Compared to that goal, a leftover bill that goes out of its way to punish skinny-dippers is simply not worthy of Senatorial attention or energy. WHEN YOU CALL, FAX AND E-MAIL... NAC reminds you that time is very short. You must call, fax and e-mail the offices of the three Senators IMMEDIATELY. When you contact a Senator's office, be polite, be brief and give your name and address. Anonymous calls and unsigned faxes or e-mails are ignored and discarded. When you call, it's unlikely that the Senator will be available to take your call personally. Leave your message with the Senator's aide. CONTACT INFORMATION Here is detailed contact information for the three key senators NAC is requesting you to contact: Senator ADAM KLINE (Democrat - 37th District) Legislative Office: 431 John A. Cherberg Building; P.O. Box 40437; Olympia, WA 98504-0437; Telephone: (360) 786-7688; Fax: (360) 786-1999; e-mail: kline_ad@leg.wa.gov Senator MARY MARGARET HAUGEN (Democrat - 10th District) Legislative Office: 435 John A. Cherberg Building; P.O. Box 40410; Olympia, WA 98504-0410; Telephone: (360) 786-7618; Fax: (360) 786-1999; e-mail: haugen_ma@leg.wa.gov Senator PAT THIBAUDEAU (Democrat - 43rd District) Legislative Office: 414 John A. Cherberg Building; P.O. Box 40443; Olympia, WA 98504-0443; Telephone: (360) 786-7628; Fax: (360) 786-1999; e-mail: thibaude_pa@leg.wa.gov MAKE YOUR CALL TODAY! The Naturist Action Committee thanks you for choosing to make a difference. Watch for Advisories, Updates and other Action Alerts on this and other important situations affecting Naturists. HELP NAC HELP NATURISTS The Naturist Action Committee (NAC) is the nonprofit volunteer arm of The Naturist Society (TNS). NAC exists to advance and protect the rights of Naturists throughout North America. NAC board members are democratically elected from and by the membership of TNS. Since NAC itself has no membership roster on which to assess dues, it relies completely on the generous support of Naturists like you. Please decide to make a difference for the defense of Naturism by sending a donation of any amount to: NAC P.O. Box 132 Oshkosh, WI 54903 If you prefer to use your Visa or MasterCard, you may call (920) 426-5009 during regular business hours. Thank you in advance for your help. Naturally, Mark Storey NAC Board Member