Grassroots Connection #1

Welcome to the 1^st edition of the Grassroots Connection for the 2008 Legislative Session! Each Grassroots connection provides you with a brief recap of last week’s events and a preview of the next week. As a reminder, Washington State PTA’s top 5 legislative priorities are:

We will also provide you with updates on some of the other bills that relate to our short term platform, long term platform or association resolutions.

Legislative action was focused on discussing priorities and filing bills. The 2008 Legislature is a supplemental budget year, so the session is only 60 days long. The Legislature is on a fast-track, as the “cut-offs” or deadlines are February 8 for policy committees and February 12 for budget committees. (See complete cut-off calendar at the end of this report.) Both the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Ways and Means had hearings on the Governor’s budget. PTA gave testimony regarding our priorities at the Appropriations committee meeting. We gave similar testimony to the House Education Committee meeting on Wed. At both these meetings we stressed the importance of the work of the Basic Education Finance task force and the obligation that all of us have to make sure that they complete this task. My testimony will go on the website next week under education funding, along with the testimony other members have given to the task force.

PTA has been asked to participate in the technical work group which will assist the Basic Education Finance Task Force. Thank you to all members who have stressed the importance of this work to task force members and who assisted in bringing about this development. We are hopeful that this work group will significantly impact the ability of the task force to accomplish its goals.

Barbara Billinghurst has agreed to represent us to this group. Thank you once again Barbara for the volunteer service that you give to PTA. We will continue to closely monitor the work of this group. Their next public meeting is March 24.

School Recess - PTA also provided testimony on a recess bill SB 6042, requiring a recess period for elementary students, and is collecting more information in order to respond to questions about this bill from the committee.

World Languages and Arts Education – Two bills from last session, HB 2500, Providing for arts education funding through a state level grant program and HB 2523, creating the position of world language supervisor at OSPI, were supported by PTA.

Next Week in Olympia – Watch for action alerts related to some of these issues!

K-12 Education Funding – PTA will testify regarding the 2008 supplemental budget as an invited education stakeholder panelist on Thurs. at the Senate Ways and Means Committee hearing at 1:30. We will also continue to speak to our # 1 priority issue when we are discussing education-related bills. Agenda is below. We are not on it yet…but will be.

Math and Science – PTA has been asked to testify on Thursday to the House Education Committee as part of an invited stakeholder panel regarding the revision of the math standards and the proposed new math credit. WSPTA President, Laura Bay will provide this testimony. The hearing time and agenda are below.

Student Support Services – There will be a hearing for several bills of interest on Wed. in the Senate. Two bills have been dropped one in the Senate and one in the House regarding our Student Support Services issue (SB 6380 below) WSPTA is in the process of evaluating these bills. The agenda for Wednesday is below.

WASL – Monday is WASL day in the Senate. PTA will testify with regard to our de-link position on this issue. We are remaining neutral on these bills at this time.

Child Nutrition – On Thursday HB 2798 will have a public hearing. This bill does several things, but most significantly it would create a farm-to-school program within the department of agriculture to facilitate the ability of schools to purchase local farm products. Current regulations often get in the way of this practice.

If you have any questions about WSPTA’s advocacy efforts, please contact Kim Howard, Legislative Advocacy Coordinator or your local Region Legislation Chair (RLC). RLCs are listed on the State PTA website www.wastatepta.org on your region homepage.

January 14, 2008	First Day of Session
February 8, 2008	Last day to read in committee reports in house of origin, except House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees.
February 12, 2008	Last day to read in committee reports from House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees in house of origin.
February 19, 2008	Last day to consider bills in house of origin (5 p.m.).
February 29, 2008	Last day to read in committee reports from opposite house, except House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees.
March 3, 2008	Last day to read in opposite house committee reports from House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees.
March 7, 2008	Last day to consider opposite house bills (5 p.m.) (except initiatives and alternatives to initiatives, budgets and matters necessary to implement budgets, differences between the houses, and matters incident to the interim and closing of the session).*
March 13, 2008	Last day allowed for regular session under state constitution.
* After the 54th day, only initiatives, alternatives to initiatives, budgets and matters necessary to implement budgets, messages pertaining to amendments, differences between the houses, and matters incident to the interim and closing of the session may be considered.

Education - 01/24/08 8:00 am

Agriculture & Natural Resources - 01/24/08 10:00 am