In 2009, the State Legislature enacted Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5967 (ESSB 5967) to help better ensure non-discrimination with regard to community athletics programs. (See ESSB 5967 bill and bill report).

The WRPA has had a longstanding commitment to preventing all forms of discrimination in parks and community athletic programs, and put countless hours into ensuring ESSB 5967 was enacted in a manner that enabled local parks officials to implement it in a realistic, practical way. We thank the bill sponsor (Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle) and bill proponents who negotiated on this bill for their efforts, and we feel that a collaborative and continuing relationship has been established on this issue.

As adopted, key provisions of ESSB 5967 (Sec. 3) require that by Jan. 1, 2010, local parks officials adopt non-discrimination policies to ensure gender equity; to publish such policies; to disseminate such policies to third parties that sign agreements and/or contracts to use community athletic fields; and to publish the name and address and phone number of the person or persons responsible for implementing the non-discrimination policy.

The WRPA began implementation work on the gender equity bill immediately after the close of the 2009 Session, and thanks to some terrific work by our member jurisdictions, we have put together a tool kit to help you establish and tailor your own policy adoption efforts

Lacey Parks & Recreation - gender equity policy 11/09
Gender Equity policy updated 10/09 - Everett
Gender Equity Tool Kit - California
Gender Equity publication/contract sample language - Kirkland
Gender Equity - Kirkland
Example sports participation policy - Seattle
Gender Equity policy - Aberdeen
Gender Equity Policy - Vancouver
Gender Equity Policy - Clark County

In a recent survey distributed to the WRPA Admin Section (01/2010) the following WRPA member agencies reported they have adopted a gender equity policy and several others reported their policies would be adopted before the end of the month:

Auburn
Bellevue
Bellingham
Everett
Kennewick
Key Pen Parks
Kirkland
Lacey
Liberty Lake
Longview
Maple Valley
Marysville
Mason County
Mount Vernon
Mountlake Terrace
Puyallup
Renton
Sammamish
Seattle
Shelton
Tumwater
Vancouver-Clark
Wenatchee