Olympia Legislative Update - Week 6
Last week saw the house of Origin Cutoff deadline narrow the amount of bills still alive for consideration by this year’s legislature. The vast majority of “good ideas” are now “dead”, as legislators turn their focus towards a narrow group of remaining bills and the budget process.
While most of the week was spent in the chambers, caucusing and voting on bills, Legislators still found time to have a few controversial public hearings on policy bills. Senator Steve Litzow continues to pursue funding for charter schools with his bill (SB 6194) which would call for an appropriation of roughly $18 million out of the general fund. The bill now waits executive action in the House Education Committee, after a very well attended public hearing last Friday.