Legislative Update

As the calendar flipped to February this week and I realized it was the 25th day of this year’s legislative session, I felt a little relief. January was a blur as hundreds of education bills were introduced, and keeping track of those and all of the associated conversations about them takes a lot of mental energy. The first cut-off date of the year is fast approaching. February 17 is when bills must be passed out of their policy committees. The fast pace of keeping up with committee hearings continues for just two more weeks.

A reminder that the 17th of February is the first cut-off when policy bills have to make it out of their respective committees. Fiscal bills have until the 24th. So, the clock is running and selected bills are moving. Listed below are bills that show some life.

The leaders of Washington’s statewide organizations representing parents and families, teachers, principals, classified school employees, superintendents, school board members, and our state superintendent have four top priorities for supporting Washington’s students this legislative session. Read their joint statement.

About 25 of our amazing principals and assistant principals will join us in Olympia on Monday, January 30, to meet with legislators at the Capitol and to attend a legislative reception in the evening. Our goal is to continue conversations about what our principals and assistant principals need to effectively lead their schools and how the Legislature can help continue supporting students and staff.

There’s a certain rhythm to the Legislature as the session continues. Action begins to move from the public hearings, to executive ones, to rules and dribbling onto the floor for action. The 17th of February is the first cut-off, and in all likelihood, the 6th is a closer measure of when new bills will cease being introduced. (It takes time to schedule, hear, etc. in order to meet the February deadline).