The 105 day long session began on January 13, 2025. For the following four months, the 98 House members and 49 Senators grappled with climate and energy concerns, rising housing costs, the budget, and the paramount duty of the state, K-12 education, amongst many other important issues.
Teach with TVW stayed in step with the action, creating short explainer videos showcasing how policymaking works in Washington state, from bill filing, to public testimonies and final passage on the House and Senate Floors.
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THE SERIES
Final Act – The Governor’s Desk
What power does the governor have in the Legislative Process? In the United States and in Washington State, we pride ourselves on our system of representative democracy and the checks and balances that help keep this system in place. With Sine Die, the bulk of the legislative branch’s work is finished for the year, and now the Executive Branch’s role in the legislative process begins in earnest. Legislation that passed both the House and the Senate is sent to the Governor for approval. The Governor’s signature acts as a check on the legislature; the governor will have 20 days after Sine Die to either sign or veto the proposed legislation. If they choose to do neither, the bills will become law without a signature. Of course the Legislature can override vetos with a 2/3 vote of both the House and Senate, but this check on the Executive Branch can be hard to achieve in a divided Legislative Body. Hear from former Governor Gregoire and former Governor Inslee explain how the governor is involved during the session, how they come to the decisions they do, as well as the bill signing powers they have.
Class Resources:
- Civics 101 in 12seconds(ish) – Final Step: The Governor’s Desk
Essential Questions:
- What are the basic steps of the legislative process?
- What is the power of the Governor to influence the process?
WK14 April 21st-25th – Conference Committees
There are many steps that a bill must go through to reach final passage. In order to reach the governor’s desk, a bill must be voted out of the House and Senate in the exact same language. If the Senate changes a House bill, the House can either vote to concur (agree) to those changes, dispute (send the bill back to its House of Origin), or ask for a conference committee. It is during this step of the legislative process that the House and the Senate collaborate to pass legislation. The majority party will have the most members on the conference committees, and they also have the majority of votes on the Floor. Currently, Democrats have the majority in both chambers, giving them legislative control over which bills make it through the legislative process. Learn more about conferences committees in this 5 minute video which features interviews with Democratic Senator Noel Frame and Republican Senator Drew MacEwen.
Class Resources:
- Civics 101 in 12seconds(ish) – Concurrence & Dispute
- Capitol Classroom Highlight – To Concur or Not Concur?
- Civics 101 in 12seconds(ish) – Final Step: The Governor’s Desk
Essential Questions:
- What are the basic steps of the legislative process?
- How are time and priorities effectively managed?
WK13 April 14th-18th – The Rules Committee
There are many procedures and protocols that the Legislature follows to ensure that everything happens in a timely fashion. We have told you about cutoff dates for policy committees, fiscal committees, and for voting off of the Senate or House Floor. One of the committees that we have not discussed yet, but has a profound impact on what bills make it to the House or Senate floor, is the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee does not actually make rules, nor does it follow the same procedures and protocols as the other committees. So, what does it do? Why is it important? Why do we have one? In this 7 minute video, we sat down with the Chair of the House Rules Committee, Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins, and Chair of the Senate Rules Committee, Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck, to learn all about what actually goes on in this mysterious committee. (Is it even mysterious?)
Class Resources:
- Civics 101 in 12seconds(ish) – The Rules Committee
- Civics 101 in 12seconds(ish) – The Floor: Where BIG CHANGES Can Happen
Essential Questions:
- What are the basic steps of the legislative process?
- How are time and priorities effectively managed?
WK12 April 7th-11th – The Budgetary Process
In the State of Washington, the government operates under the system of checks and balances; the three branches of government are co-equal branches of government. The legislature writes the laws, the executive branch implements the laws, and the judicial branch interprets the laws. These checks and balances can cause tensions within the government as bills are passed into law. These discussions are often on full display in the talks regarding the budget, which is the way that the government displays its priorities. In this 10 minute mini-documentary, learn about how the legislature and the executive branch work together to pass the budget that funds the services of the state of Washington.
Class Resources:
- Capital budget, 2025: HB 1216, SB 5195
- Operating budget, 2025: HB 1198, SB 5167
- Transportation budget, 2025: HB 1227, SB 5161
Essential Questions:
- What are the basic steps of the legislative process?
- How are time and priorities effectively managed?
