News Releases

A bill passed today by the Washington State Senate would update the state’s levy policy to better serve students, teachers and Washington’s 295 school districts.

In 2017, the Legislature made historic changes to the state’s school levy policy to satisfy the state Supreme Court’s McCleary ruling that basic education must be funded by the state, not by local levy dollars. ...

A measure that would have made it easier for local districts to pass school bonds failed today after it didn’t receive the required vote in the Senate.

Senate Joint Resolution 8201, sponsored by Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island), would have amended the state constitution to change the school bond threshold for passage from 60 percent to a simple majority. Changing ...

A bill passed today by the Washington State Senate increases funding for special education, paving the way for more inclusive learning environments. The bill passed with a unanimous vote.

Senate Bill 5091 is sponsored by Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island), who chairs the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education committee. The additional special education funding comes at ...

A bill passed Friday by the Washington State Senate would expand career connected learning opportunities, helping students understand available career pathways and better plan for their future. The bill passed on a 45 to 3 vote. Senate Bill 5327, the Career Connect Washington Act, is sponsored by Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island) and was requested by Gov. Jay Inslee.

A bill passed today by the Washington State Senate would ensure that state and local agencies focus on the needs of Washingtonians instead of doing the work of federal immigration officials. The bill passed on a vote of 30 to 16.

Senate Bill 5497, the Keep Washington Working Act, would limit the amount of information that state and local agencies ...

A bill passed today by the Washington State Senate would expand broadband access to underserved communities. Senate Bill 5511 is sponsored by Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island), and was requested by Gov. Jay Inslee.

“I want every school child to be able to go on the internet and have the richness that exists in that world available to them,” Wellman ...

A package of bills to make Washington schools safer passed the state Senate today.

Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island) prioritized the comprehensive and bipartisan list of legislation following a statewide Educational Service District tour and after reviewing recommendations by the state’s Mass Shooting Workgroup.

“Students, teachers, parents and school administrators throughout the state are coming to us with ...

Science-based, comprehensive sexuality health education would become a required component of public school curriculums, under legislation passed today by the Senate on a 28-21 vote.

“Many students are sexually assaulted or coerced into having sex, or find themselves in abusive relationships,” said Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island), who chairs the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee. “At its core, ...

OLYMPIA – Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island) will retain her role as chair of the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee when the Senate convenes for the 2019 legislative session. Wellman, a former educator, was first chosen by her colleagues in 2018 to lead the committee responsible for crafting policy that affects more than 1.1 million school-aged children in the ...

OLYMPIA – State Senator Lisa Wellman, D-Mercer Island, has been recognized for her leadership and support of arts and cultural heritage in Washington state. Wellman received the 2018 Cultural Advocacy Award from the Washington State Arts Alliance in Olympia this week as senators returned to the capitol for Assembly Committee Days. During her tech career, Lisa headed the creative markets for ...