Transcript Highlights:

• </c> by a large communities School District by a large communities School District to to to replace<00
• </c><00:29:41.240><c> it's</c> being used in a large District it's being used in a large District it's
• ><01:01:13.880><c> District</c><01:01:14.559><c> or</c> School in District or out of District or School
• within the district, public school outside the district, or private school outside the district.
• District policy shall not prohibit—so the school district policies are written.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• on military bases, which are the Clover Park School District and the Medical Lake School District.
• One, Clover Park School District.
• And Clover Park School District is in the 28th Legislative District.
• But having school districts, public school districts, available for military kids is super important.
• Clover Park is a unique school district.

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several capital-related bills. HB 2353 would raise the pre-design threshold for state-funded capital projects from $10 million to $15 million and index it to inflation beginning in 2027. The sponsor and a testifier said the change would reduce delays and save money on projects by avoiding costly pre-design work for mid-sized projects; staff noted the bill could reduce future capital budget costs. HB 2420 would increase the Small Works roster contract cap in stages from $350,000 to $650,000 by 2030, with a proposed substitute shifting the first increase from July 2026 to January 2027 to allow time for rulemaking. Testimony from universities, cities, ports, counties, and water/sewer districts supported the bill as a way to reduce administrative burden, speed projects, and help small and diverse contractors. The committee also heard HB 2470, which would change how the School Construction Assistance Program treats school facilities on military bases. Staff explained the bill would exclude on-base instructional space from a district’s available-space calculation and adjust state assistance to account for federal funding, potentially increasing eligibility for affected districts such as Clover Park and Medical Lake. The sponsor and supporters said current rules unfairly reduce state support for districts serving military families; OSPI testified in support but said the bill would need amendment to avoid federal-law issues and was working on a revised approach that would increase the SCAP funding assistance percentage instead of directly referencing federal funds. Clover Park School District and the Veterans Legislative Coalition also supported the measure. In executive session, the committee moved HB 2338, which expands the low-income weatherization program to include community-scaled projects, out of committee with a do-pass recommendation by a vote of 17 ayes and 2 excused. The committee then held a work session with the Recreation and Conservation Office on its competitive grant programs, including Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program accounts, youth athletic facilities, community forests, aquatic lands, boating, off-road vehicle, firearms and archery, and federal grant programs. Members asked about demand, ADA compliance, geographic distribution, and technical assistance; RCO said demand is high in several programs and that it uses scoring criteria, regional allocations, and outreach to improve access statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• I met with several teachers and administrators from school districts within my district.
• And we've heard some districts say we would rather use it during the school day than outside.
• I hate doing that to local school districts, especially when there's some...
• And this is going across school districts within, for our county, it's across 23 school districts.
• I am also a homeless student in the Sacramento Unified School District.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard the Governor’s proposals for universal school meals, the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), and community schools. On universal meals, the Department of Education supported continued funding for the Universal School Meals Program and a fourth round of Kitchen Infrastructure and Training Grants, citing meal-count growth, improved meal service, and the need to offset federal uncertainty, inflation, and reduced direct certification tied to immigration-related policy changes. The LAO recommended rejecting another kitchen grant round, arguing prior rounds are still being spent and the state has not clearly defined unmet need. Members also raised concerns about the state’s ability to backfill federal meal funding and about how federal requirements affect programs like Summer EBT/SUN Bucks. Public commenters largely supported school meals and kitchen investments, with some urging support for plant-based milk options and continued infrastructure funding. For ELOP, the Department of Finance proposed $4.7 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding, including $62.4 million to set a minimum Tier 2 rate of $1,800 per pupil. The LAO recommended going further and fully fixing the Tier 2 rate, saying rate uncertainty complicates district planning. CDE supported the proposal and said the program has improved attendance and academic outcomes, while noting new CalPADS reporting will provide more data soon. Senators discussed whether ELOP should remain a standalone program or be folded into LCFF, and whether the state should require stronger outcome reporting. Public testimony generally backed stabilizing Tier 2 funding, but some speakers urged more support for older youth and more timely, user-friendly reporting. On community schools, the administration proposed $1 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding to expand the model to thousands more schools and to support existing grantees, along with stronger technical assistance, statewide alignment, and an accreditation/self-certification framework. The LAO recommended continuing the current one-time grant approach instead of creating a new ongoing categorical program, warning about reduced flexibility, administrative burden, and the state’s capacity to support a much larger cohort. CDE supported the ongoing investment but asked for additional county office and technical assistance funding. Senators and public commenters were broadly supportive of community schools, emphasizing improved attendance, graduation, and student engagement, while also debating accountability, accreditation, and whether non-classroom-based charter schools should be eligible. Public testimony strongly favored ongoing funding and highlighted community schools’ role in mental health, family engagement, and wraparound supports.