WK11 March 24th-28th – The State Budget(s)
The fiscal committees in the Washington State Legislature (House Finance, House Appropriations, and Senate Ways and Means) not only look at the financial components of bills that are assigned to their committees, but the Chairs also compile all that information into three biennial budgets: Operating, Capital, and Transportation. Budget bills travel through the legislative process just like all other bills, and this week the Operating and Transportation budget proposals were released. Public hearings were held on Tuesday the 25th of March so that the public could share their support for, or disapproval of, what was, or was not, included in the budget. In this 6 minute video, we turn to our ever popular Parliamentarian, Mike Hoover, to explain what exactly the three budgets are, including how the Legislature knows how much money they have to spend. To compare this year’s budget proposals, visit the Washington State Fiscal Information website. Stay tuned for next week’s video: Budgets 201, where we will explain, amongst other things, what a budget proviso is (and why they are important!).
Class Resources:
- Capital budget, 2025: HB 1216, SB 5195
- Operating budget, 2025: HB 1198, SB 5167
- Transportation budget, 2025: HB 1227, SB 5161
Essential Questions:
- What are the basic steps of the legislative process?
- How are time and priorities effectively managed?
WK10 March 17th-21st – The Second Half
As in most states, and in the federal government, our Legislature is split into a House of Representatives and a Senate. Bills must pass through each chamber to make their way to the governor’s desk. We spoke with Republican Representative Chris Corry and Democrat Senator Yasmin Trudeau about the parallel processes in the adjoining chambers, as well as how the second half of the legislative process allows for more consideration time on bills while simultaneously moving ever closer to the next cutoff date. During the “second half”, bills can still be amended and all changes to the bill take more time to discuss, which could make it less likely to pass this year.
Class Resources:
- Civics 101 – The Legislative Process
- 2025 Legislative Session Cutoff Calendar
Essential Questions:
- What are the basic steps of the legislative process?
- How are time and priorities effectively managed?
WK9 March 10th-14th – Five O’Clock Bill
Here in Olympia, there is a concept called “the 5 o’clock bill.” The legislature operates on a series of self imposed deadlines that are designed to winnow down the thousands of bills that are introduced each year to the few hundred that are passed into law. March 12th marked the halfway point in the legislative session, and all bills needed to move out of their House of Origin by 5pm. To learn why some legislators debated late into the night on the 12th, watch this 5 minute video that explains some of the strategies behind the “5 o’clock bill”.
Class Resources:
- Civics 101 – The Floor: What is Caucus?
- Civics 101 – The Floor: Where Big Changes Can Happen
Essential Questions:
- What are the basic steps of the legislative process?
- How are time and priorities effectively managed?
WK8 March 3rd-7th – Floor Debate
Legislators are on the floor: what does that even mean? In order for a bill to move along in the legislative process, it must be voted by all the members in its House of Origin. This is done “on the floor”, where all members gather to hear and debate bills. These gatherings on the floor are very formal and strict procedural rules are followed. This allows debate to be civil, orderly, and timely in nature. In this 8 minute video, Ms. Paulson speaks to Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck, who is also President of the Senate, about the Orders of Business that help govern actions on the floor. Watch this before you watch a Floor Debate, so you, like the Lt. Governor, know what the heck is going on.
Class Resources:
- Civics 101 – What is an Amendment?
- Civics 101 – The Floor: What is Decorum??
Essential Questions:
- What are the basic steps of the legislative process?
- How are time and priorities effectively managed?
WK7 Feb 24th-28th – Fiscal Cutoff
Another week, another cutoff. By end of day, Friday February 28th, bills must be voted out of the fiscal committee in their House of Origin. So, bills with a financial impact that were introduced in the House of Representatives must move out of the Finance or Appropriations Committees and bills introduced in the Senate must move out of the Ways and Means Committee if they have any hope of becoming law. In this 4 minute video, learn about the importance of a fiscal committee, how it differs from a policy committee, what a fiscal note really is, and how to specialize your testimony for a fiscal committee. se of Origin.
Class Resources:
Essential Questions:
- What are the basic steps of the legislative process?
- How are time and priorities effectively managed?
