Filter Articles

More victories but Special Education and CTC funding still on the line

04/14/2023
Back to Blog
IMG_0400

Coming up this week – take action now!

We’re down to the last few days to advocate for what our students and schools/colleges need in the state’s biennial budget, and a few of our biggest priorities are still on the line.

Looking ahead by strengthening WEA-PAC

We’ve had an incredibly successful legislative session and found more lawmakers than ever willing to listen to us and act to win what our students and schools/colleges need. This was only possible because WEA members united in WEA-PAC and supported candidates who back public education. As we look at what we won and what we could have won, it’s a great opportunity to join or level up your WEA-PAC membership. Together, we can keep making public education in Washington even better.

Updates on major bills

Signed into law by Governor Inslee:

  • SB 5650 to fund a 3.7% K-12 educator Cost of Living Adjustment for 2023-24 and at the Implicit Price Deflator, a measure of inflation, for 2024-25 and beyond
  • The bill to exempt benefit enrollment information from public disclosure (SB 5421)

Bills on their way to the Governor for his signature

  • The Safe at Work ergonomic protections bill (SB 5217)
  • The bill adding financial transparency to public four-year colleges (SSB 5512)
  • The bill providing privileged protection to communications between employees and their unions (HB 1187)
  • HB 1200 to ensure public employers share basic employee contact information with unions
  • The bill ensuring universal screening for highly capable students (SB 5072)
  • The bill preventing musculoskeletal injuries and disorders (ESSB 5217) that would allow L&I to adopt ergonomic rules
  • SB 5257 requiring 30 minutes of recess for elementary students
  • Increasing access to PEBB retiree benefits for Plan 2 members (HB 1008)

Awaiting concurrence or resolving differences between the two chambers

Missed cutoff and now effectively dead for this session

  • The bill updating the Paraeducator Fundamental Course of Study (HB 1277)
  • The bill expanding media literacy and digital citizenship in schools (SSB 5626)

Get the news as it happens…  Follow WEA Advocacy on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Back to Blog

Subscribe to our Blog

Subscribe to stay informed.

Filter Blog Posts

Apply Filter

Archives

Related Posts