In a meeting today with House Education Chair Sharon Tomiko Santos, D-Seattle, WSSDA learned how the chair will conduct business over the next few weeks as the committee works to meet a Feb. 17 deadline to act on policy bills. More information will be available in the week in review, but here's the basic gist:
Santos plans to hear from people outside the Olympia beltway first, so having school directors come in to share how bills would play out in the school district will be beneficial. She also mentioned hearing from a diversity of school district sizes, geography, and demographics. Olympia lobbyists will be last on the list to testify.
With not enough time and too many bills, Santos will manage the time each bill gets carefully, allotting a certain amount of time for each bill. (She is willing to share how much time in advance, and WSSDA will keep you apprised as we learn more.)
Bills will be grouped with similar topics, and the committee will get a staff report on a bill, hear from the bill sponsor, then move on to the next staff report, next bill sponsor and so on. For public testimony, speakers will be given 2 minutes to speak, and will be expected to use that time to talk to any and all bills that are on the docket that day. Written testimony may be submitted for the record, but reading testimony won't be allowed. Chair Santos said she would like to hear the specific points, and anecdotes to illustrate concerns or support will be appreciated.
So what's coming up? The Hunt "efficiencies/consolidation" bill (HB 1325) is likely to be heard Feb. 10. HB 1609, HB 1593, HB 1607, and HB 1431 may be heard on Feb. 15. Santos expects to hear the unfunded mandate bills and the "innovation" bills on a single day, yet to be identified. Next week she has grouped the high school assessment bills together, and will hear public testimony on the QEC recommendations Feb. 4.
Updates on the Legislature and state government from the Washington State School Directors' Association.
