Week Five Awaits!

(Photo Courtesy: Erica Hallock)

Trivia!

Who was the first Black legislator elected to a legislative leadership position and the first Black member elected to both the House of Representatives and the State Senate?

Highlights of the Week

Senate Introduces Bill to Reduce Early Learning Costs

The realities of the state’s budget challenges are becoming clearer with the introduction of SB 5752 (C. Wilson). This bill makes a number of changes to the Fair Start for Kids Act to address the budget crisis while aiming to protect as much of the state’s investments in core early learning programming as possible. You will notice many of the provisions in SB 5752 overlap with components of other bills that have been introduced, signaling these provisions will all be addressed in budget discussions.

Following is a summary of key provisions of SB 5752:

Working Connections Child Care

• Delays income eligibility expansion to 75% of State Median Income from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2029.
• Delays income eligibility expansion to 85% of State Median Income (subject to appropriation) from July 1, 2027 to July 1, 2031.
• Removes the ability to waive work requirements for applicants or consumers enrolled in a state registered apprenticeship program.
• Repeals expanded eligibility for applicants or consumers enrolled in a state registered apprenticeship program.
• Repeals expanded eligibility for child care employees.

Working Connections Child Care Co-Payments

• Creates a new co-payment structure.
• New co-payment structure applies to new applicants and re-applicants. This means families currently accessing subsidy will change co-pay structures when they are reauthorized after their current 12-month eligibility period.
• The new structure is based on a percentage of the State Median Income for a household of two multiplied by an escalating percentage up to 6.5%. This new structure includes additional co-payments for each additional child in the household.
• The co-payment does not apply to children in child protective services or student parents.

Changes in Program Funding

Makes the following programs Subject to Appropriation:

• Trauma-informed care supports
• Infant early childhood mental health consultation
• Dual language subsidy rate enhancement

ECEAP

• Delays ECEAP entitlement from the 2026-27 school year until the 2030-31 school year
• Repeals the Early ECEAP program

The bill contains an emergency clause so its provisions would go into effect July 1, 2025.

Other Bill Activity

We are at the stage of the legislative sessions where bills are being added and removed from committee schedules daily, so if you want up-to-the-minute information on bills you care about, it is best to sign up for email notifications on the legislative website. It is easy to do! Using the Cost of Quality Care bill as an example, go to SB 5500’s official bill page. On the right-hand side of the page, select the option “get email notifications.” If you click on that option and enter your email address, you will be notified on status changes for the bill.

Check out our bill tracker for a more comprehensive look at the early learning bills moving through the process.

Here’s a look at some of the key activity from this week:

Fair Start for Kids Act Delays Passes Fiscal Committee

On February 12, the House Appropriations Committee passed SHB 1489 (Ormsby). This is the House vehicle to delay components of the Fair Start for Kids Act due to the state’s budget challenges related to income eligibility for Working Connections Child Care and ECEAP entitlement.

The House Appropriations Committee adopted a substitute that added additional components, including:

• Delaying ECEAP entitlement for families at or below 50 percent of the State Median Income adjusted for family size from the 2030-31 school year to the 2034-35 school year.
• Changes from 2032 to 2031 the Working Connections Child Care income expansion for households in the first 12 months of a state registered apprenticeship program and whose household annual income does not exceed 85 percent of the State Median Income if funds are appropriated.

Governor Ferguson Child Care Proposal Gets Hearing

On February 12, the House Early Learning and Human Services Committee heard HB 1919 (Bergquist), Governor’s request legislation related to Working Connections Child Care. As you read this section, you may ask, isn’t this same as HB 1865 (Bergquist) from last week? You would be correct! The content of the two bills are identical. HB 1919 was introduced to correct an issue with the bill title.

HB 1919 contains Governor Ferguson’s plan to expand eligibility for Working Connections Child Care for families where at least one household member is employed by a small business (defined as 50 or fewer employees) and the household income does not exceed 75 percent of State Median Income at the time of application or, if funds are provided, beginning January 1, 2031, does not exceed 85 percent of State Median Income.

The bill also delays implementation of income eligibility provisions included in the Fair Start for Kids Act. Specifically, it delays the expansion of income eligibility from 60 to 75 percent of State Median Income from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2029. It also delays the next phase of eligibility expansion from 75 to 85 percent of State Median Income from July 1, 2027 to July 1, 2031, pending the availability of funding.

Cost of Quality Care Rate Model Passes Policy Committee

On February 12, the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee took executive action to approve SB 5500 (Alvarado) with amendments to specify that the provisions related to collective bargaining agreements for family child care providers do not go into effect until July 1, 2027. This clarification was necessary because the current collective bargaining agreement for family child care providers under consideration by the Legislature has already been negotiated and, upon legislative approval, would be in effect until June 30, 2027.

Deemed the “Cost of Quality Care Rate Model,” the bill seeks to modernize the rate-setting tool for child care subsidies in our state. The model was co-created with child care providers, other advocates and the Department of Children, Youth and Families. This new tool is intended to more fully measure and capture the costs of providing quality child care. In recognition of the state’s fiscal situation, the bill is designed to be cost neutral.

