Category Archives: News Release

OLYMPIA — Legislation heard in the Senate today would provide schools with updated substance use prevention education materials related to the risks of using fentanyl and other opioids. “Today was about school safety. It is an absolute necessity that school ...

OLYMPIA – A bill to expand access to rural broadband passed out of the Washington State Senate today with broad bipartisan support. Senate Bill 5600, sponsored by Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island), extends the Universal Communications Service Program, which helps ...

Today in the senate, students won as multiple bills centering student needs and access cleared the floor moving to the House for consideration. Two mainline pieces of legislation moving today included student transportation (SB 5174) and special education funding (SB ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Mar. 01. 2023 Press Inquiries | 360.786.7477, Sam.Gutierrez@leg.wa.gov OLYMPIA — A bill to increase professional development resources for teachers passed the Senate this Tuesday, poising Washington state to brace educators for growth and stabilization post-pandemic. Sponsored ...

Following the supreme court’s decision to upend the constitutional protections on abortion, Senator Lisa Wellman issued the following statement: “Today the right-wing majority sitting on the U.S. Supreme Court voted 6-3 to overturn the court’s 49 year old decision on ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — March 4, 2022  Wellman supports state auditor’s review of Summit Charter Schools    Olympia – Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island) today lauded a state audit that uncovered 24 teachers who were teaching without a current Washington ...

Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island) previews what is in the works for education in Washington state in a recent video. “We’ve been making changes to our education system to respond to the 21st century’s growing, digital economy,” said Wellman. “We ...

SEATTLE — Legislation passed today by the Senate would allow expanded transportation services when schools provide remote instruction during emergencies.  SB 5128, sponsored by Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island), solves the funding gap school districts face in providing expanded services due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  “I’ve been working with ...

SEATTLE —SB 5299, passed by the Senate and sponsored by Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island), allows high school students to take a computer science elective in place of a third year math or science course to count towards graduation requirements. ...

SEATTLE — Today the Senate passed legislation directing the state’s mastery-based learning work group to build a profile of skills a student must have at the time of graduation. This profile goes beyond the traditional subject matter such as reading ...