Sex harassment bills unanimously pass Senate

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Melissa Taylor described to lawmakers two weeks ago the harassment she suffered in her first job out of college.

"We get invited to go to a strip club and then offered money when we don't want to go," she said.

Scroll down to continue reading

More news from KIRO 7

• PHOTOS: Ted Bundy's mugshots, victims, car, and other images
• BBB issues alert; scam stealing phone numbers from T-Mobile customers to steal money expands
• Local woman who escaped serial killer Ted Bundy shares her story in an exclusive interview
• Thousands of laptops recalled due to fire hazard
• Champion swimmer accuses coach of underage sex abuse

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE NEWS APP

Today the state Senate unanimously passed sexual harassment measures.

"I think both the #MeToo movement and the TimesUp program has really changed our culture. But you can't just talk about things; you have to do things too," said lead sponsor Sen. Karen Kaiser.

Senators voted to make it more difficult to force victims into silence with non-disclosure agreements or to use non-disclosure agreements to hide a history of sexual harassment.

"Legal limits on non-disclosure agreements... have become a real device that has shut down discussion or even examination of sexual harassment in the workplace," Kaiser said.

Gov. Jay Inslee sees this as a beginning, but says more must be done.

"There is not enough being done because we are going through a transition of peeling back 200 years of unacceptable behavior and a lot of work will remain to be done," Inslee said.

Cox Media Group