2024 Session Preview: Legislature convenes January 8 for short session
By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org The Washington State Legislature convenes Monday, January 8th, for the second year of the 68th biennium and a 60-day session that is scheduled to end by March 7, 2024. Legislators must adopt supplemental budgets for operating, capital, and transportation based on updated revenue forecasts and changes to caseloads. Lawmakers also will…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
Attend National PTA’s LegCon Hill Day: March 5-7 in Alexandria, VA
National PTA’s Legislative Conference and Hill Day (LegCon Hill Day) will take place March 5-7, 2024 in Alexandria, VA. Learn from advocates across the country. Share PTA priorities with your members of Congress! Here’s the link to the National PTA website page with all the relevant information. Here’s the link to the Eventbrite page…
Individual State Awards – Nominate Someone Now!
Help to recognize leaders for their work in statewide service, advocacy, and teaching (including staff) by submitting a nomination! The all-in-one form for nominating leaders is now available on the WSPTA Application & Submission Portal and has been updated to make it easy and quick to apply. Visit this page for more information about all…
Legislative Update: School Construction Funding Basics
On December 5, Tyler Muench, OSPI Director of Advocacy and External Outreach, briefed members of the House Capital Budget Committee on school construction, modernization and building assistance programs. This hour-long update is a must-watch for anyone seeking to understand the complex formulas used by the state to match voter-approved bonds and what OSPI is proposing…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
Share the Public Policy Priorities of National PTA and WSPTA
By: Susan Baird-Joshi, WSPTA Federal Legislative Chair, fedleg@wastatepta.org What does PTA have to do with federal legislation? It turns out, quite a bit. 2024 is the second of the two-year legislative cycle for Congress. 2024 is also a big election year. It’s important that we engage in the federal public policy process and vote. Here…
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Advocacy
2023 WSPTA Legislative Assembly Recap
WSPTA held its 45th annual Legislative Assembly October 21-22, 2023. This virtual event was an incredible weekend of advocacy, education, networking, where delegates adopted several additions and updates to our 2023-24 Legislative Priorities and our permanent resolutions. The theme this year was school facilities, and we heard from guest presenters and panels on this important…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
Week 16 Report: 2023 Legislative Session Summary
Prepared by Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org As was reported last week, the Washington State Legislature adjourned Sunday, April 23rd, closing the 105-day session with some significant gains, including increased funding for special education, investments from the Climate Commitment Act, and bills designed to prevent and mitigate gun violence. Governor Jay Inslee has until May 16th to sign…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
Week 15 Report: Sine Die Edition
Prepared by Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org April 23rd was the final day of the 105-day 2023 legislative session. The operating budget Conference Committee released the biennial budget Saturday, April 22nd. The Senate and House are expected to approve the budget bills before adjourning sine die[1]. Here’s a quick overview of ESSB 5187, related to the bigger K-12…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
One Week Left in 68th Legislative Session
Prepared by Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org April 12th was the final day for bills to pass out of the opposite chamber, with just a few exceptions. On Thursday, House and Senate legislators turned their floor action attention to changes made in the opposite chamber. Agreed-to changes were marked and passed for concurrence, sending them along to…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
Senate Passes Preventing Gun Violence Legislation in Week 13 Report
Prepared by Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org By a vote of 27-21 (and one excused), the Senate passed legislation that would prohibit the manufacture, importation, distribution, sale, or offer for sale, of any assault weapon, with a few exceptions, effective upon the governor’s signature. SHB 1240 passed Saturday afternoon after more than 22 amendments and three hours…
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Advocacy
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Legislative