WK6 Feb 17th-21st – Policy Cutoff
In order to ensure that bills move through the legislative process, the legislature uses a set of self imposed deadlines called cutoffs. In the 2025 session, the first deadline is today. Learn more about why cutoffs are beneficial in this 5 minute video. By Friday February 21st, all bills that are not necessary to implement the budget (NTIB) must pass out of the policy committee in their House of Origin. Bills will then have one more week before the next cutoff, where they have to make it out of the fiscal committee in the House of Origin.
Class Resources:
Essential Questions:
- What are the basic steps of the legislative process?
- How are time and priorities effectively managed?
WK5 Feb 10th-14th – The Committee Chair
Chairs set the agenda for the committees, which means that they decide which bills will get a public hearing and which bills will be put up for a vote. With thousands of bills vying to make their way to becoming a law and only so much time, the Chair must choose bills that are “fully cooked” and ready to become laws. In this week’s 4 minute episode, hear from Chair of the Senate Law and Justice Committee, Senator Manka Dhingra, and how she works with all members of the Washington State Legislature to pass legislation that betters the lives of Washingtonians.
Class Resources:
Essential Questions:
- How does the committee chair manage priorities and time?
- How do committees effectively vet legislation in the public interest?
WK4 Feb 3rd -7th – Public Testimony
Before a bill can move along in the legislative process, Senators and Representatives must hear from the public. In this 7 minute video viewers learn the formal process of public testimony in committee hearings. In this lesson, students will examine what goes into a good public testimony and then analyze excerpts of public testimonies from a bill making its way through the 2025 legislative session.
Public Testimony Lesson Plan:
Essential Questions:
- To what extent is public testimony important?
- How should one prepare for public testimony?
WK3 Jan 27-31st – Bill Sponsors & Stakeholders
In order for a bill to be heard in a committee, it must have a legislator sign on to be its Prime Sponsor. In this 6 minute video, learn the ins and outs of prime sponsorship and the importance of gathering diverse stakeholders in getting a bill passed. We talked to Senator Claire Wilson and lobbyist Adán Espino about how essential consensus building is in the legislative process.
Essential Questions:
- What is the function of the Prime Sponsor?
- How do Stakeholders help move and shape legislation?
- What is the timeline for bringing ideas to the legislature?
WK2 Jan 20-24th – Anatomy of a Committee
When many people think of “the government”, they think of legislators giving long winded speeches on the floor of the House and the Senate. However, most of the work done during the Legislative Session is done in committees. Committees are the place where bills are researched, discussed, debated, and voted upon. Committees are where the public has the chance to have their voices heard, and committees allow legislators to focus on a specific topic so that the nuances of a proposed law are clear. In this 4 minute episode of Capitol Classroom+, you will experience the anatomy of the committee room, so that when you watch a committee hearing on TVW, you know the ins and outs.
Anatomy of a Committee Hearing Summary:
Essential Questions:
- Who participates in Committee Hearings?
- How are both political parties represented in committees?
- How do legislative staff support and inform the committees?
WK1 Jan 13-17th – Inaugurations
The first week of the legislative session, especially after an election year, is filled with many ceremonial elements. In addition to the agenda setting speeches given by the Speaker of the House Laurie Jenkins, President of the Senate Lt. Governor Denny Heck, and Governor Bob Ferguson, legislative work started. Legislators began meeting in their committees, hearing bills. With over 40 committees meeting between the House and the Senate, there was a lot for Legislators to do! And with 1 out of every 5 members of the Legislature being new this year, the Capitol Campus was filled with many people smiling and looking for the most direct way out of the Legislative building.
Inaugural Address Lesson Plan:
- Duration – One to two class periods
- Inaugural Addresses
Essential Questions:
- What is the purpose of the Inaugural Address?
- How are inaugural addresses the same? How are they different?
- To what extent do inaugural addresses shape the incoming administration?
Pre-Session
For our first 2025 Capitol Classroom+ episode (2 min), Teach with TVW shows you what it is like in the Capitol Building pre-legislative session. This time next week, the Legislative Building will be bustling with energy. But for the moment, it is quiet as legislators are working steadily in their offices, preparing for the next 105 days.
Pre-Session Lesson Plan:
- Duration – One to two class periods
- WK1 Teacher Curriculum Guide
Essential Questions:
- Who represents the people of Washington State?
- How does the legislature function to represent the interests of the people?
- What are some ways the community can participate in the legislature?