By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org
Monday, February 9th, was the cutoff by which bills needed to pass out of fiscal committees to remain under consideration this session (See the list of bills that failed to make the deadline towards the end of the report). The House and Senate worked through the week, including a couple of late nights, and the House worked on Saturday.
This Tuesday, February 17, at 5 PM is when bills must pass out of the chamber in which they began. Less than four weeks remain in the 60-day session, so the next two weeks will be exceptionally busy.
The revenue forecast is today at noon. A report released Friday shows that tax collections are $340 million more than what was forecast in November. That could be a bright spot for legislators dealing with a projected $2.3 billion shortfall in the current budget. The hole is partly due to tax collections not rising as fast as expected when legislators left town last spring, although other factors – inflation, increasing demand for services, and the impact of federal cuts under H.R. 1 – contribute.
It sounds like the operating budget proposals might be released on Sunday, February 22nd, with a hearing on Monday, February 23rd. The capital and transportation budgets will follow, also that week.
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Click here for Marie’s comprehensive bill tracker and details report for Week 6 of the 2026 Legislative Session.
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Town Halls Coming Up – Please Attend!
House and Senate Democrats have posted town halls on their caucus websites. Many will be this week or next weekend. Also, WSPTA has reached out to House and Senate Republicans for the any information they might have and we will post to social media if and when that becomes available.
WSPTA members are encouraged to attend and ask their legislators what they are doing this session to preserve K-12 from reductions and/or what they are doing to support investments in MSOC this year.
Governor Ferguson proposed nearly $100 million in cuts to K-12:
- 25% reduction in the number of Transition to Kindergarten eligible kids;
- Holding back 1.9% of MSOC for high schoolers to fund the High School and Beyond Plan universal online platform;
- Extending the length of time to pay out bus depreciation payments; and
- Reducing the Running Staff student FTE, eliminating access to about 10 credits per student.
Tell your legislators they should reject a budget that includes these cuts or makes any other budget reductions to K12, invest at least $100 million in MSOC this session, and support bills that exempt school districts and schools from the sales tax on services imposed last year. You’ll find handy talking points on the Action Alerts webpage or here in the Focus on Advocacy Toolkit.
What’s happening with WSPTA’s Top 5 Priorities?
Closing the Funding Gaps
Unfortunately, the Special Passenger Safety Net, the bills supporting increased funding for Materials, Supplies, and Operating Costs (MSOC), and even the levy/LEA bills all died at the fiscal cutoff. While transportation and MSOC funding could be handled in the supplemental operating budget, we aren’t hearing a lot of positive talk about any K-12 investments this session.
In fact, rumors are more along the lines of using Governor Bob Ferguson’s proposed budget in December as a starting point, and cutting deeper into K-12, using budget gimmicks to shift expenses into future fiscal years, or both.
That said, during a heated debate about transferring $569 million in excess pension funds to the Climate Commitment Act (E2SHB 2034), on Friday night, Rep. Michael Keaton, R-Puyallup, offered an amendment to transfer the excess funds instead to the Education Legacy Trust Account for the purpose of increasing funding to MSOC. The amendment was voted down.
Addressing the Student Mental Health Crisis
2SHB 1634 would create a framework to provide school districts and public schools with assistance in supporting student behavioral health. The bill is on the House floor (2nd Reading) calendar.
HB 2429 passed the House unanimously. The bill extends the Children and Youth Behavioral Work Group two years, to December 30, 3031, and would have the governor, subject to the availability of funds, maintain an executive coordination officer for the Children and Youth system of care.
Supporting Funding, Inclusion and Supports in Special Education
SHB 1795, addressing restraint or isolation of students in public schools and educational programs, passed the House on Friday, February 13 by vote of 57-37. A couple of amendments were adopted but do not change the intent of the bill.
SHB 2557 would require a school district to provide the student’s parent or guardian with a copy of the special education evaluation report no later than the 35th school day following receipt of consent to evaluate the student, unless an exception applies or the parent or guardian provides a written waiver. The bill also passed the House, this time unanimously. The bill has been scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee on February 18th at 10:30 AM.
Preventing and Reducing Gun Violence and Suicide
HB 2320 would regulate firearms from 3D printers, computer numerical control milling machines, or digital firearm manufacturing code. The bill is on the House floor.
HB 1152 would establish secure storage requirements for firearms in vehicles and residences. The bill on the House floor calendar. There was some thought the bill might run last Friday night, but the House adjourned about 12:30 AM without taking up the bill.
Other bills we’re watching
- As reported last week, the House Finance Committee adopted amendments to fully exempt K-12 school districts and schools from the sales and use tax extension on services that was adopted in the 2025 legislative session. SHB 2257 remains in the House Rules Committee. Its companion bill, SSB 6113, passed out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee with some amendments, a few of which would help with taxes being imposed on school districts. Both bills are waiting for a vote on the floor.
In addition, the Senate introduced SB 6351 on February 9th. The bill would exempt services purchased by elementary and secondary schools from the sales and use tax extension on services. It also includes exemptions for before and after school activities, programs and courses. SB 6351 is scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Ways & Means Committee on Thursday, February 19th at 4 PM.
