Week 14: Another one bites the dust and only one cutoff remains
By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org See our comprehensive bill tracker for week 14. April 8th marked the date by which bills from the opposite chamber needed to be passed out of fiscal committees. Starting the next day, work turned to floor action, with the Senate finishing business Friday night and the House working through Saturday. The…
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Legislative
Week 13: Capital Budgets Released, Governor Says “No Go” on Wealth Tax
By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org View our comprehensive bill tracker looking ahead to week 13 here. Over the past few weeks, lawmakers have been focused on releasing their proposed House and Senate biennial budgets for operations, transportation and construction and narrowing down the number of bills under consideration that will make it to Governor Bob Ferguson’s…
Week 12: House and Senate offer differing operating budget proposals for K-12 education
By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org View our comprehensive bill tracker looking ahead to week 12 here. House and Senate Democrats released their proposed 2025-27 operating and transportation budgets on Monday, March 24th, held public hearings on Tuesday, and accepted amendments on Thursday. On Saturday, the Senate passed the operating budget (ESSB 5167) by a vote of…
Bring On the Budgets (and the Revenue Ideas!)
By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org Be sure to check out our comprehensive Week 11 Bill Tracker to see how bills we support have fared. Last week the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council reported that anticipated revenue collections would be down by nearly $900 million over the next four fiscal years: $479 million in 2025-27, and $420…
Hs Civil Rights & Judiciary SB 5098
Advocacy Committee member Dr. Gwen Loosmore testified in favor of E2SSB 5098, restricting the possession of weapons on the premises of state or local public buildings, parks or playground facilities where children are likely to be present, and county fairs and county fair facilities. Gwen said that a simple restriction like those presented in the…
WA Faces Revenue Decline in New Budget Outlook
By Advocacy Committee, ptaadvocacydir@wastatepta.org On March 18, the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council released the latest revenue forecast. The figures further worsened the state’s financial outlook, adding to an already projected operating budget shortfall of up to $15 billion over the next four years. The latest forecast projects nearly $900 million less for…
Week 9: Spring ahead to the second half of the 2025 session
By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org Be sure to check out our comprehensive Week 9 Bill Tracker to see how bills we support have fared. Last week, the Legislature crossed the half-way mark of the 105-day session, which means there is still a lot of time left on the calendar to advocate for priorities, share concerns, and…
WSPTA Testifies: Lowering the Thresholds
Advocacy in Action! WSPTA Board member Tori Emerson, a parent and educator in the 39th legislative district, urged members of the Senate Ways & Means Committee to pass SSB 5186, which would lower the threshold to pass bonds by a simple majority. Tori shared her frustration and concern about her school district failing five bonds…
First deadline signals end of the line for many bills, Big 3 remain alive
By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org Over the course of the 105-day session the Legislature has set deadlines for bills to remain under consideration and possibly cross the finish line for signature by Governor Bob Ferguson. The first of these “cutoffs” was Friday, February 21st, when bills needed to pass out of policy committees. Bills with a…
Week Six: Make way for Focus Day!
By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org Click here to view the comprehensive Week 6 bill tracker. More than 280 people have registered for Washington State PTA’s Focus Day in Olympia, and the capital will be a crowded place, with many rallies and protests taking place on the Capitol campus. WSPTA members will be meeting with legislators and…