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On Friday morning, the House Education Committee held
a work session to discuss issues related to gangs in
schools. Following the work session, the Committee took
public testimony on three bills: HB 2834, HB 2835 and HB
2801.
HB 2834 and
HB 2835 are bills requested by the Superintendent of
Public Instruction to address recommendations from the
Gangs in Schools Task Force. HB 2834 would direct OSPI
to develop rules, definitions, guidance and model
policies (with WSSDA’s assistance) regarding gangs and
hate groups. The bill would also allow school districts
to suspend or expel students if they are members of, or
associate with, a criminal street gang. Schools
districts could also reject applications from
non-resident students on grounds of criminal street gang
membership.
The second gang-related bill, HB 2835, would
establish a “school safety zone” within a 1,000-foot
radius of any public school facility. The bill would
also authorize school administrators as well as law
enforcement officers to exclude persons from public
areas within a school safety zone.
HB 2801 would direct OSPI to revise and update the
model harassment, intimidation and bullying prevention
policy and procedure and present it to the Legislature
for review. School districts would be required to adopt
or amend policies to incorporate the revised policy.
In other news, both the House and Senate today acted
on “early action” budget-related bills. The House
adopted HB 2921, which would save about $50 million. The
Senate adopted SB 6382 to freeze salaries of state
employees in the Washington Management Service (WMS) and
SB 6503 would direct state agencies to achieve savings
by reducing employee compensation through mandatory and
voluntary furloughs, leave without pay, reduced work
hours, voluntary retirements and other methods. The
bills are anticipated to same over $70 million.
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