Making higher education more affordable and accessible for students by bridging the gap between cost and need to reduce barriers, improve opportunity, and advance economic security.

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Public hearing in the House Committee on College & Workforce Development – January 12th, 2022

Public Testimony is an excellent glimpse at the different ‘stakeholders’ that may be affected by a bill if it were to pass. How does hearing the many aspects of an issue inform your position on the bill?

• Committee Chair’s opening remarks on HB 1659 – Starts at 0:16:40 2 min
  • Committee Chair Slatter explains that HB 1659 is being presented for Public Testimony with 2 other bills that have been created as a group of bills of which she is a sponsor of.
• Staff Presentation of HB 1659 – Starts at 0:18:15 3 min
  • Staff briefing provides background to the bill and describes its scope and  intent.
• Bill Sponsor introduction of HB 1659 – Starts at 0:21:30 5 min
  • The bill’s sponsor is the primary advocate for the bill, this is an opportunity for them to help frame the bill and make their statement in support of it.
  • Sponsor’s introduction is followed by questions from the committee members.
• Full Public Testimonies – Starts at 0:28:41 42 min
  • Hear the voices of your fellow citizens and how they may be affected by a bill if it were to pass.

Entire Public Hearing – 55 min

Executive Action –  House Committee on College & Workforce Development – January 20th, 2022

Executive Session is when a committee holds a vote on a bill to move it out of committee. It is also an opportunity for legislators to weigh in on any concerns they may have with the bill and share how they intend to vote and why.

• Session opens with the introduction and vote on amendments to HB 1659 – 5 min
  • This is an opportunity for the full committee to review and comment for or against proposed amendments
• Sponsor makes her argument for supporting the bill as amended – 2 min
  • This is another opportunity for the bill’s sponsor to frame the argument for a yes vote on the bill (after amendments) before the final vote on whether or not to move the bill as amended out of committee.
• Minority Committee member makes a statement regarding mixed votes for passing the bill out of committee – 1 min
  • Often committee members will take a moment to make a statement regarding the vote they are about to cast.
• Roll Call Vote 2 min

Entire Executive Session on HB 1659 – 13 min

Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations – January 31, 2022

Now that SHB 1659 has made its way out of its House policy committee it moves onto a fiscal committee to review the cost of the bill if implemented in its current form.

• Staff Briefing – This time 2 staff brief the committee members:
  • Staff briefing on SHB 1659 – Starting at 0:00:27  2 min
  • Staff Briefing on the Fiscal note on the SHB 1659 – Starting at 0:02:45 3 min
• Prime Sponsor introduces HB 1659 to the committee – Starting at 0:05:15 3 min
  • Representative Slatter makes her argument to the fiscal committee as to why this bill is worth funding.
• Public Testimony for HB 1659 – Starting at 0:08:51 22 min
  • NOTE: Public testimonies in the fiscal committees are very similar to the procedure in the policy committees except that the committee is more focused on costs.
  • Student and Concerned Citizen 1 min
  • Student Testimony 1 min
  • Student Testimony 1 min
  • There were no testimonies against the bill.

Entire Public Hearing:  30 min

Executive Action in the House Appropriations Committee – February 4th, 2022

Just as the bill had an Executive Session in the policy committee, it now needs to get through another Executive Session vote to move to the next stage in the process. this  is also an opportunity for legislators to weigh in on any concerns they may have with the bill and share how they intend to vote and why.

SHB 1659 committee briefing

• Staff Briefing on revisions to the bill 2 min
• Staff Briefing on the fiscal impacts of those revisions 1 min

Executive Action Continues with 2SHB 1659 –  10 min

• Proposed amendments go before the committee for a vote – Starting at 02:46:50  2min
• Discussion- Starting at 02:48:35 3 min 
  • Here committee members expressed their support and opposition to the bill
  • Pro Statement by committee member – 1 min
  • Statement by a Minority Committee Member 1 min
    • A minority committee member often makes a statement regarding where his/her fellow minority committee members stand
  • Roll Call vote – Starting at 02:51:45 2min

Entire Executive Action on 2SHB 1629 10min:

House Floor Debate on 2SHB 1659 – February 13, 2022

Legislators provide their final opinions, support and opposition to 2SHB 1659 before casting their vote on whether it should continue its journey in the Senate.

Introduction of Amendments:

• Starting at 02:08:14 2SHB 1659 is brought up for discussion and House Floor amendments are heard and voted on.
  • One amendment is introduced and adopted making the bill now ‘Engrossed’ 2SHB 1659. 2 min

Final Passage E2SHB 1659:

• Starting a 02:10:32 E2SHB 1659 is debated for ‘Final Passage’ 6 min
  • Representatives make statements affirming the value of this bill. No objecting statements were made.
• ESHB 1658 passed; yeas, 83; nays, 15; absent, 0; excused, 0

Entire House Floor Debate:  8 min

E2SHB 1659 Public Hearing in the Senate Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development – February 22nd, 2022

• Bill Sponsor Introduction – Starting at 00:31:44 – 6min
• Student Body President Highline Community College – Starting at 01:29:27 – 90sec
• Briahna Murray Giaudrone MS Capitol Classroom volunteer lobbyist – Starting at 01:34:43 – 3min

Entire Public Testimony on E2SHB 1659

Executive Action in the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee – February 24th, 2022

• Staff Introduction of E2SHB 1659 – 1min
• Roll Call Vote – Starting at 00:11:42 – 6min
  • Committee discussion on the pro and con of the bill

Entire E2SHB 1659 Roll Call Vote 6min:

E2SHB 1659 Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means – February 26th, 2022

Entire Public Testimony 13min:

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means – February 26th, 2022

Introduction:

• Staff reviews the bill and answers questions – 2 min

Executive Action 7min:

This bill was pulled from the agenda by the Committee Chair and then brought back at the very end of the meeting to be voted on. Listen to the arguments voiced in the video below. Do you think this bill will die in the Senate Rules Committee given the concerns voiced by these committee members?

Senate Floor Debate on 2SHB 1659 – March 4th, 2022

2SHB 1659 was thought not likely to make it out of the Senate Rules Committee and onto the Senate Floor for its final vote, but you will see that it was brought up just before the 5pm cutoff – with an amendment – and so it passed and is on it’s way back to the House for ‘concurrence or dispute’ regarding the changes made in the Senate.

Introduction of amendment 2 min:

• An amendment is introduced to limit to number of schools that qualify for the grant program.
• Vote is taken on the amendment and receives a passing vote. Starts at 3:00:48

Final Passage of E2SHB 1659 5 min:

• Placed on Final Passage : Starting at 3:01:19
• Two Senators share final comments pro and con on the bill as amended.
• Vote is read: 03:04:03

E2SHB 1659 passed the Senate and is now on its way back to the House for ‘concurrence or dispute’.

Track all HB 1659 related activity at the Legislative website here.