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 educate legislators on key issues.
Next Wednesday, March 12, is the deadline for bills to pass out of the chamber in which they began. In other words, House bills must pass out of the House and Senate bills must pass out of the Senate. In addition, Wednesday has a 5 PM cutoff. This means that legislators can take up one last bill prior to 5 PM, but all other work must cease. Bills that fail this deadline are typically dead for the session – the exceptions are bills labeled Necessary to Implement the Budget (i.e., NTIB), which are bills that produce “savings,” or result in new revenues that will help budget writers propose balanced budgets.
The Senate wrapped up its floor action early Friday afternoon, but the House worked into the wee morning hours both Friday and Saturday. Neither chamber came in on Sunday, taking a well-needed break from the action.
Beginning March 13 and continuing through April 2nd, policy and fiscal committees will take up bills that have passed the opposite chamber. Bills have been scheduled for public hearings on Thursday and Friday this week (see The Week Ahead).
Gun bills pass House and Senate
One of the reasons the state House of Representatives worked until 2:30 AM Saturday morning is the long debate over ESHB 1163 and the 45 posted amendments to the bill. The bill would expand permit requirements and training standards related to the purchase, transfer and possession of firearms. For a summary of the bill, please read the House Bill Report here. The bill likely will be referred to the Senate Law & Justice Committee.
Earlier in the week, the Senate passed E2SSB 5098, prohibiting weapons at certain park facilities where children are likely to be present, certain state or local public buildings, and county fairs when the fair is open to the public. The bill passed by a vote of 28-21, with Senate Democrats Adrian Cortes, D-Battle Ground, and Claudia Kauffman, D-Kent, voting with all 19 Republicans against the bill. The bill has been referred to the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee.
Budget interests
The Washington state revenue forecast is March 18, and the two-year budgets are expected to be released that week.
According to the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council, the February 14th Economic and Revenue update showed that collections for the January 11-February 10, 2025 collection period came in $60.5 million (2.6%) higher than forecasted, mostly reversing the previous month’s shortfall. That said, tracked collections since the November 2024 forecast are still $17.2 million lower than forecasted.
Last month lawmakers began introducing revenue generating bills. Bills that create savings as proposed by former Governor Jay Inslee, such as SB 5737 – suspending National Board Bonuses – as well as a new bill sponsored by Puyallup Republican Chris Gildon, SB 5780 – reducing school district reimbursement payments for vehicles purchased through a local, state or federal grant or rebate – are scheduled in the Senate Ways & Means Committee on March 13 at 4 PM.
Other bills, including SB 5772 (reducing levy equalization for school districts with higher percentages of Alternative Learning Education students), SB 5769 (freezing Transition to Kindergarten enrollment), and SB 5752 (pausing growth in the state’s Early Childhood Education & Assistance Program (ECEAP)) until the 2030-31 school year), have had hearings and are waiting in Senate Rules or on the Senate floor for a vote. The House has similar bills for pausing the ECEAP entitlement program (HB 1489) and freezing Transition to Kindergarten at the 2024-25 and 2023-24 levels, respectively. (HB 2012, HB 1450). Expect these types of ideas that would “save the state money” to have hearings or floor action soon.
Big Three update
On Thursday, March 6, the Senate passed ESSB 5192, regarding school district Materials, Supplies and Operating Costs (MSOC), by a vote of 47-2. The bill was amended on the floor, correcting the increased MSOC amounts to $77.49 for all students and $14.94 for students in grades 9-12. The bill also would require districts, beginning in the 2026-27 school year, to report MSOC expenditures by disaggregated categories, including activities beyond the nine previously listed in the budget and policy documents.
SHB 1338, the House MSOC bill that would add $5.55 per student in the 2025-26 school year, remains in the House Rules Committee. After speaking with the bill sponsor, Rep. April Berg, D-Mill Creek, it was unclear whether the House will pursue an MSOC bill or just use ESSB 5192 as the vehicle.
2SSB 5263, funding special education services, is on the Senate floor calendar and may get tapped as the final bill of March 12th. The bill is preferred to the House version: it would remove the cap on student enrollment; increase the student excess cost multiplier by 1.32; and lower the threshold to reach the safety net to 1.75. The bill also includes funding for inclusionary practices.