Child Care Bills Receive Hearings in Senate Fiscal Committee

On February 10, the Senate Ways and Means Committee held public hearings on SSB 5062 (Stanford) and SB 5130 (C. Wilson).

SSB 5062 would establish a state Childcare Workforce Standards Board to establish minimum employment standards for child care workers, including standards on compensation and other working conditions. Refer to the February 7 edition of “Notes from Olympia” for a detailed summary of the current version of the bill.

SB 5130 would eliminate child care licensing fees and carries a fiscal note of $4.1M to account for the loss of licensing fees to the state’s General Fund.

Neither bill has been scheduled for executive session yet.

Dairy Day!

(Photo Courtesy: Erica Hallock)

A huckleberry ice cream sandwich from Ferdinand’s Ice Cream Shoppe at the WSU Creamery is a perfectly acceptable lunch. Thank you, Washington State Dairy Federation and WSU Creamery for bringing smiles to campus!

DCYF Secretary Nomination Advances to Senate Floor

On February 11, the Senate Human Services held a public hearing to consider the nomination of Tana Senn for Secretary of the Department of Children, Youth and Families. At the hearing, the Committee gave Secretary Senn the opportunity to share about her background and her plans for the agency. Individual committee members asked questions about specific programmatic areas. You can catch the hearing on TVW starting around minute 28:00.

The Senate Human Services Committee voted to approve Secretary Senn’s nomination on February 12. Her nomination will be considered by the full Senate at some point in the near future.

What’s on Deck for Next Week

Policy Committee Deadline

Day 40 of the legislative session brings our first official deadline – policy committee cutoff. This means that all bills must be approved by their respective policy committees.

The next deadline will come quickly after that, with the fiscal committee cutoff scheduled for the following Friday, February 28th. These back-to-back deadlines mean the respective House and Senate fiscal committees will be working the weekend of February 22nd to get through the long lists of bills before them.

Week Six Schedule

On Wednesday night of each week, the following week’s schedule is released and many of us pour over the schedules and plot out the hearing schedules times, lining up testifiers and sign-ins. As I noted above, we are at the stage with cutoffs incoming and amendment negotiations ongoing, the schedule that was released this Wednesday appeared lighter than what I expect. I expect my inbox to fill up with notifications of bills being added (and removed) from hearing schedules.

Pre-snowfall on the Capital Campus early Monday morning (y’all see the crane lit up?)

(Photo Courtesy: Erica Hallock)

Trivia!

What was the first building erected on the Capital Campus – the Legislative Building or the Temple of Justice (home to the State Supreme Court and the Administrative Office of the Courts)?

Highlights of the Week

Agency Reduction Exercise Submissions

On February 6, state agency proposed budget reductions were due to the Office of Financial Management (OFM). As noted in last week’s newsletter, state agencies were directed to identify reductions of at least six percent beyond any reductions included in Governor Inslee’s budget proposal.

In addition to suggestions for potential reductions such as pausing legislative reports, the instructions suggest consolidating management positions (10-25% within each agency) and reducing “administrative, executive, and externally focused positions that are not essential to the delivery of government services (10% to 25% within each agency).”

If the cut information is made public, we will include a summary of the details in a future newsletter.

Legislative Leadership Media Availability

I am highlighting the weekly leadership media availability again this week. In particular, I bring your attention to the Democratic leadership media availability and their discussion on the budget (starts around minute 10).

Senate Majority Leader Pedersen highlighted that former Governor Inslee’s publicly released “book 2” budget contained nearly $13 billion in new revenue over the four-year budget outlook, mitigating the need for massive, proposed budget cuts. When responding to a reporter’s question about voter appetite for new taxes, Senator Pedersen pointed to the November election results and compared the three initiatives on the ballot to “three big polls” and said Washington voters support revenue tied to specific services.

Speaker Jinkins spoke to specific cuts that were included in Governor Inslee’s all-cuts “book 1” budget and talked about how these types of dire cuts to programs like Medicaid and developmental disabilities will be on the table if new revenue is not secured. Writer’s Note: Inslee’s “book 1” all-cuts budget was not made public, so the state agency reduction exercise responses will give us a clearer picture of what services and programs are truly at risk in this climate, if they are made public.

In the Republican media availability, Republican leadership continued their messaging that the budget could be balanced with existing resources and without considering new revenue. Republican leadership talked about affordability challenges in a multitude of areas including child care and housing.

Bill Hearings and Action

Workforce Standards Board

On January 31, the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee passed SSB 5062 (Stanford). You will note the title of the bill changed from SB 5062 to SSB 5062. This is because the Committee adopted a substitute bill (meaning it adopted amendments), so the title becomes Substitute Senate Bill 5062, or SSB 5062.

Key changes included in the substitute:

• One of the worker representatives on the board must be from a school-age program.
• One of the employer representatives on the board must represent a small business of 15 or fewer employees.
• The minimum number of board votes for action changed from 5 to 6.
• The standard for board consideration of standards applying to a specific geographic region or specified information when adopting compensation standards changed from “must” to “may”.
• Language was removed specifying that if a standard results in an increase in costs that exceeds federal payments, that standard is not effective until an appropriation is obtained that is sufficient to cover the payment.
• Includes a provision that if an adopted standard results in increased costs for represented Family Child Care providers, the standard is not effective until sufficient funding is appropriated by the Legislature, however the state is not prohibited from providing funding to meet compensation standards.
• Lowers the number of languages required for written training materials from four to three.

