Legislative Activity 2012 (last updated February 20, 2012)

The Legislative session begins January 9, 2012 and ends March 8, 2012

Legislative hotline number is 1-800-562-6000.  Legislative website www.leg.wa.gov 

2012 House and Senate Education Committees

 NOTE: All bills from the last legislative session have been reintroduced for this session.

Proposed legislation that may effect home education.

SB 5142 would prohibit school districts from advertising and marketing alternative learning programs as home-based instruction. Requires school districts give parents full disclosure of the difference between alternative learning programs and home-base instruction. 

SB 5142 http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5142&year=2011

Sponsors: Senators Stevens, Hargrove, Nelson, Shin, Pflug, Sheldon, King, Roach

This bill was introduced by CHN. SB5142 was reintroduced from the 2011 Legislative session where it passed the Senate unanimous. In the House it failed to meet the deadline to pass out of committee. SB5142 starts the process over.

At the 2011 hearings CHN passed out notebooks “Fast Facts on ALPs” which included a list of concerns with Parent Partnership Programs. CHN and Christian Heritage Home Educators testified at the hearings in support of this bill.

Here is a link to the hearing in the 2011 Senate Early Learning and K!2 Education committee. Testimony for SB5142 starts at about 1:12:52

http://www.tvw.org/media/mediaplayer.cfm?evid=2011011215&TYPE=V&CFID=4683093&CFTOKEN=57742273&bhcp=1

Hearing Senate Early Learning and K12 Education 1/26 1:30

Status: Bill failed to pass out of committee before deadline 
Position: Support
Action: No further action needed.

HB 2199  Lowering the compulsory school age to 6 or 7.  

HB2199 http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2199&year=2011 

Sponsors: Reps Kelley, Dahlquist, Maxwell 

CHN opposes this bill on the principle that parents should be able to decide when their child is ready for formal education.

House Education. Hearing 1/26 8:00 am. 

Status: Bill failed to pass out of committee before deadline
Position: Concerns
Action: No further action needed.

HB1633 lowering the compulsory school age to seven. (bill is dead, see HB2199)

SB 5346 and 5848 allowing for education vouchers. Parents who chose to educate their children outside of the public school system may apply to OSPI for a $3500 voucher. Child must pass a national assessment.

Sponsors: Senators Swecker and Benton

CHN does not support vouchers, due to the “strings” attached. Other issues of concern with this bill; Federal law exempts homeschool students from taking a national assessment, religious schools/teaching cannot receive state monies.

Status:  Reintroduced. Inactive.
Position: Oppose
Action:  No action needed at this time. 

Bills that Would Threaten Parental Rights

HB 2193 Allowing a third party (non-relative) to petition the court for visitation of a child. 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.” HB2193 is not limited to grandparents/relatives but is open to non relatives.

HB 2193 http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2193&year=2011

Sponsors: Reps Pedersen, Nealey, Kagi, Rivers, Orwell, Walsh, Eddy, Goodman, Roberts, Fagan