Transcript Highlights:

• I represent District 12.
• The school district is the school district... District the same line as the county line?
• We're going to move on to District Engineer District 3. Is that Mr. Brasher?
• I'm the District Engineer, and our commissioner for District 3 is.
• The map of District 3 shows how District 3 is carved out of the state.

Transcript Highlights:

• school district B.
• The actual cost may be different between school district A and school district B.
• It would be interesting to look at it district by district, but I doubt it varies by much.
• </c> account and school districts are not. account and school districts are not.
• That is local school districts.

Committee: House Education Funding

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:08:29.440><c> In</c> activities within the district. In activities within the district.
• </c> the district. the district.
• </c> increment financing district for them. increment financing district for them.
• decertification of the district.
• I'm the Ramsey County Commissioner for District 3. Commissioner for District 3.

Committee: Senate Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• Heather Scott, District 2.
• Todd Lakey, State Senator from District 23.
• For the record, Representative Green from District 18.
• Chairman, Jim Guthrie, State Senate District 28.
• Chairman, Jim Guthrie, State Senate District 28.

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• So, at four school districts to move to guardians, and most districts chose people that were ex-military
• But a guardian is normally the employee of the school district.
• , they charge the school district for the service.
• the districts and their negotiations with the unions.
• But ultimately, the per-district, per-teacher incentive will be done at that district level through negotiations

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education

Transcript Highlights:

• I ask members to vote their district. It really depends what district.
• </c> the needs of the the school district. the needs of the the school district.
• And, district.
• </c> because it is best for our districts. because it is best for our districts.
• </c> alignment with their district. alignment with their district.

Transcript Highlights:

• I live in Berkeley District 14.
• I live in Berkeley District 14.
• I work in Assembly District 14.
• I'm also a resident of District 14.
• I work in Assembly District 14.

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• I left that up to the school district. ...substantially looks like to the school district, which is
• And most districts have that pretty well laid out.
• And most districts have that pretty well laid out.
• And I know that in my district, at least under our contract, And I know that in my district, at least
• Districts get to choose which model they decide to utilize.

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Transcript Highlights:

• So even if that district crossed the county line, I had school district and fire districts that cross
• Kansas City School District, I went to school in the Kansas City School District.
• That's library district, zoo district, special business district, special road fund, things like that
• district, and all those different districts.
• You may be in a fire district. You may be in a special road district.