SSB 5062 is scheduled to receive a public hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Monday, February 10. The House companion, HB 1128 (Fosse), is scheduled for Executive Session on February 7 in the House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee.

Cost of Quality Care Rate Model

On Tuesday, February 3, the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee held a public hearing on SB 5500 (Alvarado) which would modernize the rate-setting tool for child care subsidies in our state. Deemed the “Cost of Quality Care Rate Model,” it was co-created with child care providers, other advocates and the Department of Children, Youth and Families. This new tool is intended to more fully measure and capture the costs of providing quality child care.

In recognition of the state’s fiscal situation, the bill is designed to be cost neutral.

Working Connections Child Care Methodology

The Senate Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on SB 5310 (Braun) on Monday, February 2. This bill would adjust the payment methodology for Working Connections Child Care to be lesser of the 75th percentile of the Market Rate Survey or a provider’s rate for children not eligible for state subsidy.

SB 5310 has not been scheduled for executive session.

Provider Qualifications

A number of bills addressing child care provider qualifications received public hearings this week. On Tuesday, the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee heard SB 5279 (Wilson). A note that SB 5279’s House Companion HB 1082 (Eslick) received a hearing in the House Early Learning and Human Services Committee on January 22.

SB 5279/HB 1082 would, among other provisions, direct DCYF to allow child care providers until at least August 1, 2028 to show experience-based competency as an alternative to an Early Childhood Education (ECE) certificate. It would also expand experience-based competency to positions that require an ECE state certificate, including child care center directors, assistant directors and program supervisors.

On Tuesday, February 7, the House Early Learning and Human Services Committee heard HB 1648 (Dent). HB 1648 would extend the timeline for child care providers to complete staff qualification requirements to at least August 1, 2035, or until at least 10 years following the full implementation of all components of the community-based training pathway, whichever is later. It would also allow for a cumulative three years of work experience in licensed child care as a demonstration of experience-based competency to fulfill the staff qualification requirement.

None of these bills have been scheduled for executive session. The deadline for passing bills out of policy committees is February 21.

What’s on Deck for Next Week

Food Days Commence – Starting with Dairy Day!

Longtime readers are familiar with the excitement the various “food association days” bring to those of us who spend our days at the Capital campus. The need to find any morsel of joy (or mouthful of joy!) is amplified this year.

The Washington State Dairy Federation will share numerous dairy offerings on February 11. This writer is crossing her fingers that WSU’s famous Ferdinand’s Ice Cream will be available. I may or may not deploy some of my sixth-grade basketball “box out skills” to secure some of Ferdinand’s magic. Go Cougs!

DCYF Secretary Tana Senn Confirmation Hearing

Before state agency heads receive consideration for confirmation by the full State Senate, the nominee is assigned a Senate Gubernatorial Appointment number (just like a bill). Individuals go before the relevant legislative committee to answer questions about their background, experience and plans for their new endeavor.

On February 11, the Senate Human Services Committee will hold a public hearing on SGA 9222, otherwise known as the Department of Children, Youth and Families Secretary Tana Senn. The following day, the Committee will hold an executive session to advance Senn’s nomination to the full Senate for consideration.

Bill Hearings

Policy Bills Move to Fiscal Committees

• On February 10, the Senate Ways and Means Committee will hear two early learning related bills – SSB 5062 (Stanford) the Child Care Workforce Standards bill, as well as SB 5130 (Wilson) which would eliminate child care licensing fees.

Licensing Bills Receive Hearings

• On February 12, the House Early Learning and Human Services Committee is scheduled to hear two licensing related bills. The first, HB 1033 (Couture), would allow counties to license and regulate child care centers and family child care homes.
• The second, HB 1363 (Caldier), would change the maximum group size and ratios of center staff to children. Specifically, it would provide that preschoolers have a maximum group size of 21 with a ratio of no less than 1:11 (teacher: children), and a school-age maximum group size of 31 with a ratio of no less than 1:16. It would also change current law to specify that licensed indoor early learning program space must have a minimum of 34 square feet per child in attendance. (Currently, preschool group size is 20 with a ratio of 1:10, school-age group size is 30 with a ratio of 1:15, and required program space is 35 square feet per child.)

Leveraging Existing Buildings for Child Care

• On February 12, the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee will hear SB 5655 (Krishnadasan) – the companion to HB 1582 (Caldier). This bill seeks to make changes to child care licensing requirements so the calculated occupancy load of existing buildings with more than one use (such as churches), would only be based on the space where the child care is provided. The intent of the bill is to leverage existing buildings for child care space.

Bills, Bills, Bills

Governor Ferguson’s Child Care for Small Business/Working Connections Child Care Delay Introduced

HB 1865 (Bergquist) contains Governor Ferguson’s plan to expand eligibility for Working Connections Child Care for families where at least one household member is employed by a small business (defined as 50 or fewer employees) and the household income does not exceed 75 percent of State Median Income at the time of application or, if funds are provided, beginning January 1, 2031, does not exceed 85 percent of State Median Income.

