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Committee adopts substitutes and issues due‑pass recommendations on multiple bills in executive session
Summary
In executive session the Early Learning & K–12 Education Committee adopted proposed substitutes and issued due‑pass recommendations for multiple bills affecting pupil transportation, interpreter certification, nondiscrimination definitions, professional development resources and statute clean‑ups.
During the October committee executive session the Early Learning & K–12 Education Committee adopted proposed substitutes and issued due‑pass recommendations for multiple bills. Actions were taken by voice vote; the hearing record shows adoption of proposed substitutes and committee recommendations as noted below.
Votes at a glance
- Senate Bill 5,009 (pupil transportation; proposed substitute A by Senator Dozier): Committee adopted the proposed substitute and moved a due‑pass recommendation to the Ways and Means Committee. The substitute revised vehicle definitions and allowed districts to include certain non‑bus vehicles in the student transportation allocation; it also required that rules governing bus driver training apply to drivers of Washington State Patrol‑inspected student transportation vehicles. Committee staff estimated a fiscal impact of $236,000 for the 2025–27 biennium.
- Senate Bill 5,025 (educational interpreters; proposed substitute B by Senator Wellman): Committee adopted the proposed substitute and moved a due‑pass recommendation to the Rules Committee. The bill directs the Professional Educator Standards Board to establish certificates for educational interpreters and authorizes PESB to set testing limits and separate standards for deaf and deaf‑blind interpreters; staff estimated general‑fund costs of $109,650 for 2025–27 and additional certification processing activity.
- Senate Bill 5,123 (nondiscrimination definitions and protected classes; proposed substitute C by Senator Nobles): Committee adopted the proposed substitute and moved a due‑pass recommendation to Ways and Means. The substitute separates gender‑related categories and adds protected classes including ethnicity, homelessness, immigration or citizenship status, and neurodivergence; sponsors discussed definitions and sought to clarify statutory language. Revised fiscal notes estimated $160,000 for 2025–27 and $154,000 in a future biennium.
- Senate Bill 5,177 (professional development resources): Committee moved a due‑pass recommendation to the Rules Committee. The bill requires OSPI to consider the experiences of historically marginalized and underrepresented groups when providing professional development resources on specified topics; staff estimated costs of $167,000 for the 2025–27 biennium.
- Senate Bill 5,235 (statutory repeals and internal reference corrections): Committee moved a due‑pass recommendation to the Rules Committee; staff reported no fiscal impact.
Procedure and record
Most actions were taken by voice vote with members saying “aye” or “nay” on the floor; the hearing record does not include roll‑call tallies. Sponsors and staff made brief remarks explaining substitutes or offering clarifications before voice votes. Committee members also placed statements on the record during the votes, including explanations of intent and responses to constituent concerns.
The committee asked members to sign bill packets after the session; the minutes show adopted substitutes and due‑pass recommendations as described above.