Committee: House Special Committee on Property Tax Reform

Summary: The Special Committee on Property Tax Reform opened with no quorum present, so the planned executive session was canceled and action on two committee bills was delayed for a week. The chair explained that proposed changes involving the blind pension fund would be removed because the budget could not absorb the cost at this time, though the committee would continue to study the issue. The committee then moved to public presentations on House Bills 2671 and 2709, both focused on property tax reform by requiring levies to be calculated separately by subclass of property—residential, commercial, agricultural, and personal property—rather than as a blended district-wide levy. Sponsors said this would reduce tax shifting between classes and make Hancock rollback protections work more directly by subclass; one bill also included ballot language requiring tax impacts to be stated per $100,000 of value and disclosure of loan purposes on bond questions. Members raised concerns about constitutional single-subject issues, administrative burden on assessors and auditors, and whether separate levies could create problems in small jurisdictions with very few properties in a class. The sponsors and supporters responded that the bills were clarifications intended to align with Hancock, that counties already have subclass data, and that the State Auditor’s office and assessors could implement the changes with some added work. Support testimony came from the Boone County Assessor and Missouri State Assessors Association, who said subclass levies would better reflect reassessment impacts and would have reduced the residential tax increase in Boone County. The State Tax Commission’s representative also supported the concept and suggested additional reforms, including appeal-process changes and broader Hancock-related adjustments. The committee then heard House Bill 2925, which would create a standardized ballot language section for property tax levy questions and update numerous existing statutes to point to that new format. The sponsor said the bill is aimed at transparency and informed consent, requiring ballots to identify who is taxing, for how long, for what purpose, whether debt is involved, and the dollar impact per $100,000 of assessed value. Members generally supported clearer ballot language but questioned a provision requiring property tax questions to appear on November general election ballots, citing concerns about longer ballots, voter fatigue, and increased burdens on election authorities and poll workers. Missouri Association of Counties testified in opposition to that election-timing requirement, while not taking a position on the rest of the bill. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after testimony and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• , Rio Rico, Los Alamos counties; the Third District Court in Dona Ana; Fourth District Court in San Miguel
• We'll go through our district courts. We're not gonna have questions on the district courts.
• I'm the Chief District Judge for the Fourth Judicial District. Next to me is our CEO, Jeff Romero.
• Courthouse funding—this is district courthouses or state district courthouses.
• It is 7.6 to municipalities and 0.5 to school districts. 0.5 to school districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:04:24.800><c> has</c> experience with the social district has experience with the social district
• </c> uh we did add two more social districts uh we did add two more social districts districts<00:04:
• </c> still water will have social districts still water will have social districts but<00:04:39.199><
• uh it shows on the map where District uh it shows on the map where the<00:08:35.800><c> district</c>
• </c> Community to have a social District Community to have a social District provided<00:57:24.240><c

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Some districts are very close district.
• because they do things differently from district to district.
• He added that districts want full fungibility because they do things differently from district to district
• He said districts want full fungibility because they do things differently from district to district.
• district. district. district.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's been only one revision of the Water District 34 rules since 1994.
• Water district, number 15.
• And I'll just make a distinction between a water district and a groundwater district, and those two are
• Groundwater districts, irrigation districts,... ...cost up to $250,000.
• Groundwater districts, irrigation districts, irrigation boards of control, and canal companies are all

Committee: Senate Resources and Environment

Transcript Highlights:

• boundaries of the district.
• provides for boundaries of the district.
• don't pay taxes in this district.
• In this instance, whatever is generated from the district, a portion of that would stay within the district
• I wouldn't create a district that was pro-abortion. I wouldn't create those districts.

