WSPTA Bill Status & Upcoming Events Report

Education (House) - HHR A, JLOB - 2/13 @ 1:30pm

• HB 1511 - Public Hearing - Concerning the learning assistance program.
• HB 1518 - Public Hearing - Improving student achievement by promoting social emotional learning throughout the calendar year.
• HB 1618 - Public Hearing - Concerning family and community engagement coordinators.

Early Learning &; Human Services (House) - HHR C, JLOB - 2/14 @ 8:00am

• HB 1867 - Public Hearing - Improving transitions in extended foster care to increase housing stability for foster youth.

Higher Education (House) - HHR D, JLOB - 2/14 @ 8:00am

• HB 1375 - Executive Session - Providing students at community and technical colleges with the costs of required course materials.

Higher Education (Senate) - SHR 3, JACB - 2/14 @ 8:00am

• SB 5476 - Public Hearing - Expanding state need grant eligibility.

Education (House) - HHR A, JLOB - 2/14 @ 1:30pm

• HB 1115 - Executive Session - Concerning para-educators.
• HB 1313 - Executive Session - Improving and expanding applied learning opportunities in public schools.
• HB 1377 - Executive Session - Improving students' mental health by enhancing nonacademic professional services.
• HB 1508 - Executive Session - Promoting student health and readiness through meal and nutrition programs.
• HB 1511 - Executive Session - Concerning the learning assistance program.
• HB 1518 - Executive Session - Improving student achievement by promoting social emotional learning throughout the calendar year.
• HB 1618 - Executive Session - Concerning family and community engagement coordinators.
• HB 1756 - Executive Session - Concerning career and technical education.

Ways & Means (Senate) - SHR 4, JACB - 2/14 @ 3:30pm

• SSB 5107 - Public Hearing - Creating a local pathway for local governments, school districts, institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations to provide more high quality early learning opportunities by reducing barriers and increasing efficiency.
• SB 5070 - Public Hearing - Concerning para-educators.

Higher Education (House) - HHR D, JLOB - 2/15 @ 1:30pm

• HB 1169 - Exec Session - Enacting the student opportunity, assistance, and relief act. 
• HB 1440 - Exec Session - Establishing a student loan bill of rights.

Appropriations (House) - HHR A, JLOB - 2/15 @ 3:30pm

• SHB 1046 - Public Hearing - Concerning certificates of academic and individual achievement.
• HB 1621 - Public Hearing - Providing funding allocations to promote children's health and social-emotional learning.

Education (House) - HHR A, JLOB - 2/16 @ 8:00am

• HB 1115 - Exec Session - Concerning para-educators.
• HB 1313 - Exec Session - Improving and expanding applied learning opportunities in public schools.
• HB 1377 - Exec Session - Improving students' mental health by enhancing nonacademic professional services.
• HB 1508 - Exec Session - Promoting student health and readiness through meal and nutrition programs.
• HB 1511 - Exec Session - Concerning the learning assistance program.
• HB 1518 - Exec Session - Improving student achievement by promoting social emotional learning throughout the calendar year.
• HB 1618 - Exec Session - Concerning family and community engagement coordinators.
• HB 1756 - Exec Session - Concerning career and technical education.

Ways &; Means (Senate) - SHR 4, JACB - 2/16 @ 3:30pm

• SB 5702 - Public Hearing - Improving state funding for school construction, modernization, and asset preservation.

Higher Education (House) - HHR D, JLOB - 2/17 @ 10:00am

• HB 1169 - Exec Session - Enacting the student opportunity, assistance, and relief act.
• HB 1440 - Exec Session - Establishing a student loan bill of rights.

Bill Tracker (updated 2/9/17)

Prepared by
Marie Sullivan
WSPTA Legislative Consultant
Email Marie

Legislative Committee Schedule: Week 1

January 9 - 13, 2017

Monday, January 9

9 a.m., Joint Education Funding Task Force, HHR A

Agenda:

1.       Discussion and adoption of Education Funding Task Force recommendations to the Legislature.

2.       Public comment.

1:30 p.m., House Education, HHR A

Work Session: An Overview of Washington's K-12 System.

1.       K-12 System Overview.

2.       Roles and Responsibilities for K-12 Education in Washington -- Part One.

3:30 p.m., House Appropriations, HHR A

Work Session:

1.       Introduction of members.

2.       Committee procedures and expectations.

3.       Presentation of the Governor's 2017-2019 biennial and 2017 supplemental operating budget proposals.

Public Hearing:

1.       Governor's 2017-2019 operating budget proposal.

2.       Governor's 2017 supplemental operating budget proposal.

The public hearing will be continued Thursday, January 12, if necessary.

