It’s Week Five …

… and things are swinging right along in Olympia, and the Legislature is deeply entrenched in their work … and the snow. While things are rolling along and bills are being passed out of committee, unfortunately our bills have stalled. The situation’s not ideal, but it’s also not the end, either.

We learned this week that there is almost no possibility of HB 1300 being passed out of the College & Workforce Development Committee in time for the policy cutoff on the 22^nd. We still have time, but it’s unlikely, nonetheless. So, what now?

Now we work on the Appropriations Committee.

This is the negotiations phase, where we convince the committee that putting more money into the CTCs and ROCin’ Washington is good for everyone, and that every penny spent is worth it. Here’s what we need you to do:

1. Talk to your students
   1. Students. Move. Policy. The people we educate can almost singlehandedly move policy, and they have a lot of sway in funding priorities. The more student bodies get behind this, the more successful we’ll be.
2. Talk to your administration
   1. Getting Presidents, Chancellors, and Boards to join us gives us the broad support the legislature needs to be reassured.
3. Ask the Chair of the College & Workforce Development (C&WD) Committee and the Chair of the Appropriations Committee to support our bills
   1. Email Rep Drew Hanson, chair of C&WD.
   2. Email Rep Timm Ormsby, chair of Appropriations.
4. Call and email your legislators weekly.
   1. Have your board, members, family, and friends do this weekly.
5. Come to Lobby Day, this Monday the 18^th
   1. We’re meeting in the Rotunda at the Capitol at 9 a.m. Be there, and let us know you’re coming.
6. Come down to Olympia any time.
   1. We are still hosting weekly lobby days in Olympia. Every Tuesday*, we meet at 9 a.m. in the Rotunda (*except next week, because we’re lobbying on Monday) and we get to work.

I know we’re asking a lot, but this is crucial to getting the funding needs for our system met, and the needs of the education professionals who make everything possible.

Got questions? Ideas? Want to get more involved? You can call or email me (206-427-8107; stoussaint@aftwa.org) or your Union Organizing Representative.