News Releases

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 MUST be a safe space. It is the only way to learn,” said Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island), prime sponsor of ...

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 support small rural service providers to better serve rural areas in need of fiber optic broadband internet. “Serving under 40,000 customers ...

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 5311) both championed by Sen. Lisa Wellman, D-Mercer Island, chair of the Senate committee on Early Learning & ...

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 by Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island), SB 5054 clarifies how school districts can implement Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), which are already ...

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 Roe vs Wade. For nearly half a century the U.S. Constitution has protected pregnant people’s right to abortion. Rights upheld by ...

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 state teacher certification in charter schools run by Summit Schools. Wellman praised the effective leadership that unearthed unprecedented results ...

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 21^st century’s growing, digital economy,” said Wellman. “We have committed to ensuring that every student who comes through our K-12 system is prepared to move into the next ...

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 ...

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. “There are many students who will benefit by having an introduction to computer technology,” Wellman said. “There may be students ...

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 and writing to include the attributes necessary to succeed in a 21^st century workplace. SB 5249, sponsored by Sen. Lisa ...