| January 15, 2024
Updates, News from Our Legislative Consultant Nancy Sapiro, Action Alerts, and More
The 2024 Washington State Legislature convened on Monday, January 8, for a 60-day session. This is the second year of the biennium, and the legislature will need to condense a tremendous amount of policy, politics, and supplemental budgets into a short 60 days. Hundreds of bills have already been introduced and all of the bills from 2023 that didn’t pass can also be considered by legislators. Given the short time frame and the volume, tough decisions will have to be made about which bills advance in 2024. Legislative leaders have said they will focus on housing, transportation, behavioral health, public safety, climate change, and education.
Looming over the Legislature’s work will be six initiatives that appear to have the signatures required to go before voters next fall, including proposals to eliminate both of the state’s new sources of income: the cap-and-invest carbon pricing system and the capital gains tax. We’ll discuss these more in the coming weeks.
Democrats continue to hold majorities and legislative power in the House and Senate, as well as the Governor’s seat. Jay Inslee has been the second governor in state history to hold the position for three terms.
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Supporting Students Who Are Chronically Absent
SB 5850 / HB 2146
Sponsors: Senator Braun and Rep Rule
This bi-partisan bill seeks to address the surge in chronic absenteeism in our schools, recognizing that persistent absenteeism jeopardizes students’ educational progress and future opportunities. It aims to re-engage students with their education and put them back on the path to graduation. The bill seeks to tackle the multi-faceted issues contributing to high absence rates by:
- Defining "chronically absent students" as those missing 10% or more of school days
- Mandating training for educators to develop early-warning systems to identify and support these students
- Establishing a grant program for community organizations and tribes to aid chronically absent students
- Allocating funding to educational service districts, schools, and dropout-reengagement programs to assist students facing significant academic delays
Update: The Senate bill was heard in the Senate Education Committee on the January 11. View the hearing.
School Library Information and Technology Programs
SB 5102
Sponsor: Senator Wellman
This bill would require school district boards of directors to provide resources and materials for the operation of school library information and technology programs, and to ensure that every student has access to a library technology program.
Update: SB 5102 was introduced in the 2023 session. It passed out of the Senate but didn’t successfully make its way through the House. Legislative rules therefore dictate that the bill return to the Senate for another vote of that body. The bill is now in Senate Rules.
Implementing the Since Time Immemorial Curriculum
HB 1332
Sponsors: Rep Lekanoff
In 2015 the legislature mandated schools to teach Washington’s tribal history, culture, and government. Although the legislature mandated the curriculum in 2015, no deadline was set for implementation. The practical result of this is that only some districts are partnering with tribes to implement the curriculum. This legislation would set minimum standards, a deadline for implementation of Since Time Immemorial, and clear the way for state grants to help develop curricula.
Update: The bill passed unanimously in the House last session but didn’t advance through the Senate. Legislative rules dictate that the bill goes back to the House for another floor vote.
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Establishing an Artificial Intelligence Task Force
SB 5838 / HB 1934
Sponsors: Senator Nguyen and Rep Couture
This Attorney General-requested bill creates an Artificial Intelligence Task Force to assess uses, develop guiding principles, and make recommendations for the regulation of generative artificial intelligence in 2025. Artificial intelligence (AI) is definitely on the minds of legislators in Washington this year, with bills being introduced by members of both parties addressing the use in court filings, intimate images, and more. The task force would include representatives from the legislature, state agencies, tribes, trade groups, civil liberties organizations, education, consumer advocates, and businesses. During the public hearing this week, those supporting the proposal expressed optimism that the task force would help guide the state’s response to AI, while opponents expressed concerns about potential overregulation stifling innovation, and conflicting with federal efforts to regulate and legislate AI.
Update: This bill was heard in the Senate Committee on Environment Energy and Technology on January 10. View the hearing. The House will hear the bill on January 19.
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Flexible Work Hours for Peace Officers
SB 5424/ HB 1413
Sponsors: Senator Cleveland and Rep Shavers
In an effort to increase the diversity of the workforce in law enforcement, SB 5424 would allow law enforcement agencies to adopt flexible work policies. These policies may allow officers to work less than full-time when feasible, such as supplementing work during peak hours with part-time officers and include alternative shift and work schedules.
Update: SB 5424 passed the Senate unanimously in 2023 but wasn’t voted on by the full House. The bill therefore goes back to the Senate for another vote by the full body.
Concerning Paid Sick Leave
SB 5793/ HB 1991
Sponsors: Senator Saldaña and Rep Fosse
SB 5793 modifies the state's paid sick leave statute to amend the definition of family member within the law to include chosen family. This change was made to the state's PFML program in 2021 and has had no impact on the program. Allowing workers to use sick leave to care for chosen family is especially important to Black, Indigenous, and communities of color, immigrant communities, and the LGBTQ+ community who are more likely to depend on non-biologically related family members for care. This bill also expands the use of paid sick leave to include extreme weather events, such as snow days that result in the closure of child care centers or schools, and unsafe roads.
Update: The Senate bill is scheduled for public hearing in Senate Labor and Commerce on January 15.
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If you’d like to sign in as supportive of SB 5793, click here and fill out the information. Watch the hearing next week. The House bill will also be heard next week, on January 17, in House Labor. Click here if you’d like to sign in as supportive of this one as well.
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Constitutional Amendment
Senate Joint Resolution 8202/ HJR 4201
Sponsors: Senator Keiser and Rep Gregerson, at request of Governor Inslee
This is a proposal to amend the State Constitution to specify that the state cannot interfere with an individual’s reproductive freedom decisions. This includes the right to have an abortion and the right to choose to use contraception.
Update: The resolution is in Senate Rules. Because this is a proposal to amend our constitution, it requires a 2/3 vote of the Senate, not a simple majority, for it to advance.
Keep Our Care Act
SB 5241/ HB 1263
Sponsors: Senator Randall and Rep Simmons
You’ll remember this bill from last year’s weekly updates. SB 5241 would ensure that health entity mergers and acquisitions improve, rather than harm, access to affordable quality care. It would give the AG’s office the tools it needs to ensure that future health system mergers and other transactions improve access to care. Specifically, the bill would prohibit a health entity consolidation that diminishes access to affordable quality care and would ensure AG oversight of all mergers. It also would allow for community input through public notification of proposed consolidations and the opportunity for public input and comment.
Update: SB 5241 is ready to be taken up by the full Senate.
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This would be a great time to contact your state senator and urge them to support SB 5241. Use the "Send a comment on this bill to your legislators" button on the SB 5241 webpage.
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We welcome your input! Our goals for "This Week in Olympia"? Quick to read and easy to find information of interest to YOU. Email suggestions to communications@aauw-wa.org.
More information about Public Policy is available on our AAUW-WA website. Questions? Contact Sandra Distelhorst, publicpolicy@aauw-wa.org.
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