2024 Bill Status Reports
Each week, WSPTA Legislative Consultant Marie Sullivan assembles a list of bills and upcoming events that are associated with our legislative priorities. We will update this page regularly during the 2024 Legislative Session with Marie’s updates. Reports will be updated every Monday morning. Week 1 – January 8 to January 12 Week 2 – January…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
2024 Legislative Session Recap
Join WSPTA Legislative Consultant Marie Sullivan for a review of the 2024 Legislative Session. Registration is required through the link below. Unable to attend? This session will be recorded and shared via the WSPTA Advocacy Page after the event.
WSPTA Testifies: Schools Meals for All Students
Advocacy in Action! WSPTA Advocacy Committee member Danica Noble testified in favor of SB 5964, providing school meals to all students at the January 29th public hearing of the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee. While the bill didn’t advance, the companion to it – HB 2058 – is moving through the process in…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Testifies: Students and Leaders Convene in Olympia for Focus on Advocacy Day
Advocacy in Action! Washington State PTA was rocking Olympia on January 15, testifying both in person and remotely before three different committees and talking with their legislators. Here’s a look at the day’s testifiers. While he was in town for Focus on Advocacy Day, Paultoro Tanaka, a student at Robert Eagle Staff Middle School, testified…
WSPTA Testifies on Education Funding
Advocacy in Action! Angela Steck, President of Washington State PTA, testified on January 8 before the House Appropriations Committee, thanking Governor Jay Inslee for investments in school meals and lifting the cap on special education from 15% to 17.25%. Angela also noted that 113 school districts would remain above the 17.25% cap, so it was…
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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
House Releases 2023-2025 Budgets, Negotiations to Start This Week
Prepared by Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org House Democrats announced their 2023-25 operating budget on Monday, March 27, and the House Appropriations Committee immediately held a public hearing on the more than 1,200-page document that afternoon. Also released on the 27 was the bipartisan 2023-2025 capital budget. Both budgets have some things in common with the Senate…
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Advocacy
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Legislative