Did you know that you can watch or listen to Legislative work sessions and public hearings via TVW? And most are recorded and become available approximately two hours after the close of the hearing or session. Check out all the ways to access TVW.

Here are a few recent work sessions that may be of interest:

• Jan 12・House Education Committee・Restraint and Isolation・Watch on TVW

• Jan 12・House Appropriations Committee・Presentation of the Governor's proposed 2026 Supplemental Operating Budget by the Office of Financial Management・Watch on TVW

• Jan 13・Senate Ways & Means Committee・Governor Ferguson’s 2026 Supplemental Operating Budget Proposal・Watch on TVW

• Jan 13・House Education Committee・Student Mental Health and Well-Being・Watch on TVW

• Jan 13・House Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans Committee・Emerging technology innovation, digital risks, emerging risks, and effective governance・Watch on TVW

SCPTSA advocates under National PTA & Washington State PTA (WSPTA) to make every child’s potential a reality. WSPTA & SCPTSA engage and empower families and communities to advocate for all children by organizing members across Washington state and Seattle through priorities selected by membership.

WSPTA Top 5 Legislative Priorities for 2025–26

1. Closing the Funding Gaps

2. Addressing the Student Mental Health Crisis

3. Addressing Funding, Inclusion, and Supports in Special Education

4. Preventing and Reducing Gun Violence and Suicide

5. Expanding School Construction Funding Options

SCPTSA is also informed by

• Seattle Public Schools 2026 Legislative Priorities

• The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s 2026 Legislative Budget Requests

2025 Selected Reports

K–12 Funding Equity Workgroup 2025 Annual Report
The 2025 Legislature established the K–12 Funding Equity Workgroup to analyze K–12 education funding formulas and revenue sources and explore options for revisions to the funding formula that are responsive to student needs, including economic, demographic, and geographic differences in student and community populations. This report provides a summary of the Workgroup’s progress through October 2025, and State Superintendent Chris Reykdal’s recommendations for the Legislature on actions for the 2026 Legislative Session.
Authorizing legislation: House Bill 2049 (2025)

High School and Beyond Plan Platform
OSPI has formulated a comprehensive set of recommendations aimed at expanding the universal online High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP) platform in Washington state to engage students from the fifth grade onwards. Additionally, the report discusses future considerations regarding resource allocation, including the potential involvement of elementary school counselors in facilitating and supporting this expanded access. 
Authorizing legislation: RCW 28A.230.215

Statewide Individualized Education Program System Feasibility Study Report
In accordance with legislative direction, OSPI conducted a feasibility study to evaluate the implementation of a statewide Individualized Education Program (IEP) system. The study explored the current state of IEP systems in Washington, identified challenges to delivering high-quality, equitable special education services, assessed potential vendors and costs, and a recommended path forward to improve outcomes for students with disabilities across the state.
Authorizing legislation: SB 5950, Sec. 501(2)(d)

UPDATE: Reducing Restraint & Eliminating Isolation
This report summarizes activities undertaken by OSPI’s Reducing Restraint & Eliminating Isolation (RREI) project during fiscal year 2025, as mandated through 2023’s biennial operating budget and 2024’s supplemental operating budget. Demonstration projects incorporate “Pilot site” districts that strategically engage in the process of building systems of support, and “Demonstration site” districts that serve as learning communities to share their stories and highlight exemplary practices within these systems. Their outcomes have revealed promising practices and effective strategies for improving school safety and reducing the use of restraint and isolation. 71% of project sites decreased incidents of restraint and isolation in school year 2024-25, as compared to the previous school year. This decrease in incidents was statistically significant. 
Authorizing legislation: ESSB 5950, Sec. 501(4)(mm)

UPDATE: Student Transportation Allocation Determination
OSPI annually submits a report outlining the method used in determining the coefficients for each site characteristic used to establish the transportation allocation for the following year. The 2025–26 regression analysis for coefficients will use data elements from the previous school year. The coefficients are then used in the Student Transportation Allocation Reporting System (STARS) formula which will determine the 2025–26 school year allocation. 
Authorizing legislation: RCW 28A.160.180(4)

WA State Legislature District Finder by Address
Please note: the committee assignments below are for 2025 and we’ll see some shifting in early January before the 2026 session starts.

36th Legislative District
(Northwest Seattle)
Representative Liz Berry・Chair, Labor & Workplace Standards
Senator Noel Frame・Vice Chair, Human Services・Vice Chair Finance, Ways & Means
Representative Julia Reed・Vice Chair, Transportation・Member, Postsecondary Education & Workforce

46th Legislative District
(Northeast Seattle)
Representative Darya Farivar・Vice Chair, Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee
Representative Gerry Pollet・Chair, JLARC - Joint Legislative Audit & Review Committee・Member, Appropriations Committee・Member, Post Secondary Education & Workforce Committee・Member, Education Committee
Senator Javier Valdez・Chair, State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections Committee・Vice Chair, Joint Administrative Rules Review Committee・Member, Transportation Committee

