Wasa Legislative Report With Dan Steele

Today is March 13th, and this is also our last TWIO, at least for the foreseeable future. My name is Marissa Rathbone, and I'm the Assistant Executive Director of Government Relations with WASA and a very proud product of Washington Public Schools. And that's part of why this work is never just policy to me. I know it's not to you either.

We are now at the end of week eight of this nine week legislative session. Today is March 6th, and it marks the opposite chamber cutoff deadline for bills to pass out of the chamber opposite where they started.

This week, both the House and Senate passed their proposed operating budgets. We are now entering negotiations between the chambers. Both proposals continue operating within an ongoing imbalance between spending and revenue. That gap does not resolve on its own.

It's Friday February 20, and this marks the end of week six of a nine week legislative session. And if this week actually had some kind of weather pattern, it would be all of them.

Public education matters, students matter, equity matters, and the future of our state matters.

It's Friday, February 6th, and I'm really grateful you're here yet again. Taking time to stay engaged. Especially at such a busy point in your own school year and in our legislative session, I can assure you that your attention, your advocacy, and your willingness to stay connected during this very busy time really matters.

Yesterday I was joined at the Capitol by several of my colleagues from WASA, WSSDA and WASBO, along with superintendents, school business officers, school board members, and student board representatives from across the state. We came together for public education advocacy day.

Week two of a 60 day session, nine weeks in total. So we've got seven more to go where momentum really starts to build. Committees are deeper into hearings, bills are stacking up, and pressure is quietly increasing.

Welcome to the first week of the 2026 Legislative Session! Let's take a look what happened This Week in Olympia.

The end of session is in sight, with news of a new revenue package and movement on other important bills.

The Policy Committee and Fiscal Committee cutoffs have now passed and legislators head back to Floor action. At the same time, negotiations on the three 2025-27 Budgets have begun. Legislators now rush to finish this session on-time, April 27.

Budgets are on the move. Operating negotiations have begun and Capital Budget proposals are moving this week.

"Budget Week" has arrived. Budget-writer in both house have released two-year Operating Budget proposals--and they're on the move. High level details are in this podcast with more derailed review in This Week in Olympia at: www.wasa-oly.org/TWIO

Our two remaining Big Three bills are set to be heard this, while we wait for budgets to be released, likely next week. Opportunities to engage continue!

House of Origin cutoff arrives tomorrow, with continued movement of the Big Three. Now, we're waiting for the Revenue Update, but Senate Republicans jumped out today with a budget plan to try and influence majority party plans coming soon.

Big Three on the move! Key cutoff days arrive and Big Three bills carry on. Next stop: House of Origin cutoff.

Legislative cutoff dates arrive, with hundreds of bill dying--but our Big Three bills continue to move!

Cutoff dates are arriving and the fast pace of movement is even more frenetic--if even possible. Big Three bills remain active and await further action. As we wait, levy lid and LEA discussion continue to heat up and Simple Majority for bonds has major movement!

Big Three bills continue to move, even as some are shifting their focus to levy lids and Local Effort Assistance

Big Three bills move out of Committee, while other Big Three bills get first hearings. Also, expected levy bills are on tap.