Governor Jay Inslee signed two closely watched bills recently that were championed through the 2020 Legislative Session by Sen. Bob Hasegawa (D-Seattle).
Senate Bill 6066 received Inslee’s approval on March 18, and will expand ethnic studies opportunities in schools throughout Washington. The governor signed Senate Bill 6086 on March 31, removing barriers to opioid use disorder treatments.
More on SB 6066
SB 6066 requires the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to provide ethnic studies materials for all grades, including grades K-6. Just last year, the Legislature passed a Hasegawa bill requiring ethnic studies materials for grades 7-12.
“As our kids move through the K-12 system, they all need to learn about the diverse and beautiful cultures that make up our communities,” Hasegawa said. “All kids need to understand how we all fit in to making American what it is. Ethnic studies helps kids build self-esteem, self-awareness and understand how important we all are in America. This bill is a step toward equity in our education system.”
More on SB 6086
SB 6086 removes barriers to opioid use disorder treatments by improving access to automatic medication dispensing devices used in treating opioid use disorders. The bill increases the supply limits up to 12 days from automated dispensing devices for medication that are under the supervision of licensed pharmacists.
“Our communities have been struggling to address our opioid epidemic, and we must provide people with all the tools possible to help them recover,” Hasegawa said. “This bill expands access to one of those tools and will undoubtedly help us to save lives.”