Bills: HR286 , HR287 , HR288 , HR289 , HR290 , HR291 , HR292 , HR293 , HR294 , HCR114 , HR275 , HR276 , HR277 , HR278 , HR279 , HR280 , HR282 , HR283 , HR284 , HR285 , HCR112 , HCR113 , SCR62 , SCR64 , SB132 , SB135 , SB405 , HR179 , HR216 , HR223 , HR225 , HR274 , HCR89 , SB39 , SB99 , SB111 , SB112 , SB124 , SB134 , SB174 , SB189 , SB190 , SB201 , SB233 , SB236 , SB258 , SB270 , SB273 , SB288 , SB307 , SB313 , SB320 , SB321 , SB325 , SB326 , SB331 , SB339 , SB341 , SB345 , SB346 , SB347 , SB353 , SB357 , SB359 , SB387 , SB393 , SB401 , SB415 , SB419 , SB422 , SB426 , SB435 , SB437 , SB440 , SB451 , SB464 , SB470 , SB487 , SB488 , SB495 , SB504 , SB505 , SB518 , SB523 , SB228 , SB408 , HR168 , HR174 , HR194 , HCR54 , HCR74 , HCR79 , HCR87 , HCR94 , HCR95 , HCR97 , HCR98 , HCR102 , HCR104 , SCR23 , SCR38 , HCR26 , HB250 , HB265 , HB339 , HB427 , HB445 , HB463 , HB468 , HB606 , HB639 , HB649 , HB665 , HB746 , HB781 , HB853 , HB861 , HB872 , HB886 , HB916 , HB937 , HB1054 , HB1068 , HB1117 , HB1237 , HB75 , HB705 , SB34 , SB164 , SB172 , SB198 , SB208 , SB232 , SB281 , SB286 , SB317 , SB322 , SB334 , SB380 , SB385 , SB409 , SB417 , SB421 , SB430 , SB439 , SB447 , SB458 , SB510 , SB54 , SB56 , SB72 , SB79 , SB97 , SB105 , SB123 , SB125 , SB129 , SB163 , SB171 , SB252 , SB287 , SB375 , SB386 , SB461 , SB466 , HR84 , SCR3 , HB582 , HB625 , HB646 , HB998 , HB1191 , HB1255 , SB81 , SB100 , SB109 , SB197 , SB374 , SB479 , SB78 , HB901 , HR20 , HR74 , HCR65 , HCR71 , HB284 , HB302 , HB306 , HB341 , HB366 , HB393 , HB458 , HB577 , HB603 , HB605 , HB614 , HB733 , HB752 , HB773 , HB798 , HB911 , HB955 , HB996 , HB1035 , HB1069 , HB1113 , HB1140 , HB1180 , HB1240 , SB82 , SB89 , HB134 , HB258 , HB359 , HB782 , SB149 , SB382 , SB441

Summary: The House met with a quorum, received a guest minister for prayer, approved the journal, and heard several announcements and recognitions, including NEC Awareness Day, a European Union delegation visit, and the Glenmore Wildcats baseball team’s state championship. Members also received Senate messages, including concurrence on some House measures, the filing of Senate bills, and several Senate resolutions and bills laid over for later consideration. The chamber then took up a long series of resolutions and bills. Among the resolutions adopted were measures on a Louisiana-United Kingdom Trade Commission, support for migratory waterfowl studies, hunting education in schools, SNAP delivery-fee studies, fraud prevention for seniors, subsurface data preservation, boating safety reporting, and visual acuity screening data. Some items were temporarily returned to the calendar, including a sales-tax uniform-base rule resolution and several Senate measures. The House also adopted a resolution creating an agricultural national security task force and another supporting a letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. On legislation, the House passed bills on missing-person alerts for people with disabilities (“Brian’s Call”), first responder status for public works employees, planning commission procedures, historic preservation district rules, judges’ supplemental compensation, the Baker Economic Development District, New Orleans downtown development district tax authority, a local crime prevention district, clerks of court records, hotel occupancy taxes in Shreveport-Bossier, firefighter cancer screenings, Shreveport police civil service rules, local ethics entity funding, hemp/alcohol age restrictions, OMV digital signatures, LED recreation, TOPS Tech eligibility for veterans, anatomical gift recordkeeping, crypto kiosk fraud protections, firefighting foam definitions, and consumer data privacy. Several bills failed, including HB 705 on legislative contempt penalties and HB 75 on gaming promotional play. One bill on vehicle insurance reinstatement fees was amended and passed, and a bill on judicial compensation fund adjustments was amended and passed after questions about CPI indexing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Chair recognizes the Senator from the Third Essex District. Thank you, Mr. President.
• and one particular school may be different for another school district and a school within that district
• This results in a 30% rate increase for district court cases.
• She's a student from my district.
• Middlesex District on his brief statement.