The bill also delays implementation of income eligibility provisions included in the Fair Start for Kids Act. Specifically, it delays the expansion of income eligibility from 60 to 75 percent of State Median Income from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2029. It also delays the next phase of eligibility expansion from 75 to 85 percent of State Median Income from July 1, 2027 to July 1, 2031, pending the availability of funding.

Increasing Working Connections Access for Graduate and Other Professional Students

Newly appointed House Member Zahn introduced HB 1873 (Zahn) to increase access to Working Connections Child Care for full-time students in graduate and professional education programs at institutions of higher education. The bill sets annual household income at 85 percent of State Median Income for this specific program.

As a reminder, each Thursday, Start Early Washington updates its bill tracker with the latest information on bills we are following. If you would like us to do a deeper dive on a particular bill in a future newsletter, let us know!

The fog has lifted at the start of Week Three. Is that a good omen?

(Photo Courtesy: Erica Hallock)

Trivia!

Which legislator is the only member to serve during the two times the House of Representatives was evenly split with 49 Democrats and 49 Republicans?

Bonus Question: How many years apart did this occur?

Governor Ferguson Budget Reduction Target Exercise Instructions Released

On January 24, Office of Financial Management (OFM) Director K.D. Chapman-See released instructions to state agencies regarding Governor Ferguson’s directed budget reduction target exercise.

The instructions direct agencies to identify reductions of at least six percent beyond any reductions included in Governor Inslee’s budget proposal. This means we could see items that agencies originally included on their reduction lists from last November but were not a part of Governor Inslee’s budget reemerge.

Programs providing cash benefits to Washingtonians as well as the following agencies are excluded from this exercise: K-12, community and technical colleges, Washington State Patrol, the Department of Corrections and the Criminal Justice Training Commission. Four-year public universities are asked to identify at least three percent reductions.

In addition to suggestions for potential reductions such as pausing legislative reports, the instructions suggest consolidating management positions (10-25% within each agency) and reducing “administrative, executive, and externally focused positions that are not essential to the delivery of government services (10% to 25% within each agency).”

Agency recommendations are due to OFM by February 6 and will be posted on the OFM website following review.

Highlights of the Week

House Appropriations Receives Early Learning Staff Briefing

On Wednesday, January 29, the House Appropriations Committee received a staff briefing about early learning programs. This presentation is filled with rich data detailing early learning caseloads and investments over the years, highlighting changes since passage of the Fair Start for Kids Act.

Fiscal committees in both chambers are holding these types of briefings and work sessions to prepare themselves for the difficult budget decisions ahead.

Legislative Leadership Media Availability

Each week during the legislative session, legislative leadership holds media availability. These sessions aren’t very long, and they are good to watch to get a finger on the pulse of what is “on top” for that moment. It’s also helpful when you are knee-deep in an issue to pull back and look at the larger landscape.

Not surprisingly, the state budget dominated this week’s leadership media availability. For example, Democratic leaders spoke of how they are busy working on various scenarios but are waiting for the next revenue forecast in March to make more definitive public pronouncements.

I wanted to flag the Republican leadership media availability because child care was one of the first questions asked and Senator John Braun talked about his SB 5310, which will be heard on Monday, February 3 in the Senate Ways and Means Committee (starts around minute 6). Senator Braun’s bill would change the reimbursement rate for Working Connections Child Care to the lesser of the 75th percentile of the Market Rate Survey or a provider’s rate for a private pay family.

What’s on Deck for Next Week

First off, it will finally not be January. For me, January felt like it went on for 97 days.

Committee action continues at a brisk pace. Bill introductions are beginning to slow down slightly, and we are at the stage of heavy public hearings and the start of executive sessions (votes). This is also the time where we are watching for amendments (substitutes) and fiscal notes (expected costs for implementation). In short, things are moving FAST!

As a reminder, each Thursday, Start Early Washington updates its bill tracker with the latest information on bills we are following. If you would like us to do a deeper dive on a particular bill in a future newsletter, let us know!

Tuesday, Feb 4: Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee Hearing on Cost of Quality

• The Senate Early Learning and K-12 Committee will hear SB 5500 (Alvarado). This bill would modernize the way the state reimburses child care rates to more fully account for the true cost of doing business.

Tuesday, Feb 4: House Early Learning and Human Services Committee Hearings on Provider Qualifications and Child Care Licensing

• HB 1648 (Dent) would delay the requirement for child care providers to meet certification and training qualification conditions until at least August 1, 2035. It would also add a work equivalency option as an alternative to certification requirements for all child care positions.
• HB 1582 (Caldier) seeks to make changes to child care licensing requirements so the calculated occupancy load of existing buildings with more than one use (such as churches), would only be based on the space where the child care is provided. The intent of the bill is to leverage existing buildings for child care space.