- ESSB 5984 would regulate AI companion chatbots. The bill includes some of the amendments requested by Washington State PTA, but not all. One omission in the Senate version is clarifying that operators using the chatbots for educational activities should be included in the requirements imposed in the bill. The bill is scheduled for a public hearing on Friday, February 20th at 10:30 in the House Technology, Economic Development & Veterans Committee. The bill was introduced at the request of Attorney General Nick Brown.
The companion, SHB 2225, is on the House floor and the striking amendment offered by Rep. Lisa Callan would clarify that the definition of “operator” does not apply to AI companion chatbots used specifically for educational purposes and educational entities.
- SHB 2594 would codify the federal McKinney-Vento law into state law. Much of what the bill does is already practiced or required in state law. The bill will have a public hearing on Wednesday, February 18th in the Senate education committee.
- As a way of speeding up the hearing and executive action processes, the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee has scheduled two bills that have already been heard in committee – albeit in a slightly different form – for a vote during the February 18th committee meeting. These are SHB 2360 – expanding access to albuterol – and ESHB 2534 – promoting educational stability for children of military families.
- By the February 9th fiscal cutoff, the Senate Ways & Means Committee passed SB 6346 , which would impose a tax on millionaires. The bill is on the Senate 2nd Reading Calendar, which means it is eligible for a vote. That said, it’s possible the Senate won’t act on the bill until after they release and act on the supplemental operating budget. The companion bill, HB 2724, has been referred to the House Finance Committee but hasn’t been scheduled for a public hearing. These bills are not subject to deadlines because they are Necessary to Implement the Budget or NTIB because they raise money for the state.
- The Senate passed SB 5906 by a vote of 30-19 (party line). The bill had some slight amendments on the floor and has been referred to the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee. The bill would prohibit immigration enforcement officers from entering nonpublic areas of schools, early learning facilities, and other locations without a judicial warrant or court order.
- Another bill we’ve been keeping an eye on is HB 2489. The bill would prohibit local governments from enforcing laws that criminalize, penalize or otherwise prohibit a person from engaging in “life-sustaining activities” (as defined in the bill, including shelter) on public property, like public school grounds. The bill may be one of those bills that fails to keep moving this session. There’s likely an opportunity to talk with the bill sponsor and proponents about exempting school grounds from the bill if the bill comes back next year.
Bills that failed to pass by the fiscal cutoff
The following bills didn’t meet the February 9th deadline to pass out of the fiscal committees:
- HB 2116 would have made changes to the per student maximum amount and raised the $1.50/$1,000 assessed value, beginning in calendar year 2030.
- HB 2126 would have created an exemption for taxes on fuel used in school buses.
- HB 2147/SB 5918 would have created an investment of $100 per student or $100,000, whichever is greater, for costs related to Materials, Supplies, and Operating Costs. NOTE: the Legislature could choose to do this in the operating budget.
- HB 2234 would have allowed Climate Commitment Act funds to be used for school utility costs.
- HB 2273 would have required the State Building Code Council to adopt rules relating to embodied carbon emissions reduction standards for building projects and would have established three paths through which building projects may comply with the rules. Would have also set the 2030 State Building Code to achieve a 30% reduction in embodied carbon emissions for permitted construction.
- HB 2282 would have allowed prioritized funding for Transition to Kindergarten (TTK) programs in the 2026-27 school year for districts that didn’t operate in the previous two school years but had filed a notification of intent to offer TTK by June 1, 2025.
- HB 2287 would have created a Special Passenger Safety Net and made changes to transportation for students who are homeless or in the foster care system.
- HB 2369 would have established the Local Food for Schools Program in OSPI to facilitate increased procurement and distribution of Washington-grown foods to participating school districts.
- HB 2458/SB 6217 would have expanded the Washington College Grant program eligibility to certain postsecondary nondegree credential programs.
- HB 2562 would have increased the LEA per student maximum.
- HB 2580 would have increased the LEA per student maximum by $400, beginning in Calendar year 2028.
- HB 2648 would have required on-duty police officers to activate body-worn cameras and dash cameras when encountering federal agents conducting immigration enforcement activities and to report such encounters to their employing agencies. NOTE: there are several different bills regarding immigration enforcement activities, so a portion of this might end up in a different bill.
- HB 2717 was introduced after the policy cutoff and would have required the state to fund Highly Capable programs at the rate of students participating in HiCap.
- SB 5857 would have reduced the amount of School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP) funding assistance for architectural and engineering fees.
- SB 5858 would have created a Special Passenger Safety Net grant program for students who are homeless, in the foster care system or have disabilities. NOTE: the Legislature could choose to do this in the operating budget.
- SB 5978 would have established the Washington Guaranteed Admissions Program and required the Washington School Information Processing Cooperative (WSIPC) members to transfer transcript data for students in grade 11 and 12.
