Joe Cotta

Election Information:

Party: 
Republican
District: 
8
Office: 
State House

Contact Information:

www.votejoecotta.com
JoeCottaforWA
@joecottaproton1

Survey Responses:

S = Support
O = Oppose
NR = No Response
Life
S O NR
1.
Prohibiting Abortion: Prohibiting abortion except when necessary to save the mother's life.
X
2.
Taxpayer Funded Abortion: Allowing taxpayer dollars to fund organizations that provide abortion.
X
3.
Physician-Assisted Suicide: Allowing voluntary physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients.
X
Candidate's Comments:
Abortion is murder. Justifiable homicide is defined as killing without evil or criminal intent, for which there can be no blame. Some definitions say “without criminal guilt.” When something is morally wrong, there is always personal guilt associated with the moral crime. That’s why giving women resources and help to keep their babies is much more humane towards women than allowing them to commit murder. I don’t like to see people suffer from psychological and emotional pain while the culture tells the woman that she did the right thing, instead of helping her emotionally heal. Criminal guilt is simply where we draw the line on what moral wrongs should be allowed by law. Abortion can be allowed when the mother's life is at stake. I do not believe any institution or government should make this decision. The mother or family should make this very difficult and personal decision. Because the left is quickly manipulating the word “abortion” to include more medical procedures, I provided a principled answer. Abortion can be allowed when the mother’s life is at stake. However, to my knowledge, there are no medical procedures that the medical community would call an abortion, that would save the life of a mother. If that is the case, there would be no justification to allow abortion.
First Amendment
S O NR
4.
Conscience Rights for Creative Professionals: Allowing creative professionals (photographer, baker, wedding vendor) to decline to participate in events or create messages that violate their moral or religious beliefs.
X
5.
Conscience Rights for Faith-Based Organizations: Exempting faith-based organizations from regulations that cause them to violate their sincerely held religious beliefs.
X
6.
Free Speech on Campus: Prohibiting speech zones or speech codes that restrict where students can discuss controversial or unpopular issues on college campuses.
X
7.
Donor Privacy: Protecting confidential donor information so individuals are able to privately support charities of their choice without fear of being doxed.
X
Candidate's Comments:
1st amendment rights must be protected.
Family
S O NR
8.
Women's Sports: Preventing biological males who identify as female from competing in women's sports.
X
9.
Gender Identity Counseling: Allowing parents to obtain professional counseling for children struggling with gender identity issues to help them reach their desired outcome.
X
10(a).
Protected Class for Sexual Orientation: Adding “sexual orientation” as a protected class alongside race, religion, sex, age, and disability in nondiscrimination law.
X
10(b).
Protected Class for Gender Identity: Adding “gender identity” as a protected class alongside race, religion, sex, age, and disability in nondiscrimination law.
X
Candidate's Comments:
There are two sexes: male and female. These differences are based on biology and many other measurable differences.
Education and Public Safety
S O NR
11.
School Choice: Allowing the use of tax credits, vouchers, and education savings accounts to cover the cost of children attending the school of their parents' choice, including private schools.
X
12.
Parental Rights for Opt-Out: Giving parents the ability to opt their children out of school materials and lessons to which the parents object.
X
13.
Critical Race Theory: Allowing schools to teach children that America's laws, policies, and society perpetuate systemic racism and that people are either oppressors or oppressed, or privileged or marginalized, based on their skin color.
X
14.
Parental Rights for Transparency in Education: Giving parents access to the curriculum and materials their children are learning in school and allowing them to decide whether or not their children should be exposed to certain ideas.
X
Candidate's Comments:
The parents should decide and create the educational environment for their children.
Health and Welfare
S O NR
15.
Medical Rights of Conscience: Allowing health care workers and providers the freedom to practice medicine in accordance with their personal beliefs and conscience.
X
16.
Parental Rights for Healthcare Disclosure: Requiring schools to disclose to parents if the school is providing counseling or medical services to a child who desires to undergo “gender transition.”
X
17.
Parental Rights for Mental Health Disclosure: Directing schools to inform parents of any mental, physical, or emotional health information and treatment that a child is receiving at school.
X
Candidate's Comments:
Parents must be informed about any concerns they have for their children.