Thursday, Feb. 6: Senate Ways and Means Hearing on Early Learning Facilities Bill; House Education Expected to Hold Executive Session on Transition to Kindergarten Bill; and House Appropriations Committee Hears Proposal to Push Out Fair Start for Kids Act Provisions

• The Senate Ways and Means Committee will hold a public hearing on SB 5297 (Trudeau/Torres). This is the Senate companion to HB 1314 (Callan/Abbarno) which was heard in the House Capital Budget Committee this week. It would make technical changes to the Early Learning Facilities Fund.
• HB 1450 (Santos) is scheduled for an Executive Session (vote) in House Education next week. In the public hearing this week on the Transition to Kindergarten Bill, Representative Santos stated she plans to propose a substitute bill with changes.
• Finally, the House Appropriations Committee will hold a public hearing on HB 1489 (Ormsby). This bill adjusts implementation dates for Working Connections Child Care income eligibility and ECEAP entitlement created through the Fair Start for Kids Act to align with former Governor Inslee’s proposed regular budget.

Friday, Feb 7: House Labor Committee Action Scheduled on Child Care Workforce Standards Board and House Finance Committee to Consider Sales Tax Removal on Diapers

• The House Labor and Workforce Standards Committee has scheduled an Executive Session for HB 1128 (Fosse) related to the establishment of a Child Care Workforce Standards board. Refer to the January 17th Notes from Olympia for a more detailed summary of that.
• Last week I highlighted the various efforts to ease some of the affordability challenges facing Washington families. Two bills in this area are scheduled for hearings next Friday in the House Finance Committee. The first, HB 1307 (Caldier), would remove the sales and use tax on diapers and other essential child care products. The second, HB 1318 (Rule), is narrower and would remove the sales and use tax, but only for diapers. It will be interesting to watch how this conversation advances.

Ready for Week Two…

(Photo Courtesy: Erica Hallock)

Trivia!

The Joel Pritchard Library is the latest building on the Capital campus to be undergoing a complete overhaul. When it reopens in 2026, which legislative chamber will assume offices in the enlarged building?

The Joel Pritchard Library in 2014

(Photo Courtesy: ThurstonTalk)

Highlights of the Week

The Roster is Complete! Final Legislative Appointments Made and Lawmakers Sworn In

This has been a most atypical year with a high degree of movement with sitting legislators assuming statewide or Congressional office, accepting leadership jobs within the Ferguson administration or timing their retirement so an appointment was necessary. After this week, the Senate and House are both finally back to “full capacity.”

The King County Council appointed early learning and housing champion Emily Alvarado to serve as Senator in the 34th Legislative District, with Brianna Thomas receiving the appointment for Alvarado’s House seat. The Council also appointed Janice Zahn to represent the 41st Legislative District in the House seat vacated by Representative Tana Senn, now Secretary of the Department of Children, Youth and Families.

With the high number of former House members now serving in the Senate, we could start a friendly wager about the number of times testifiers mistakenly refer to these new Senators as “Representative” during their remarks. Change continues to be the theme of 2025.

Senate Fiscal Committee Holds Early Learning Work Session

On Tuesday, January 21, the Senate Ways and Means Committee held a work session on developments in early learning. The committee heard a briefing from committee staff followed by presentations from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Department of Children, Youth and Families. The work session is available to watch on TVW.

Given the work session was in a fiscal committee (and with our state’s budget crisis), you will not be surprised by the questions and discussion focused on budget and costs.

Senate Labor Committee Hears Child Care Workforce Standards Bill

On Monday, January 20, the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee held a public hearing on the Senate vehicle for the Child Care Workforce Standards Bill, SB 5062 (Stanford). We included a more detailed summary of the concept of the Workforce Standards Board in last week’s Notes from Olympia if you want to reference the details.

The bill generated a hearty debate. Check it out on TVW – it is in the first bill in the hearing.

Child Care Siting Bill

On Tuesday, January 21, the House Local Government Committee heard HB 1212 which is prime sponsored by Representative (now Senator) Alvarado. This bill would require that child care centers be permitted as outright uses in all zones except for industrial zones.

Now you may be asking, what happens to this bill with Senator Alvarado in the Senate? The bill stays alive and keeps moving and the second sponsor (Representative Duerr) becomes the prime sponsor.

Notably at the hearing, the Association of Washington Cities Government Affairs staff testified in appreciation for Senator Alvarado’s engagement with the cities over the interim on the development of this bill.

The bill is scheduled for executive session (vote) on Friday, January 24th.

What’s on Deck for Next Week

Tuesday, Jan. 28: House Education Committee Hear Bill on Transition to Kindergarten

• The House Education Committee will hear HB 1450 (Santos) sponsored by the Committee Chair, Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos. The bill language may be familiar as it closely reflects the 2023 legislation (HB 1550) as it passed the House before it was amended in the Senate.

Tuesday, Jan. 28: Public Hearing on Child Care Notification Requirements and Liability Insurance

• The House Early Learning and Human Services Committee will hold a public hearing on HB 1282 (Pollet) which makes changes to notification requirements to parents if a program has a change in licensing status; changes regarding what information is to be publicly posted; and directs DCYF to look into liability insurance issues.

Wednesday, Jan. 29: House Fiscal Committee to Review Early Learning Budget

• Following in the footsteps of their Senate counterparts, the House Appropriations Committee will be looking at fiscal issues around early learning. As in the Senate work session, I will be particularly interested in the committee member questions.

