Legislative activity for Washington State
2010 session
January 11, 2010 thru March 11, 2010
Sine Die on 3/11/10
SPECIAL SESSION: Begins Monday March 15, 2010
Last updated 3/13/2010
Legislative hotline number is 1-800-562-6000.
HB2428 House Supplemental Operating budget included cutting the funds for alternative learning programs, K-6th grade, from the budget (HB2428). This resulted in many parents who use on-line and parent partnership programs delivering hundreds of calls and e-mails to the legislature, asking them to put the funding back in to the budget. This has been happening all session as many other government programs have been cut. What they didn’t expect was that, this time, these calls would come from “homeschoolers!”
Unfortunately many alternative learning program users who opposed this funding cut called and identified themselves as “homeschoolers.”
CHN was quick to act! On Friday February 26, 2010 Scott and DiAnna were in Olympia informing members of the House Ways and Means Committee that these calls were from parents of public school students, not homeschoolers. They also informed them that CHN and independent homeschoolers actually supported the cuts to these programs, and that this has been part of the CHN legislative platform for the past five years.
Monday March 1st, DiAnna returned to Olympia with the following letter which she hand- delivered to all of the House and Senate members. http://www.chnow.org/page73.aspx
IMPORTANT: Please read CHN’s e-alert on this issue
Status: February 26, 2010 the House Ways and Means committee introduced an amendment to put the funds back into the budget along with more financial accountability.
Next step: Waiting for House, Senate and Governor to finalize budgets
Position: CHN supports the cuts to the ALE funds
Action: None at this time.
The following is proposed legislation that may affect home education:
HB 2571 Changing the definition of predatory.
Prime Sponsor Rep. Appleton
HB2571 http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2571&year=2010
This bill came out of nowhere and passed quickly through committee. Thankfully, due to CHN’s commitment to having an on-site lobbyist, our years of experience paid off and we were ready and able to fix this bill before it passed the House Floor.
History:
HB2571 went to the Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness committee in the House.
While the prime sponsor and committee members thought they were making a simple change in the law to protect children; the unintended consequences to home-based instruction could have been great.
The original bill would have placed home-based instruction under the definition of “school” thereby creating unintended consequences. This may have required regulations that homeschools currently do not have. This is something neither we nor the other state homeschool organization could support. CHN coordinated with Christian Heritage, Home School Legal Defense Association and Washington Homeschool Organization.
Bill Corrected:
Thankfully, CHN was able to negotiate a simple wording change to correct this mistake. The bill’s prime sponsor Rep. Appleton agreed with us and worked to get this bill amended. We also appreciate the assistance of Rep. Hurst, chair and Rep. Pearson, ranking minority member of the committee along with their staff. Their assistance was helpful in correcting this oversight.
NOTE: The purpose of this law is to modify the definition of predatory for purposes of sex offender sentencing. Legislators were concerned that home educated students were not protected under the predatory law. This was due to families using co-ops, classes outside the home, etc. Therefore, legislators felt it was necessary to amend this law to protect students receiving home-based instruction.
Update: Rep. Appleton worked with the Senate Judiciary committee to include this language into HB2424. Senator Kline introduced a striker amendment to HB2424. This bill has passed the House and Senate and is on its way to the governor for her signature.
Next step: none
Position: CHN is neutral on this bill
Action: None needed at this time
SB 6620
Relating to recognizing successful schools and school districts.
Prime Sponsor: Senator McAuliffe
Due to an oversight this bill would have amended the home-based instruction law. CHN worked with legislators and staff to have this language removed.
DiAnna Brannan, CHN also attended the hearing on the bill (there was no need to testify). Senator McAuliffe acknowledged her presence, commended her on her continued diligence and thanked her for letting her know of the oversight so that it could be quickly corrected. This was very crucial is alerting the rest of the committee members to the change, and our agreement to them.
CHN alerted Christian Heritage, Home School Legal Defense Association and Washington Homeschool Organization of our actions.
Status: Bill is dead
Next step: none
Position: CHN is neutral on this bill
Action: NA
SB 6252/HB 2513 An act relating to using credit history, education, and income for insurance purposes.
Prime Sponsor: SB 6252 Senator Kohl-Wells
HB 2513 Rep. Nelson
These bills defined education as public school and private school, accidentally leaving out home-based instruction. CHN worked several days in Olympia to have the bills amended to include home-based instruction.
