College system request bills moving ahead of floor cutoff deadline
The House and Senate spent the past week on the floor voting bills out of their chambers ahead of Wednesday's house of origin cutoff deadline. System requested bills HB 1714 — which would grant a high school diploma to students over the age of 16 who complete an associate degree — and SHB 1715 — which would remove the ability of a K-12 school district to withhold a student’s grades or transcripts because of unpaid fines or fees — both passed the House this week.
Bill status roundup
The following bills that were covered in past editions of Legislative News were voted out of the House or Senate as of noon today.
| Bill number | Bill title | Bill status |
|---|---|---|
| 2SHB 1303 | Removing certain restrictions on subsidized child care for students at institutions of higher education. |
March 6: Passed House 90-6 March 8: Referred to Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee |
| ESHB 1355 | Establishing staffing standards and ratios for counselors in community and technical colleges. |
March 6: Passed House 72-24 March 8: Referred to Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee |
| EHB 1563 | Concerning liquor-related privileges of students enrolled in certain degree programs. |
March 1: Passed House 89-6 March 5: Referred to Senate Labor and Commerce Committee. |
| HB 1702 | Informing students of low-cost course materials for community and technical college courses. |
March 4: Passed House 96-0 March 14: Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee. |
| HB 1714 | Concerning community and technical colleges granting high school diplomas. |
March 4: Passed House 97-0 March 14: Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee. |
| SHB 1715 | Removing school districts' ability to withhold pupils' grades and transcripts. |
March 6: Passed House 66-30 March 8: Referred to Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee |
| SHB 1791 | Enhancing educational opportunities for vulnerable children and youth using funding distributed from the Puget Sound taxpayer accountability account. |
March 6: Passed House 64-33 March 8: Referred to Senate Ways and Means Committee |
| 2SHB 1893 | Providing assistance for certain postsecondary students. |
March 6: Passed House 56-40 March 8: Referred to Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee |
| 2SHB 1973 | Establishing the Washington dual enrollment scholarship pilot program. |
March 5: Passed House 96-2 March 7: Referred to Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee. |
| ESHB 1998 | Creating a task force on sexual violence at institutions of higher education. |
March 5: Passed House 97-0 March 8: Referred to Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee |
| SB 5113 | Concerning community and technical colleges granting high school diplomas. |
Feb. 13: Passed Senate 47-0 Feb. 14: Referred to House Education Committee |
| 2SSB 5433 | Providing postsecondary education opportunities to enhance public safety. |
March 6: Passed Senate 36-11 March 8: Referred to House Public Safety Committee |
| ESB 5755 | Concerning veteran and national guard tuition waivers. |
March 5: Passed Senate 44-1 March 8: Referred to House College and Workforce Development Committee |
| 2SSB 5800 | Concerning homeless college students. |
March 6: Passed Senate 30-18 March 8: Referred to House College and Workforce Development Committee |
| SSB 5851 | Enhancing educational opportunities for vulnerable children and youth using funding distributed from the Puget Sound taxpayer accountability account. |
March 5: Passed Senate 42-2 March 7: Referred to House Appropriations Committee |
Trustees confirmed by Senate
The following trustees were confirmed this week as of noon today.
- Merisa Heu-Weller, Bellevue College, confirmed March 5
- Denise Jones, Lake Washington Institute of Technology, confirmed March 5
- Greg Dietzel, Bellevue College, confirmed March 5
- Michael Deller, Everett Community College, confirmed March 6
- Judith Hartmann, South Puget Sound Community College, confirmed March 7
- Heather Moss, Bates Technical College, confirmed March 7
Coming up next week
The House and Senate continue their work on the floor until Wednesday when the session reaches the house of origin cutoff date. Committees will start work again Thursday with a the community and technical college system's requested bill on granting a high school diploma to students over the age of 16 who complete an associate degree, which is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee on March 14. A bill that would require community and technical colleges to indicate during registration which courses offered low-cost books and course materials is scheduled for the same hearing.
