Welcome to Permanent Defense, a project of the Northwest Progressive Institute founded in February of 2002 to protect the Evergreen State from bad ballot measures proposed by the militant right wing. Permanent Defense is a people-powered political action committee working to safeguard Washington’s common wealth, which funds our schools, mass transit, roads, parks, libraries, hospitals, police, fire, emergency response, and all of the essential public services that we as a people have created through the years through the wise investment of our tax dollars.

For decades, our common wealth and our pluralistic society have been threatened and attacked by a steady onslaught of right wing initiatives designed to paralyze our communities and wreck government by metaphorically drowning it in a bathtub. Permanent Defense was created to provide a year-round first response to these harmful ballot measures. 

We’re working to defeat IL26-001 and IL26-638 in 2026

Mega-millionaire Brian Heywood has submitted signatures for two measures that we expect will qualify to the 2026 Washington State ballot. The safety of all Washington students, regardless of race, gender, or zipcode, would be put at greater risk by these dangerous initiatives, which include:

• Forced Outing: Force schools to “out” LGBTQ+ students to unsupportive families, putting them at risk of abuse and even homelessness.
• Restrict Access to Help: At a time when youth mental health issues are at an all time high, Heywood’s schemes would make it harder for all students to safely report home violence, sexual abuse or related mental health issues to trusted adults at school, like school counselors.
• Invasive Genital Exams on Girls: Requiring invasive exams of “reproductive organs” on all girls who want to play sports, even those as young as eleven, violates their privacy, increases chances of abuse, and discourages girls from the benefits of being on a team. Boys are exempt.

Donate to help us oppose these destructive initiatives

With your support, we’ll protect Washington from both these schemes in 2026.