News Releases

Legislation passed today by the Senate would allow school districts to issue a diploma for a student who has earned 75 percent of the credits needed to graduate but dies after completing the 11th grade. “This is a simple way to recognize a student’s academic achievement on behalf of a family that is suffering a tragic loss,” said Sen. Claire Wilson ...

Legislation passed today by the Senate would extend support services that improve the chances of someone trying to reenter the community following incarceration. “Reintegration into a community can be daunting for many reasons, but it’s even more difficult if someone abruptly loses services for mental health, substance abuse, anger management or other critical needs,” said Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn). “Someone who ...

Legislation passed today by the Senate would bar juvenile holding facilities from subjecting teens to solitary confinement. “Studies show that using solitary confinement to improve behavior accomplishes exactly the opposite, and is especially damaging to youths,” said Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn). “Instead of reducing violence and assaults on staff and youth, solitary confinement makes things worse.” Wilson’s Senate Bill 6112 would:

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Legislation passed unanimously today by the Senate would ensure that a child who qualifies for 12 months of Working Connections childcare receives the full 12-month benefit. “Right now, the 12-month window for childcare begins as soon as a parent’s application is processed and the parent is working — even if the parent has not been able to locate a childcare provider,” ...

Childcare facilities would carry the same prohibitions on deadly weapons as K-12 schools under legislation passed today by the Senate. “When parents send their kids off to school, they expect these facilities and grounds to be safe and secure,” said Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn), the bill’s sponsor. “The state already prohibits people from possessing firearms on K-12 school campuses. This bill ...

The teaching of science-based, age-appropriate sexual health education would be expanded to more school districts and grade levels, under legislation passed today by the Senate. “Some people hear the words ‘sex education’ and mistake the focus of the curriculum, which is health and safety, and is age-appropriate for each grade level,” said Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn), the vice chair of the ...

Early learners would get the assistance and support they need to avoid falling behind their peers in kindergarten and throughout life, under legislation heard today by the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee. “Not everyone is ready to learn when they enter kindergarten, and those who aren’t often fall behind early and stay behind,” said Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn), the ...

Juvenile holding facilities would be prohibited from subjecting teens to solitary confinement, under legislation heard today by the Senate Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation Committee. “There’s been a longtime assumption that solitary confinement can improve behavior, but studies show just the opposite,” said Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn). “Rather than discouraging violence and assaults on staff and youth, solitary confinement actually increases ...

The time between sessions, interim, is the time when deeper learning can happen around issues and concerns of importance to constituents and the state. This interim my focus has been to deepen my learning around things new to me, and deepen my listening around things I know more about. Areas of learning this interim included:

• NW Seaport Alliance in Tacoma
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Organizations may apply as early as Oct. 1 for competitive grants through the state Early Learning Facilities (ELF) program, Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn) said today.

“The Legislature invested $18 million in ELF this year because we see a critical need to increase access to high-quality child care and early learning, particularly for children from low-income and at-risk households,” Wilson said. ...