1/20 DiAnna Brannan, CHN testified at the hearing in the Financial Institutions & Insurance Committee explaining the need for the amendment.
1/28 DiAnna Brannan, CHN testified at the hearing in the Senate Labor Commerce & Consumer Protection committee explaining the need for the amendment.
Status: HB2513 died in committee, due to lack of votes
SSB 6252 passed out of committee, goes to Rules committee. Bill is dead.
Next step: none
Position: CHN is neutral on these bills
Action: NA
Parental Rights
SJR 8222 Amending the constitution concerning parental rights. The liberty of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children is a fundamental right.
SJR 8222 http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=8222&year=2009
Sponsor: Senator Stevens
This Resolution would amend the Washington State Constitution and affirm parental rights. Some are concerned that the passage of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child would deem this necessary. For more on this issue go to www.parentalrights.org
Status: Bill is dead
Next step: -
Position: Support
Action: Call your Senator and ask them to support this Resolution
Bills that would threaten parental rights:
HB2421 An act allowing for third party visitation.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2421&year=2009
Sponsors: Pedersen, Kagi, Chase, Roberts, Rolfes, Upthegrove, Carlyle, Green, Goodman, Kenney, Ormsby and Moeller.
This bill would enact a new section in Washington law that would allow any person to petition a court for visitation rights with a child if they have “established an ongoing and substantial relationship with the child.”
CHN opposed this bill because it is unconstitutional and undermines parental rights. Third party visitation rights have already been challenged and overturned by the 2000 US Supreme Court in the case of Troxel v. Granville. The court reaffirmed the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment which protects the fundamental right of parents to make decisions concerning the care, custody, and control of their children.
Hearing: 1/13 Scott and DiAnna Brannan, CHN testified in opposition to this bill.
HB 2421 Position Paper
Status: Bill is dead due to lack of votes to pass out of committee.
Next step: -
Position: Opposed
Action: None needed at this time.
HB1607/SB5477 and HB2056/SB5643 and HB2091 An act allowing for grandparents to petition courts to allow for visitations.
These bills would allow a grandparent to petition the court for visitation of children in an intact family with fit parents. These bills clearly are unconstitutional and are a violation of parental rights. At the last hearing several groups testified in favor of this bill and wanted to broaden visitation rights to even include non-family members! These bills are a slippery slope to eroding parental rights.
These bills threatens parental rights, which is the very foundation of our homeschool rights and freedoms. Read HSLDA’s e-alert for more on this bill and this issue.
HB 1607 http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2009-10/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/1607.pdf
Sponsors: Rep. Chase, Haler, Kagi, Dunshee, Haigh, Green, Kessler, Roberts, Kenney, Rolfes, Morrell and Ormsby
SB5477 http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5477&year=2009
Sponsors: Senators Shin, Carrell, Marr, Delvin, Sheldon, Fairley, Pridemore, Kastama, Jarrett.
HB2056 http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2009-10/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/2056.pdf
Sponsors: Rep. Chase, Condotta
SB5643 http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2009-10/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5643.pdf
Sponsors: Senators Franklin, Carrell, Marr
HB2091 http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2009-10/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/2091.pdf
Sponsors: Short, Warnick
Status: Bills are dead due to missing the cutoff deadline
Position: Opposed
Action: None needed at this time.
Note: We cannot ignore the fact that there are some very sad stories that involve children in harms way. We are aware of a couple of bills which the Senate is working on which address these situations and do not violate a fit parent’s rights. We encourage interested parties to look at two bills sponsored by Senators Roach, Hargrove, and Stevens SB 6416 and 6417. CHN has no position on these bills. This is out-of- scope of our organization but we wanted to make a note here so that those who have been following the above bills would be aware of them.
SB 6416 http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=6416&year=2009
Status: Bill passed Senate on 2/16 and House on 3/4
Education Committees 2010 Legislative Session
Legislative Home page: http://www1.leg.wa.gov/legislature/
Preserving homeschool freedoms for today and tomorrow!
Christian Homeschool Network
CHN is legislative liaison to Christian Heritage Home Educators www.ChristianHeritageOnline.org
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This information is not intended to be and does not constitute the giving of legal advice. Before making any decisions that could affect the legal status of your homeschool program contact Home School Legal Defense Association www.HSLDA.org for advice.