Floor action is now taking place as both Houses work to clear bills to send to the opposite House. Bills now must be pulled from Rules, placed on House calendar, and passed before the February 17 House of Origin cutoff. This is a critical moment.
Communication with legislators by telling your story and the impact of proposals remains important up until after the Governor acts.
Bills Involving School and District Leadership
The selected bills are one that will impact operations within a building and will involve the principal and central office personnel in implementation. In addition, there is a selection of bills that will impact on the fiscal side of schools which, of course, impacts the resources available to the classrooms and buildings.
SSHB 1085: Improving school safety by extending penalties for interference by, or intimidation by threat of, force or violence at schools and extracurricular activities and requiring schools to notify the public of such penalties. On House calendar awaiting action.
ESHB 1622: Allowing bargaining over matters related to the use of artificial intelligence. Requires most state and local government public employers to bargain with employees’ unions over the use of artificial intelligence technology that affects the employees’ wages or performance evaluations. In House Rules awaiting action.
SHB 2257: Concerning taxes administered by the department of Revenue. Provides targeted sales tax exemptions for elementary and secondary schools on certain services and software purchases. Exempts before-and-after school care programs and arts classes by nonprofit cultural organizations from retail sales tax on live presentations. In House Rules awaiting further action. This bill will save districts some expenses.
SHB 2534: Promoting educational stability for children of military families. This makes changes to school district requirements for enrolling children of military families, transferring their education records, and providing them with services and accommodations. In House Rules awaiting further action.
SHB 2593: Addressing school district accounting, budgeting, and reporting requirements. Requires the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to place school districts on formal financial monitoring if they do not meet specified requirements for general fund minimum balances. Currently there are 7 districts in binding conditions, 18 in distress, and 40 in hardship. In House Rules awaiting action.
SHB 2594: Establishes state-based requirements for ensuring that homeless children and youths have equal access to the same free, appropriate public education as is provided to other children and youths. Provides that actions of the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and school districts that meet requirements of the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act also satisfy equivalent requirements established in the bill. On House calendar awaiting action.
SB 5847: Concerning access to medical care in workers’ compensation. Makes changes to the workers’ compensation claims treatment provisions. Allows providers to deviate from the treatment guidelines when medically appropriate. Prevents an employer from requiring that a worker use a specific provider. Permits an injured worker to be treated by a non-network provider in specified circumstances. And more. In Senate Rules awaiting action.
SSB 5860: An act relating to school board compensation. from $50 per day, not to exceed $4,800 per year, to $100 per day, not to exceed $13,750 per year. Adds childcare costs as a type of expense to be paid when directors attend school board meetings. And more. In Senate Rules awaiting action.
SSB 5861: An act relating to encouraging community representation in education. Requires the board of directors of first-class school districts to adopt a redistricting plan to divide the district into directors’ districts. Requires that the director districts take effect at the next regular school election after the redistricting plan has been approved. Provides that school districts with 2000 to 5000 students must be divided into at least three director districts and no more than two at large positions. Provides that school districts with more than 5000 students must be divided into at least four director districts and no more than one at large position. In Senate Rules awaiting action.
SB 5862: Providing a cost-of-living adjustment for plan 1 retirees of the teachers’ retirement system and public employees’ retirement system. A one-time limited COLA for Plans 1 retirees. If successful there would be a slight increase in what districts pay in their surcharge related to the unfunded liability of the plans. On Senate calendar awaiting action.
SSB 5906: An act relating to establishing data and personal safety protections within areas of public accommodation for all Washington residents. Prohibits early learning providers and school district employees from collecting information about the immigration statuses of students or their family members. Prohibits early learning providers, school district employees, health care facilities, adult family homes, higher education institutions, and county auditors’ offices from allowing immigration enforcement officers to enter the nonpublic areas of those locations without a warrant or court order. On Senate calendar awaiting action.
SB 6162: Concerning property tax reform. An act relating to property tax reform by expanding and streamlining the senior citizen property tax relief program, consolidating the state property tax, and making the use of state property tax revenues more transparent. The current state K-12 tax is 2.097. The proposed one will be in 2026- 2.06021. This bill may offer relief to seniors who then may be supportive of levy requests. In Senate Rules awaiting action.
SSB 6239: Requiring arbitration for tort claims against the state of Washington and its subdivisions. Makes certain tort claims against the state or any of its subdivisions subject to civil arbitration for any dollar amount prior to being scheduled for trial based on the age of the claim. This is touted as a way to save dollars in terms of decreasing courtroom time and over the objections of lawyer groups may decrease the settlement amounts. In Senate Rules awaiting further action.
SSB 6247: An act relating to school district fiscal management. Directs educational service districts to provide additional budget supports to school districts that are in binding conditions or showing indicators of financial distress. Directs the Washington State School Directors’ Association to provide governance training on school district funding and finance and requires school directors to complete the training. And more. On the Senate calendar awaiting action.
