(The Center Square) — The Spokane City Council will soon vote on a proposed resolution that would urge voters to reject two statewide ballot initiatives concerning parental rights and participation in K-12 athletics based on biological sex.
The council is scheduled to discuss Resolution 2026-0075 Tuesday. Councilmembers Zack Zappone and Kate Telis are sponsoring the resolution, which would put the council on record opposing Initiative 26-001 and Initiative 26-638 and urge Washington voters to reject both measures.
Zappone said the effort came after members of Spokane's LGBTQ community asked him to take a position on the initiatives.
“As a city council member, I have championed policies to affirm that in Spokane, we all belong,” Zappone told The Center Square. “As a teacher, I know how important it is for transgender youth to know that they belong.”
Councilmember Michael Cathcart said the City Council should stay out of statewide ballot measures and allow voters to make their own decisions.
“These are social issues that really don't fall on the lap of the city council,” Cathcart told The Center Square. “They are a state issue.”
Cathcart said that while state law allows local governments to take positions on statewide ballot measures, he believes the council should not use its position or city resources to campaign on them.
“To me, we should just be letting the community decide and not interject,” he said.
The resolution says the initiatives could subject transgender students to “unfair and potentially harmful measures” intended to protect girls and parents.
Zappone also argued the initiatives could affect students beyond the transgender community.
“These initiatives can endanger not only transgender students, but all kids in our city and subject all girls to invasive genital exams,” Zappone said.
Cathcart disagrees with the council weighing in, saying resolutions on statewide ballot measures can unnecessarily divide Spokane residents.
“These are non-binding resolutions that just send a message that says to the 40, 50, 60%, whatever it ends up being on one side or the other, 'hey, we disagree with you, you're wrong,'” Cathcart said.
He said the council should instead concentrate on municipal responsibilities.
“Our job is to make things run on time, to think about the proper investments, consider how we keep the community running strong, how we keep core services going, and do the things that people cannot do on their own,” Cathcart said.
Initiative background
Initiative 26-001 concerns parental rights involving children in public schools. The measure would restore provisions giving parents and guardians certain rights involving school records, instructional materials, notifications about medical services provided to their children and other school activities.
Supporters, including Let's Go Washington, say the initiative would strengthen parents' ability to receive information about their children and increase parental involvement in schools.
Opponents, including the Washington State PTA, have raised concerns about how the measure could affect protections for LGBTQ students and its interaction with other state and federal requirements.
Initiative 26-638 concerns participation in K-12 athletics based on biological sex. The measure would establish restrictions on participation in certain girls' and women's school sports and require verification of a student's biological sex by a health care provider.
Supporters say the initiative is intended to protect opportunities for female athletes.
The Spokane resolution takes the opposing position, arguing the initiative could harm transgender students.
Cathcart said the proposed resolution is part of what he views as a broader pattern of the council taking positions on statewide ballot measures.
“We have routinely done this with many, many things and I have routinely said it is not our role and we should not be trying to play decider when it comes to elections like this,” Cathcart said.
He also said he expects the resolution to generate significant public comment.
“It'll be inflammatory, no doubt, and probably a late night again, not to actually pass an ordinance that accomplishes anything, but just to send a message,” Cathcart said.
The Center Square contacted Telis for comment, but did not receive a response before publication.
The Public Safety Committee is scheduled to discuss the resolution Tuesday. The full council meeting listed in the agenda materials is scheduled for Oct. 28.
Washington voters will decide the two initiatives Nov. 3.
