E-Newsletters

The Parent's Bill of Rights is a report on K-12 student and parent's rights. This report is based on a document prepared by committee staff as an interim project and was formatted for ease of access and increased readability by our caucus communications staff. The impetus for this report came from a bill recently introduced by Senator Perry Dozier, R-Waitsburg's Senate Bill 5858 (2022). This piece of legislation sought to establish what they were referring to as a parent’s bill of rights related to their child’s public education. I merely asked that Senate Committee Services (SCS) compile the ...

A look at how some sister-nations are setting their learners up to succeed—and a deep dive into how Washington State can step up to do the same. Senator Wellman continued her annual educational listening tour during this year’s 2022 interim gearing up for a productive 2023 legislative session. The focus of her tours was to visit schools and skills centers giving the Senator boots-on-the-ground classroom experience, hearing from principals and teachers, and engaging with students.

Click here to read the full report or go to: https://tinyurl.com/2022WellmanEdTours

Dear Neighbors, For many, November is a month in which we are called to remember ancestors, loved ones lost, the fullness of their lives, and their beautiful—sometimes harrowing stories that often serve as beacons to the way forward as we pick up and continue the work of progressing our communities together. I was honored to have recognized Day of the Dead, or Dia de Los Muertos earlier this month and posted the vibrant graphic below. I was honored to have been invited by the Tribal Leaders Congress on Education to continue our collective efforts to chart the path to ...

I was delighted and last month to tour two amazing schools in our beautiful state. My team and I went to Mt. Vernon's La Venture Middle School and Yakima’s Union Gap K-8 Elementary/Middle School. I spoke with teachers, staff and administrators including Principals and a District Superintendent. Most importantly though, I spoke with and learned from students. As the chair of the Senate Committee on Early Learning and K-12 Education, my constituents aren’t just those who live in my legislative district—my constituents are Washington's students, learners, teachers and parents. To all ...

Friends and Neighbors, Making sure you caught this from my email newsletter last week: I released a short video detailing Washington State election integrity. We are considered the gold standard by many (and for good reason!) With our safe and accessible election system we see an increased turnout which means more voices are being heard – more of our neighbors are represented. States that mail a ballot to every registered voter can see an increased voter turnout averaging 4 percent or more—that’s a potential of nearly 200,000 more Washingtonians!!! Specifically, 200,000 more people who have historically found it difficult ...

  Dear neighbors, As other states across the nation contend with conspiracy theories and local legislation that aims to make it HARDER for people to vote, our state has been ahead of the curve for years - helping everyday Washingtonians take part in safe and secure elections. Studies continually tell us that when we help to provide a safe, easy way for community members to take part in the election process, we see increased participation along with many other benefits! Mail-in voting means you don’t miss work or school time in order to vote. It also means no long lines ...

Dear neighbors,  We are nearing three months since the end of the 2022 legislative session and while many are campaigning during this time, other Senators, myself included, are not yet up for re-election and are still hard at work meeting with community members, and stakeholders, and road-mapping the upcoming ‘23 session.  If you missed it in my last newsletter, Washington State received an AAA bond rating throughout the public health crisis, underscoring Washington State’s economic viability for businesses and solid financial management, even in the height of a global pandemic.Read More

Dear neighbors, We have officially ended the 2022 legislative session and I am proud to report we made tremendous strides for everyday working Washingtonians. This year we adjourned on time for the fifth year in a row, a record not held by any legislature since 1899. That’s good government. Additional days, special sessions, cost the state millions of dollars. This exemplifies our commitment to serving Washington’s workers and families and not wasting their money. Scroll below for a quick a digest of this legislative session’s key impacts. While we still have more work to do, I am proud of ...