Yesterday was the last day of the 2024 Legislative Session. Here are some bills that passed and others that did not.
PASSED and on the way to the Governor’s Desk:
SB 5774, the bill to increase DCYF’s capacity to provide timely fingerprinting.
Early learning providers will have access to at least seven more locations for prospective employee fingerprinting/background checks. The Department of Children, Youth, and Families will prioritize the locations based on their proximity to existing services and regional demand, which are criteria for enhancing timely access. The bill takes effect immediately.
HB 2195 strengthens the early learning facilities grant and loan program.
This bill removes the grant and loan award limits within the Early Learning Facilities (ELF) program. It prioritizes applications for ELF construction, renovation, purchase, or repair grants or loans to facilities ready for construction.
HB 1377, the CCDEI clock hour bill. Here is an overview of the bill and the timeline:
- On or after July 1, 2023, all administrators (10%) and teachers (15%) must have continuing education focused on equity-based school practices to renew their certificates.
- The clock hour providers allowed to provide equity clock hours are limited to OPSI, school districts, ESDs, colleges/universities, the Association of WA School Principals, the WEA, and “other organizations approved by the PESB.”
- Beginning in 2025-2026, the PESB will have standards to approve “other organizations.” The equity clock hour provider application’s list of questions will be expanded to include the entity’s mission, vision, experience and expertise, subject matter, fee structure, transcript process, and other elements.
- Providers of equity-based education must use the PESB equity standards and post the program’s learning objectives on their websites.
- By September 1, 2024, the PESB will have a process for temporarily or permanently revoking the ability to offer clock hours due to issues like a substantial number of complaints, lack of compliance, or course materials substantially misaligned with the CCDEI standards.
- PESB and OSPI must write a report for legislators on December 1, 2024, on implementing an auditing system for all providers and any other recommendations to improve the clock hour system.
EANS I — The Legislature and the Office of Financial Management have agreed to honor the budgets established by OSPI for EANS I participating private schools. School expenditures will be fully reimbursed. Many schools were waiting for the previously promised portion of their reimbursement. However, OSPI held off until the legislature decided on the total amount of funding available to reimburse. The timeline for checks to be mailed has yet to be determined. WFIS will provide that information as soon as we get it.
HB 1608 permits school districts and private schools to maintain a supply of epinephrine and epinephrine auto-injectors (rather than only epinephrine auto-injectors).
HB 1976 expands the incentive structure for tier 1 and tier 2 buildings by permitting the Department of Commerce to provide higher incentive payments under the Early Adoption Incentive Program to owners of buildings that comply with the State Energy Performance Standard.
HB 1956 directs the Department of Health to develop, implement, and maintain a statewide drug overdose prevention and awareness campaign that meets specified requirements.
HB 1368 provides a framework for purchasing energy-efficient school buses and requirements for public schools.
BILLS THAT HAVE NOT PASSED:
The elimination of licensing fees in SB 6038 was removed. The bill to temporarily expand the business and occupation tax exemption passed without this crucial component.
HB 1915, which supports public schools in offering financial literacy and requires a half credit for graduation for public school students. The Senate and House could not resolve differences in the bill.
The bills requiring Holocaust and genocide and computer science education died. As did the idea of a weighted GPA, free AP and IB tests, restrictions on isolation and restraint, and AI guidelines.
