Washington state’s Legislative cycle (and budget runs on a 2 year cycle, also known as a biennium. A new ‘biennium’ starts each odd year with a 105 day long session, followed by a short 60 day session the following (even) year. The current biennium started on January 13th, 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
2026 Wk 7: Time Management Tech For Teens
Legislative priorities become progressively clearer as it gets closer and closer to Sine Die (the day the legislative session is over). Even bills that have support must be pulled from the Rules Committee to even be eligible for a vote, and even if they are, they then must be called to the floor by the majority party. Both the majority and the minority party have strategies they employ during these last few weeks of session, and they all involve how to manage the clock. This week in Tech for Teens, we speak with Democratic Senator Lisa Wellman, the prime sponsor of the AI Companion Chatbot bill, and Republican Representative Travis Couture, Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, about the importance of definitions in legislation, how time management works on the floor, and the differing opinions on the enforcement mechanism used in the AI Chatbot bill.
Discussion Questions:
- Coming soon!
2026 Wk 6: Floor Debate Tech For Teens
It is officially the second half of the legislative session! On Tuesday February 17th, all bills needed to be voted off the floor in their House of Origin to stay alive. This self-imposed deadline means that many of the bills that the House and Senate were considering did not make it past this cutoff. There is simply not enough time to debate and pass all of the bills that made it through committee. Sometimes a bill does not have the votes to pass, so leadership does not bring it up for a vote. Sometimes there is not enough time to debate and vote on all the bills, so leadership has to prioritize which bill to move to the floor for a vote. Over 3,000 bills were filed during the 2026 legislative session. After the first policy committee cutoff on February 4th, 1,405 of them were still alive. After the second cutoff, House of Origin Fiscal Committee, 679 bills were still alive. Now, after the House of Origin cutoff, 401 are still alive. Tech for Teens: the Personalized/Addictive Feeds Bill (HB 1834) failed to make it to the House Floor for a vote. The AI Companion Chatbot bills (HB 2225/SB 5984) did pass through both the House and the Senate, with amendments, and will now be heard in policy committees in the opposite chambers.
Discussion Questions:
- Why are cutoff dates important?
- What are some reasons why bills might not make it to the Floor for a vote?
- What is a striker amendment and why are they introduced?
- Why were some legislators against the bill?
2026 Wk 4/5: Attorney General Request Legislation
The Attorney General’s office is the law firm for the State of Washington, and, amongst many other things, is responsible for enforcing the Consumer Protection Act. The CPA is used to hold companies accountable when they break the law, harming consumers. In this episode of Legislative Branch Explained, Corey speaks directly with Attorney General Nick Brown about his support for HB 1834: Protecting Children Online, and how the AGs office would be involved in the enforcement of the bill if it passes.
Discussion Questions:
- How are laws mainly enforced in Washington State?
- What is the Attorney General responsible for in the state of Washington?
- What is the Consumer Protection Act and how would it be used to protect the youth?
- How does the AG’s office work with the legislature to get a bill passed?
- What is a private right of action? Why does the Attorney General think it is an important tool?
2026 Wk 3: Amendments Happen
It is almost the first cutoff date of this short legislative session, which means that bills must move out of the policy committee in their house of origin if they want to stay alive. This first cutoff is on Wednesday, February 4th. HB 2225, which would regulate the use of AI companion chatbots by minors, has already passed this cutoff and is now waiting to be heard on the floor of the House for a vote of the full chamber.
This week in Legislative Branch Explained, we examine the changes made to the bill between the public hearing and the executive session, focusing on the interplay between the governor’s office and the committee members as amendments to the bill language are suggested. Check out all the details on the new substitute bill in this 6 minute video.
Discussion Questions:
- Having watched previous week’s episodes of Legislative Branch Explained, why do legislators want to amend the bill?
- How does the governor’s office work with legislators in amending the bill?
- What happens at an Executive Session?
- Why would a committee prefer a substitute rather than single amendments? When would amendments be preferred?
- How does this substitute change the bill?
- What is the next step in the legislative process for this bill?
