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? 📚Check out our other CIVICS CURRICULA for WA middle and high school teachers: https://www.teachwithtvw.org/lesson-plans/ ======================================= Other Teach With TVW Civics Videos ======================================= 🎬 Civics 101 https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDcy6Oz3plxQCqpfNUb2HGf&feature=shared 🎬 Legislative Navigator https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SD-p5BHx443GTtGBp_DKQVT&feature=shared 🎬 Learning Modules - The Branches of WA State Government: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SBe_62ViakFyBCw4qah7eR7&feature=shared https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDnVbfKeRWogOX6zU5BWw6b&feature=shared https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SCYOl5u2wu52tt3G7sEmNTG&feature=shared https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SAlJXemJj6KtI7saVkFFdM7&si=zodZl_faZv-ePfLH https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SCiQlpeW9JwnJepn87zNpDT&feature=shared ======================================= Other Teach With TVW Civics Programs ======================================= 🙋Capitol Classroom - Bring the Legislative process into your classroom: https://teachwithtvw.org/civic-participation-in-the-classroom/ =========================== Subscribe and Follow Teach With TVW =========================== ➡YT: @teachwithtvw360 ➡Web: https://www.teachwithtvw.org ➡FB: @Teach with TVW ➡IG: @TeachWithTVW ➡LI: @TeachWithTVW QUESTION - Have a question about our lesson plans or online videos? Drop it in the comments! ⏰ Timecodes ⏰ Teach with TVW is a free online resource provided by TVW for Washington state social studies teachers to engage their students in state government and help to inspire active citizens. #waleg #teachwithtvw #CapitolClassroom #CONNECTS #civics101 #legislativenavigator #ontheissues #electionsexplained

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?


📚Check out our other CIVICS CURRICULA for WA middle and high school teachers: https://www.teachwithtvw.org/lesson-plans/
=======================================
Other Teach With TVW Civics Videos
=======================================
🎬 Civics 101 https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDcy6Oz3plxQCqpfNUb2HGf&feature=shared

🎬 Legislative Navigator https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SD-p5BHx443GTtGBp_DKQVT&feature=shared

🎬 Learning Modules - The Branches of WA State Government:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SBe_62ViakFyBCw4qah7eR7&feature=shared

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDnVbfKeRWogOX6zU5BWw6b&feature=shared

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SCYOl5u2wu52tt3G7sEmNTG&feature=shared

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SAlJXemJj6KtI7saVkFFdM7&si=zodZl_faZv-ePfLH

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SCiQlpeW9JwnJepn87zNpDT&feature=shared

=======================================
Other Teach With TVW Civics Programs
=======================================

🙋Capitol Classroom - Bring the Legislative process into your classroom: https://teachwithtvw.org/civic-participation-in-the-classroom/

===========================
Subscribe and Follow Teach With TVW
===========================
➡YT: @teachwithtvw360
➡Web: https://www.teachwithtvw.org
➡FB: @Teach with TVW
➡IG: @TeachWithTVW
➡LI: @TeachWithTVW

QUESTION - Have a question about our lesson plans or online videos? Drop it in the comments!

⏰ Timecodes ⏰

Teach with TVW is a free online resource provided by TVW for Washington state social studies teachers to engage their students in state government and help to inspire active citizens.

#waleg #teachwithtvw #CapitolClassroom #CONNECTS #civics101 #legislativenavigator #ontheissues #electionsexplained

YouTube Video PoIf3j8Pe0A
04:15

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.

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