By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org
Week Six of the legislative session was a busy one. Bills continued to meet their demise with the February 13 5 PM cutoff for bills to pass out of the chamber in which they started. The Senate finished their work a little early that day, adopting “the Evergreen State” as the state’s motto. The House chose a more controversial rent control bill, working about an hour past the deadline. As a reminder, Wednesday, February 21st is the day by which policy bills must pass out the opposite chamber’s policy committees, and Monday, February 26 is the cutoff for bills in fiscal committees.
On February 14, the state received a Valentine of sorts. The new state Chief Economist Dave Reich announced an updated and positive revenue forecast, saying the Near General Fund State revenue projections increased by $122 million since November, and revenue collections are up about $1.3 billion since the budget was adopted in April 2023. The 2025-27 biennium is expected to see $215 million more, for a total of $71.7 billion in Near General Fund State revenue. In other words, the operating budget revenues continue to be strong and collections are growing.
Armed with the latest forecast, the Senate released PSSB 5949, its bipartisan 2024 supplemental capital budget on February 15, holding a public hearing a few hours later. The $1.3 billion proposal includes funding for school construction, behavioral health, and affordable housing, and spends more Climate Commitment Act funds for various clean energy programs and projects.
For school construction, the Senate supplemental proposal increases the School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP) cost from $271.61 per square foot to $400.00 per square foot. OSPI’s Tyler Muench testified it was the first time in 50 years this cost allocation had been increased. In addition, the proposal includes $59 million in sales tax reimbursements for SCAP projects; $180 million for small district modernization grants; and $40 million for indoor air quality grants. The Senate supplemental capital budget also includes incremental increases for urgent and emergency repair projects, energy assessment grants, and ADA compliance; and a sizeable investment in skill centers.
The Senate Ways & Means Committee will meet Monday at 4 PM to consider amendments to the supplemental capital budget and pass it to the Rules Committee for likely action on the Senate floor later in the week.
Finally, on Sunday, February 18, the Senate’s proposed supplemental operating budget was released a little after 4 PM. The results were underwhelming. Senate K-12 investments in PSSB 5950 include:
- $13.5 million to increase the cap on special education from 15% to 15.6%;
- $19 million to support transportation of an estimated 32,000 McKinney Vento students; and
- $49.6 million to support increased ratios for paraeducators and classified office support.
Unfortunately, moments after the revenue forecast was released, OSPI shared an error in the STARS transportation funding formula for this biennium with budget writers. Budget writers scrambled, adding $76.89 million in transportation spending to the current biennium and $165.7 million over the four-year outlook. OSPI had previously alerted both Senate and House budget writers to the need for an additional $45 million in school meal funding after underestimating the cost of compliance with the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) bill passed in the 2023 session. Combined, these two unexpected additions sucked a lot of air out of the room.
Unexplained is the elimination of $69 million per fiscal year in the state Department of Commerce budget for the development of community electric vehicle charging infrastructure. It is possible this funding may appear in the Senate and/or House transportation or operating budgets since the funding doesn’t appear to get transferred to a different state agency in the Senate operating budget proposal.
Some people may wonder why the Senate didn’t include an increase in MSOC (school operating cost allocations). As a reminder, when a bill passes the Senate, it is expected to be included in the Senate operating budget, and HB 2494 is a House bill. That said, additional funding is provided for the computer science graduation requirements (SB 5849); allowing non-yellow school bus vehicles to transport students (SB 6031); chronically absent students grant programs (SB 5850); an AED device grant program (SB 5790); and health and pension benefits for contracted bus drivers (SB 5873).
The Senate proposal also includes some policy-level funding, including $3.5 million to add one cohort of 15 special education teacher residents to complete a year-long training and in-classroom teaching program; $2.3 million to support behavioral health regional grants to school districts with the least access to behavioral health services; and $2.1 million as grants to small school districts with fewer than 750 students when students leave (causing funding to drop) to attend regional skill centers.
Everett Senator June Robinson, Chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, will hold a press conference Monday at 9:30 AM on TVW to share highlights of her budget proposal and answer questions. The Senate Ways & Means Committee meets at 4 PM on February 19 to take public testimony on its proposal. The bill is scheduled for executive action on February 21st at 3 PM in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.
House Appropriations Chair Timm Ormsby, D-Spokane, and House Capital Budget leads Rep. Steve Tharinger, D-Port Townsend, and Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia, plan to release their 2024 supplemental operating and capital budget proposals at noon February 19. The House Appropriations Committee will hear public comments on PSHB 2104 at its Monday 4 PM hearing, while the House Capital Budget will meet Tuesday, February 20 at 8 AM to take testimony on PSHB 2089.
The best place to find all the budget proposals is on the Legislative Evaluation & Accountability Program (LEAP) website. Click on the Current Legislative Proposals under the Documents & Lists header, here.
