CHEPTA Legislative Committee Reports Page

Washington State PTA’s top five legislative issues are:

  1. K-12 Funding
  2. Math and Science
  3. Simple Majority
  4. Class Size Reduction
  5. School Recess
YOU can get involved in the political process and help support education.  Please click on the following link: http://capwiz.com/wastatepta/state/main/?state=WA  and follow the easy steps to show your support for a)  recess and physical education and b)  simple majority.

SUPPORT SIMPLE MAJORITY
While we are only about a month into the Legislative Session, we have already seen major action on one of Washington State PTA’s top priorities – Simple Majority.  Hearings have been held in the House and Senate on various bills amending the constitution for school levies and bonds.  Here’s a rundown on the bills:

HJR 4201 – would allow simple majority for school levies.  Has been heard in House Education Committee, awaiting committee action.

SJR 8207 – would allow simple majority for school levies.  Has been heard in Senate Education Committee, received a “do pass” recommendation.  Awaiting action in Rules Committee.

SJR 8203 – would allow simple majority for school bonds.  Has been heard in Senate Education Committee.  

While separate bills have been introduced changing the simple majority for levies and bonds, it is likely that the bills amending the constitution for school levies (HJR 4201 and SJR 8207) will advance this year.  However, that does not mean that we shouldn’t lobby on SJR 8203 for school bonds.   

Constitutional amendments require a 2/3rds vote of both houses of the Legislature, followed by an approval by a simple majority of the voters in November.  While bills have passed the House of Representatives numerous times in the past, we have never been able to meet the 2/3rd vote requirement in the Senate.  With your help, this year will be different!

Call or email your legislators today and ask them to support letting the voters decide this important issue.  Let them know:

·       Voters deserve a chance to vote on this important issue.

·       It’s only fair that school levies and bonds be held to the same standard as jails, sports stadiums and libraries.

·       Share your experiences with your district’s levy campaigns, how reliant your district is on local levy funds and how disruptive a levy failure (even though the levy received 59% of the vote!) is to a district.

You can call your legislators at 1-800-562-6000 or use Washington State PTA’s LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER to contact your legislators via email:

http://capwiz.com/wastatepta/state/main/?state=WA

You can also find your legislators’ email addresses by going to www.leg.wa.gov

If you have any questions, please contact Sandra MacDonald, Crescent Heights Elementary's Legislative Chair, at (253) 925-2292 or by email at aspmacdonald@msn.com

Thank you for your interest and support.