Bills to exempt school districts and/or non-profit organizations from SB 5814:
- HB 2101 would have made live presentations exempt from retail sales and use taxes.
- HB 2121 would have made nonprofit organizations and school districts exempt from certain sales and use taxes on services.
- HB 2130 would have repealed SB 5814.
- HB 2290 would have exempted schools and school districts from retail sales and use taxes.
- HB 2424 would have made temporary staffing exempt from retail sales and use taxes.
- SB 5980 would have made live presentations exempt from retail sales and use taxes.
- SB 6012 would have exempted school districts from retail sales taxes imposed on certain services.
- SB 6349 would have exempted WIAA from retail sales and use taxes
Advocacy in Action
- Washington State PTA sent out an Action Alert asking members to pass SHB 2257 out of the House, maintaining the K-12 school district exemptions.
- On Friday, Washington State PTA also sent out an Action Alert asking legislators in the House of Representatives to pass HB 1795 (restricting isolation and restraint) and HB 1152 (safe storage of firearms) before the February 17th deadline.
The Week Ahead
February 17th is the deadline for bills to pass out of the chamber in which they were introduced. In other words, House bills need to pass out of the House, and Senate bills need to pass out of the Senate.
Beginning February 18th through March 2nd, action will mainly take place in policy and fiscal committees, although both the House and Senate will have some floor action. While the revenue forecast is February 16th, expect rollouts of the supplemental budgets the following week and public hearings immediately following.
Here is next week’s schedule (subject to change); all hearings can be viewed on TVW:
Civil Rights & Judiciary (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 2/18 @ 8:00am
- ESSB 6002– Public Hearing – Concerning driver privacy protections. (Remote Testimony Available)
Community Safety (House) – HHR D and Virtual JLOB – 2/18 @ 10:30am
- 2ESSB 5268– Public Hearing – Imposing community custody after a conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm. (Remote Testimony Available) (Concerns/Low)
- SSB 5855– Public Hearing – Concerning the use of face coverings by law enforcement officers. (Remote Testimony Available)
Early Learning & K-12 Education (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 2/18 @ 10:30am
- HB 1796– Public Hearing – Concerning school districts’ authority to contract indebtedness for school construction. (Remote Testimony Available)
- SHB 2594– Public Hearing – Ensuring that unhoused children and youths in Washington have equal access to free, appropriate public education. (Remote Testimony Available) (If measure is referred to committee.)
- ESHB 2557– Public Hearing – Providing parental access to special education evaluation reports. (Remote Testimony Available) (If measure is referred to committee.)
- SHB 2360– Exec Session – Expanding access to albuterol in public and private schools. (If measure is referred to committee.) (Monitoring)
- ESHB 2534– Exec Session – Promoting educational stability for children of military families. (If measure is referred to committee.)
Education (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 2/18 @ 10:30am
- SSB 5841– Public Hearing – Concerning the completion of postsecondary financial aid applications. (Remote Testimony Available)
- SSB 5956– Public Hearing – Addressing artificial intelligence, student discipline, and surveillance in public schools. (Remote Testimony Available)
Postsecondary Education & Workforce (House) – HHR C and Virtual JLOB – 2/18 @ 1:30pm
- SB 5963– Public Hearing – Modifying funding for the passport to careers program and eligibility for the Washington college grant. (Remote Testimony Available) (If measure is referred to committee.) (Support)
Appropriations (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 2/18 @ 4:00pm
- ESB 5872– Public Hearing – Establishing the PreK promise account. (Remote Testimony Available) (Support)
- SB 6065– Public Hearing – Concerning school district transportation vehicle funds. (Remote Testimony Available)
Community Safety (House) – HHR D and Virtual JLOB – 2/19 @ 8:00am
- 2ESSB 5268– Exec Session – Imposing community custody after a conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm. (Concerns/Low)
Education (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 2/19 @ 8:00am
- 2SSB 5969– Public Hearing – Reducing duplication between high school and beyond plans and individualized education program transition plans. (Remote Testimony Available) (If measure is referred to committee.)
- SSB 6222– Public Hearing – Supporting public school students by improving their access to surplus technology hardware. (Remote Testimony Available)
Law & Justice (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 2/19 @ 10:30am
- ESHB 2165– Public Hearing – Concerning false identification as a peace officer. (Remote Testimony Available)
Ways & Means (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 2/19 @ 4:00pm
- SB 6351– Public Hearing – Increasing fiscal resources for students and children by providing targeted sales tax exemptions for schools and certain before-and-after school care programs and arts and cultural classes. (Remote Testimony Available)
- SB 6228– Exec Session – Removing a tax exemption for the warehousing and reselling of prescription drugs.
- SB 6231– Exec Session – Removing a tax exemption for the replacement of equipment for data centers.
- SB 6229– Exec Session – Concerning taxation of a long-term capital gain of a section 1202 small business stock.
Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans (House) – HHR C and Virtual JLOB – 2/20 @ 10:30am
- ESSB 5984– Public Hearing – Regulating artificial intelligence companion chatbots. (Remote Testimony Available) (Support)