The GPR committee has identified the legislative priorities for WSASP in the 2019 session. There are hundreds of bills filed so far this session. To identify bills of interest we have 2 primary avenues. First, NASP uses an algorithm to search for bills with key words such as psychologist or social emotional learning. Second, the WEA Lobbyist who supports the GPR Committee brings bills to our attention that cross her desk. GPR then reviews all bills and determines priority based on many factors including the WSASP mission and vision, the GPR Committee's goals, support for the bill in Olympia, and available resources. This list of priorities is subject to change as new bills can be filed every day. Please look regularly for the most up to date information. If you have any questions about how or why a bill was prioritized, please contact us at gpr@wsasp.org.
HIGH PRIORITY: These bills are tracked by the committee. The WEA Lobbyist will sign in on our behalf at public hearings when we cannot attend ourselves. In addition, the committee will provide written testimony and input throughout the legislative process. This might include a call to action for all WSASP members. Finally, committee members are committed to providing testimony on these bills.
MEDIUM PRIORITY: These bills are tracked by the committee. The WEA Lobbyist will sign in on our behalf at public hearings when we cannot attend ourselves. In addition, the committee will provide written testimony and input throughout the legislative process. This might include a call to action for all WSASP members. Finally, committee members will provide testimony in person if possible.
LOW PRIORITY: These bills are tracked by the committee. The WEA Lobbyist will sign in on our behalf at public hearings when we cannot attend ourselves. Should the need arise, the committee is prepared to dedicate more resources to these bills which could include written testimony, a call to action for WSASP members, or providing testimony.
Bill Priority List – Updated 3/18/2019 – Brief
5 bills we have been advocating for passed both the house and senate! Now the bills will go back to the house of origin for a concurrence vote on any amendments, and then to the Governor to sign!
For detailed information about each bill click here.
HIGH PRIORITY
Social Emotional Learning
SB5082 Creating a committee to promote and expand social emotional learning.
WSASP – PRO WEA – PRO
Current Status:
March 6 - Passed the Senate! 30 Yeas, 18 Nays, 0 absent, 1 excused
April 10 - Passed the House! Yeas, 71; nays, 24; absent, 0; excused, 3.
April 23 - Back to the house, receded from amendments, passed; yeas, 71; nays, 23; absent, 0; excused, 4
Now the bill moves on to the Governor to sign!
WSASP ACTION TAKEN:
Advocacy Action Request sent to membership just prior to the vote on 4/10.
WSASP put out an advocacy action request for members to email the House Education Committee to please support this bill. The bill was initially scheduled for an executive session on 3/21, but this was rescheduled to 3/28.
Additionally, the WSASP President signed a letter of support which was sent to the committee.
SB 5689 Concerning harassment, intimidation, bullying, and discrimination in public schools.
WSASP – PRO WEA – PRO
Current Status:
Feb 27 -Passed the SENATE- passed; yeas, 29; nays, 20; absent, 0; excused, 0.
April 9 - Passed the HOUSE - passed; yeas, 60; nays, 36; absent, 0; excused, 2.
April 18 - Passed final passage; yeas, 30; nays, 19; absent, 0; excused, 0
April 23- President signed
Now the bill will go on to the Governor to sign!
WSASP ACTION TAKEN:
Advocacy action request went out on 4/9 shortly prior to the vote.
GPR Committee member Dr. Jill Davidson provided testimony in the Public Hearing with the Ways and Means Committee. You can view this testimony here, our testimony starts at 1:25. Dr. Davidson's testimony was referred to in this article in the Spokesman-Review.
Dr. Jill Davidson testified again, this time before the House Education Committee. You can view this testimony here, our testimony starts at 1:28.
MEDIUM PRIORITY
Delinking test scores from graduation
HB 1599 Promoting career and college readiness through modified graduation requirements.
WSASP - PRO WEA - PRO
Current Status:
March 8 - Passed House 91 yeas, 4 nays, 0 absent, 3 excused
April 15 - Passed Senate passed; yeas, 48; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 1
April 22 - Passed final passage; yeas, 96; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 2.
Now the bill will go on to the Governor to sign!
WSASP ACTION TAKEN:
Advocacy Action Request sent to membership just prior to the vote on 4/10.
