Breakfast After the Bell is a win for GRuB!
One of the first bills approved by the House this session was HB 1508, or Breakfast After the Bell as we fondly like to call it. This bill expands programs that provide students from low-income families with meals in the morning. Making sure kids are well-nourished to start the school day is critically important to boosting academic achievement. The passage of this bill is especially important for our local community because it authorizes OSPI to award grants to school districts to collaborate with community-based organizations, food banks, farms or gardens for reducing high school dropout occurrences through farm engagement projects. This means that GRuB will be eligible to apply for the funding necessary to expand their wonderful program and help more kids stay in school through this engaging and creative farming program. *Photo courtesy of GRuB |
REMINDER: Town Hall – February 22
We will be holding our 22nd Legislative District town hall meeting next week! Thursday, February 22, 6:30-8pm* SPSCC Lacey Event Center *Doors open at 6pm for a social half hour – this will give everyone plenty of time to say a friendly hello to their neighbors, grab a snack, and get situated in their seats. |
Laurie’s Corner
Equity between awarding dual credit for Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses taken in high school:
Last year, the state legislature passed a bill that encouraged colleges and universities to award general college credit to students who obtained a score of 3 on AP examinations. One of my main priorities this session was to extend that policy to students in IB classes. AP and IB tests are scored on different scales, AP scores range from 1-5, and IB scores range from 1-7. Therefore, an AP score of 3 would equate to an IB score of 4. AP classes and IB standard level classes are equal because of their equivalent seat time. My goal is that each of these equivalencies will become the basis for the new law I hope to help pass by March 8. A huge thank you to the IB teachers, students and administrators from Capital High School, and across the state, for their advocacy on moving this important policy forward!
SHB 2938 – As you may be aware, the PDC has been inundated with citizen complaints over the past year. Between being short on staff, and overwhelmed with complaints, the PDC is no longer able to spend time on their main mission of campaign transparency. Most citizens who run for public office, and those who volunteer to serve as campaign treasurers, are volunteering their time because they have a passion to serve. The PDC has been a champion of helping candidates and treasurers learn the laws and rules of running a campaign, and making it possible for all of us to see exactly who funds campaigns and how the money is spent. Several of us have been working on a bill to fix the problems in the current law. Last Thursday there was a hearing in the house state government committee (SEIT). Because I know several constituents in the 22nd LD are interested in this work, here is a link to the testimony. Please listen long enough to hear Anne Levinson, chair of the PDC, explain the need for this bill (or click here to go directly to it).
Beth’s Corner
While memos and dysfunction abound at the federal level, we in Washington are working hard in a bi-partisan manner on complicated issues like protecting net neutrality, moving toward a fossil free future, fixing unintended consequences of the education funding bill passed last year, removing barriers to voting, fighting for opportunities for all our kids and equal pay for our families.
We are holding strong to our One Washington – a Washington where everyone is welcome and given every opportunity possible to succeed.
We are now past committee cutoff for policy and fiscal committees for bills in the house of origin.
Here are a few of my bills to watch:
HB2759: Establishing a Women’s Commission
HB2669: Allowing part-time employees to unionize
HB2931: Giving cities the option to establish more ambitious building codes to increase residential building efficiency
HB2412: Buy Clean Washington – encouraging the use of less carbon intense structural components in public works projects
HB2661: Protecting domestic abuse survivors from discrimination in the workplace
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