Thursday, Jan. 30: Early Learning Facilities Bill Receives Hearing

• The House Capital Committee will hear HB 1314 (Callan/Abbarno). This bill aims to make improvements to the Early Learning Facilities Fund program. Check out last week’s Notes from Olympia for a more detailed description of the bill’s contents.

Friday, Jan. 31: House Child Care Workforce Standards Board Bill Scheduled for Vote

• Friday, the House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee will vote on HB 1128 (Fosse), the House vehicle for the Child Care Workforce Standards Board. This bill was heard in the first week of session.

Bills, Bills, Bills

Bills continue to be introduced at a fast clip, and we encourage you to glance through the bill tracker that we update every Thursday and post on the top of our Policy and Advocacy Resources page. If there is a bill you would like us to do a deeper dive on, send us an email.

Addressing the Affordability Challenge for Families

A flurry of bills have been introduced this session by legislators from both sides of the aisle to address the affordability challenge of raising young children. There are bills to remove sales tax on diapers and “essential child care products” HB 1307 (Caldier)/HB 1318 (Rule). There is even a bill to exempt “permanently from the sales and use tax purchases of products for young children” SB 5341 (Fortunato).

Delaying Implementation of Fair Start for Kids Act

House Appropriations Chair Representative Timm Ormsby introduced HB 1489 (Ormsby) which included former Governor Inslee’s proposed budget proposal to delay two provisions in the Fair Start for Kids Act due to the state’s budget situation. The first would delay the income eligibility expansion for Working Connections Child Care from 60% of State Median Income to 75% of State Median Income from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2029. The second would extend the implementation date for ECEAP entitlement from the 2026-27 school year to the 2030-31 school year.

When are the Upcoming Legislative Committee Deadlines

In parenting there is an expression that “the days are long, but the years are short.” In the legislative world, time takes on an entirely different pace – you might look at your watch for the first time and realize it is 3:30 p.m. and you haven’t even had a chance to eat anything all day! It is not uncommon for people associated with the legislative process to forget the day of the week. Thank goodness for smart phones.

Time, though, is an important construct of the legislative system as built in deadlines (or “cutoffs”) serve as filters to winnow down the volume of policies that are still eligible for consideration. And bills that do not advance past these cutoffs are considered “dead” in legislative vernacular. Like the English language, there’s always an exception to every rule and we will explain these exceptions in future newsletters.

For now, Olympia’s eyes are on these upcoming deadlines:

Friday, February 21: Policy Committee Cutoff (All bills must be passed out of the policy committee of their house of origin)

Friday, February 28: Fiscal Committee Cutoff (All bills must be passed out of the fiscal committee of their house of origin unless they are considered Necessary to Implement the Budget).

These back-to-back-cutoffs mean fiscal committees will likely be working the weekend of February 22.

The Proverbial Calm Before the Storm

The Legislative Building on the Morning of Day One

(Photo Credit: Erica Hallock)

Trivia!

Which Washington county is named after our state’s first governor?

Governor Ferguson Releases Budget Priorities for 2025-27

On Thursday, Jan. 9th, Governor Ferguson released a 14-page document outlining his budget priorities for 2025-27.

In an accompanying letter, Governor Ferguson shared his view that the state cannot tax its way out of its budget situation and expressed deep skepticism that Governor Inslee’s “untested” wealth tax could close the budget gap. He notes his team is taking time to review each line of Governor Inslee’s proposed budget, but it is clear the state cannot afford all the proposed expenditures. Governor Ferguson states he will not entertain new revenue options until every effort has been exhausted to increase efficiencies.

Governor Ferguson does propose $800 million in new spending, but places heavy emphasis on overall review of state operations to identify savings and efficiencies. Specifically, he projects savings of $4.4 billion over two biennia through an equivalent 6% state agency-wide cut. (Note these cuts would be in addition to those proposed by Governor Inslee in his budget). Governor Ferguson excludes K-12 and public safety entities from this budget reduction exercise and plans to direct state agencies to identify their own reductions.

Governor Ferguson outlines the following Budget Principles:

• Avoid legislation that includes spending hikes outside of the four-year budget outlook;
• Increase the percentage of operating budget funding for basic education;
• Ensure strong budget reserves; and
• Support state employees.

Among new spending items, Governor Ferguson proposes the following for the 2025-27 biennium:

• $100M in new funding for a grant program for cities and counties to hire more law enforcement;
• $240M to support free school meals for all Washington students;
• $600M in the Capital Budget for housing related investments; and
• $100M to support subsidized child care for lower income workers where at least one parent works for a small business.

On a final note, in a cover letter to state legislators accompanying this budget priority document, Governor Ferguson asked each legislator to identify at least one program that is not achieving its intended objective or delivering “meaningful results for the people of Washington,” noting the program could be large or small.

Highlights of the Week

Pomp and Circumstance

The first day of the legislative session began on Monday with a celebration as recently elected (and re-elected) Senators and House members took their oaths of office. Family members and supporters flooded the Capital campus to witness the event.

The week also featured the “passing of the baton” of our state’s executive leadership. On Tuesday, outgoing Governor Jay Inslee provided his final State of the State address where he touted his Administration’s accomplishments while also urging his successor and lawmakers to protect vulnerable Washingtonians as they work through the state’s budget deficit.

