Legislative Session Week Six: Connect and Collaborate

Monday, February 22, marks the fiscal committee cutoff for the 2021 legislative session.

This means that any bill that has not been passed through an executive session (a.k.a. “exec’d”) out of its fiscal committee of origin (e.g., House Appropriations, Senate Ways & Means) by the end of the day is considered “dead.”

For more important dates, see the 2021 Session Cutoff Calendar.

Connect and collaborate at Legislative Conference

The WASA • WSSDA • WASBO Legislative Conference is your opportunity to hear updates on our shared legislative priorities, the current education policy landscape, and how to advocate effectively. We encourage you to CONNECT and COLLABORATE with your colleagues during this important event.

The conference will be held via Zoom on February 21, from 1–5 p.m. The agenda is full of great content, and you won’t want to miss the  hot topics we will discuss and share with our legislators during Week on the Hill.

Legislator spotlight

Representative Skyler Rude, 16th Legislative District, House Education Committee member, and lifetime resident of Walla Walla tells us about his passion for public education and his hopes for the 2021 legislative session.

Contact Representative Skyler Rude and copy his legislative assistant, Conor Agnew.

WSSDA testimony

There are fewer, but still significant, opportunities to weigh in publicly through testimony before the upcoming FISCAL cutoff. WSSDA provided verbal or written testimony on the following four bills this week:

• HJR 4205 – Adding a new section to the Washington state Constitution regarding the conservation and protection of the state’s natural resources.
• SHB 1225 – Concerning school-based health centers.
• SHB 1139 – Taking action to address lead in drinking water.
• SHB 1084 – Reducing statewide greenhouse gas emissions by achieving greater decarbonization of residential and commercial buildings.

Use your voice

If you want to provide testimony as an individual, school board member, or on behalf of WSSDA, email WSSDA Strategic Advocacy Director Marissa Rathbone for more information.

If you have a student leader who would like to provide testimony, email WSSDA Strategic Advocacy Coordinator Logan Endres for more information.

See the full issue of InSession

The information above is excerpted from the full February 19 issue of InSession. View the full issue for more resources and information.