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. Essential Questions
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Use these short explainer videos to help build a strong foundation in civics by exploring how government works at the local, state, and national levels. This series introduces core concepts like the branches of government, civic rights and responsibilities, and how public policy decisions are made and carried out. Students will gain a clearer understanding of how citizens engage with government and how systems of power and accountability function in Washington State and beyond.
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Understand how laws are made in Washington State through clear, engaging examples. This video series follows the full legislative process—from bill introduction and committee hearings to debate and final votes—while explaining key roles, procedures, and real-world impacts. Students will learn how ideas become law, how citizens can participate, and how state government decisions shape their communities. Ideal for building foundational civics knowledge and connecting classroom concepts to what’s happening in Olympia today.
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Senate Page, Vishvath Vinesh, researched and brought his question to Committee Leadership of the Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs, and Elections Committee about addressing partisanship. Hear what Committee Chair Javier Valdez (D) 46th Dist., and Ranking Member Jeff Wilson (R) 19th Dist. each had to say! Overview: The 2024 Election was historic with Washington surpassing 5 million registered voters for the first time. In order for this to happen, there needed to be a lot of organization at the state level. The Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs, and Elections Committee is in charge of passing laws to ensure that the state government runs smoothly, ethically, and efficiently. They consider issues relating to: State contracts, Agency rulemaking, Emergency management Veterans Elections Campaign finance Public disclosure Ethics in government Archaeological and historic preservation. Essential Questions:
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Help students learn how to navigate Washington State’s legislative website (leg.wa.gov) to find bills, track legislation, and understand the lawmaking process in action. This series builds practical civic skills by showing how to access real government information, follow policy development, and explore how ideas move through the Legislature. Students gain hands-on tools to connect classroom learning with the legislative process and current issues in Washington State.
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