Rep. Joshua Penner delivers final plea on House Bill 1472: Shutting this down without a plan will haunt you | House Appropriations Committee
In a powerful closing speech before the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Joshua Penner, R-Orting, urges his colleagues to vote no on House Bill 1472, which proposes closing Washington’s Residential Habilitation Centers (RHCs)—specifically Rainier and Yakima Valley Schools—within 18 months without a concrete transition plan.
Drawing from real stories, constituent concerns, and emotional testimony, Penner makes the case that the bill fails the very people it claims to help: individuals with profound disabilities who cannot advocate for themselves and rely on specialized, consistent care.
“They can’t speak. We can’t hear them. They will die in silence because they live in silence.”
Penner warns that rushing closures without proper safeguards, staffing continuity, and infrastructure puts lives at risk—and calls on lawmakers to take the time to build a real plan that protects the state’s most vulnerable.