All fiscal committees are scheduled to vote their respective budget proposals out of committees and get them to the floor for a vote of each chamber to expedite negotiations between the two and prepare for a March 7 end date.
Bills that failed to pass the February 13 cutoff
As mentioned above, many bills were left in the Rules committees or on the floor without a vote when the House of Origin deadline passed on February 13. All bills may be accessed on the Bill Info webpage. Here’s a list of bills that are finished for the session:
- HB 1244 would have gradually increased the enrichment levy from $2,500 maximum per pupil to $3,000.
- 3SHB 1565 would have created a Joint Legislative Task Force on the Educator Workforce.
- HB 1935 would have established a voluntary Washington State Green Schools Program at OSPI to create and expand resource conservation practices in public schools. It would have created a grant program to expand resource conservation practices.
- HB 2038 would have asked parents who withdraw their students from public schools or school districts to share the rationale for leaving.
- HB 2238 would have imposed a new tax on the sale or transfer of ammunition.
- HB 2267 would have allowed all graduating seniors to have one item of cultural significance at their graduation ceremony.
- HB 2313 would have expanded the purpose and duties of the Washington State Office of Equity regarding digital equity, including requiring the Office to monitor the implementation of the Digital Equity Plan and conduct an outreach effort regarding broadband and digital equity programs.
- HB 2398 would have changed representation requirements on instructional materials committees.
- HB 2458, as originally drafted, would have required a rebase of the experience factor based on school year data from the year preceding the allocation year, and would have created a 2% soft landing for districts that became no longer eligible the following year.
- SB 5085 would have made multiple changes to the transfer of school principals.
- SB 5770 would have increased the property tax revenue limit for local property taxes.
- SB 6205 would have mandated the instruction on the meaning and history of the pledge of allegiance in public schools.
Advocacy in Action!
- WSPTA Advocacy Committee member Natalya Yudkovsky testified in support of HB 1146, requiring school districts to provide information about dual credit programs and any financial assistance available to reduce dual credit and exam costs for students and their families. In addition to supporting the bill in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee February 14th, Natalya requested an amendment that would ensure students and families know how to access and transfer the credits once they are earned. Watch Natalya here.
- Natalya also testified in the House Education Committee last week on E2SSB 5849, creating a computer science competency graduation requirement. Natalya pointed out the challenges with implementing another graduation requirement, particularly for the class of 2029, and asked Committee members to consider allowing the State Board of Education to do a more comprehensive review of graduation requirements and the time and resources to implement anything new. Watch Natalya here.
- WSPTA Advocacy member Danica Noble testified in support of E2SHB 1956, addressing fentanyl and other substance use prevention education, on February 15th. Danica encouraged Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee members to return to language in the original bill and to make this a requirement for students in schools. Watch Danica here.
The Week Ahead (schedule is subject to change)
Human Services (Senate) – SHR 2 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 2/19 @ 10:30am
- ESHB 2256 – Public Hearing – Addressing the children and youth behavioral health work group. (Remote Testimony Available). (Support)
Law & Justice (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 2/19 @ 10:30am
- SHB 1903 – Public Hearing – Reporting lost or stolen firearms. (Remote Testimony Available). (Support)
- ESHB 2021 – Public Hearing – Concerning the disposition of privately owned firearms in the custody of state or local government entities or law enforcement agencies. (Remote Testimony Available). (Support)
- ESHB 2118 – Public Hearing – Protecting the public from gun violence by establishing additional requirements for the business operations of licensed firearms dealers. (Remote Testimony Available). (Support)
Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry (House) – HHR D and Virtual JLOB – 2/19 @ 1:30pm
- ESSB 5891 – Public Hearing – Designating trespassing on a school bus as a felony offense. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Protecting the safety and security of students and maintaining order within school buses by designating trespassing on a school bus as a criminal offense.) (Remote Testimony Available).
Early Learning & K-12 Education (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 2/19 @ 1:30pm
- ESHB 2236 – Public Hearing – Expanding and strengthening career and technical education core plus programs. (Remote Testimony Available).
- 3SHB 1228 – Public Hearing – Building a multilingual, multiliterate Washington through dual and tribal language education. (Remote Testimony Available). (Support)
- E2SHB 1368 – Public Hearing – Requiring and funding the purchase of zero emission school buses. (Remote Testimony Available). (Support/Medium)
- ESHB 2331 – Exec Session – Modifying requirements for public school instructional and supplemental instructional materials. (Support)
- SHB 2195 – Exec Session – Strengthening the early learning facilities grant and loan program by revising criteria and providing resources to the Ruth LeCocq Kagi early learning facilities development account.
- ESHB 2494 – Public Hearing – Increasing state funding for operating costs in schools. (Remote Testimony Available).