Summary: The Senate first debated and advanced Senate Bill 2561, an act to promote student learning and mental health, centered on a statewide bell-to-bell restriction on student cell phone use in schools. Supporters argued the bill would reduce distraction, improve academic performance and mental health, and encourage social interaction, while preserving flexibility for districts and exceptions for emergencies, special education, health needs, and instructional uses. Several senators emphasized local control and the need for public input, and a number of amendments were considered: some were withdrawn, some were rejected, and others were adopted, including an amendment requiring consistent and necessary exceptions and another requiring public hearings and local public input. The bill was then ordered to a third reading and passed to be engrossed by a roll call vote of 38-2. The Senate also took up a conference committee report on a $259 million FY2025 supplemental appropriations bill. The report funded EMS costs, home care, the Healthy Incentives Program, DTA chip card technology, veterans benefits, the state police crime lab, the SSI state supplement, the Fair Housing Fund, and the National Guard, and included major indigent defense provisions: $40 million for 320 new CPCS staff attorneys, rate increases for private bar advocates, guardrails to reduce future work stoppages, and an independent review of the indigent defense system. Senators questioned the timing of the report, the inclusion of items not previously voted on by either branch, and the funding sources, including use of the transitional escrow fund and excess revenues. The report was accepted, the emergency preamble was adopted, and the supplemental budget was enacted. In addition, the Senate passed other measures, including a bill authorizing the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority to supply water to the Linfield Center Water District and a municipal roads and bridges financing bill, both by roll call vote. The chamber also enacted a health care protections bill, and it concurred in referrals on a governor’s municipal empowerment legislation. The session included a brief memorial tribute and adjournment in memory of Harry C. Christensen.

Transcript Highlights:

• these QR codes and get all the data for specific districts.
• Those students moved from one district to another.
• within the school district to online schooling.
• So, which school district actually received those dollars?
• The three districts that are within my district, the school districts, are all not in agreement with

Committee: Senate Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• For firearm-related violations, a school district may continue to prohibit, or excuse me, a school district
• Is it because it was referencing only school districts and schools? Existing law?
• School districts are still required to provide the constitutional requirement.”
• And again, I will just re-emphasize that this is not a mandate on districts.
• Now that's not every school district, of course, but we do everything we can.

Summary: The House Education Committee first heard House Bill 2246, which would update school discipline rules for firearm-related violations. Committee staff explained that the bill extends existing firearm expulsion and readmission provisions to charter schools, state tribal education compact schools, the School for the Blind, the Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth, and educational service districts, and would allow governing boards to deny readmission or limit participation in activities after a firearm-related incident. Representative Lowe said the bill was prompted by a local incident and was intended to give districts more flexibility and clarity while still ensuring students continue receiving educational services. Committee members questioned how the bill interacts with constitutional rights to public education, whether it applies to imitation firearms or social media threats, and whether the school board or administration should make the initial discipline decision. OSPI testified “other,” noting concern about limiting appeals to one reconsideration and citing 48 firearm-related expulsions and 198 suspensions in 2023-24. Team Child testified in opposition, arguing the bill would make reentry harder and could unnecessarily exclude students from extracurriculars after they had served their discipline period. The public hearing on HB 2246 closed with 246 pro, 7 con, and 1 other signed in. The committee then heard House Bill 2360, which would allow public and private schools to maintain stock albuterol under a statewide standing order for use in asthma or other respiratory emergencies. Staff described the bill as authorizing trained school personnel or nurses to administer school-supplied albuterol in certain circumstances, including on school property, buses, and sanctioned excursions, with limited liability protections and a refusal option for employees not wishing to administer it. Representative Donaghy said the bill was meant to address life-threatening asthma attacks, especially when a student’s own inhaler is unavailable or when emergency response times are long. OSPI and the Washington State Nurses Association/School Nurse Organization of Washington testified in support, emphasizing the prevalence of asthma, the bill’s permissive nature, and the need for a standing order. The Department of Health had sent a letter asking to strike one section, and some witnesses raised concerns about administering albuterol to students without a prior prescription or diagnosis. Opponents, including a school nurse, argued the bill should wait until the state has clearer protocols, more training, and better staffing, and said nurses should not be asked to diagnose or medicate without physician orders. Supporters, including a pediatric pulmonologist and school nurses, said stock albuterol is safe, can prevent emergency room visits and deaths, and should be paired with parent notification and follow-up care. The public hearing on HB 2360 closed with 113 pro, 2 con, and 1 other signed in.