Former Governor Jay Inslee’s Official Portrait

Commissioned by the Washington State Arts Commission

Artist: Grace Flott

On Wednesday, the transition became official as Governor Ferguson took the oath of office (and the official website switched over to reflect the change). Governor Ferguson delivered an inaugural speech to a Joint Session of the Senate and House of Representatives. The full ceremony can be viewed on TVW.

Governor Ferguson’s speech struck a different tone than former Governor Inslee’s remarks from the day before. He said he is “… not here to defend government, I’m here to reform it.” He urged an open and honest dialogue about how the state arrived at the budget shortfall and what lessons can be learned. Governor Ferguson stated “I will veto policy bills that defer major spending obligations more than 4 years after the legislation is adopted. These bills violate the spirit of Washington’s requirement that state budgets be balanced over a 4-year period.”

This week also saw a new Secretary of DCYF take the helm. On Monday, Representative Tana Senn took her oath of office as a legislator. Two days later, she assumed the role of Secretary of DCYF after resigning from the Legislature. Similarly, Senator Joe Nguyen resigned his role in the Senate to become the new Director of the Washington State Department of Commerce. Welcome Secretary Senn and Director Nguyen!

Legislative Committee Work Sessions

Legislative committees jumped right into work following the swearing in ceremonies, with the House Housing Committee holding a public hearing on the notable rent stabilization legislation. I could barely make my way into the O’Brien Building which houses the committee hearings due to all the people trying to get into that hearing room.

Both early learning related policy committees in the Senate and House held “work sessions” this week to orient their members to the early learning landscape. Many of these committee members are new to the Legislature or to these issues generally, so these work sessions are great orientations. I personally find these work sessions helpful, both for the data provided by the presenters and for hearing the questions from legislators. I always learn something.

On Tuesday, DCYF’s Allison Krutsinger and Nicole Rose presented an update on Fair Start for Kids Implementation and an overview of the Cost of Quality work. You can watch this work session on TVW, beginning at about the 6-minute mark. Later Tuesday, Krutsinger and Rose made a similar presentation to the House Early Learning and Human Services Committee (this work session is also available on TVW).

In the House Early Learning and Human Services Committee, the DCYF presentation was followed by a panel entitled “Perspectives from the Field” to discuss various aspects of the early learning landscape in more detail. These presenters included Genevieve Stokes of Child Care Aware, Cate Bridenstine of the Imagine Institute, Zamzam Mohamed of Voices of Tomorrow and Maggie Humphreys of MomsRising.

Bills, Bills, Bills

For the past month legislators have been able to “pre-file” bills. On the first day of the legislative session, these pre-filed bills were introduced – and there were a lot of them. For example, the Senate Introduction Sheet on the first day of session listing all the Senate’s pre-filed bills ran 30 pages long! And each day more and more new bills are introduced.

There is added complexity this year in that two legislators resigned to take new roles in the Ferguson administration. For example, with both Senator Nguyen and Representative Senn receiving appointments to the Ferguson administration, government affairs folks have been brushing up on what happens to bills prime sponsored by a legislator that resigns. The answer is these bills remain as introduced bills with the second co-sponsor assuming the role of prime sponsor. The more you know…

You can follow along to the pertinent early learning bills via Start Early’s bill tracker that is updated each Thursday.

The following are some newly introduced bills we thought warranted a bit of a deeper dive.

Early Learning Facilities (HB 1314/SB 5297)

This week, Senate and House companion bills were introduced to make improvements to the Early Learning Facilities (ELF) Fund. HB 1314 (Rep. Callan/Rep. Abbarno) and SB 5297 (Sen. Trudeau/Sen. Torres) would:

• Make Tribal Compact Schools eligible for the ELF Public School District grant program.
• Subject to appropriations, establish an emergency grant program for projects that are necessary because of natural disaster or another health or safety threat resulting from unforeseen circumstances.
• Clarify that projects supporting the conversion of Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) slots to full day and/or extended full day are eligible for ELF Fund grants.
• Remove the level of matching funds as a criterion for selecting projects and make other clarifying changes to matching requirements.

HB 1314 and SB 5297 are priorities of the Early Learning Facilities coalition that Start Early Washington convenes. If you have questions or would like more information on this bill, feel free to reach out to me.

Child Care Workforce Standards Board (HB 1128/SB 5062)

HB 1128 (Fosse) and SB 5062 (Stanford) are companion bills that seek to establish a Child Care Workforce Standards Board. The following is a summary of the key provisions of the bills.

Board composition and other details

• A total of 10 members appointed by Governor.
  • Three members representing child care workers. At least one must be from a list of three or more names provided by the largest organization representing family child care providers, and at least one must be from a list of three or more names provided by the largest organizations representing center workers.
  • Three workers representing child care employers or employer organizations with at least one representing family child care.
  • One member representing a professional development or training program for child care workers.
  • One representative from an organization representing parents.
  • One – Secretary of DCYF (or their designee).
  • One – Director of Labor and Industries (or their designee).
• Board members serve four-year terms after initial staggered terms. Initial appointments must be no later than September 1, 2025, and the Board’s first meeting, convened and staffed by the Labor and Industries Director, must be held by October 1, 2025.
• An affirmative vote of five is needed for action. This action includes the establishment of standards.

