The Ebony Alert Is at a Pivotal Stage:

Washington Lawmakers Are Deciding Whether Our Missing Loved Ones Are Worth the Investment- Please sign up in support of SB 6070 by 2/5 @1:30pm PST

Hello Community,

We hope you’re all doing well and Happy Black History Month!

We wanted to share an important update, as well as outline a few immediate action items.

The Ebony Alert initiative, Senate Bill 6070, is scheduled to be heard in the Ways and Means Committee on Thursday, February 5th at 1:30 p.m. This committee reviews the fiscal impact of legislation, and it is a critical step in the bill’s path toward becoming law.

Action Needed immediately:
We are asking everyone in the community who supports this petition to do the following:

1. Sign in PRO in support of SB 6070 for the legislative record
2. Submit a short-written statement explaining why you support the Ebony Alert initiative

Written testimony is important so legislators can see that support is coming from real people and community members, not automated or generic sign-ins.

If you are able to testify verbally, please sign up to do so. Virtual testimony is available. If not, written testimony is essential.

More information about the Legislative process:

What the Ways & Means Committee does:
The Ways & Means Committee is the committee that decides whether a bill is financially viable and whether the state is willing to pay for it.

In simple terms, they ask:

  1. 💰How much will this bill cost the state?
  2. 📊Where will the money come from?
  3. ⚖️Is the cost justified compared to other priorities?
  4.🧾 Does the fiscal note make sense, or does it need changes?

Why it matters so much: Once a bill reaches Ways & Means, it means:

  1. ✅The bill has already passed policy review (they agree with the idea)
  2. 🔥Now it must survive budget scrutiny

This is often where good bills stall or die if:

1. Legislators think the cost is too high
2. There isn’t enough visible public support
3. The issue isn’t framed as urgent or necessary

That’s why showing up, signing in PRO, and submitting written testimony is critical here.

Ways & Means members need to see that:

1. Real people are paying attention
2. The cost of not acting is higher (lives, safety, delayed response, harm to families)
3. This is not optional—it’s essential public safety infrastructure

Why written testimony matters especially in Ways & Means-Written testimony helps:

1. Counter the idea that this is a “nice-to-have” instead of a must-have
2. Show that the fiscal investment has real community backing
3. Create a public record that support is coming from actual constituents—not automated clicks
4. Bottom line- Ways & Means is where the question becomes:

“Are we willing to invest in this?”

And the answer needs to be a loud, documented YES—from the community, survivors, families, advocates, and leaders.

Why This Matters: In Washington State the African American community now has the highest rate of missing people despite being on 4.4% of the population.

The Ebony Alert initiative is a critical step toward increasing visibility, improving response, and ensuring resources are mobilized quickly when our loved ones go missing.

This hearing is just the beginning, and continued pressure and presence are essential to getting this bill passed into law.

Please continue sharing this information widely with your networks.
Please be sure to Sign up for email updates so you can track the bill’s movement through the legislative process.

Thank you all for your continued care for our community.

With appreciation,
The Silent Task Force & Ebony Alert Advisory Committee