School Safety Issues
HB 1216 Concerning non-firearm measures to increase school safety and student well-being.
WSASP – PRO WEA – PRO
Current Status:
March 7 - Passed the House 83 yeas, 14 nays, 0 absent, 1 excused
April 12 - Passed the Senate passed; yeas, 47; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 2
April 23 - Passed final passage; yeas, 81; nays, 15; absent, 0; excused, 2
Now the bill will go on to the Governor to sign!
WSASP ACTION TAKEN:
Advocacy Action Request went out to membership on 4/10.
Written testimony sent to the Senate Education Committee prior to the hearing on 3/18.
Advocacy Action Request to membership on 3/6.
Recruitment and Retention Issues
HB 1139 Expanding the current and future educator workforce supply.
WSASP – PRO WEA – PRO
Current Status:
March 8 - Passed the House, 93 yeas, 2 nays, 0 absent, 3 excused
April 15 - Passed Senate passed; yeas, 26; nays, 22; absent, 0; excused, 1
Now the bill will go back to the senate for concurrence, and then on to the Governor to sign!
WSASP ACTION TAKEN:
Advocacy Action Request sent to membership just prior to the vote on 4/10.
Written testimony sent to the Senate Education Committee prior to the hearing on 3/18.
No further action this session (dead in policy committee)
Did not make it out of policy committee, so likely will not have any further action this session. Likely to be on the agenda again next session.
High Priority
SB 5315Increasing student support staff in the prototypical school funding model.
WSASP – Pro WEA – Pro
WSASP ACTION TAKEN:
Advocacy Action Request to membership started 3/6, still active!
Written testimony provided to the Senate Education Committee for the 1/30/2019 Public Hearing. See this testimonyhere.
Carrie Suchy, NCSP, gave testimony in the public hearing (clickhereto view, our testimony starts around 1:58) in addition to submitting written testimony(availablehere).
SB 5821/HB 2012 Providing equitable bonuses to K-12 instructional staff who attain national certification through professional organizations.
WSASP – PRO WEA – PRO
Medium Priority
HB 1264 Concerning secondary traumatic stress in public school staff.
WSASP – PRO WEA – PRO
Current Status:
March 4 - Passed the House 96 yeas, 0 nays, 0 absent, 2 excused
April 9 - Passed Senate fiscal committee
HB 1089 Concerning certificates of academic and individual achievement.
WSASP – PRO WEA – PRO
Current Status:
March 4 - Passed the House 84 Yeas, 13 nays, 0 absent, 1 excused
March 6 – Introduced into the Senate Education Committee
SB 5317 Concerning non-firearm measures to increase school safety and student well-being.
WSASP – PRO WEA – PRO
WSASP ACTION TAKEN:
Advocacy Action Request to membership on 3/6 for both bills, request is still active for 5317!
Written testimony provided to the Senate Education Committee for the 1/30/2019 Public Hearing. See this testimonyhere.
SB 5216 Developing multistage threat assessments to increase safety in K-12 schools and institutions of higher education.
WSASP – PRO WEA – PRO
WSASP ACTION TAKEN:
Written testimony provided to the Senate Education Committee for the 1/30/2019 Public Hearing. See this testimony here.
SB 5532 Concerning special education.
WSASP – PRO WEA – Other
Current Status:
March 9 - Passed the Senate - 46 yeas, 0 nays, 0- absent, 3 excused
April 1 - Referred to Appropriations
WSASP ACTION TAKEN:
Advocacy Action Request to membership started 3/6.
LOW PRIORITY
Gun Issues
HB 1763 Preparing for and responding to active shooter events and other acts of mass violence at schools.
WSASP – CON WEA – CON
HB 1038 Allowing public school districts and private schools to adopt a policy authorizing permanent employees to possess firearms on school grounds under certain conditions.
WSASP – CON WEA – CON
Social Emotional Learning and Mental Health
SB 5685 Requiring a primary contact in schools to recognize, screen, and respond to emotional or behavioral distress in students.
WSASP – CON WEA – CON
HB 1221 Improving crisis planning in schools to prevent youth suicide.
WSASP – PRO WEA – PRO
SB 5014 Reducing state assessment requirements to only those required for federal purposes in order to facilitate removal of inequitable barriers to students.
WSASP – PRO WEA – PRO
