Dear Friend,

It was nearly comical how busy it was in Olympia this week. Honestly, it was hard to keep track of all the action. Budgets being released, amended, debated, and voted on were juggled with the opposite chamber policy committee cutoff that was this past Wednesday. You can tell fiscal committees are on the homeward stretch as they began holding day-long hearings trying to finish their work before the final fiscal committee cutoff on Tuesday, April 4.

Advocates (including LEV) are trying to revive policy bills that did not make it past the cutoff through last-minute efforts to turn them into budget provisos. People are walking around with fingers crossed that their pleas are being heard and acted on. Learn more about key budget provisos in this Thursday’s free LEVinar on Under the Radar Budget Provisos that Can Make a Difference for Washington’s Young People. The House is scheduled to hear its budget proposal on the floor tomorrow (Monday). Following the House budget vote, the appointed budget negotiators from both chambers will begin to meet. One of the final votes that legislators will take this session will be a yes or no vote on the negotiated budget that will be a result of their intense work. See how the House and Senate budget proposals compare with each other’s and the Governor’s proposal in our LEV 2023-25 biennial budget proposal side-by-side.

Working through the weekend, fiscal committees are trying to hear the last of the policy bills. Keeping their word, both chambers made significant investments in special education funding with the Senate bill, Engrossed 2^nd Substitute Senate Bill 5311 sponsored by Senator Lisa Wellman (D-41), being the vehicle to carry the negotiated package. The House Appropriations Committee heard the bill yesterday and we can expect them to take executive action on Tuesday morning (4/4). On Friday, the Senate Ways & Means Committee heard Engrossed 2^nd Substitute House Bill 1541, the Nothing About Us Without Us Act sponsored by Representative Darya Farivar (D-46). The Senate is expected to vote in favor of the bill and move it on to the Senate Rules Committee on Tuesday (4/4). Learn more about E2SHB 1541 by watching our recent LEVinar. League of Education Voters (LEV) is eager to get both of these priority bills across the finish line. 

Unfortunately, two bills that LEV had been supporting did not make it past the policy cutoff. Engrossed Senate Bill 5462, sponsored by Senator Marko Liias (D-21), would have established an inclusive curriculum in our K-12 system. The bill was not brought up for a vote in the House Education Committee. Work will be done on the bill over the interim and hopefully the concerns House members had will be addressed. Engrossed 2^nd Substitute House Bill 1479, which would end isolation and restraint practices in our schools, did not move out of the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Committee. The bill’s sponsor, Representative Lisa Callan (D-5), continues to work with advocates and House leadership in hopes of moving forward a budget proviso that would direct additional work to be done over the interim on the issue. Upon not bringing the bill up for a vote, the Chair and Vice Chair of the Senate committee made strong statements regarding their commitment to the issue. LEV will continue to be involved in lifting the voices of students, parents, and advocates in the process. Please participate in our Action Alert to encourage legislators to fund a budget proviso for E2SHB 1479. 

Beginning on Wednesday, the Legislature begins full-time floor action, working to find agreement on the various bills and issues to send to the Governor for his signature before the final gavel comes down on April 23^rd. I hope at some point during the anticipated long hours, everyone in Olympia finds the time to enjoy the blooming cherry trees that cover the Capitol Campus. It would also give them an opportunity to check on the “sine die tree” outside the Legislative Building. Located near the East entrance, the “sine die tree” is known to begin to bloom like clockwork every long session right before we pack up to go home. It is just a nice reminder that the long hours in Olympia are coming to an end. 

• Follow which education-related bills we are watching in our Bill Tracker.
• See how the House and Senate budget proposals compare with each other’s and the Governor’s proposal in our LEV 2023-25 biennial budget proposal side-by-side.
• Register for this Thursday’s free LEVinar on Under the Radar Budget Provisos that Can Make a Difference for Washington’s Young People.
• Check out our Youth Advocacy Hub on how to engage with legislation in Olympia.
• Action Alert – Contact key members of the Washington state Legislature and urge them to equip our education system with proven strategies and supports to address students who exhibit challenging behaviors by funding House Bill 1479.
• Listen to our Putting Students First podcast episode on Isolation and Restraint in Washington state Schools.
• Watch the recording of our LEVinar on Ending Isolation Practices in K-12 Schools.
• Watch the recording of our LEVinar on Nothing About Us Without Us.
• Watch our LEVinar on the Special Education Funding Cap.
• Read our guest blog by students from the Washington state Legislative Youth Advisory Council (LYAC) on why we need inclusive education. 
• Read our 2023 Legislative Platform and Field Report.
• Watch our LEVinar on What to Expect in the 2023 Legislative Session.
• Join Investing in Student Potential, our coalition to champion students who need special education services.
• Read frequently asked questions about the Washington state Legislature.