2026 Wk 2: Working the Bill
Legislators, while they may have expertise in certain subject matters, do not know all there is to know about every topic, so they want to (and need to) hear and learn from the public. SB 5708, protecting children online, a bill requested by the attorney general, is working its way through the legislative process. Introduced in 2025, it failed to pass through both houses, so it is alive again in this second year of the biennium. Currently, advocates and stakeholders are “working the bill”. Experts have been called in to share their expertise in a work session in the Senate Businesses, Financial Services and Trade Committee. Lobbyists who represent the tech industries have been meeting with legislators on both sides of the aisle. Advocates have been meeting with legislators, testifying in front of committees, and holding rallies to amplify their message. Learn about how people “work the bill” and more about proposed government regulations of social media for minors.
Discussion Questions:
- How do stakeholders “work their bill”?
- Why can rallies be effective?
- Why is SB 5708: Protecting Children Online supported by the Attorney General?
- Why do committees hold worksessions?
- According to Brian Boland, why should legislators pass this bill?
- According to the Association of Washington Businesses, why should legislators not pass the bill?
- What do you think is the role of the government in regulating social media for minors?
2026 Wk 1: Tech For Teens
The first week of the legislative session moves very quickly, especially during a short session. To truly understand the legislative process, it is extremely helpful to follow a bill as it makes its way through both chambers of the legislature. Teach with TVW will follow two different bills for the 2026 session: HB 2225, which proposes to regulate AI Chatbots for minors, and SB 5708, which proposes to regulate personalized feeds for minors. Both of these bills are making their way through the technology committees, one in the House and the other in the Senate. Learn the details of the AI Chatbot bill, what happened at the public hearing, and what is coming up next.
Discussion Questions:
- What access should kids and teens have to social media? What about chatbots?
- Why did Representative Lisa Callen choose to sponsor this governor request legislation?
- What would HB 2225 do if passed in its current form?
- Why do you think bills are required to have a public hearing to move forward in the legislative process?
- What are the arguments that are in favor of HB 2225?
- What are the arguments that are against HB 2225?
- What is the next step for HB 2225?
2026 Look Ahead
Learn about how a biennium works as you get ready for the 2026 session. The upcoming session is the short session, just 60 days, and legislators will have many issues to address, from the budgetary shortfall to pressing priorities from both political parties. Tune in to Teach with TVW each week to see how legislators are working to solve Washington’s most important problems.
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?
2026 Re-Wire Preview
Each year, the Washington Observer hosts their annual Re-Wire conference, where policy makers, advocates, and stakeholders gather to discuss the upcoming legislative session. The conference this year was dominated by discussions of the budget and how the budget will affect policy decisions on health care, energy use, and human services. Get yourself ready for the 2026 session in 3 short minutes!
Inaugurations 2025
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?
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:
- Discussion Questions
- Public Hearing 5181: Parental Rights Summary
- Student Notes Table Public Hearing 5181
Essential Questions:
- Who participates in Committee Hearings?
- How are both political parties represented in committees?
- How do legislative staff support and inform the committees?
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.
Class Resources:
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?
Public Testimony
In a democracy like ours, civic engagement is imperative. There are numerous ways to make your voice heard by the government: voting, protesting, petitioning, boycotting, or writing to your legislators. But there is another way that many people may not know about or may find too intimidating: testifying at a public hearing for a pending piece of legislation. In this 7 minute video, Ms. Paulson talks to lobbyist Melissa Gombosky and Representative Andrew Barkis about the importance of testifying at a public hearing, as well as tips for what to do with your time at the microphone.
Class Resources:
Essential Questions:
- To what extent is public testimony important?
- How should one prepare for public testimony?
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?
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?
Fiscal Committees
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.
Class Resources:
Essential Questions:
- What are the basic steps of the legislative process?
- How are time and priorities effectively managed?
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:
- Discussion Questions
- 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?
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:
- Discussion Questions
- 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?
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:
- Discussion Questions
- 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?
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:
- Discussion Questions
- 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?
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:
- Discussion Questions
- 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?
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:
- Discussion Questions
- Civics 101 – The Rules Committee
- 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?
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:
- Discussion Questions
- Civics 101 – Concurrence & Dispute
- Capitol Classroom Highlight – To Concur or Not Concur?
- Civics 101 – Final Step: The Governor’s Desk
Essential Questions:
- What are the basic steps of the legislative process?
- How are time and priorities effectively managed?
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:
- Discussion Questions
- Civics 101 – 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?