| Proposed Bill Would Elevate K-12 Education Funding |
 |
 |
 Bill would create a separate K-12 education budget.
A bill proposed in Olympia would put K-12 education funding at the top of the legislature's priority list if it makes its way through both chambers. House Bill 2533 ("Fund Education First") would require the state legislature to pass a separate K-12 education budget before passing an operating budget. The K-12 budget would be its own, much like the transportation, capital and operating budgets. "Our forefathers clearly saw that education was critical to a successful democracy and economic prosperity - they put 'paramount duty' language in our state constitution with very strong effect," said Rep. Bruce Dammeier, R-Puyallup. "It is the strongest language of any state constitution. The bill is simple. It would require state lawmakers to pass a separate K-12 budget, funding for our schools, before the rest of the operating budget." The bill comes after the state Supreme Court ruled that the state legislature isn't fulfilling its paramount duty to fund education in the state. Governor Christine Gregiore has proposed $630 million in cuts to K-12 education to fix a state budget deficit. Read More |