Over in the House, SHB 1357, providing special education funding and support for inclusionary practices, was pulled to the floor on Sunday, March 9th. The bill increases the student excess cost multiplier from 1.12 to 1.18 for students spending 80% or more of their time in a general education classroom, and from 1.06 to 1.09 for students spending less than 80% of their time in general education classrooms. The bill would leave the cap in place and the safety net unchanged. Look for possible House Republican amendments to the bill to increase the amounts, remove the cap, or change the safety net threshold.
While student transportation for special passengers could be funded in the operating budget, unless something changes in the financial outlook, new funding is not expected this session.
Bring the numbers – attend a Town Hall with your legislators!
Many legislators will be holding town halls over the next few weeks to check in with their constituents. Parents, school board representatives, teachers, students and community members must attend the town halls and demand that legislators prioritize K-12 education funding and restore bills’ funding levels to close gaps in special education, Materials, Supplies & Operating Costs, and student transportation.
If your town hall is in person, consider having your whole group wear the same color. If it’s on Zoom, consider having matching backgrounds. If it’s on the phone, consider explicitly saying how many of your fellow education advocates are on the call.
Introduce yourself in a way that highlights just how many Washingtonians are impacted by the education funding crisis and just how influential PTA can be. It might go something like this: “Hello, I am one of your constituents. My name is [XYZ]. I came here with [X] of my fellow parents from [PTA name]. We are reporting back to our membership of [number of people] who all want our schools fully funded.”
- House Democrats town hall meetings
- House Republican town hall meetings
- Senate Democrats town hall meetings
- Senate Republicans town hall meetings
Look for more information here.
Simple Majority for bonds seeking a few Republican votes
2SSB 5186 and SSJR 8200 would ask voters to lower the threshold to pass bonds from 60 percent to a simple majority. The fight is on to find at least three Senate Republicans to reach the supermajority needed to send the measure to the House. While the March 12th deadline for bills is looming, with permission from legislators, these bills may not be subject to the cutoff.
Even if the Senate votes are found, all 59 House Democrats would need to support the measures along with seven House Republicans to reach the magic 66 supermajority in that chamber. Again, there’s still time but the clock is ticking.
Changes to graduation requirements
2SHB 1285 would make financial education a graduation requirement, starting with the graduating class of 2031. As passed by the House, the bill would require school districts with a high school, beginning in or before the 2027-28 school year, to provide all high school students with instruction in the state financial education learning standards. This is aligned with the current OSPI update of the Washington State Learning Standards, which require financial education to be implemented the 2026-27 school year.
Rather than requiring a course or specific graduation credit as was conceived in the original bill, the second substitute would require students in the graduating class of 2031 to meet the high school state financial education learning standards to graduate from high school. An exception could be made for any senior who transferred in from out of state and didn’t have an opportunity to meet the standard.
The Financial Education Public-Private Partnership (FEPPP) would create a statewide implementation plan which could include recommendations for additional funding for grants to integrate financial literacy education into professional development for certificated staff. The plan is due December 31, 2026. The State Board of Education (SBE) is also directed to recommend adjustments to graduation requirements and other education offerings and to consult with a variety of stakeholders. Its report is also due December 31, 2026.
SSB 5327 would direct the SBE to review graduation requirements and recommend adjustments to ensure students have adequate opportunity to demonstrate competency of the high school computer science and financial education learning standards. Under the bill, the SBE report is due December 31, 2026.
In addition, OSPI would be directed to review and update the computer science and financial education learning standards, including identifying any standards considered to be foundational for graduation purposes. The bill has been referred to the House Education Committee.
Advocacy in Action
- On February 24th, 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 and the impact that has on the community and students. Listen to Tori here.
- At the same hearing, WSPTA President Angela Steck spoke in favor of Substitute Senate Joint Resolution 8200, the measure that would direct the Secretary of State to put changing the threshold to pass bonds from 60% to simple majority on the next General Election ballot. The measure would put the decision squarely in the hands of the voters and, if adopted, would allow local voters to decide if they wanted to pass bonds by a simple majority. Angela’s testimony can be found here.
The Week Ahead – All hearings can be found on TVW – Schedule subject to change
Early Learning & K-12 Education (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 3/13 @ 10:30am
- EHB 1393 – Public Hearing – Providing public school students with opportunities for cultural expression at commencement ceremonies. (Remote Testimony Available).
Education (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 3/13 @ 10:30am
- SB 5189 – Public Hearing – Supporting the implementation of competency-based education. (Remote Testimony Available).
Ways & Means (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 3/13 @ 4:00pm
- SB 5737 – Public Hearing – Suspending the national board for professional standards certification bonuses for certificated instructional staff. (Remote Testimony Available).