Yesterday marked the last deadline for the Washington State Legislature prior to adjournment on March 11. By end of day Friday, March 5 the House and Senate must have considered bills from the opposite chamber with the exception of initiatives and bills that are needed to implement the budget.
The action on the floor in each chamber moved several bills of interest to Evergreen forward in the process. Here is a breakdown of the most recent bills that have moved forward.
The House passed Senate Bill 6696 with a vote of 76-22. SB 6696 comprises several policy changes to K-12 to make Washington more competitive for Race to the Top dollars, including policies and structural changes in the areas of school and teacher evaluation, assessment, and preparation.
The bill passd the House with several amendments added to the final version. Of most importance to Evergreen was an amendment that striked language that was of concern to us and replaced it with language that we preferred. The language that was striked would have required the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges to select up to three community colleges to offer a BA plus teaching certificate in a subject matter shortage area.
The language that replaced this portion of the bill directs the Council of Presidents to convene an inter-institutional work group to implement plans prepared by the four-year institutions of higher education in response to a proviso in the 2009-2011 biennial budget regarding increasing the number of mathematics and science teachers. Requires the COP to report to the Education and Higher Education Committees on demonstrated progress toward achieving the outcomes identified in the plans by December 31, 2011.
Senate Bill 6696 now goes to the Senate for concurrence.
The Senate took action on four bills of interest to Evergreen – Senate Bill 6409 and House Bills 2403, 2776, and 2973.
Senate Bill 6409 creates the he Washington Opportunity Pathways Account. Beginning in state fiscal year 2011, all net revenues from in-state lottery games that are not otherwise dedicated to debt service on the Safeco Stadium and Qwest Field and Exhibition Center are dedicated to the new account.
The Washington Opportunity Pathways Account is subject to appropriation by the Legislature, and may only be used for the following programs: recruitment of entrepreneurial researchers, innovation partnership zones, and research teams; the early childhood education and assistance program (ECEAP); the State Need Grant; the State Work Study program; College Bound Scholarships; Washington Promise Scholarships; Washington Scholars; the Washington Award for Vocational Excellence (WAVE); the Passport to College Promise; the Educational Opportunity Grant; and GET Ready for Math & Science Scholarships.
The bill was amended on the Senate floor in two ways: (1) All net income from the multi-state lottery games, other than those dedicated to the Problem Gambling Account, will be deposited into the Washington Opportunity Pathways Account rather than into the General Fund and (2) Clarifies that implementation of new marketing strategies may begin prior to the required reports to the Legislature on those strategies.
Senate Bill 6409 now goes to the House for further consideration.
House Bill 2403 passed the Senate 48-0. HB 2403 expands the use of military leave to include state active duty and clarifies that military leave may only be charged for the days the person is normally scheduled to work for the state or local government.
House Bill 2403 was not amended by the House so does not need to return to the Senate for concurrence. HB 2403 has been delivered to the Governor for her signature.
House Bill 2776 passed the Senate with a vote of 47-0. HB 2776 implements the recommendations by the Quality Education Council. Of particular interest to Evergreen the bill changes timelines, moves them up a year, for technical working groups on compensation and local finance and puts the Compensation Working Group under the lead direction of the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, rather than the Office of Financial Management.
House Bill 2776 now goes back to the House for concurrence.
House Bill 2973 passed with a vote of 46-0 in the Senate. HB 2973 expands the definition of resident student to include a student who resides in Washington and is on active military duty stationed in one of the nine Oregon border counties. In addition, spouses and dependents of active military members stationed in one of the border counties and living in Washington are also eligible for in-state tuition rates as long as the spouse or dependent also resides in Washington. If the person on active military duty moves from Washington or is reassigned out of one of the Oregon border counties, his or her spouse or dependent maintains resident status so long as the spouse or dependent resides in Washington and is continuously enrolled in a degree program.
House Bill 2973 was not amended in the Senate so there is no need for the House to concur on any changes. HB 2973 now goes to the Governor for her signature.