Role of the Board

• The Board is directed to adopt rules establishing minimum child care employment standards that are reasonably necessary and appropriate to protect the health and safety of child care workers; ensure child care workers are properly trained about and fully informed of their rights.
• Standards include compensation and other working standards.
• Standards are statewide.
• Board may not adopt standards about licensing.
• Must adopt rules establishing initial standards for wages no later than 8/1/26.
• Board must investigate market conditions and existing wages, benefits and working conditions of child care workers for specific geographic areas of the state and specific child care occupations. Using this information, Board must seek to adopt minimum child care employment standards that meet or exceed existing industry condition for a majority of child care workers in the relevant geographic areas and child care occupations.
• Initial employment standards are effective beginning 1/1/27 and remain in effect until subsequent standards are adopted by rule.
• Wages do not go into effect if public money is not allocated.
  • If the established child care employment standards result in costs that exceed any applicable federal payments or collective bargaining agreement amounts, the standards are not effective until the appropriation to cover the cost is made.

Worker Trainings

• Board certifies worker organization provided trainings.
• The Board is charged with establishing certification criteria; training focus and requirements; and a process for renewal and curriculum requirements.
• Child care employers must ensure that every two years each of its child care workers must complete one hour of training provided by the certified worker organization.
• Workers must be compensated for their time taking the training.

HB 1128 received a public hearing in the House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee on Wednesday, January 15th. SB 5062 is scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee on Monday, January 20th.

Cost of Quality Care Bill (HB 1350/Senate companion to be introduced)

HB 1350 is the House vehicle for Cost of Quality Care legislation. Representative Emily Alvarado is listed as the prime sponsor, with Representative Julio Cortes as the second sponsor.

The following is a summary of key provisions and background of the Cost of Quality Care bill:

• The bill is inspired by the work of the Early Education Design Team that included a co-design process involving providers, parent advocates, SEIU 925 and DCYF.
• The bill would transition the state’s use of the Market Rate Survey to set subsidy rates based on the Cost of Quality Care rate model and protect this transition in statute.
• The bill includes language maintaining current statute that sets the 85th percentile of market rate as the baseline subsidy rate.
• The bill does not fully fund the cost of quality care or create a future mandate to do so but puts the tool in place to be revisited by lawmakers in future biennia.

This bill is a priority for the Child Care for WA Roundtable.

A Senate companion bill will be forthcoming.

What’s on Deck for Next Week?

While Monday is a national holiday to honor Martin Luther King, Jr., the Washington State Legislature will be in session. Both the Senate and House of Representatives will hold special floor sessions to honor Dr. King. In past years, bills that typically generated a lot of public testimony would be scheduled for hearing on these federal holidays to allow for maximum public participation. If you are heading to campus next week, be sure to read below about the shuttle services!

Monday, Jan. 20: Workforce Standards Board Public Hearing and Tax Structure Work Session

• On Monday, January 20, the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee will hold a Public Hearing on SB 5062, the Senate vehicle for the Child Care Workforce Standards Board, at 10:30 a.m.
• Later that day at 4:00 p.m., the Senate Ways and Means Committee will hold a work session looking at our state’s tax structure.

Tuesday, Jan. 21: Child Care/Early Learning Work Session

• On Tuesday, Jan. 21, the Senate Ways and Means Committee will hold a work session looking at developments in child care and other early learning programs at 4:00 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 22: Executive Session (Vote) on House Workforce Standards Board and House Early Learning and Human Services Public Hearing on Early Learning Provider Qualifications

• At 8:00 a.m., the House Labor and Workforce Standards Committee is scheduled to vote on HB 1128, the Child Care Workforce Standards Board bill that was heard earlier this week.
• At 1:30 p.m., the House Early Learning and Human Services Committee will hold a Public Hearing on HB 1082 relating to child care provider qualifications. This bill would give providers until at least August 1, 2028, to demonstrate experience-based competency as an alternative pathway to satisfying qualification requirements.

Visiting the Capital Campus – Shuttle/Bus Service is Here to Help!

Life on the Capital campus is a bit crowded this year with the temporary closure of the Pritchard Building due to construction (more about that in a future newsletter). A long standing problem around Olympia has been parking and if you have been lamenting the demise of the Dash shuttle service, fear not. It is coming back!

If you’ve been on the ground in Olympia the past few years, you may recall Intercity Transit provided the Dash shuttle service between the Olympia Farmers Market and the State Capitol Campus. The shuttle has become a new service route, Route 14, effective January 6th, 2025. Route 14 buses will run from 6:30am to 6:30pm on weekdays, with service every 30 minutes. As a bonus, it’s free, as Intercity Transit does not collect fares from passengers on fixed-route bus lines as part of the agency’s Zero Fare project.

Additionally, the Department of Enterprise Services operates a shuttle service Monday through Friday (including holidays), 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., every 18-20 minutes. The shuttle is a seven-passenger van clearly identified with the DES logo that picks up and drops off state employees and visitors at the following locations:

• South doors of the Legislative Building
• Legislative Modular Building
• General Administration Building visitor parking lot
• Natural Resources Building visitor parking lot