43rd Legislative District
(Central Seattle)
Representative Nicole Macri・Vice Chair, Appropriations Committee
Senator Jamie Pedersen・Majority Leader・Member, Appropriations Committee・Member, Ways & Means Committee
Representative Shaun Scott・Vice Chair, Labor & Workplace Standards Committee・Member, Education Committee・Member, Finance Committee

34th Legislative District
(Southwest Seattle)
Senator Emily Alvarado・Vice Chair, Housing Committee・Member, Transportation Committee
Representative Joe Fitzgibbon・Majority Leader・Member, Appropriations Committee・Member, Rules Committee
Representative Brianna Thomas・Assistant Majority Whip・Member, Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee

37th Legislative District
(Southeast Seattle)
Senator Rebecca Saldaña・Chair, Labor & Commerce Committee・Member, Rules Committee・Member, Ways & Means Committee
Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos・Chair, Education Committee・Member, Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight & Accountability Committee・Member, Finance Committee
Representative Chipalo Street・Majority Caucus Vice Chair・Member, Finance Committee・Member, Appropriations Committee

Send a Message About a Bill
After searching for a bill, click the dark green "Comment on a Bill" button on the Bill Summary Page to send a message to your elected official and share your opinion. You can request a response to your message if you wish.

Many bills introduced in the Legislature will receive a public hearing, where citizens are given a chance to present their opinions on proposed legislation.

There are three ways to participate in a public committee hearing:

1. Testify in a Committee Hearing
   Duri​ng the Legislative Session, you can register to testify in a​ committee hearing in-person or remotely through Zoom. 

   If you frequently testify on bills, you may find it useful to create a Legislative Account.​​ An account allows you to autofill sign-in information and view and edit your sign-in history.

2. Submit Written Testimony to a Committee
   Written testimony has a 5000 character limit. You will need to copy and paste your testimony into a form box. 2 MB of supporting info can also be uploaded.

3. Note Your Position on a Bill for Legislative Record
   If you wish, you can choose to simply have your position noted — Pro (for the bill), Con (against the bill), or Other (there is more nuance to the decision).

To sign-up to participate in a committee hearing,

1. Start from the Homepage of the WA State Legislature website, enter the bill number, and click the “search” button.

2. Once on the Bill Summary Page, click the dark green “sign-up to testify/submit written testimony” button. If you do not see this button (directly below the “Send a comment on this bill…” button) there may not be opportunities to participate in a hearing at this time..

3. Once on the Committee Sign In Page, select the bill/agenda item you would like to comment on and a list of options to participate will be listed below.

4. Select the option you would like, fill out a simple form (your street address is NOT required), and click the “Submit Registration” button.

Alternatively, you can start from the Committee Sign In Page on the WA State Legislature website, however, you will need the following info to navigate to the registration page…

1. The chamber (House or Senate) where the public hearing will take place

2. The committee the bill has been assigned to

3. The Meeting date and time

4. The agenda item/bill you would like to comment on

Students can testify too!
Use the Seattle Public Schools Civic Engagement Activity Excused Absence Form

The Washington State Legislature is dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can fully participate in the legislative process. Requests for onsite spoken language and ASL interpretation should be submitted at least 48 hours in advance by completing our Accessibility Request Form and coordinating with the ADA Coordinators in the House or Senate. The more advance notice you are able to provide, the higher likelihood that your request can be fulfilled.

For complete information, visit the accessibility information page.

Any legislative number can be reached via the state Telephone Relay Service at 800-833-6384 (voice) or 800-833-6388 (TTY).

The Washington State Legislature is the state's lawmaking body, where elected Senators and Representatives come together to create and pass laws that shape the daily lives of Washingtonians.

The citizen Legislature meets annually on the second Monday in January in the Capitol building in Olympia. In odd-numbered years — the budget year — the Legislature meets for 105 days, and in even-numbered years for 60 days.

The 2026 regular session began on Monday January 12, 2026. It is a short session, lasting up to 60-days, with an expected end date of Thursday, March 12, 2026.

December 1, 2025 – Prefiling begins.
January 12, 2026 – First day of session.

February 4 – Policy Committee Cutoff. Last day to read in committee reports in house of origin, except House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees.

February 9 – Fiscal Committee Cutoff. Last day to read in committee reports from House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees in house of origin.

February 17 – House of Origin Cutoff. Last day to consider bills in house of origin (5 pm).

February 25 – Policy Committee Cutoff - Opposite House. Last day to read in committee reports from opposite house, except House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees.

March 2 – Fiscal Committee Cutoff - Opposite House. Last day to read in opposite house committee reports from House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees.

March 6 – Opposite House Cutoff. Last day to consider opposite house bills (5 pm).

After 5 pm on the 94th day, only initiatives and alternatives to initiatives, budgets and matters necessary to implement budgets, matters that affect state revenue, messages pertaining to amendments, matters of differences between the two houses, and matters incident to the interim and to the closing of the session may be considered.

March 12 – Last day allowed for regular session under the state constitution.

April 4 – The last day the governor has to take action on a bill.

June 11 – 90-day effective date. Legislation becomes effective 90 days after adjournment of the session unless otherwise specified in the bill text.

If the 2026 session ends before the 60th day, the governor action date and 90-day effective date will change accordingly.