Washington State Legislative Update 

Week of March 10 – 14 2025

Wednesday, March 12, marked the critical deadline for bills to advance out of their chambers of origin. With this milestone passed, legislative focus now shifts to the next phase: bills making their way across the rotunda to be considered by policy committees in the opposite chamber.

Each floor cutoff day brings anticipation with one recurring question—what will be the “5 p.m. bill?” According to legislative rules, so long as the bill’s process begins before the 5 p.m. deadline, discussions can continue well into the evening. So sometimes, the bill was brought up the day prior or earlier in the day, only to be finished later, even brought up again at 4:59pm or later. This final bill of the day often carries symbolic weight. Sometimes, it’s a contentious measure that sparks extended debate, stretching late into the night. Other times, it’s a broadly supported, feel-good proposal—perhaps a resolution honoring a local hero, commemorating an historic event, or recognizing a cause that garners bipartisan backing. This year, we witnessed both types of bills.

This cutoff, the House 5pm bill was HB 1296 (Stonier, D-49), a hot-button student rights bill. The legislation proposes modifications to existing policies concerning student rights, parental rights, and employee protections within public schools and requires school districts to adopt or amend policies by January 31, 2026, to incorporate guidelines from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). These guidelines aim to eliminate discrimination based on gender expression and identity, address challenges faced by transgender students, and apply anti-bullying policies to these students. Additionally, the bill outlines enforcement mechanisms for non-compliance, including potential sanctions such as withholding state funds, terminating specific programs, instituting corrective actions, and placing districts on probation until compliance is achieved. Prior to enforcement, OSPI must provide notices to non-compliant districts, detailing corrective actions and timelines. The bill has elicited partisan responses. Republican legislators have expressed concerns that HB 1296 could undermine the “parents’ bill of rights” initiative (Initiative 2081) passed in 2024. The bill was brought up shortly before the 5pm deadline and then not debated on until the middle of the night, with debate wrapping up at 2:15am. The bill passed on a party-line vote, with the adoption of 6 of 128 proposed amendments.

And over in the Senate, the majority chose SB 5263 (Pedersen, D-43) as their 5pm bill. Debate was sometimes emotional, with several members on each side of the aisle speaking. The bipartisan legislation, which passed 48-0, proposes several significant changes to special education funding to enhance support for students with disabilities. Key provisions include:

  • Increased Funding Multipliers: The bill raises the special education funding multipliers to 1.6381 for Pre-K students and 1.5289 for K-12 students, eliminating the previous tiered structure based on time spent in general education settings.
  • Removal of Enrollment Cap: It eliminates the 16% enrollment funding cap, allowing districts to receive funding for all eligible special education students without limitation.
  • Lowered Safety Net Threshold: The eligibility threshold for special education safety net funding is reduced to 1.5 times the average per-pupil expenditure for all school districts, making it easier for districts to qualify for additional funds.
  • Development of a Statewide IEP System: The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) is required to develop and maintain a centralized statewide Individualized Education Program (IEP) system to ensure compliance with state and federal requirements, improve efficiency, and enhance educational outcomes.
  • Quarterly Distribution of Safety Net Funds: The bill mandates that safety net funds be distributed quarterly under certain circumstances, providing more timely financial support to districts.

As bills now transition to the other chamber, the stakes remain high. Each proposal faces new scrutiny, potential amendments, and a different political dynamic. The coming weeks will determine which measures ultimately make it through the full legislative process and which fall short before regular session adjournment.

Senate Republicans Release Budget Proposal

The budget considered by the Washington State Legislature will be drafted by the majority party, the Democrats. However, the Senate Republicans have proposed an alternative budget aimed at tackling the state’s multi-billion-dollar deficit without introducing new taxes. Their plan includes a $75.6 billion budget for the next two years, marking a 5% increase from the current cycle. Key strategies involve utilizing surplus funds, pausing planned expansions for state-subsidized childcare, and forgoing approximately $4 billion in previously negotiated pay raises for state workers. Instead of these raises, they propose a one-time $5,000 bonus for employees. Senator Chris Gildon, the Republican budget lead, emphasized that this approach seeks a middle ground between cuts and tax increases. Democratic budget leaders have criticized the Republican proposal as “unsustainable.” The state’s projected budget deficit estimates vary, with figures ranging from $6.6 billion to over $15 billion.

Important Dates:

  • Monday, January 13 – First Day of Session
  • Friday, February 21 – Policy Committee Cutoff, House of Origin
  • Friday, February 28 – Fiscal Committee Cutoff, House of Origin
  • Wednesday, March 12 – House of Origin Floor Cutoff
  • Wednesday, April 2 – Policy Committee Cutoff, Opposite House
  • Tuesday, April 8 – Fiscal Committee Cutoff, Opposite House
  • Wednesday, April 16 – Opposite House Floor Cutoff
  • Sunday, April 27 – Sine Die

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Brynn Brady

Ceiba Consulting, Inc.

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