                                                                                                                                                                      

Tuesday, January 10

1:30 p.m., House Education, HHR A

Work Session: Roles and Responsibilities for K-12 Education in Washington -- Part Two.

3:30 p.m., House Capital Budget, HHR B

Work Session: K-12 School Construction.

                                                                                                                                                                      

Wednesday, January 11

3:30 p.m., House Appropriations, HHR A

Public Hearing: HB 1059 - Delaying implementation of revisions to the school levy lid. (If measure is referred to committee.)

Work Session: Overview of the operating budget process, structure, and other considerations.

3:30 p.m., Senate Ways & Means, SHR 4

Public Hearing: Governor's Proposed Operating Budget.

1.       K-12 Public Schools.

2.       Higher Education.

3.       Early Learning.

4.       Employee Compensation.

5.       Mental Health.

6.       Other Human Services.

7.       Natural Resources.

8.      All Other.

                                                                                                                                                                        

Thursday, January 12

8 a.m., House Education, HHR A

Work Session: A History of Education Reform in Washington.

1:30 p.m., Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education, SHR 1

Work Session:

1.       Introductions.

2.       Committee Operating Procedures.

3.       Historical overview of education funding and governance of Early Learning and K-12 Education in Washington.

4.       2017-19 Operating Budget Overview.

3:30 p.m., House Appropriations, HHR A

Public Hearing: (continuation of Monday, January 9, public hearing if it is needed)

1.       Governor's 2017-2019 operating budget proposal.

2.       Governor's 2017 supplemental operating budget proposal.

Possible Executive Session: HB 1059 - Delaying implementation of revisions to the school levy lid. (If measure is referred to committee.)

3:30 p.m., Senate Ways & Means, SHR 4

Public Hearing: Governor's Proposed Capital Budget.

1.       K-12 Public Schools.

2.       Higher Education.

3.       Mental Health.

4.       Natural Resources.

5.       All Other.

                                                                                                                                                                       

Friday, January 13

8 a.m., House Capital Budget, HHR B

Work Session: Presentation by the Office of Financial Management on Governor Inslee's proposed 2017-19 Capital Budget and 2017 Supplemental Capital Budget.

Public Hearing:

1.       Governor's Proposed 2017-19 Capital Budget and 2017 Supplemental Capital Budget.

2.       Governor's Proposed State General Obligation Bonds.

Sine Die Day!

Sine Die day dawns with no budget agreement.

Today marks the 60th day and the end of the regular session, and while budget negotiators say they have agreed on the "size of the box" for the budget, don't look for an agreement and voting by both chambers today. While no one has an exact date, it would appear that the Governor will call legislators back in on Friday to complete their work, which could take up to another week.

In a positive sign of movement, the Senate Ways & Means Committee held a hearing and voted on a handful of bills Wednesday afternoon. None of the bills was related to WSPTA priorities. 

However, of interest to WSPTA members is that Breakfast after the Bell may be unstuck, and part of the final negotiations in the operating budget. Lawmakers in the Senate were stuck on the mandate of the bill, which required all school districts with students who meet a 70 percent eligibility for free and reduced price meals to offer an expanded breakfast program. Some legislators balked at what they saw as another unfunded mandate for school districts.

Senator Bruce Dammeier (R-Puyallup) offered a compromise of a voluntary program, with one-time start-up grants capped at a total of $500,000. The amendment to the bill, if adopted, would pass after or at the same time as the operating budget. While not everything  advocates had hoped for, a bill this session would at least begin the program in another 83 or more schools across the state.

Small increases in K-12 construction funding may be part of the 2016 supplemental capital budget, which as of Wednesday afternoon hadn't been finalized. Typically the capital budget and the bond bill that supports it will be the final bills of the session, wait - special session.

House Democrats spent most of Wednesday closeted in caucus discussing the charter schools bill, SB 6194. The bill passed with all House Republicans voting for it along with 10 Democrats. The Senate spent a good portion of the last few days recognizing the retirements of Lt. Governor Brad Owen, Senators Benton and Fraser, and long-time legislative employees. 

The House returns to the floor at 10 a.m., while the Senate begins work at 11 a.m. The main work of the day is to concur or dispute any bills that were changed in the opposite chamber, and send bills to the Governor's desk. Only a handful of bills met the 5-day rule under which Governor Inslee threatened a veto. Bills that are delivered today are given 20 days to be signed or vetoed before they become law. Bills become law 90 days after today, unless they have a different effective date.

Marie Sullivan
Legislative Consultant
LegConsultant@wastatepta.org