E-Wire for Jan 29th 2014

Hi there folks,

The E-wire is doing some research at the office today while the House and Senate are in and out of caucus and taking floor action.  The Senate has chosen to lob over the wall the Structured Settlement legislation which prompted the House to respond by sending over the sick leave proposal.  The controversial SB 5246 which makes changes to the Teacher / Principal Evaluations remains on the Senate 2^nd Reading Calendar meaning that there will now be amendments offered.  What they look like is anyone’s guess.  More on this issue soon.

Date	Bill ##	Title	AMD?
1.29	HB 1492	School Year Requirements	Yes - raises threshold from 500 to 2000 to qualify for waiver
1.29	HB 1735	Student Transition Svc	Yes - Striking Amd - (Bill Similar to SB 5958)
1.29	HB 2166	Students/Military Families	Yes - Striking Amendment Adds OSPI Requirement + Special Ed track
1.29	HB 2216	Local History/Ed	No
1.29	HB 2217	K-12 Facilities Use	No
1.29	HB 2540	Career & Tech Course Equivalents	Yes
1.29	HB 2133	Student Privacy	Striking Amendment

As the Legislature enters into February, we are seeing a general theme here.  The House will push on moving an education funding package.  The Senate will focus on smaller, targeted approach highlighting studies and a small amount of funding for pilot projects revolving around early learning and the summer learning loss challenges faced by lower income children.  Both have their merits – and hopefully something of substance will come out of the discussion.

This weekend, the State Board of the PTA met in Tacoma and were updated in the legislative program that we are currently working on in Olympia.  The board approved the actions taken by the Legislative Regional Chairs and Director Krainick and President Gillette.  The following bills have been endorsed and or are supported by the WA State PTA.  Please note the difference between support and endorse is that a PTA Endorsement means we sign in support or opposition and let the sponsors use our name.  For the PTA to Support a Bill means we literally “release the hounds” and pull out all the stops to help pass the bill.

That said – here we go for our first round this session:

Endorse               HB 1817                                Dream Act          

Support               HJR 4216                               Moving School Bond Elections to simple majority vote

Endorse               SB 6129                                 Paraeducator development

Support               HB2540/SB 6044                CTE Course Equivalencies

Endorse               HB 1680                                Omnibus Bill to Close the Opportunities Gap

Support               SB 6101                                 Extending Foster Care services

The PTA also signed in support of the following bills during the legislative session

HB 2181                Regarding the 24 Credit Graduation Requirement

HB 2107                Medical Residency expansion in South Eastern Washington

HB 2217                Family and Community Engagement Coordinators working to improve utilization of K-12 Facilities

HB 2242                Implementing selected education reforms using recommendations from the quality education council's 2014 report to the legislature.

Please note – while the PTA was acting on legislation to support or endorse, the legislature was busy moving bills out of committee.  The attached excel spreadsheet highlights were some of the Education and Childhood Development Bills are at in the process.  This list is current to this AM as the House Education Committee has not yet reported out the results of today’s hearing.  More to come as this will be a very, very busy week for Education.

With that – welcome to the E-Wire!

Top Story – BERTHA MOVES - http://kplu.org/post/tunneling-machine-bertha-moves-ahead-2-feet - just kidding - the real top story is Governor Inslee pushing for $200 million in education funding for 2014 Supplemental Budget - http://governor.wa.gov/news/releases/article.aspx?id=193 then look here

http://www.kplu.org/post/gov-inslee-wants-put-200-million-more-education-supplies-teacher-colas then here

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20140129/NEWS01/140128941/Inslee-outlines-plan-for-schools and in other news, Senate Majority Caucus says not so fast - http://crosscut.com/2014/01/29/under-the-dome/118517/inslee-wants-200-million-schools-tax-breaks/ while Senate Democrats favor Inslee’s proposals - http://sdc.wastateleg.org/blog/2014/01/28/inslee-democrats-call-for-action-to-fund-k-12-education/

Following up on increased funding – people may want to remember that reducing class size also means increased school construction needs to address the new mandates -  http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/school_news/article_b2bbe556-883d-11e3-90ef-001a4bcf887a.html - which is why the PTA is on board with lowering that bond passage requirement!

POTUS SOTU Speaks to RTTT

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2014/01/president_obama_renews_call_fo.html

It’s not just Washington – Western States rank at the bottom for per pupil funding

http://blogs.seattletimes.com/educationlab/2014/01/29/per-student-spending-has-increased-least-in-the-west/

We had a famous visitor yesterday – from word on the street – she is as cool in person as she is in the media

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Giffords-testifies-in-Olympia-on-states-gun-initiative-242483831.html

Veteran Member Ruth Kagi lines out her priorities - http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20140128/BLOG5207/140129047/Education-transportation-among-Rep.-Kagis-priorities - as does freshman Senator Marko Liias - http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20140128/BLOG5207/140129028/1036/Liias-will-focus-on-economic-opportunity-schools

College – are we getting what we pay for anymore?

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20140128/OPINION04/140128991/College%E2%80%99s-diminishing-returns-

Private Bond funding to pay for social needs?

http://www.kplu.org/post/washington-considers-private-investment-bonds-address-social-problems

Should we be electing the Insurance Commissioner in the HCA world?

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/health-care-inc/2014/01/becker-proposes-abolishing-office-of.html

The E-wire likes this one…

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/health-care-inc/2014/01/entrepreneurs-in-state-facing-higher.html

Expect a graphic in the next e-wire about all the juvenile records bills flying around the legislature like Owls in a Harry Potter flick

http://crosscut.com/2014/01/29/Kidsatrisk/118504/juvenile-records-part-2-olympia-debates-kagi-bill/

Document Filing fees have supported housing and homeless programs for years – now the Senate Majority wants it to cover the Discover Pass shortfall - http://www.theolympian.com/2014/01/28/2953560/competition-for-real-estate-fees.html

Representative David Sawyer has a good idea on waiving introductory college courses for professionals http://www.theolympian.com/2014/01/28/2954071/work-job-experience-may-translate.html

TNT Weighs in on the PDC Board of Directors Dust up

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2014/01/29/3017395/pdc-issue-looks-like-lethargy.html

and finally, Veteran Social Services Lobbyist Nick Federici battles Tim Eyman in hearing over constitutional amendment

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Wash-plan-would-put-anti-tax-rule-in-Constitution-5183281.php

Date	Bill ##	Title	AMD?
1.29	HB 1492	School Year Requirements	Yes - raises threshold from 500 to 2000 to qualify for waiver
1.29	HB 1735	Student Transition Svc	Yes - Striking Amd - (Bill Similar to SB 5958)
1.29	HB 2166	Students/Military Families	Yes - Striking Amendment Adds OSPI Requirement + Special Ed track
1.29	HB 2216	Local History/Ed	No
1.29	HB 2217	K-12 Facilities Use	No
1.29	HB 2540	Career & Tech Course Equivalents	Yes
1.29	HB 2133	Student Privacy	Striking Amendment

For Further Reading on Amendments and Strikers - go here -  https://app.leg.wa.gov/CMD/document.aspx?agency=3&year=2014&cid=888&lid=2216