Education (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 2/19 @ 1:30pm
- SB 5647 – Exec Session – Providing temporary employees necessary information about school safety policies and procedures. (Support)
- SSB 5648 – Exec Session – Including state-tribal education compact schools and charter schools as entities able to receive waivers from the state board of education. (Support)
- E2SSB 5670 – Exec Session – Permitting 10th grade students to participate in running start in online settings. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Providing summer running start for rising juniors.)
- ESB 5790 – Exec Session – Concerning bleeding control equipment in schools. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Concerning medical equipment in schools. ). (Support)
- SSB 5804 – Exec Session – Concerning opioid overdose reversal medication in public schools. (Support)
- SB 5883 – Exec Session – Concerning the burden of proof for special education due process hearings.
- SJM 8007 – Exec Session – Requesting Congress to fully fund 40 percent of the costs of IDEA.
- ESSB 5850 – Public Hearing – Supporting students who are chronically absent and at risk for not graduating high school. (Remote Testimony Available).
Appropriations (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 2/19 @ 4:00pm
- HB 2104 – Public Hearing – Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations. (Hearing is on the proposed substitute bill.)
Ways & Means (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 2/19 @ 4:00pm
- SB 5949 – Exec Session – Concerning the capital budget.
- SB 5950 – Public Hearing – Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations. (Hearing is on the Proposed Substitute.)
Capital Budget (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 2/20 @ 8:00am
- HB 2089 – Public Hearing – Concerning the capital budget. (Hearing is on the proposed substitute bill).
Health & Long Term Care (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 2/20 @ 8:00am
- E2SHB 2247 – Exec Session – Addressing behavioral health provider shortages.
Civil Rights & Judiciary (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 2/20 @ 10:30am
- 2SSB 5444 – Exec Session – Restricting the possession of weapons, excluding carrying a pistol by a person licensed to carry a concealed pistol, on the premises of libraries, zoos, aquariums, and transit facilities. (Support/Monitoring)
Human Services (Senate) – SHR 2 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 2/20 @ 10:30am
- 2SHB 1929 – Exec Session – Supporting young adults following inpatient behavioral health treatment.
- ESHB 2256 – Exec Session – Addressing the children and youth behavioral health work group. (Support)
Law & Justice (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 2/20 @ 10:30am
- SHB 1903 – Exec Session – Reporting lost or stolen firearms. (Support)
- ESHB 2021 – Exec Session – Concerning the disposition of privately owned firearms in the custody of state or local government entities or law enforcement agencies. (Support)
- ESHB 2118 – Exec Session – Protecting the public from gun violence by establishing additional requirements for the business operations of licensed firearms dealers. (Support)
Postsecondary Education & Workforce (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 2/20 @ 1:30pm
- SB 5904 – Exec Session – Extending the terms of eligibility for financial aid programs.
State Government & Elections (Senate) – SHR 2 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 2/20 @ 1:30pm
- E2SHB 1692 – Exec Session – Creating student advisory groups.
Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry (House) – HHR D and Virtual JLOB – 2/20 @ 4:00pm
- ESSB 5891 – Exec Session – Designating trespassing on a school bus as a felony offense. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Protecting the safety and security of students and maintaining order within school buses by designating trespassing on a school bus as a criminal offense.)
Education (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 2/20 @ 4:00pm
- SB 5180 – Exec Session – Adopting the interstate teacher mobility compact. (Support/Low)
- ESB 5462 – Exec Session – Promoting inclusive learning standards and instructional materials in public schools. (Support)
- E2SSB 5849 – Exec Session – Concerning a computer science competency graduation requirement. (Concerns)
- SB 5852 – Exec Session – Concerning special education safety net awards. (Support)
- ESSB 6264 – Exec Session – Supporting the implementation of competency-based education. (Support)
- ESSB 5850 – Exec Session – Supporting students who are chronically absent and at risk for not graduating high school.
Ways & Means (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 2/20 @ 4:00pm
- HB 2044 – Public Hearing – Standardizing limitations on voter-approved property tax levies. (Remote Testimony Available).
Civil Rights & Judiciary (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 2/21 @ 8:00am
- ESSB 5985 – Exec Session – Concerning firearms background check program. (Support)
Higher Education & Workforce Development (Senate) – SHR 2 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 2/21 @ 8:00am
- HB 1946 – Exec Session – Creating the Washington health corps behavioral health scholarship program. (Support)
- 2SHB 2214 – Exec Session – Permitting beneficiaries of public assistance programs to automatically qualify as income-eligible for the purpose of receiving the Washington college grant. (Support)
Postsecondary Education & Workforce (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 2/21 @ 1:30pm
- SB 5904 – Exec Session – Extending the terms of eligibility for financial aid programs.
Ways & Means (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 2/21 @ 3:00pm
- SB 5950 – Exec Session – Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations.
Appropriations (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 2/21 @ 4:00pm
- HB 2104 – Exec Session – Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations.
Capital Budget (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 2/23 @ 8:00am